Climate change linked to human rights, Inuit leader says
Dressed in traditional garments, Indigneous representatives at the COP 21 climate change talks in Paris — who included Arctic delegation head Okalik Eeegeesiak from the Inuit Circumpolar Council — met Dec. 2 with François Hollande…But despite Hollande’s words of encouragement to the group…Indigenous peoples may face disappointment as diplomats and official delegates to the climate change talks fine-tune their new global pact on climate change. That’s because they may cut out a reference in the agreement’s text on the link between climate change, human rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples…Some countries are not supporting the inclusion of text…Eegeesiak…said…“Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is a human rights issue and the melting of the Arctic is impacting all aspects of Inuit life,” Eegeesiak said...Eegeesiak urged Canada, Norway, the United States, Denmark, Greenland, Russia, Sweden and Finland to support their Indigenous peoples…