After a 6-month Arctic Council pause, it’s time to seek new paths forward
As the war in Ukraine drags on, Arctic states need to find more permanent avenues for collaboration in the region. The Arctic was supposed to be exceptional — an area of the globe substantially removed from the pressures of great power politics. Russia and…
Recognizing the transformational potential of Indigenous-led conservation economies
Over the last decade, Canada has seen an increase in the number of initiatives to green or circularize the economy through sustainable development, as well as those that support and enhance Indigenous environmental leadership. Both projects are desperately needed given our rapid progress towards capitalist-driven climate catastrophe. Although…
U.S. to appoint Arctic ambassador in sign of region’s growing importance
The Biden administration announced Friday it will nominate an ambassador-at-large for the Arctic, raising the profile of American policymaking for the region. Why it matters: The move comes at a time of increased militarization in the far north, with NATO members squaring off against Russia, and…
Russian aggression against Ukraine
and Indigenous peoples of Russia
In the early hours of February 24 th the Russian military build-up along Ukraine’s northern, eastern, and southern borders finally erupted into a full-scale war against Ukraine. Russia’s aggression has already claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, both among the civilian…
Coalition Calls for Securing Rights of Indigenous Peoples
On August 9, 2022, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous leaders will launch a new site—www.sirgecoalition.org—as part of the official public announcement of a new coalition to Secure Indigenous People’s Rights in a Green Economy (SIRGE Coalition). The minerals necessary for…
Indigenous activists of Russia denounced as “traitors to the people”
06/25/2022 Sharp criticism of interest groups that support Russia’s war of aggression: “Organizations whose representatives support the war and the killing of civilians in Ukraine, including the murder of indigenous people, must not represent the interests and rights of indigenous peoples at the international…
“The Gold of Shoria”
Vyacheslav Krechetov’s documentary “The Gold of Shoria” recounts the story of environmental catastrophe in southern Siberia, where coal and gold mining companies are causing irreparable harm to the traditional lands of the Shor – a small Indigenous people of Russia living on the territories of…
Cracking the corporate code
Serving on a corporate board is a good gig – and Indigenous people are missing Mary Smith had a plan: She was going to serve as a member of a corporate board. She already had the resume. Smith is an attorney and she had…
First Peoples Worldwide Joins Indigenous-led Coalition that Promotes Rights-Centered Transition to the Clean Energy Economy
SIRGE Coalition Launches Website August 9 to Help Secure Indigenous People’s Rights in a Green Economy First Peoples Worldwide is among several organizations to provide leadership to a new coalition to Secure Indigenous People’s Rights in a Green Economy (SIRGE Coalition). To commemorate the International Day…
Kenya: UN expert hails historic reparations ruling in favour of indigenous peoples
An independent UN human rights expert on Monday hailed a decision by the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, to award reparations to the Ogiek indigenous peoples, for harm that they suffered due to “injustices and discrimination.” The historic ruling follows a landmark judgment delivered by the…