Sustainability isn’t possible, unless we have indigenous leaders like Jah Cho here.
If you look at any given threatened forest or biodiversity hotspot... Australia... the Amazon... know what you’ll likely find?
An indigenous community on the frontlines of protecting it.
A couple years ago Jah Cho and some of his neighbors explained to me how their tribes were stateless, but that they relied on the forests of Northern Thailand for their survival. 🌲🌲🌲
In the past, local agencies would give them a really hard time, but they were persistent in showing good land management techniques as a community.
I then learned some other things:
🌐 Indigenous communities are about 5% of the Earth’s population
🌐 This part of the population manages about 20% of its land
🌐 That land contains 80% of its biodiversity ⠀⠀
In spite of this, many governments and organizations overlook the role that indigenous communities have in protecting sensitive spaces.
I just published an essay on this for Plant With Purpose - and it includes some suggestions on what we could do. It’s one I’m especially fired up about.
How often do you hear about indigenous communities in the environmental discussions you come across?