Indigenous Innovation & The Global Water Crisis

Today, every continent throughout the world has experienced water scarcity issues. 2.3 billion people live in water stressed countries according to the United Nations, and it is projected that about 4.8-5.7 billion people could experience water scarcity issues by 2050 (UN). As rising sea levels present new threats, the global water crisis is exacerbated by these and related issues like global warming, climate change; unsustainable consumption, agricultural use, privatization, and industry.

In the United States,1 in 10 American Indians lack access to safe tap water & basic sanitation. For every 1,000 Indigenous Peoples, 58 do not have access to indoor plumbing (Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States, 2019). Widely known is how Indigenous Peoples are often the first to experience water access, lack of clean drinking water, and equity issues. This includes unsustainable projects by extractive industries and water contamination. Additionally, there is an undercurrent to this story.

For many Indigenous Peoples, water is life, the source of Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural ways that have protected the natural world for centuries prior to colonialism, still. Today, Indigenous Peoples are innovating. This includes granting legal personality to rivers, advocating against destructive corporate projects, developing Indigenous-led water projects, and honoring the sacredness of water through a myriad of other innovations.

This panel will feature Indigenous Peoples and youth who will touch on Indigenous innovations to the Water Crisis