Indigenous Survival in the Face of Environmental Damage

May 13, 2025

Executive Summary

Indigenous populations, which make up 6.2% of the global population, are particularly at risk of being harmed by environmental degradation due to their traditional attachments to the land as well as due to their increased dependence on said land’s finite natural resources compared to non-Indigenous groups. Climate change effects, which include rising sea levels and coastal erosion, desertification, water scarcity, mining, deforestation, pollution, land dispossession, and lack of legal recognition intensify the challenges faced by Indigenous populations worldwide; these negative impacts jeopardize Indigenous peoples’ way of life. Many of these groups do not contribute to  greenhouse gas emissions at the same rate as the average consumer, making their contribution to climate change minimal. However, Indigenous groups face adverse consequences, which often disproportionately stems from the loss of biodiversity, resource scarcity, and negative health effects. The lack of sufficient legal protections, as well as the commonplace exclusion from statutory or legal decision-making processes, further marginalize these groups; their lack of conventional access to equal treatment by legislative bodies restricts their capacity to advocate for their rights. Compensation payments and/or cooperative agreements in very few places have helped some Indigenous individuals or groups progress toward increased Indigenous participation in land and resource management; To ensure inclusion, protect rights, and apply Indigenous knowledge in environmental legislation, constant effort and adaptation are required.

                 [Image credit: ideogram.ai]

Introduction

Indigenous communities across the globe are particularly vulnerable to environmental crises such as deforestation, pollution, urban development, and loss of biodiversity due to their disproportionately high levels of reliance on certain natural resources available in their respective homelands (UN, 2024). It is estimated that between 370 and 500 million Indigenous peoples exist across 90 countries around the world. Indigenous peoples represent 6.2% of the global population (UN, 2025a); of those, there are more than 5,000 distinct groups. The highest percentage of Indigenous peoples worldwide (70.5%) is found in the Asia-Pacific region (WHO, 2024). Indigenous groups constitute 15% of those living in extreme poverty in this area, and they have an overall estimated life expectancy that is 20 years less than that of non-Indigenous populations (Dawson et al., 2020; WHO, 2024). Native Americans from the Americas (such as the Lakota of the United States, the Maya of Guatemala, and the Aymaras of Bolivia), circumpolar Inuit and Aleutians, northern European Saami, Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, and New Zealand Maori are all examples of Indigenous peoples (UN, 2020). They continue to be socially, culturally, economically, and politically different from the dominant civilizations around them because they practice their own unique traditions, such as reindeer herding of the Sami people in Scandinavia, or the haka war dance of the Māori in New Zealand.

Figure: Types of environmental degradation faced by the Indigenous community.

Environmental Challenges Facing Indigenous Peoples

Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term changes in global temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, melting glaciers and sea ice, rise in sea level, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and typical weather patterns, which are primarily caused by human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and certain agricultural practices (USEPA, 2024a). Climate change may have a concerning impact on human rights and equity for many Indigenous peoples, and it can  threaten their very survival (Jones, 2019; UN, 2024). Despite making minimal contributions to the negative effects of climate change, many Indigenous peoples experience some of its most severe effects, endangering their rights, way of life, and health. Indigenous populations, particularly in the Arctic, are affected by climate change, threatening infrastructure, food supplies, and cultural traditions (Balbus et al., 2016). Climate change significantly impacts Indigenous populations by worsening pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes, thus increasing their vulnerability to climate-related diseases. Climate change also harms landscapes and natural resources that are vital to Indigenous peoples food security, culture, and traditions. Furthermore, obstacles within institutions prevent access to vital land and resources necessary for adaptation. At the same time, insufficient infrastructure hampers crucial services such as healthcare, clean water, and disaster recovery, only increasing indigenous peoples' vulnerability (USEPA, 2024b). For instance, the Navajo Nation in the USA  has faced significant health impacts due to contaminated groundwater from uranium mining, which affects both drinking water and agricultural activities.

