Two Alaska Native youth introduced a resolution on climate change adopted earlier in the week at the Elders and Youth Conference. The hour-long discussion that followed ended with acclamation for Nanieezh Peter, who is Neets’ail Gwich’in, age 15, and Quannah Chasing Horse Potts, who is Gwich’in and Lakota, age 17. The resolution they brought to the floor calls on the Alaska Federation of Natives to to declare a state of emergency on climate change and to set up a climate change task force to develop climate policies.
. . .
“In recent years, we have lost community members due to unpredictable and unsafe ice conditions,” the resolution continues. “We have seen the die-off and disease of seals, salmon, migratory birds, shellfish, whales, and polar bears and recognize that these are also our relatives. We, the Alaska Native youth are asking our tribal leaders to consider, as is traditional, the future of their grandchildren and the generations to come,” read Peter.
Quannah Potts added, “We shouldn’t have to tell people in charge that we want to survive. It should be our number one right. We should not have to fight for this, but here we are coming to ask for your help.”
Leave a Reply