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 [COP22 is the UN Climate Change Conference http://www.cop22-morocco.com] Anderson and the Pacific indigenous delegation had input in the official inter governmental COP22. 

By Ghillar Michael Anderson 

First it is important to know that the delay in countries signing the Paris Agreement was caused by both Australia and the USA threatening to walk away if other parties refused to permit various out clauses.

Notable and critical examiners of the Paris Agreement all agree that the symbolism was great for the world facing catastrophes because of climate change, especially those of the small Pacific Islands and low coast lands.

In reality the Paris Agreement leaks like a sieve and permits too many escape clauses for the major polluters and countries promoting extractive industries, despite the overall great objectives of the Paris Agreement.

As Aboriginal Peoples of the world the Paris Agreement acknowledges us in the preamble where it states:

              "The Paris Agreement affirms the importance of traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples as well as local knowledge systems in adaptation to climate change. Indigenous Peoples' traditional knowledge related to their food sources and subsistence practices, flora and fauna and relationships with their traditional lands, waters and other natural resources are the basis of their traditional economics as well as their cultures, identity and spirituality. Indigenous Peoples' inherent rights to their lands, cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, land, resources and subsistence practices are affirmed and recognised in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Paris Agreement specifically recognises the importance of Indigenous Peoples' traditional knowledge in adaption actions and in recognition of the need to strengthen such knowledge, technologies, and practices it establishes a platform for the exchange of experience and sharing of best practices on mitigation and adaptation in a holistic integrated manner."

Aboriginal Peoples' are also referred to and included in Article 7 at paragraph 136, decision of 1/COP21. It was agreed to in Paris, that governments should establish platforms for the engagement of Aboriginal Peoples' in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to climate change strategies.

This framework is intended to ensure Aboriginal participation in government strategic planning for Sustainable Development Mechanisms (SDM) under Article 6, paragraph 4 of the Paris Agreement. This strategic planning by National Governments do have serious implications for us and our land and environment, our waters, and eco-systems alike.

If any of our people in Australia are engaged in this program of engagement and planning, then we as communities Australia wide must be made aware of this engagement, because there are indeed some very serious implications for our Peoples' nationally.

It was disappointing to see NO Aboriginal political activists in attendance and only representatives from the Pacific Islands speaking on issues that also impact us on mainland Australia. My collaboration with the Pacific Island representative ensures a key discussion point in the continued impact of the extractive industries and we call for the total ban on issuing more coal and uranium mining licences and to stop Coal Seam Gas extraction because of the threat it poses to our aquifers especially in the Pilliga Scrub.

In regards to Aboriginal representation, not even Congress attended. I did, however, meet up with two representatives from the Kimberley, who were attending to promote their Carbon offsets, by showing the effects of traditional burning as a micro offset to mitigate carbon emissions and thereby contributing to the overall climate change objectives, while at the same time generating income which is derived from the commonwealth government program of Carbon Trading Offsets.

The Aboriginal Caucus here in Marrakesh have adopted the view that:

"Scientific data shows that collective ownership and integral titling of land, territories and resources of Aboriginal Peoples, as well as respect for customary use and management are the most effective ways of protecting fragile eco-systems and thereby contributing to adaptation and mitigation."

The Caucus also remonstrated that:

            "Reliance on carbon trading, carbon credits and carbon offsets should not be allowed. The National Determined Contributions (NDC) of governments should not be compromised by carbon offsets. States should not be allowed to use offsets and market mechanisms to dilute their reductions of emissions. It is time to cease many State attitudes, both developed and developing, and cease to see solutions to climate change as an opportunity for the generation of wealth."

The Caucus also argues that: 

           "True solutions to climate change require drastic reductions of emission of carbon and other greenhouse gasses, not more development that does little or nothing to reduce carbon emissions. As proven by the history of the Clean Development Mechanism and the use of carbon credits and offsets generally, these so-called solutions to climate change actually experienced an increase in emissions."

The Aboriginal Caucus of 2016 to the COP22 calls on National Governments to understand that Aboriginal Peoples of the world are under threat and argue that:

             "The Rights of Aboriginal Peoples' are seriously implicated in these matters and our concerns must be taken into account. The NDCs must ensure full and effective participation of Aboriginal Peoples in their development of their State strategies. The NDCs must not include false solutions such as building large scale Hydro-electric dams that displace Peoples' from their territories, nor should they effect the mining of uranium as an easy way to solving pollution by fossil fuels. The strategies must include guidelines for robust social and environmental safeguards for all Peoples."

