Native tribes’ close relationship with and dependency on the natural environment has placed them on the frontlines of a crisis they are not responsible for. Though Indigenous communities contribute relatively small amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, climate change poses a significant threat to Indigenous survival and ways of life. However, we are increasingly understanding the immense value that Indigenous knowledge has in guiding natural resource conservation, regeneration, and land stewardship. 

Indigenous communities on the frontlines of the crisis are transitioning to clean energy, releasing comprehensive climate adaptation plans, and curbing their emissions. Indigenous knowledge, and resistance to government and corporate incursions on land, presents a critical approach to environmental justice and activism.  

Joining us to discuss this topic are four Indigenous leaders in the climate space. Jade Begay, the Climate Justice Campaign Director at the NDN Collective, Ruth Miller and Nauri Toler of the Native Movement, and Angela Mooney D’Arcy, the Executive Director of the Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples, will each provide insight into how Indigenous climate advocacy can best be supported, and what policymakers and advocates should learn from tribal communities who are leading the way. 

Speakers:

• Jade Begay, Tesuque Pueblo & Dine, Climate Justice Campaign Director, NDN Collective
• Ruth Miller, Climate Justice Director, Native Movement
• Nauri Toler, Environmental Justice Organizer, Native Movement 
• Angela Mooney D’Arcy, Executive Director of the Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples