Parallel session 4: Indigenous Peoples’ Capacity to Act for Sustainability

• A PDF version of the programme for parallel session 4.

Abstract

The well-being of indigenous people depends on healthy ecosystems and resilience to climate-related extremes and other shocks and disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous peoples are doubly affected in the sense that factors such as poverty, literacy capacity, access to health care, and gender inequality affects their capacity to act adequately for sustainability. The focus on sustained economic growth in the face of the pandemic lock-down also renews conflicts between development projects and indigenous communities.  The need for a continued focus on indigenous peoples’ land and resource rights, as well as their capacity to take political action and participate in knowledge production, including adequate access to knowledge and education, is thus more important than ever. A central goal for the session is to discuss how the SDGs can be reformulated to address these issues.

Key questions

1. Which critical re-thinking and re-formulation of the SDGs needs to be undertaken in order to understand and tackle indigenous peoples’ capacity to act for sustainability?
2. Reflecting the discussions in this session, what are the three most important recommendations for policy development and reform addressing indigenous peoples’ in the post-COVID-19 context?

Programme and participants                                                       

13:00-13:05   Introduction by Camilla Brattland, UiT – the Arctic University of Norway

13:05-13:10    Artistic contribution

Ms. Risten Anine Kvernmo Gaup 

13:10-13:20    “Sustainability and Indigenous Peoples post-covid- 19”

Ms. Christina Henriksen, President, Saami Council

13:20-13:30    “Indigenous peoples’ literacy capacity and sustainable development”

Professor Anders Breidlid, OsloMet

13:30-13:40    “Capitalism, mining, and inequality: who’s sustaining who?”

Charles Roche, Murdoch University, Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability, Australia 

13:40-13:50    “Uranium mining and the myth of ‘clean energy’: Rehabilitating Ranger Uranium Mine, Australia”

Dr. Rebecca Lawrence, Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney, and Stockholm Environment Institute.  

13:50-14:30   Discussion in Árdna, the Sámi cultural venue at UiT – the Arctic University of Norway

Participants:

• Mrs. Aili Keskitalo, President of the Norwegian Sami Parliament
• Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Larry, Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies, UiT
• Ms. Eva Marie Fjellheim, PhD fellow, Centre for Sami Studies, UiT
• Mr. Knut Marius Uddu Skjerve, advisor, UN Association of Norway
• 14:30   End of session

Session organizer and resource persons   

Session organizer and discussant: Camilla Brattland, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway and Anders Breidlid, OsloMet

Moderator: Torjer Olsen, Head of Department at the Centre for Sami Studies, UiT – the Arctic University of Norway