Indigenous Leaders Call on Biden to Take Climate Action

Katherine Willey

Environment & Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

To mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day this year, a coalition of Native American tribes and climate activists came together last week for five days of protests and civil disobedience in Washington DC. Known collectively as ‘People vs. Fossil Fuels,’ they urged President Biden to stop approving new fossil fuel projects, invest in renewable energy and declare a climate emergency. 

The group points out that the negative effects of fossil fuel production and use are disproportionately felt by indigenous communities and that Biden needs to keep his campaign promise of fighting for climate justice. “We have had enough of your empty words,” declared the Indigenous Environmental Network (a coalition of grassroots indigenous activists), calling on Biden to end the ongoing violation of indigenous rights by stopping fossil fuel extraction and the persecution of indiegnous activists fighting against it.

Actions of the police against protestors have been criticised by some as disproportionate. More than 600 people were arrested during the course of the week and police used a long range acoustic device to disperse crowds. This technology can cause dizziness and permanent hearing loss. Activists also clashed with police during an occupation of the Department of the Interior. 

When questioned by journalists, press secretary Jen Psaki said that the White House was listening to the voices of indigeous groups and that many of their concerns were addressed in Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ infrastructure bill and in the Democratic Party’s climate plan, released last year.  

Sources and Further Reading:

Academy of Doctors of Audiology. (2021). Crowd Control with Long Range Acoustic Devices Can Cause Permanent Hearing Loss. https://www.audiologist.org/item/crowd-control-with-long-range-acoustic-devices-can-cause-permanent-hearing-loss 

Associated Press. (2021). Climate activists resume weeklong protest at Capitol. AP NEWS. https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-environment-and-nature-arrests-environment-52190f9314ae79e96cf12f05668d30d2 

Indigenous Environmental Network. (2021). About. https://www.ienearth.org/about/ 

People vs. Fossil Fuels. (2021). Demands. https://peoplevsfossilfuels.org/demands/ 

Roberts, D. (2020). Climate change: What AOC and House Democrats actually want to do about it. Vox. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2020/6/30/21305891/aoc-climate-change-house-democrats-select-committee-report

Silverman, E. (2021). Indigenous activists come to D.C. with a message for Biden: Declare a national climate emergency. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/10/11/indigenous-protest-dc-climate-change/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=169871675&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--JYy1EhYMmq1g7A70sGCM1Vk0Xe3vd-2nCWQmzESqh3v9ZMCh4Ab8fUFQdQ_t60pL4uoJE9MbCAmC-W2dIlVzvh6IdVg&utm_content=169871675&utm_source=hs_email 

Yang, M. (2021). Indigenous protesters urge Biden to stop approving fossil fuel projects. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/11/indigenous-protesters-rally-end-fossil-fuel-projects?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=169871675&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-87dERBvdY1ES-YNzXSKEpmrjfISB99kOaJqAVAsGHI2Sfscfn1KtEBapNYdLT6d4v9XCOWWL9ezZmYE6LZ15fKOUvOoQ&utm_content=169871675&utm_source=hs_email