Instead of planting trees, give forests back to people
Forests flourish under community control, and NASA has the satellite imagery to show it. It might sound counterintuitive, but empowering locals to manage forests is an excellent way to preserve them. That strategy can even bring dwindling forests roaring back, NASA Earth Observatory’s recent…
Influence of Putin’s aggression against Ukraine on Indigenous Peoples of Russia
Dear colleagues, brothers and sisters, Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the bloody Russian aggression against Ukraine, unleashed by the imperial policy of dictator Putin. This war has already cost the Ukrainian nation tens of thousands of lives, including the lives of the indigenous…
Nine ways to support the rights of indigenous people
What are the practical steps to push for recognising the rights of indigenous people around the world? Our expert panel shares their thoughts 1. Focus on the priorities Indigenous people can’t choose their own way of life, get control over their own education, healthcare and so…
Mining Europe’s biggest rare earth deposit could make life ‘impossible’ for Sámi communities
In January, Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB discovered more than 1 million tonnes of rare earth minerals in Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost city. These rare earth minerals are key components in everything from electric vehicle batteries to mobile phones to wind turbines. And the discovery of…
Indigenous Of Russia, The Silent Victims Of Putin’s War
The number of indigenous people in Russia has been declining for decades, but the war in Ukraine has accelerated the trend. Already vulnerable, indigenous groups are more likely to be mobilized and bear the brunt of Western sanctions. While Russia continues its supposed mission…
How Tensions With Russia Are Jeopardizing Key Arctic Research
With the Ukraine war, international collaborations with Russia on Arctic research and governance have been strained or broken off. This loss of critical cooperation is compromising efforts to confront mounting environmental risks in the Arctic, from shrinking sea ice to pollution. Biologist Eric Regehr…
The Humanitarian Crisis Affecting Yanomami Peoples: Bolsonaro’s Catastrophic Legacy in the Amazon
By Edson Krenak (Krenak, CS Staff) Shocking images have been released over the past few days showing the suffering of Yanomami Peoples in the Brazilian and Venezuelan Amazon. In the third week of January 2023, Yanomami people in Roraima, northern Brazil, were found with severe…
New Year, New Board Members
As we welcome the new year, we are thrilled to welcome three new board members: Community Sector: Pavel Sulyandziga, Russia Pavel is an Indigenous leader and human rights activist from the Bikin River valley in Siberia. He is dedicated to protecting indigenous communities, whose…
New Board member at IRMA
At the end of 2022, Batani Foundation President Pavel Sulyandziga became a member of the Board of The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), an organization that has developed some of the highest standards for indigenous rights. This organization brings together representatives of different,…
Diverse coalition urges federal appeals court to protect Oak Flat
WASHINGTON – A diverse coalition of religious groups, native tribes and legal experts filed half a dozen friend-of-the-court briefs yesterday in Apache Stronghold v. United States, asking a federal appeals court to protect Oak Flat, the spiritual lifeblood and sacred site of the Apache people in…