Tristan Ahtone

1 month ago | grist.org | Taylar Stagner |Tristan Ahtone

Bribery, theft, conflicts of interest, and other forms of corruption are hampering global efforts to fight climate change and protect the environment. That’s according to a new study by Transparency International that reveals countries that experience high levels of corruption often bypass environmental laws to exploit natural resources, and rely on violence to silence resistance. That violence, one author explains, is often directed at Indigenous peoples.

2 months ago | grist.org | Taylar Stagner |Tristan Ahtone

There is a game children play called “King of the Mountain.” The rules vary, but generally, kids race to the top of a mound and push or wrestle until only one child stands and is declared the king. Displacing other children on the mound is the only way to win, and the game often rewards particularly vicious players — those who will bite, punch, and scratch to get to the top of the hill and win the title. It’s a game the Trump administration is also keen on playing.

2 months ago | grist.org | Taylar Stagner |Tristan Ahtone

A new report from Amnesty International says “green colonialism” — the appropriation of land and resources for environmental purposes — threatens indigenous Sámi culture in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Written with the input of the Saami Council, a voluntary nongovernmental organization, the report highlights human rights violations connected to Sámi lands being treated like sacrifice zones for global climate goals and green financial interests.

Dec 8, 2024 | grist.org | Taylar Stagner |Tristan Ahtone

The island of Mindanao in the Philippines is ringed by beaches and covered in volcanoes and gardens of exotic orchids. Mindanao has been home to the Indigenous Lumad peoples for centuries, but beginning in 2026, the island will become the site of the Philippines largest mining project. The Tampakan Copper-Gold Project has been in the works since large gold reserves were confirmed in the 1990’s, and since its inception, there has been intense Indigenous resistance.

Dec 2, 2024 | grist.org | Anita Hofschneider |Tristan Ahtone

The world’s biggest climate case begins at The Hague in the Netherlands today. Oral arguments will be heard by the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, which will consider what obligations United Nations member states have under international law to protect the planet from greenhouse gas emissions for future generations.