Indigenous leaders denounce green colonialism in Nairobi

More than 60 representatives from 26 indigenous peoples across 16 countries gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for the ‘Our Land, Our Nature’ (OLON) meeting. The assembly, held from September 21 to 25, aimed to ‘decolonize’ biodiversity conservation.

Participants denounced what they termed ‘green colonialism,’ arguing that conservation projects and carbon credit schemes are being used as covers to expropriate ancestral lands. They specifically criticized initiatives such as REDD+ and the intervention of large international organizations that restrict traditional hunting and fishing practices essential to their survival.

In the ‘Nairobi Indigenous Declaration,’ leaders from Africa, Asia, and the Americas demanded the restitution of ancestral territories that were converted into national parks and nature reserves without their consent. The declaration emphasized that true environmental conservation is rooted in their ancestral traditions, stating, ‘The ecosystems do not belong to us; it is we who belong to them.’