Colonialism is closely related to climate change because it built the economic systems that are making the climate crisis worse and making it harder for Indigenous peoples to adapt. Examples of economic systems include resource extraction, fossil fuel dependency, and capitalism. To effectively address these challenges, nations worldwide and their respective legislative bodies should pass legislation and related frameworks to set up boundaries that will uphold Indigenous land rights and will empower Indigenous leadership in developing climate and health solutions (Jones, 2019). In addition to legislation, Indigenous expertise and practices such as sustainable land management and agroecological approaches can help with climate adaptation and mitigation by enhancing carbon sequestration through traditional agroforestry, preventing deforestation, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining soil health, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this information revealing the critical need to support Indigenous groups from a purely logistical standpoint, this information is frequently ignored in favour of western scientific methodologies such as climate models and predictions, GIS, and remote sensing. Indigenous peoples' voices are undervalued in modern policy and research because of this long history of marginalization. Traditional knowledge is fundamental to Indigenous peoples' identities and ways of life; the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues recognizes this (UN, 2019). Stronger backing from governments and international organizations is required to address these issues by defending indigenous rights, incorporating their expertise into climate action, and allocating resources for adaptation (Leal Filho et al., 2021). Such support is critical not just for maintaining indigenous communities' important knowledge and customs, but also for guaranteeing global climate resilience. Preserving indigenous peoples' rights and knowledge is critical to our shared existence since indigenous peoples' well-being affects the state of our planet and its future sustainability.

Rising sea levels and coastal erosion

Rising sea levels refers to the elevation of the average height of the global oceans, which is mainly caused by the melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets, along with the thermal expansion of seawater as it heats up due to the effects of climate change. Coastal erosion refers to the gradual wear away of shorelines caused by natural forces such as waves, currents, and tidal actions, frequently intensified by human activities and increasing sea levels. For example, Qikiqtaruk (Herschel Island) in Canada's Arctic is threatened by rising sea levels and floods, jeopardizing Indigenous Inuvialuit history and historic whaling facilities. The island has been a vital hunting and fishing site for more than 1,000 years, but worsening climate change is causing rapid erosion, landslides, and regular floods (Guardian, 2025). Indigenous communities are facing relocation at rates seven times higher than the global average, attributable to climate-induced variables such as sea level rise and coastal erosion (WEF, 2024a).

Desertification and water scarcity

Desertification occurs when dry land gets even drier. This happens due to climate change, which increases temperatures and disrupts rainfall patterns, alongside negative impacts such as stemming from humans’ cutting down trees, overgrazing animals, and utilizing land in a way that does not allow for revitalization. These factors collectively damage the soil, exacerbate water loss, reduce biodiversity, and wipe out certain plant species. Water scarcity is defined as the absence of enough water resources to satisfy a region's needs; it can be caused by severe droughts, water misuse, and environmental degradation (WEF, 2024b). In West Africa, desertification has severely impacted ecosystems and livestock, forcing nomadic indigenous groups to leave their farming lifestyles and move to urban regions. Children frequently travel long distances to find water, affecting their education and overall well-being (WEF, 2021). The Navajo Nation in the United States faced acute water inequality, around 30% of its residents lack access to pure water. This scarcity has been further exacerbated by prolonged droughts and the misuse of water resources, which has had an impact on health, agriculture, and traditional practices (Time, 2024). In Brazil, Xakriabá and other Indigenous communities are subjected to severe droughts, resulting in the depletion of rivers and springs. For example, Brazil is facing an extreme drought in the Xingu river basin. The scarcity of drinking water forces schools to close and disrupts conventional agricultural practices (Guardian, 2024). Overall, desertification and water shortages both affect Indigenous communities by impairing livelihoods, health, and cultural practices. Indigenous groups face more obstacles than non-Indigenous people due to their deep connection to the land and their reliance on local ecosystems for food, medicine, cultural practices, and economic survival. Immediate measures are required to ensure equitable resource allocation, sustainable water governance, and the integration of indigenous knowledge in conservation initiatives. Current programs, such as the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), advocate for land restoration, whereas Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)  (UN, 2025b) improves coordinated water utilization. However, further measures are necessary to ensure long-term sustainability. This includes implementing community-based resource management initiatives that empower Indigenous populations to manage their natural resources in accordance with traditional knowledge. Additionally, regulatory reforms are needed to guarantee equitable water distribution, alongside investment in sustainable infrastructure such as rainwater harvesting systems and efficient irrigation technologies.

