Paper Title
Alteration of Climate and its Impact on Indigenous People - A Review
Abstract
The swift increase in the world’s population and our ever-growing dependence on fossil fuel-based modes of
production has played a sizeable role in the growing concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. Industrial
development is important for economic growth, employment generation and improvement in the quality of life. However,
industrial activities without proper precautionary measures for environmental protection are known to cause pollution and
associated problems. If ecological and environmental criteria are forsaken, "industrialise and perish" will be the nature's
retort. Now, there is a global consensus about the threat posed by the climate change. As a result, global temperatures are
increasing, the sea level is rising and precipitation patterns are changing, while storm surges, floods, droughts and heat
waves are becoming more frequent and severe. Subsequently, agricultural production is decreasing, freshwater is becoming
scarce, infectious diseases are on the rise, local livelihoods are being degraded and human well-being is diminishing.
Although indigenous peoples’ “low-carbon” traditional ways of life have contributed little to climate change, indigenous
peoples are the most adversely affected by it. Climate change is drawing ever more consideration from the media, academics
and even businesses, as evidence mounts about its measure and seriousness, and the rapidity at which it is affecting the
world. But rarely does its impact on minorities and indigenous groups get a mention, even though they are among the worst
affected. These people are rarely considered in academic, program and public discourses on climate change, despite the fact
that they will be greatly impacted by future changes. Their livelihoods depend on natural resources that are directly affected
by climate change, and they often inhabit economically marginal areas in diverse, but fragile ecosystems. Indigenous people
are the primary actors in terms of global climate change monitoring, adaptation and innovation. Indigenous and other local
peoples are vital and active parts of many ecosystems and may help to enhance the flexibility of these ecosystems. In
addition, they understand and react to climate change impacts in creative ways, drawing on traditional knowledge as well as
new technologies to find solutions, which may help society at large to cope with the approaching changes. Indigenous people
will also need the support of the global community to continue their role as traditional caretakers of marginal and fragile
ecosystems. So one should try to recognize how indigenous and other local peoples are affected by global climate change,
and how they perceive and react to these changes. The focus should be not only on the plight of indigenous peoples, but also
on their resourcefulness and active responses to climatic variation. Improving public awareness and developing overall
communications strategies makes climate change science accessible to the average citizen and can reduce their vulnerability.
Besides awareness-raising at local levels, it is also important to involve high-level policymakers to ensure integration of
climate change risks into national development policies.
Keywords - Traditional / Indigenous people, livelihood, global climate change, traditional caretakers