IPCC report cites 'colonialism' as historic & ongoing driver of climate crisis

In a historic first, 'colonialism' has been ded as a documented and ongoing driver of climate crisis, as per new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Monday. Releasing its sixth assessment report, IPCC outlined high chances of multiple climate hazards taking place simultaneously, however, report's mention of word 'colonialism' as one of reasons for 'vulnerability of ecosystems and people to climate change', comes as a landmark mission. 

Nearly 3 deces since its first report, panel has recognized effect colonialism h on Indigenous people and local communities. It has not only been recognized as a 'driver of climate crisis' but an ongoing issue that is exacerbating communities’ vulnerability to it.

" vulnerability of ecosystems and people to climate change differs substantially among and within regions (very high confidence), driven by patterns of intersecting socio-economic development, unsustainable ocean and land use, inequity, marginalization, historical and ongoing patterns of inequity such as colonialism, and governance," report said. "Human and ecosystem vulnerability are interdependent."

“Present development challenges causing high vulnerability are influenced by historical and ongoing patterns of inequity such as colonialism, especially for many Indigenous Peoples and local communities,”  global climate change report mentioned in its summary for policymakers.

This mission holds great significance as IPCC report is referred to in several authoritative climate change conferences including COP, annual U.N. climate meeting. This means that  world’s top scientists are not acknowledging that decolonization must be central to global response to climate change, but may use it to shape future climate policy, Atmos reported. 

" summary’s final language is meticulously scrutinized and discussed line by line—and not just by world’s top scientists, but also by officials representing 195 governments. That means that officials and scientists from around globe now recognize significant role colonialism has played in heating up our planet and destroying its many gifts," report mentioned. 

Te Pāti Māori, a political party in New Zealand vocating indigenous rights reacted to report, opining that consulting indigenous leership was only way to a stable global climate. 

" latest IPCC report is clear, colonization caused climate crisis, and only indigenous rights policies such as #andback will bring us back from brink. protection of Papatūānuku and a stable global climate cannot be achieved without indigenous leership", said Te Pāti Māori.