Climate change: Tribals want free-hand to heal nature

To tackle the devastating impact of climate change, tribals in the country say if given a free hand they can correct and heal nature using traditional knowledge and expertise, they are privy to.

Recently tribals across the country cutting across groups such as farming, forestry, pastoral and fishing released a charter detailing solutions to tackle the aftereffect of the climate change, based on their traditional knowledge and close relationship with the ecosystem.

The meeting was unanimous in cautioning against the introduction of new technologies to replace traditional knowledge and processes in the name of combating climate change as it would only further worsen the situation and not heal it.

Vechiiteu, 35, a tribal participant hailing from Thetsumi in Nagaland said, "Our communities are not responsible for climate crisis, but we have a wealth of traditional knowledge and expertise to correct and heal nature. We require a free-hand without any interference through unwanted policies to enable us to do so".

Another woman, Tanushree, hailing from Sunderbans area in West Bengal adds, "Our traditional water management system keeps our springs clean and clear and our wise use of this resource does not put any pressure on ground water, which equips us to survive during drought and water scarcity."

Selvi, an artisan fisherwoman from the Gulf of Munnar says that in the name of development, natural resources have been over-exploited, polluted and in some cases even destroyed. This resulted in amplifying our vulnerability, she added.

"We have traditionally safeguarded sand dunes, beaches, mangroves and coral reefs since generations. We know the importance of conserving these resources for not just co-existing, but in view of their long term prevention and protection from extreme weather events".

Tribals and poor people are highly vulnerable to climate change because of their limited access to profitable livelihood opportunities and, according to various studies would be exposed to more flood and other climate-related threats.

Coastal and low-lying areas in the country are under threat of submergence by rising sea levels, displacing people as well wildlife habitats, while agriculture yields could fall further due to global warming caused by green house gas emissions.

In the Himalayan regions, glacial melts would affect hundreds of millions of rural people who depend on the seasonal flow of water.

Keeping all these threats under consideration, the recently released charter lists out a set of demands that the communities will present to both the Indian government as well as to the international community at UN summit on climate change at Copenhagen in December.

"It also drives home the point that the views of communities need to be taken into consideration in the framing of a global climate regime beyond 2012," said Rajan Khosla from People's Coalition on Climate Change.

While presenting the five key demands listed in the charter, Kalashwar from Jharkhand, said that the global discussions on afforestation and reforestation, should "focus on encouraging local plant species that best suit the local soils, local culture and ecosystems".

On agricultural practices and climate resilient crops, Shikari from Baigachak Village in Chattisgarh demanded that the focus should be on promoting the traditional seeds which we have been planting for millennia since they need very less water to grow and can withstand high heat."

Therefore the government must evolve policies to recognise and award incentives to the farmers who preserve plants and promote the maximum number of local seed varieties, he added.

Various community groups while expressing their solidarity with each other said, "Climate change is not a future scenario but a current reality and challenge which manifests in various forms today."

They demanded that governments the world over should listen to the voices of the communities, recognise community sovereignty and their harmonious linkage with the natural ecosystem and not do anything to disturb them, as is happening with the current development paradigm.