An Indigenous perspective on climate engineering

Abstract

Indigenous Peoples remain uniquely exposed to the threat of anthropogenic climate change, thereby requiring the research community to collaboratively explore (alongside Indigenous organizations and individuals) new approaches to climate risk mitigation. This Perspective assesses one aspect of climate risk mitigation - climate engineering, an umbrella term which we use to encompass emergent negative emissions technologies (like direct air capture) and research into the spectrum of solar radiation management techniques. In this co-produced contribution from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous collaborators, we situate the research within our community-based Indigenous histories. We then outline the nature of Indigenous climate risk as context for arguing that flawed existing attempts to simplistically assess the nexus of Indigeneity and climate risk management (which can prescriptively provide a universal “Indigenous perspective” across a structurally fragmented, highly complex landscape of Indigeneity) need to be abandoned. We propose methodological and engagement ideas for researchers in this space to consider. Of note, the applied focus of this paper concludes with “next steps” direction based on existing models observed within our fifty years of combined experience at the nexus of Indigeneity and community development.