Consequently, we must demand our participation in the planning of Australia’s climate change strategies, which they have agreed to, at the Paris conference.

Ghillar Michael Anderson

Convenor of Sovereign Union of First Nations and Peoples in Australia, Head of State of the Euahlayi Peoples Republic, co-founder and last survivor of the Aboriginal Embassy in Canberra

Mogila Station, Goodooga NSW 2838

ghillar29@gmail.com,  0499 080 660

www.sovereignunion.mobi

Statement and questions to contractor’s board

On 3rd of November, Senior W&J Traditional Owner, Adrian Burragubba, attended the annual general meeting of the large mining and engineering company DownerEDI on behalf of the Wangan Jagalingou Traditional Owners Council. DownerEDI are set to garner the contracts from Adani for the construction and engineering should the Carmichael Mine ever go ahead.

He put this statement and questions to the board and the shareholders.

"I am Adrian Burragubba, a native title applicant for, and senior Traditional Owner of Wangan & Jagalingou country, where Adani Mining intends to build the Carmichael Mine in Central Queensland. I understand that Downer EDI has letters of award to construct this mine.

"I am, along with my people, other members of the native title applicant, and the Wangan and Jagalingou Family Council, opposed to this mine, which would lead to the destruction our homelands, our culture, and the integrity of our laws and customs connected to the lands and waters of our ancestors.

"Downer EDI should be aware that we have taken our rejection of the Carmichael Coal Mine to the Courts in Australia and to the United Nations, and that your business associate, Adani Mining, still does not have what it needs to proceed, including our consent.

"Right now, I and others have submissions in the Queensland Supreme Court, before the full bench of the Federal Court, and with further Federal court actions under way. These challenge the authorisation of mining leases by the Queensland Government on the application of Adani over the express rejection by our people, three times, of a land use agreement with Adani. We are further challenging the purported negotiation and attempt to register an Adani Indigenous Land Use Agreement and ancillary agreements subsequent to this, which would have direct bearing on Downer EDI.

"We have also made submissions to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders. ... "

Four environmental reasons why fast-tracking the Carmichael coal mine is a bad idea

Others have commented on the mine’s issues around employment, finance, and Indigenous and rural communities. But as ecologists, there are four good reasons why we believe the mine should not go ahead: Climate change, the Great Barrier Reef, water and threatened species.


Australia's coal politics are undermining democratic and Indigenous rights

Can Australia achieve fair and open decision-making when big coal players are involved? The case of Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine suggests the answer is no, and Indigenous land owners are bearing the brunt.

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Growing up with family and culture is a human right. It's also essential for healing

Excerpt from The Guardian Australia

More than 15,000 Indigenous children in Australia will sleep away from their homes tonight.

Knowing who you are – a sense of self, a sense of place; of connection to ancestral culture – is an important right. It is a right that is unnoticed by many, and too often denied to indigenous children.

The numbers have climbed dramatically. Nationally, figures have more than doubled since 2008, with indigenous children removed from their families, communities and cultures at a rate nearly 10 times that of non-Indigenous children.

While many of you will know that this is the situation, many people in the country will find it shocking. They’ll find it hard to believe.

This is, at its core, about equity and fairness – things that our country claims to hold dear: the DNA of our nation. If that truly is the case, then the shame of this reality should unsettle all Australians.

The safety of children is paramount and our foremost priority. However, concurrently, care must be taken to preserve a child’s connection to family and culture. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been safely raising our children for 60,000 years.

Growing up with family and culture is not only a human right, but is also crucial to achieving well-being and assisting the healing process from inter-generational trauma caused by decades of injustice. Feeling strong and proud of who you are, knowing that you are loved and nurtured by your family and your culture, has profound impacts on a child’s wellbeing, development and growth.

Methods used to tackle these issues in the past have manifestly failed our children. Government policies have consistently ignored, or undertaken without sincere intentions, the need to genuinely work with our communities, Elders, and organisations to uncover and progress solutions together.

We strongly believe – and the evidence confirms – that our people, organisations and communities are best placed to provide services that safeguard and maintain the culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The solutions to this issue require a cohesive, national strategy to achieve not only a systems change but also a change in attitude. It’s something we can’t achieve alone. This needs commitment of all key decision-makers from the federal, state and local levels, and it needs community leadership – Aboriginal and mainstream.

We have the knowledge, expertise and drive to create a better present and future for our children, and to ensure the best interests of our children are kept in the forefront of our approach. It is imperative that we all work together to change this story; to stand together in solidarity, and make these calls in unison, to ensure our national narrative communicates a future of hope, rather than hopelessness, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.