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Nickel for Electric Vehicles threatens key forests and the last nomadic tribes in Indonesia

BY GARRY LOTULUNG FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

The rapid exploitation of Indonesia's renewable energy resources raises significant concerns. The Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park has become the epicenter of nickel extraction, a mineral deemed essential by electric vehicle manufacturers. On Halmahera Island, Indigenous communities in the northern and central peninsulas are increasingly being displaced from their homes due to deforestation caused by nickel mining. This activity also threatens the daily lives and water sources of people living near the industrial area.

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Redefining Green: Outcomes and Reflections from the Summit on Indigenous Rights and the Green Economy

By Rodion Sulyandziga for Debates Indígenas

On October 8-10, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland, Indigenous delegations from all seven socio-cultural regions came together to address a fundamental question: How do we ensure the green economy does not become yet another chapter of exploitation but instead a turning point for justice? The summit went beyond voicing concerns—it focused on action, strategy and collective power. Indigenous leaders, activists and allies worked to shape a vision for a just transition that recognizes Indigenous rights, ensures meaningful participation, and confronts the economic structures driving land dispossession and resource extraction. This article presents the key outcomes of the Just Transition and Indigenous Peoples Summit—what was achieved, what remains ahead, and why this moment marks a critical shift in the global conversation.

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From Nickel to Lithium: Nornickel, Indigenous Rights, and the Dilemma of a Green Economy in the Arctic

BY INDIGENOUS DEBATES

As the world shifts to electric vehicles and renewable energy, the demand for lithium, a key component of batteries, has skyrocketed. The Arctic, rich in untapped lithium reserves, and its Indigenous Peoples are now at the forefront of this “white gold” rush. This article examines Nornickel’s dual identity: as a self-proclaimed champion of Russia’s green energy future, yet a notorious perpetrator of environmental destruction and Indigenous rights violations in the Arctic. It exposes the hidden costs borne by Arctic indigenous communities and fragile ecosystems, challenging the resource-intensive sustainability narratives.

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‘mînawâchihiwewi-ne-wîkiwan/Healing Our Home: Buildings of the Land’

debatesBY BOHDANA CHIUPKA-INNES, FREDDIE HUPPÉ CAMPBELL, MACKENZIE ROOP AND PAULINA LARREATEGUI FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

The words ‘mînawâchihiwewi-ne-wîkiwan/Healing Our Home: buildings of the Land’ go far beyond a clean energy project title. They are interconnected to the Moose Cree ways of being. That means there is life in the words that extend to the energy-efficient homes being designed and built through this work. This is about creating something that is ‘of’ the land, which is a relational approach grounded in Indigenous teachings that diverges from mainstream approaches within clean energy and energy efficiency and housing sectors.

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The Unseen Cost of a 'Just Transition': Indigenous Rights at Risk in Nepal's Renewable Energy Projects

BY DURGA MANI RAI FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

The concept of just transition is central to the global discourse on climate change, environmental justice, and sustainable development. It promises to ensure that no people, workers, regions, or sectors are left behind in the shift from a high-carbon to a low-carbon economy. For Indigenous Peoples, 'just transition' is not merely about shifting to renewable energy; it is about recognizing their rights, sovereignty, and authority over ancestral lands, waters, and resources. Indigenous Peoples view the Earth as sacred, not as a resource to be exploited. This perspective is completely denied in Nepal’s ambitious hydropower plans.

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IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Read more.

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Indigenous World

IWGIA's global report, the Indigenous World, provides an update of the current situation for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Read The Indigenous World.

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