A recent study raises concerns that the global push for renewable energy could inadvertently deepen socioeconomic disparities among Indigenous communities. The study highlights that without addressing Western scientific practices and the ongoing impact of settler colonialism, the green transition might exacerbate existing inequalities.

The study, released this month, scrutinizes the interaction between Western science and Indigenous knowledge in climate change solutions. It argues that the green transition, which aims to mitigate climate change through renewable energy, could further entrench socioeconomic barriers for Indigenous peoples if their traditional knowledge and sovereignty are not properly respected and integrated.

The research emphasizes the experiences of the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware, illustrating how the tribe has enhanced its sovereignty through revitalization of ancestral land connections. Initiatives such as reintroducing freshwater mussels to clean local waterways and cultivating ancestral plants for various uses are presented as examples of Indigenous stewardship and resilience.

The study critiques the dominance of Western science in climate adaptation strategies, arguing that this perspective often marginalizes or appropriates Indigenous knowledge. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other organizations are noted for their biases towards Western scientific approaches, despite acknowledging the role of colonialism in climate change impacts.

Lyndsey Naylor, a co-author from the University of Delaware, highlights how Western science frequently fails to integrate tribal knowledge into its research. She describes an extractive relationship where Western institutions take Indigenous insights without proper collaboration.

Despite these challenges, Indigenous communities worldwide are actively using traditional knowledge to combat climate change. From North American plains where tribes are reintroducing buffalo to support healthy ecosystems, to the Brazilian Amazon where Indigenous territories show significantly lower deforestation rates compared to settler-controlled areas, Indigenous practices are proving effective.

However, the green transition poses its own set of challenges. In Arizona, the San Carlos Apache Tribe is engaged in a prolonged struggle to protect Oak Flat from a proposed copper mine. This area, of profound cultural and ecological significance to the Apache, faces destruction from mining activities intended to support the production of electric vehicle batteries. This conflict illustrates how the green transition’s goals can clash with Indigenous rights and environmental preservation.

Faisal Bin Islam, a co-author of the study specializing in climate change within colonial contexts, criticizes the “savior complex” of Western science. He warns that ignoring historical and ongoing colonial violence in Indigenous communities only perpetuates these issues. “In a settler colonial future, we might end up inventing a technology or process that reduces emissions significantly to avert the consequences of climate change,” Bin Islam said. “However, it will not end colonial dispossession and violence.”

The study underscores the need for a more inclusive approach to climate solutions that fully respects and integrates Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty, ensuring that the green transition benefits all communities equitably.