Northern Natives can’t agree on climate action plan

Despite a week long conference among representatives of the world’s indigenous people at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Centre, two native groups will not finalise the resulting resolution.

According to the two groups, who refused to sign the new resolution pertaining to the effect of climate change on indigenous groups, there was not enough support against drilling for new oil sources.

Representatives from countries as seasonally different as Kenya and Alaska agreed that climate change has altered their seasons making them unrecognisable, eroded coastlines, and reduced or increased water levels near the countries.

Despite the refusal of two parties to sign the resolution proposed at the indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change, Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, the United Nations Assembly President, felt the resolution was inclusive and well rounded with strong measures to include the concerns of all nations of indigenous people.

The dissenting native groups claim that since their land is being compromised by fuel development, until restrictions are placed on drilling they will not sign.

The work in progress, without the signatures, will be presented at the United Nations Framework Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark, with regard to climate change, in the upcoming month of December.

All members of the committee agreed that indigenous people are concerned by the climate change destruction they have seen brought onto their lands by unsustainable development which their people had no part in.

Youth members rebuked older members as they refused to back down over calling for a complete moratorium on the use of fossil fuels and non-sustainable fuels.

As the final resolution stands now there are two options, the cessation of the use of fuels that are non-sustainable and the gradual reduction of the use of fossil fuels.

Erie Chewier Derange a member of the conference representing a Canadian indigenous group said that they will consider drafting a second resolution to accompany the one developed at the conference, if the resolution is not drafted to directly oppose the use of fossil fuels.