Climate justice

The Māori word “kaitiakitanga” was voted the world’s most beautiful word in a major international poll evaluating 223 words from more than 75 languages.

Kaitiakitanga. What does it mean? It expresses the responsibility to protect nature, land, water, and the environment. It is a concept rooted in a deep sense of responsibility towards future generations: our children, their children, their grandchildren, and generations to come.

It’s no coincidence that the United Nations describes Indigenous peoples as the most effective protectors of nature and the world’s biodiversity. This is no coincidence.

In the Amazon, the Arctic, the Pacific islands, and wherever they live, they are defending their lands against fossil fuel companies and gangs, so they can maintain their way of life, in harmony with nature. They are defending it everywhere. 

However, climate change-driven wildfires, drought, melting glaciers, and, of course, the threat of extractivism —large-scale extraction of natural resources— are making Indigenous peoples the primary victims of crises they did not cause. They are the ones who suffer the most direct impact.

They are risking their lives to fight against fossil fuel extraction projects, oil pipelines and deforestation. This is exactly where climate justice becomes essential.

Most of the emissions that have caused climate change have historically come from the wealthy countries of the Global North, the former colonial powers. But who is paying the heaviest price for the crisis? Mostly poor countries, of course, the vast majority of them.

Over the past decade, we have also seen devastating disasters, floods, droughts, and heatwaves in wealthy countries. But who’s taking the hardest hit? Again, local communities, the poor, workers, and the elderly.

According to Oxfam, the world’s richest 1% are responsible for twice as many carbon emissions as the poorest 50% combined.

The richest 1%, use up their entire fair annual carbon budget in just the first 10 days of the year. Their yearly limit is gone in 10 days.

Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of people around the world face food insecurity, lack adequate housing, and struggle to keep warm or cool.

Who are the primary victims of climate-related disasters? Again, the same communities. This is why climate justice calls for those responsible for the crisis to bear a greater share of the burden, and those affected to receive greater support. Climate justice is about pursuing a form of justice that does not overlook poor countries, people living in disaster-hit areas, vulnerable women, children and the elderly, or workers and farmers who have lost their livelihoods. We are seeking justice that is long overdue.