The Resurgence: North American Forests and Climate Movement Convergence

The IEN family sends our prayers and healing thoughts during this sacred time of year to all our relatives, human and non-human. Another year has come and gone.... 2021 was a whirlwind and we are in awe of the resilience and determination of Indigenous communities and our allies. Our love and commitment to Mother Earth, Father Sky and each other is clear. We offer a brief look back at 2021, to include introductions to new staff and a sad but joyful departure and a glimpse into what we bring into the new year of 2022 See more

The land repatriation Indigenous groups negotiated the return of traditionally stewarded and stolen lands to halt destruction to the environment Marquee victory...: The Passamaquoddy Tribe reacquired 150 acres of land that was stolen in the late 19th century by settler-colonists. The Passamaquoddy lands, which cover an island in rural eastern Maine, were slated for real estate development and timber production. But instead, the Maine chapter of The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organization based in the US, provided the tribal government with the funds to purchase the land. And in Minnesota, the state returned 120 acres of land to the Lower Sioux Indian Community. The US had broken the Mendota Treaty of 1851, shared with the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute bands of Dakota, by settling the newly repatriated land. In response, the tribes pushed the federal government to uphold its end of the agreement. This led to the Dakota War of 1862, in which the US executed 38 Dakota men the largest mass hanging in US history. Why it matters: The move is a milestone in US governing bodies acknowledging past wrongs and how these atrocities contribute to the current day. They should let the Lower Sioux have the entire site, said Lower Sioux citizen Pamela Halverson, who used to be the tribe’s historic preservation officer. I would like to see a complete release of all the land. https://www.theguardian.com//climate-victories-2021-activi

Wishing Everyone PEACE, HEALTH, and HEALING in the New Year!

This pretty much sums it all up for 2021 from photo journalist Julie Dermansky published in DeSmog Blog today: From Hurricane Ida to Indigenous-led protests ou...tside the White House, DeSmog documents the impacts of and actions taken to tackle a warming world. "...many climate advocates in the [Gulf] region say that the administration’s actions when dealing with the climate crisis don’t reflect the urgency of the situation. That table which community members have been offered a seat at could soon be underwater, as sea level rise continues to quicken with a warming planet. " This was the year the United Nations Secretary-General declared human-driven global heating a code red for humanity. And this selection of photos I shot for DeSmog throughout 2021 offers visual proof that his warning is merited. My work documents the ongoing trend of science denial becoming increasingly woven into right-wing rhetoric by steadfast Trump supporters, the impacts of extreme weather fueled by climate change, and the actions taken by climate advocates fighting for environmental justice and against pollution from the fossil fuel industry. In late August, Traditional Chief Shirell Parfait-Dardar of the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe, lost her home to Hurricane Ida, like thousands of others in South Louisiana. She’s also a member of the Louisiana Climate Initiative Task Force established by Gov. John Bel Edwards in August 2020 to develop policies that cut greenhouse gas emissions. While she welcomes the dialogue that the commission is having, Parfait-Dardar isn’t convinced it will accomplish anything when the governor is also encouraging huge petrochemical and fossil fuel investments in the state. Ignoring climate science is a fool’s folly and there is no time for half measures when it comes to protecting the environment, Parfait-Dardar told me. Right now, she is focused on helping her community rebuild after Ida. Read more: https://www.desmog.com//2021-year-in-photos-front-lines-c/

2000+ people across race, faith, & region are here at the #TreatyPeopleGathering ready to put our bodies on the line to #StopLine3. Tell @POTUS it’s time to uphold Anishinaabe treaty rights & revoke Line 3’s flawed federal permits NOW. Sign www.stopline3.org/take-action

Hundreds Blockade Line 3 Pump Station in Mass Direction Action to #Stopline3 We're LIVE in Northern Minnesota as Enbridge continues construction on the Line 3 pipeline. Water protectors are taking action to defend the water for future generations. From action Press release: "Enbridge must stop construction Line 3 and be held accountable for the devastation they have caused to Indigenous communities and to the Earth."... Indigenous led resistance against the Line 3 pipeline continues to grow to grow.

After a year and a half of filming and editing and trying to navigate the release of the 5 mini documentaries amid the pandemic, today's congressional briefing... and webinar with the Property Rights and Pipeline Center, https://pipelinecenter.org was an amazing reunion of landowners and their stories. -- MVP300. Landowners vs. The Law. Sarah Hazelgrove. This story, this series reveals only a fraction of the suffering and devastation that quick take eminent domain has on the lives of landowners. These landowners’ stories should inspire us to immediate actionthe reality of these stories should catapult elected and agency public servants to stop MVP. While MVP lacks permits to cross streams, company earth movers are upon our mountains across Franklin, Roanoke, and Giles County and into West Virginia. -- In protecting private property and landowners against an out of state natural gas company-LLC, we are standing for the fabric and the life force of our country." Bert Bondurant Community advocate. Bent Mountain, VA.

ICYMI-- Yesterday, the Indigenous Environmental Network and our partners with Sunrise Movement, Sierra Club, Working Families Party, CASA, and People's Action held an emergency rally in front of the White House to demand that Joe Biden go big on climate, care, jobs, and justice!

Join us for the 2nd Annual People’s Assembly on Blackrock May 19 at 4pm EST/1pm PST! This year, the People’s Assembly on BlackRock ramps up pressure on the investor giant before its annual general meeting (AGM) on May 26.