Shun and Censure

While it comes as no surprise that Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States continue to obstruct democratic participation by indigenous peoples in climate change talks at the United Nations, it is still disheartening to watch the UN perpetuate the bankrupt global carbon market schemes through the World Bank and other UN agencies. Even more distressing, is the hypocrisy of the international institution, especially given its much-touted declaration in support of indigenous human rights one year ago.

For those grown accustomed to fraud and other criminal enterprises by UN member states like the US, it is saddening to see the UN take the same route to perdition. With ecosystems and economies in collapse worldwide, the perfidy shown toward the Indigenous Caucus in Poznan was both foolish and unkind.

The generosity of the indigenous delegates and the First Nations that sent them to help the UN in this crisis should be rewarded, not rebuffed. People of conscience worldwide should both shun and censure their governments for behaving so rudely.