Climate Wire | The Goldman Environmental Prize will be presented this year to six environmental activists for their efforts to protect lands and communities from Brazil to Turkey to Texas.
Announced Monday, this year’s award, known as the ‘Green Nobel’, comes as threats from climate change and environmental degradation accelerate.
The winners fought to turn the tide at the grassroots level, working to restore wilderness, bring polluters to justice and protect biodiversity. They are: Finland’s Tero Mustonen. Diane Wilson from the United States. Alessandra Korap Munduruk from Brazil. Delima Shirarahi from Indonesia. Chilekuwa Mumba from Zambia. Türkiye’s Zafer Kyzylkaya.
E&E News spoke with the three winners about what drives them to action. His first two interviews were conducted via a translator and have all been edited for length and clarity.
Delima Shirarahi, Indonesia
Silalahi, 46, leads a non-profit organization focused on forest conservation on the western Indonesian island of Sumatra. Sumatra has carbon-storing peatlands and is home to endangered tigers and rhinos. She led a campaign to reclaim approximately 18,000 acres of conventional tropical forest from pulp and paper companies. The land is now under the legal custody of six indigenous communities she is working on its restoration.
What made you decide to do this job?
I grew up in a rural area surrounded by forests. I was playing in the river. It was such a beautiful place. But I’ve seen forests destroyed by big pulp and paper companies and people’s lives turned upside down. I wanted the area back as it was in memory.
Did you see the situation improve?
I see many contradictions. We appreciate what the government is saying through its political statement on stopping deforestation. However, these companies are still allowed to operate within protected areas, and many policies allow it.
Why is it important that indigenous rights to forests be recognized?
The forest is their livelihood. They have this way of preserving the land that has been passed down for generations. They know how to preserve and manage the land.However, due to the presence of pulp and paper companies, this forest has been replaced by eucalyptus trees. [for pulp and paper production]It causes ecological disasters such as floods and droughts and affects food production. Women have to go far to find clean water. That’s why we fight so hard to protect what’s ours.
Why do you think it’s important to share your story?
We live on one planet, and this planet has undergone many changes. We need a lot of support from the international community and we need to build solidarity, cooperation and partnership. We must also stop criminalizing environmentalists because we have experienced so much intimidation.
Alessandra Collup Munduruk, Brazil
Collup, 38, a member of the Munduruk Indigenous Group in northern Brazil, has lobbied British mining company Anglo American PLC to withdraw more than 20 permits to mine in indigenous territories. The move helped conserve tens of thousands of acres of the Amazon rainforest, which stores the carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming and is critical to safeguarding the livelihoods and livelihoods of Brazil’s many indigenous communities. Anglo American says it does not currently hold any exploration permits in Brazil’s primary forest or indigenous lands, and has no plans to do so.
What made you decide to do this job?
I used to do this for years when my house was attacked. So I went back to my village and started talking to the women in the area. They supported me and gave me strength. And I said, “Fear no more. That’s not an option.”
How concerned are you about growing threats to rainforests as demand for the minerals they contain increases?
Sometimes society thinks about development as if it were the only thing. [thing] It’s important. Indigenous peoples don’t think it’s bad, but development isn’t just about taking things off the land. It’s about making sure the water is clean and the forest is standing. Great for you means getting into a nice car and thinking, “Oh, it’s electric.” Remember, the same car could be the cause of something strange to us: the destruction of the Amazon.
President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva has pledged to stop deforestation and created the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. What are your thoughts on these efforts?
He will do a lot of work to try to deliver on those promises. [groups] In Brazil, people who fought for years to defend their territory. And we will not be silent. We will continue to raise our voices.For example, we know that he promised to demarcate the lands of indigenous peoples [meaning officially recognize them]If he goes to China at the same time and starts negotiating a large investment, how can he be sure he will be able to deliver on that promise?
Why do you think it’s important to share your story?
People need to know that they are complicit in the destruction of my land, forests and rivers, even though their country says they are trying to prevent climate change and protect the environment. or build hydroelectric dams or invest in those companies. Therefore, they are also responsible for the destruction of Amazonian forests and indigenous territories.
Chilekuwa Mumba, Zambia
Mumba has filed a lawsuit against a UK-based mining company for river pollution and other environmental damage in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, where one of its main copper mining subsidiaries operates. . The 38-year-old has spent years persuading residents to continue to support slow-moving cases in British courts. may be tried in English courtssetting a legal precedent that has since been used against Shell PLC’s operations in NigeriaThe company, Vedanta Resources Ltd., has agreed to settle the claims without admitting liability in 2021.
What made you decide to do this job?
There have been many media reports about the pollution. This was particularly alarming given that certain actions were taken without a reasonable conclusion in the Zambian courts. So I decided to do some more research. I went fishing in a place I used to go to when I was a kid, and found that there were no fish at all. It changed me completely and I just felt like I had to do something.
What are your thoughts on using the legal system to achieve environmental justice?
In my opinion [the law] To maintain a duty of care where you do business, you can have a significant impact on that company’s business. I think law is the starting point. And the second step is that we must work hand in hand with people who are citizens of these countries, including ours, to fully recognize the environmental laws that protect them and their future.
Are you worried about increasing threats to your community as demand for minerals increases?
Absolutely. Some of the consequences of irresponsible mining and extractive industries are so dire in Africa that is why this issue deserves the attention it deserves.It is difficult even to quantify, but you You will be able to see the effect of.
Why do you think it’s important to share your story?
This is an example of how companies can be held accountable if they pollute the environment, which is the first example. And I think these communities have become more aware of their rights. It can be said that those villages thought it was a waste of time to undertake this. I think everyone knows now that there is a way to deal with such things when they happen. And it’s a small step towards environmental protection.
Reprinted from E&E News with permission of POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2023. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environmental professionals.
