DeepSummary
The episode explores the role of the law and indigenous knowledge in achieving a just and fair climate transition. Yasmin Ahmed from Human Rights Watch discusses how climate change exacerbates existing inequalities for vulnerable and marginalized communities, and the need for governments to have systems to respond to climate-induced crises while centering affected communities in the response.
Tishiko King, a Torres Strait Islander campaigner, shares the lived experiences of her community, whose islands are threatened by rising sea levels and other climate impacts. She highlights the "Our Islands, Our Home" campaign, which accuses the Australian government of inaction on emissions reduction and aims to protect the islanders' cultural identity tied to their land.
The conversation also covers the need for robust corporate due diligence laws that respect indigenous rights, the lack of legal protections for climate refugees, and the recent recognition of a clean environment as a human right. Both guests emphasize the importance of indigenous knowledge and leadership in finding sustainable solutions.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities and human rights concerns for vulnerable and marginalized communities, including indigenous groups.
- Indigenous communities are often at the forefront of climate impacts but also hold valuable knowledge and solutions for addressing the crisis.
- Legal frameworks and corporate due diligence laws need to respect indigenous rights, ensure proper consultation and consent, and encompass environmental considerations.
- There is a lack of adequate legal protections for climate refugees, and a need to rethink existing protection regimes to account for climate-induced displacement.
- Having a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment has recently been recognized as a human right, providing a potential legal avenue for climate action.
- Governments must have comprehensive systems in place to respond to climate-induced crises while centering affected communities in the response.
- Indigenous knowledge and leadership should be placed at the forefront of climate decision-making and finding sustainable solutions.
- Campaigns to raise awareness about the plight of indigenous communities affected by climate change, such as the "Our Islands, Our Home" campaign, are crucial for driving action.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We are seeing that, unfortunately, because of the crisis, First nations people, indigenous people, people of color, marginalized groups hit first and worst. Yet may didn't contribute to those impacts. It's something that probably work for grassroots organization could seed indigenous youth climate network, where we actually are Australia's first and only youth led organization and really have been building a movement to protect country, land and culture from climate impacts and fossil fuel extraction as well.“ by Tishiko King
- “And so the way that we campaign is truth telling, but in a way that people can hear by sharing our story, sharing our culture, so that people understand what we're losing so that they know what we're fighting to protect.“ by Tishiko King
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Episode Information
Conduit Conversations
Soho.Live Studios
11/5/21
In this episode, Paul van Zyl is joined by Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director of Human Rights Watch, and Tishiko King, a Torres Strait Islander and campaigner, to delve into these vital questions. They discuss what governments should be doing to protect the rights of at-risk populations, the Torres Strait islands ground-breaking court case against the Australian government, and why having a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right.
This episode is produced in collaboration with DLA Piper, and recorded at The Conduit Studio at COP26, as part of a series exploring the role of the law in responding to climate change.