TRIBAL NATIONS, NATIVE OR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

Indigenous people globally are protecting the rights of nature and 80% of the world’s lasting biodiversity while fighting to maintain their culture, all of which are under threat from exploitation, extraction, development, and climate change.

In the United States centuries of colonialism, federal legislation and funding decisions have resulted in American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian people not having the basic right to protect their land, air, and water, cultural and sacred sites, including those in areas that are not under their jurisdiction, nor the resources or authority to expeditiously transition to renewable energy (as defined herein) or ensure the health of their communities and their ability to be resilient to the impacts of climate change. These rights must be restored, and resources must be committed to ensure that tribal communities are not unjustly burdened.

IN SOLIDARITY

In solidarity with tribes, the vision for equitable climate action understands that:

• free and informed prior consent must be achieved by establishing regulations, standards, and procedural requirements that Indian Tribes grant informed consent;
• this consent must be free from influence or repercussions from outside sources including the U.S. Government;
• and must be given prior to any agency action that may adversely affect land and water under Indian jurisdiction, health, cultural activities – including off-reservation treaty-reserved rights to hunting, fishing, gathering -, or the continued protection and access to sacred and cultural sites including on federal, state, or municipal lands.

VISION FOR EQUITABLE CLIMATE ACTION

The Vision for Equitable Climate Action (VECA) is a roadmap to prevent the worst of global warming. Acting equitably and ambitiously to reduce greenhouse gases to zero by 2050.