Pollution

Indigenous populations face disproportionate exposure to contaminated sites, presenting distinct challenges, because so many Indigenous people look at land as a fundamental aspect of their society and economy (Chong and Basu, 2024). Unlike many non-Indigenous people, whose relationship to land may be primarily driven by economic or recreational factors, land is integral to Indigenous peoples identity, spiritual beliefs, and cultural practices. This connection is often rooted in centuries-old traditions, which include specific responsibilities to protect and sustain the environment. Contamination of these lands through industrial pollution, mining, or resource extraction disrupts their way of life in ways that go beyond economic loss. The well-being of Indigenous peoples is closely linked to the environment, making polluted sites a significant concern due to their effects on traditional dietary systems, culture, and faith. For instance, the First Nations Food and Nutrition Study in Canada recently conducted a sampling of Indigenous foods from 221 species, analyzing 2061 samples. The findings revealed that some of these foods exhibited higher-than-recommended levels of metals, particularly mercury in fish and lead in mammals and birds (Chan et al., 2021). Similarly, a study of urine samples from the Tenek Indigenous population in Mexico found that many people had high levels of toxic metals such as lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), and hippuric acid, which can indicate exposure to pollution. These metals were linked to proteins associated with kidney damage, suggesting potential health risks. These findings highlight the serious health inequities Indigenous communities face due to environmental pollution and emphasize the urgent need for action to protect their health as a basic human right (Díaz De León-Martínez et al., 2020). Therefore, exposure to contaminants results in direct and indirect health impacts for Indigenous populations, compromising food sovereignty - the ability to enjoy healthy, culturally suitable, and independent food systems - intensifying existing health disparities (Coté, 2016).

Furthermore, research examines 282 articles from Canadian mainstream media which contrast the coverage of water contamination incidents in a predominantly white town with Indigenous community. The results showed clear bias: white people were shown as sympathetic victims of tragedy, whereas indigenous people and communities were viewed poorly, characterized as helpless and reliant. The media's inability to place these events within the larger framework of colonial injustice continues to sustain systemic inequities and increase negative perceptions (Burns and Shor, 2021).

Resource Exploitation and Environmental Destruction

Mining and extractive industries

Although mining and extractive industries can provide economic possibilities such as job creation and revenue generation, these industries frequently cause environmental damage, cultural crisis, and health hazards for Indigenous communities. Indigenous tribes are often displaced, and their ancestral lands are destroyed as a result of mining activities. Between 2001 and 2020, mining destroyed 260,000 hectares of forests around the world, including 90,000 hectares of tropical primary rainforests. These forests were used by local and Indigenous people (WRI, 2024). The Navajo Nation, with a population exceeding 300,000, experienced significant environmental effects from uranium mining during the 1940s, especially in the northwestern region of New Mexico, USA. Native American workers experienced the most severe effects of environmental degradation and the volatile job market generated by the industry. Even after 80 years, their land continues to be contaminated, and the economic repercussions of the mining boom-and-bust cycle still impact their communities (Whitt, 2021). However, Western Australia will pay the Tjiwarl Aboriginal people $25.5 million in reparations for damage to their land from mining leases and infrastructure. The settlement returns some land, expands its conservation area, and provides Tjiwarl with more influence leading to an increase in their decision-making power and involvement in future water and mining operations. This creates a precedent for improved Indigenous rights in land use choices (Burton, 2023). Canada boasts more than 500 agreements that facilitate collaboration and mutual benefits between mining businesses and Indigenous communities. The agreements cover employment, training initiatives, environmental conservation, and investments in the community. Although details are often kept private, they help indigenous groups engage in mining and obtain lasting advantages (MAC, 2024). In summary, although mining creates economic prospects, it frequently negatively impacts Indigenous communities by causing land loss, pollution, and instability. Compensation in Australia and agreements in Canada demonstrate some advancements in acknowledging Indigenous rights and confirming their involvement in land use decisions, establishing important examples for future extraction practices.

