Indigenous youth are increasingly finding themselves on the front lines of intense social conflict as land and water protectors. As they seek to protect their environmental resources, they are experiencing extreme human rights abuses and, in many cases, the project proceeds to completion without any consideration of the social and environmental justice impacts. This violent outcome, with permanent human and environmental costs, is the natural result of the current system of engagement where Indigenous Peoples’ rights are rarely considered and their participation is minimized as “community management.” When Indigenous Peoples’ are afforded no other forum during the course of a project for meaningful consideration of their rights, resistance is necessary to preserve their lands and communities.
But, we are at a point in our shared history that we cannot continue to systematically suppress the voices of Indigenous Peoples and youth, and simultaneously expect their wisdom and creativity to emerge to solve for the growing climate crisis. Indigenous Peoples’ land is some of the most pristine in the world and they steward over 80% of the world’s biodiversity. We urgently need to incorporate the means cultivated over centuries to restore balance between people and planet within a framework of human rights. Many have noted the fact that climate justice requires due attention to social and environmental justice.
Thus, a new approach is necessary; one that facilitates upstream engagement and prioritizes preserving the environment and protecting human rights. The strategies of corporate shareholder advocacy provide just such an alternative. The coming together of interests to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline showcased the possibility of collaborative advocacy between Indigenous Peoples and impact investors. Indigenous Peoples seek control over development of their land and resources, as is their right, to ensure that all of the impacts of development – environmental, social, cultural and economic – are in service to a thriving Indigenous community for generations to come. Similarly, impact investors seek a tight connection between beneficial social and environmental impacts and financial return.
Additionally, the strategies used by impact investors to engage with companies and to pressure them via their shareholders provide new forums for upstream engagement between Indigenous Peoples and decision-makers. The most visible tool of corporate shareholder advocacy is a divestment campaign that seeks total abandonment of a project by a particular stakeholder. While an important strategy to generate momentum and create significant material loss, this is only one tool among many. In fact, there is a spectrum of strategies to engage directly with companies ranging from direct dialogue, to formal presentations, to shareholder resolutions, to proxy voting. All of these strategies offer opportunities for connected decision-making. That is, decision-making that considers all of the impacts of development – environmental, social, cultural and economic - prior to project implementation.
These strategies can uniquely leverage the leadership skills of Indigenous youth to humanize the impacts of development for corporate decision-makers. And, Indigenous youth are ascending to leadership roles ready to voice their lived experience as environmental defenders. The movement that ultimately resulted in three banks selling their shares of loans financing DAPL began when youth from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe voiced their concerns in meetings directly with financial institutions. Businesses already have a responsibility to respect human rights. Indigenous youth, as those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, can provide the perspective necessary to catalyze the immediate action necessary to mitigate climate change and to create adaptive solutions.
Further, the social conflict and violence generated through the current patterns of engagement will continue to result in financial losses for those companies refusing change. The incredible momentum generated by Indigenous movements, many started by Indigenous youth, to oppose infrastructure projects has not occurred in a vacuum. Rather, it is gaining strength because Indigenous Peoples globally are standing together to demand respect for their right to direct development as to their lands and waters according to their own priorities. Companies must start truly considering the human rights of Indigenous Peoples if they seek financial return, much less make good on their stated commitments to partnership with Indigenous Peoples.
Indigenous youth represent centuries of Indigenous resilience. Elevating their voices will maximize our ability to reconcile both the social and environmental injustices that have stymied approaches to climate change for a generation. Indigenous youth have proven they can lead; let’s give them our proxy.