On Wednesday, September 24, in Geneva, during the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the annual panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples took place, entitled
“Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the context of a just transition to sustainable energy systems, including in relation to critical minerals.”
Representatives of APG23 have taken the floor, bringing the voice of those who suffer the consequences of unjust development models. In the name of the energy transition, large-scale projects are realised that destroy the environment, harm biodiversity, and entrench new inequalities.
In particular, the Mapuche people in Chile do not benefit from the exploitation of their natural resources; instead, they have to defend their ancestral lands, ecosystems, culture, and spirituality against the negative impacts of business initiatives and projects such as the construction of dams and hydroelectric power plants.
Moreover, several Mapuche activists are criminalised for defending their territories and traditional ways of life.
A just energy transition means stopping the decades-long abuses suffered by Indigenous Peoples, ensuring the implementation of the right to development, the full participation of communities in decision-making, and respect for territorial sovereignty. Only in this way can we prevent further abuses, build a sustainable future, and achieve fairer benefit-sharing.
To see all the interventions:
https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k14/k14rrl8zfj
OPERAZIONE COLOMBA