Deforestation and land grabbing

Although several nations worldwide constitutionally acknowledge Indigenous land rights, implementation of protections to these lands is often limited due to political transition, difficulties in land titling, and insufficient delineation. Despite legal titles, governments often lease Indigenous lands for timber and mineral extraction without prior, free, and informed consent. The lack of stable land ownership leads Indigenous populations to relocation and environmental damage (UN, 2024). For example, Hadzabe, a semi-nomadic community of hunter-gatherers residing in the Eyasi Basin of northern Tanzania, is currently confronting challenges such as land loss and food insecurity due to the actions of pastoralists, the Tanzanian government, and various external entities (Jones, 2022). Many Indigenous people have been displaced as a result of environmental degradation, the disruption of self-sustaining ecosystems, alongside the introduction of new agricultural technology such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and cash cropping. Countless Indigenous people have been forcibly removed from their homes without receiving just compensation as a result of massive dams, mining operations, and tourist developments, putting them into extreme poverty (UN, 2024).

Lack of legal protection & land rights

Indigenous communities worldwide suffer numerous adverse consequences as a result of land rights that are not legally protected. For example, a Thai company acquired 20,000 hectares of land in Cambodia in 2015 for the purpose of developing the land for sugarcane cultivation; this action resulted in the displacement of 600 Indigenous families who depended on the land for their livelihoods. The company destroyed more than half of the forest, destroyed homes, and plucked Indigenous fields dry, forcing the local families into poverty. Even if the villagers are suing, the damage to their homes, land, and way of life could not be restored. For the 2.5 billion people living on Indigenous and communal territory worldwide, this narrative is all too familiar (Notess, 2018). Conflicts over resources often arise when land rights are not legally recognized, leading to disputes between Indigenous communities, governments, and private entities over ownership, access, and land use. Tensions between Indigenous communities and external parties often arise as a consequence of displacement and competition for land, which occasionally escalate into violence. Aiming to increase representation at a United Nations meetings on their behalf, the General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/71/321) on September 8, 2017 addressing the rights and representation of Indigenous peoples in UN meetings. The resolution recognizes the need for increasing Indigenous peoples' involvement and engagement in UN processes, including those on their rights, sustainable development, and environmental challenges. This came after the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in 2014 made a commitment to increase their representation in international decision making (UN, 2025c). Efforts to increase Indigenous participation in the UN have led to some progress, such as the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the recognition of Indigenous rights in global agreements. However, significant challenges remain, including the need for greater decision-making power for indigenous people, direct indigenous representation in key UN bodies, and stronger enforcement of Indigenous rights in international policies.

