This story was originally published by Grinding and appears here as part of the Climatic desk collaboration.
When it comes to a green future, money isn’t everything.
In the case of indigenous peoples, there also needs to be a range of cultural support and understanding.
This is according to Kimberly Yazzie, a Diné researcher in ecology at Stanford University, who has seen how indigenous communities have been harmed in the race to establish wind, solar and mining projects.
“There is a history of tribes not getting a fair deal, so this history needs to be addressed,” he said. “There is work to be done.”
As lead author of an article recently published in Science, outlined the ways in which Indigenous Peoples can advance the journey to save the planet.
Many green projects in recent years have been criticized for not including tribes in important decisions that violate or even destroy ancestral land.
Yazzie warned that building a just and equitable energy future will require relationship building, research and consultation. That can take time, she admitted, and while it is not a luxury many believe we have, it is essential so that past mistakes are not repeated.
“To go fast, you have to start slow,” he said.
This is according to Kimberly Yazzie, a Diné researcher in ecology at Stanford University, who has seen how indigenous communities have been harmed in the race to establish wind, solar and mining projects. #JustTransition #ClimateCrisis #GreenEnergy
The document’s three big takeaways include: flexible application deadlines, equitable access to up-to-date and accurate information, and resources to build stronger infrastructure within tribes for projects. Since 2021, there has been federal money available for tribal renewable energy projects, an amount that now amounts to about $14 billion – and Yazzie hopes the document can help tribes access those dollars.
Strict deadlines, for example, can exclude tribes from funding because of the time it takes to identify resources, secure other funding sources, and accommodate competing applications. The document calls for renewable terms and specifically mentions the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program as an example of how more applications should accept applications at any time.
A second solution includes increasing access to up-to-date and accurate information for tribal green energy projects. Although the federal government has a database, it can be difficult to find state or private information. One solution could be an updated database of funding sources, not only from federal programs but also from philanthropic organizations, with funding amounts and requirements clearly outlined for easy reference. Or have technical information or experts available to answer practical questions about solar and electrical projects.
Clara Pratte is a Diné researcher and tribal government consultant. She is a co-author of the paper and said it was very important to have a more effective way to share information.
“There is no best practice guide on how to run projects like these,” he said. “And at the end of the day, we want better, more conscious, culturally competent development to happen on tribal lands.”
It is also important that funds reach the people on the ground and not just the project, a way to ensure that tribal members are involved. Pratte specifically said the role of “tribal energy champions” can make or break an idea. These are tribal members who stick with a given effort from early stages to completion and can gather information and resources from other tribal energy projects.
Pratte said that ideally this work would be done by tribal members who have cultural knowledge valuable to the ethical development of these projects.
“Just because it’s ‘green’ doesn’t mean it’s going to be done thoughtfully, so I think tribes and tribal people really have to be at the forefront of defining what that process is going to look like,” he said.
Yazzie said he would also like to take a closer look at the future, especially when financial support from the Biden administration ends.
“I think one question we’re going to have to ask ourselves is what are we going to do when that administration changes and when the funding programs run out,” he said.