Challenges

The profound relationship of Indigenous peoples with their environment informs their values, identity, and traditional wisdom, which enables these groups to better understand and address environmental challenges effectively. For example, Indigenous communities in the Amazon use traditional agroforestry techniques, such as planting diverse crops among trees, to prevent deforestation while maintaining soil health and biodiversity. Unfortunately, their knowledge systems and institutions are in jeopardy due to land loss, forced displacement, and fast environmental changes (Ford et al., 2020). Indigenous communities face various challenges, including the inability to define their own development according to their traditional values, needs, and goals; limited or ineffective political participation; and difficulties receiving needed social services. For example, in Canada, many First Nations communities struggle with inadequate access to clean drinking water due to government inaction and bureaucratic barriers. They are usually ignored in decision-making processes (WHO, 2024) for land use, resource development, and policy changes that impact their territory. Furthermore, many people are forcibly evicted from their ancestral lands as a result of activities such as the exploitation of natural resources and large-scale construction projects (UN, 2025a). For example, in Brazil, Indigenous communities in the Amazon have been displaced due to illegal logging, mining, and the construction of hydroelectric dams, such as the Belo Monte Dam, which flooded vast areas of Indigenous territory and disrupted their way of life. There is  inadequate protection for Indigenous peoples from environmental pollution within the federal environmental and Indian law system (Hoover et al., 2012). In contrast, at the international level, many Indigenous communities face similar challenges due to weak enforcement of environmental protections and extractive industries operating on their lands. Environmental legislation in North America was not initially formulated to address pollution that impacts indigenous communities, resulting in deficiencies that impede the prevention or remediation of contamination. This pollution adversely affects health and undermines the transmission of cultural knowledge associated with the land (Hoover et al., 2012). In the Navajo Nation, for example, exposure to uranium mining has resulted in higher incidences of lung cancer and other health issues. The connection between indigenous identity and knowledge is profoundly tied to their land; however, they face challenges such as displacement, climate change, pollution, and exclusion. Enhanced legal protections and inclusion are essential for preserving their rights and traditions.

Conclusion

Although the existence of Indigenous populations largely depends on environmental preservation, indigenous people are subject to dispossession and a lack of political representation in environmental policy. Preserving Indigenous peoples' rights, culture, and livelihoods depends on improving legislative structures, ensuring equal participation in making environmental decisions, and acknowledging traditional wisdom. The Indigenous rights and environmental conservation have been the subject of several initiatives, including United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and inclusion in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), but these systemic problems cannot be solved without more extensive legislation and international assistance. Promoting equitable growth and justice for Indigenous populations globally requires establishing Indigenous leadership in climate action and land governance.

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Glossary

• Agroecological approaches: Sustainable farming methods that integrate ecological principles, traditional knowledge, and modern science to enhance food production while conserving biodiversity.

• Agroforestry: A land-use system that combines trees with crops or livestock, improving soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.

• Ancestral Lands: Traditional territories that Indigenous populations have inhabited for generations.

• Arctic: The polar region around the North Pole, known for cold climate and ice-covered seas.

• Asthma: A chronic respiratory condition worsened by air pollution and climate change, disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities.

• Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms in an environment, essential for ecosystem health.

• Boom-and-bust cycle: Economic instability caused by rapid growth (boom) followed by sudden decline (bust), often seen in resource-dependent Indigenous communities.

• Bureaucratic: Excessive administrative procedures that delay or hinder access to rights and services for Indigenous peoples.

• Carbon sequestration: The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

• Cash Cropping: Growing crops mainly to sell for profit rather than for personal use.

• Climate Adaptation and Mitigation: Actions to adjust to and reduce the impact of climate change.

• Climate Change: Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns, mainly due to human activities like fossil fuel combustion.

• Climate resilience: The ability of communities and ecosystems to withstand and recover from climate-related disruptions.

• Coastal Erosion: The gradual wearing away of shorelines by water, wind, or human actions, intensified by rising sea levels.

• Colonialism: When one country controls another, exploiting resources and people, affecting local cultures and economies.

• Compensation: Payments or reparations made to Indigenous communities for damages caused by land dispossession or environmental harm.

• Conservation: Protecting and managing natural environments and wildlife for future generations.

• Contaminated groundwater: Water sources polluted by toxic substances like uranium mining, affecting Indigenous health and agriculture.

• Contaminated Sites: Areas polluted by harmful substances, posing health and environmental risks.

• Cooperative: Collaborative agreements between Indigenous groups and governments or corporations for shared benefits.

• Cultural crisis: The loss of Indigenous traditions, languages, and identity due to forced displacement and environmental destruction.

• Deforestation: Cutting down forests, often leading to environmental harm like loss of biodiversity.

• Delineation: Marking the boundaries of land areas, often for ownership or management purposes.

• Desertification: When fertile land becomes desert due to drought, deforestation, or poor farming.

• Diabetes: A chronic health condition exacerbated by changing diets and environmental stressors in Indigenous communities.

• Displacement: Forcing people to leave their homes, often due to conflict or environmental damage.

• Dispossession: Losing land or property, often through unfair or forceful means.

• Disproportionately: Affected more severely than other groups, often due to systemic inequities.

• Dominant civilizations: Societies that hold political and economic power, often marginalizing Indigenous cultures.

• Droughts: Long periods of very low rainfall, causing water shortages.

• Efficient irrigation technologies: Water-saving agricultural methods that reduce waste and improve sustainability.

• Environmental Degradation: Damage to the environment through pollution, deforestation, or other harmful activities.

• Environmental Legislation: Laws designed to protect the environment and natural resources.

• Exacerbated: Made worse, such as water scarcity intensified by droughts and mismanagement.

• Exclusion: The systematic removal of Indigenous voices from decision-making processes.

• Exploitation: Using resources or people unfairly for personal or economic gain.

• Extensive: Widespread or comprehensive measures needed to address Indigenous rights and environmental issues.

• Extraction: The removal of natural resources, often harming Indigenous lands and livelihoods.

• Extreme Weather Events: Severe weather like hurricanes, heatwaves, or heavy rains caused by climate changes.

• Fertilizers: Chemicals used to enhance crop growth, sometimes harming soil and water quality.

• Finite: Limited natural resources that cannot be replenished once depleted.

• First Nations: Indigenous peoples in Canada, excluding Inuit and Métis populations.

• Fossil fuel combustion: Burning coal, oil, and gas, a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions.

• Fossil fuel dependency: Reliance on non-renewable energy sources that contribute to climate change.

• Forum: A platform for discussion, such as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

• GIS (Geographic Information Systems): Digital tools for mapping and analyzing environmental data.

• Glaciers: Large ice masses that melt due to climate change, contributing to rising sea levels.

• Governance: Systems of decision-making, including Indigenous-led land and resource management.

• Greenhouse gas emissions: Gases like CO₂ that trap heat in the atmosphere, driving climate change.

• Haka war dance: A traditional Māori performance symbolizing cultural identity and resistance.

• Hadzabe: An Indigenous group in Tanzania known for their hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

• Hectares: A unit of land measurement, often used to quantify deforestation.

• Health Disparities: Differences in health outcomes among groups due to social or economic disadvantages.

• Heart disease: A chronic condition worsened by environmental stressors and limited healthcare access.

• Hydroelectric dams: Large energy projects that often flood Indigenous lands and displace communities.

• Ineffective: Policies or actions that fail to address Indigenous needs due to poor design or implementation.

• Inequities: Systemic injustices, such as Indigenous communities facing higher pollution exposure.

• Infrastructure: Basic physical systems (e.g., water supply, roads) often lacking in Indigenous regions.

• Institutions: Formal organizations (e.g., governments, legal systems) that often marginalized Indigenous rights.

• Inuvialuit: Indigenous people of Canada’s western Arctic region, reliant on land and sea resources.

• Indigenous Populations: Original inhabitants of a region with unique cultures and ties to the land.

• Land Grabbing: When land is acquired, often by powerful groups, without fair compensation to the original owners.

• Land Rights: Legal rights that allow Indigenous communities to use and control their traditional lands.

• Land Titling: The process of officially recognizing land ownership.

• Landslides: Movement of rock and soil down slopes, often triggered by heavy rain or earthquakes.

• Legislative: Relating to laws and policy making.

• Logging: The commercial cutting of trees, a major driver of deforestation.

• Marginalize: To treat a group as insignificant or exclude them from power and resources.

• Melting Glaciers: Ice masses shrinking due to rising global temperatures, contributing to sea-level rise.

• Methodologies: Systematic approaches to research, often favoring Western science over Indigenous knowledge.

• Mining and Extractive: Industries that remove natural resources from the earth, often harming the environment.

• Mitigation: Actions to reduce climate change impacts, such as lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

• Mutual: Agreements or benefits shared equally between Indigenous communities and external parties.

• Navajo Nation: The largest Indigenous territory in the United States, facing land and water challenges.

• Nomadic: People who move from place to place rather than settling permanently in one location.

• Obstacles: Barriers preventing Indigenous communities from accessing rights or resources.

• Occasionally escalate: Conflicts over land and resources that sometimes turn violent.

• Overgrazing: When animals eat too much vegetation in one area, damaging the land and causing erosion.

• Pastoralists: People who raise livestock, often clashing with Indigenous groups over land use.

• Pesticides: Chemicals used to kill pests, which can harm the environment and human health.

• Polar Ice Sheets: Large areas of frozen water at the Earth's poles that regulate climate and sea levels.

• Pollution: Contamination of air, water, or soil, disproportionately affecting Indigenous lands.

• Precedent: A legal decision or agreement that sets an example for future cases.

• Precipitation: Any form of water, like rain or snow, that falls from the sky.

• Pre-existing: Conditions or situations that existed before a new event, like diseases worsened by climate change.

• Prevention: Measures to stop environmental harm before it occurs, often lacking for Indigenous communities.

• Rainwater harvesting systems: Techniques to collect and store rainwater, improving water security.

• Regulatory reforms: Changes to laws to better protect Indigenous rights and the environment.

• Remote sensing: Using satellites or drones to monitor environmental changes.

• Remediation: Cleaning up polluted sites, often delayed in Indigenous territories.

• Reparations: Compensation for historical injustices, such as land theft or environmental harm.

• Resource extraction: The removal of natural resources (e.g., mining, logging), often harming Indigenous lands.

• Resource scarcity: Shortages of essential resources like water and food due to environmental damage.

• Scarcity: Limited availability of resources like water, exacerbated by climate change and overuse.

• Semi nomadic: Communities that move periodically but have some permanent settlements.

• Severe: Intense or extreme conditions, such as droughts or pollution levels.

• Shorelines: The edges of land along bodies of water like oceans, lakes, and rivers.

• Social services: Essential supports (e.g., healthcare, education) often inaccessible to Indigenous peoples.

• Sovereignty: Indigenous self-governance and control over land, resources, and cultural practices.

• Statutory: Relating to laws or regulations, often excluding Indigenous customary rights.

• Sustainable land management: Practices that protect ecosystems while supporting Indigenous livelihoods.

• Tenek: An Indigenous community in Mexico.

• Thermal Expansion: The increase in seawater volume as it warms, contributing to sea-level rise.

• Tidal: Related to the rising and falling of the sea, influenced by the moon's gravitational pull.

• Toxic metals: Harmful substances (e.g., lead, mercury) contaminating Indigenous food and water sources.

• Traditional agroforestry: Indigenous farming systems that integrate trees, crops, and wildlife sustainably.

• Transmission: The passing down of cultural knowledge, disrupted by environmental degradation.

• Tropical: Areas near the equator with warm climates and diverse ecosystems.

• Uranium mining: Extractive industry causing long-term contamination in Indigenous lands.

• Vulnerability: Increased risk faced by Indigenous peoples due to climate change and marginalization.

• Water inequality: Unequal access to clean water, disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities.

• Water Scarcity: Lack of sufficient water resources for basic needs, affecting health and agriculture.

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