False solutions to the climate crisis harm Mother Earth

False solutions to the climate crisis only kick the can of problems down the road for future generations to inherit and contend with. 

Rather than facing issues head on and interrogating the root causes of climate chaos (colonialism and capitalism) our leaders continue to cower to industry-led and industry-backed “solutions.” At their best, these technologies could potentially serve as temporary fixes to a much larger problem. More typically, however, false solutions perpetuate the fuel economy, continue to rely on extraction, and rely on technologies that either do not exist or are yet to be proven reliable. 

Some of the false solutions we encounter in our work include lithium, uranium, cobalt, nickel, nuclear, hydrogen, natural gas, carbon capture and sequestration, carbon offsets, geoengineering, nature-based solutions, and bioenergy. All of these forms of extraction are harmful to the environment, harmful to Indigenous peoples and communities, and in turn, harmful to future generations. True solutions to the climate crisis must begin by dismantling colonialism and capitalism.

Let’s take a look at lithium as an example.

Today we often see electric vehicles (EVs) being proffered as a catch-all solution to the climate crisis. Lithium is required for the production of the batteries used for EVs. While initial calls for EVs came from progressive corners, conservatives quickly joined the chorus. False solutions and green colonialism cut across party lines because, again, the issue is rooted in colonialism and capitalism. 

Lithium must be mined, a process that not only harms local communities but also the land. Brine extraction, which is often used in lithium mining, requires an enormous amount of water, which has a major negative impact on water sources and the air. 

One lithium mine currently being proposed on Turtle Island is at Thacker Pass. With plans for completion of Phase I to occur in 2027, the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine is a prime example of the harms caused by extraction. The project was launched without the consent of the local tribes in the region. It will also bring about mancamps, or temporary living situations for predominantly male laborers. Mancamps are correlated to the high percentage of missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives. 

The current administration, influenced by Tesla’s Elon Musk, is pushing these unproven and unsafe technologies while also reviving the coal industry.  In this moment, it’s more important than ever that our communities and decision-makers understand precisely what’s at stake. Several Executive Orders call for the mass production of all forms of energy, while disregarding the federal government’s treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and ignoring the voice of the people.

We need to understand the ins-and-outs of these false solutions, and the rhetoric that promotes them, in order to fight back.  

At Honor the Earth, our North star is Land Back and Sovereignty. We know that lands stewarded by Indigenous Peoples remain the most biodiverse, with 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity existing in Indigenous territories. 

Indigenous Peoples across the globe remain the last line of defense between the land and completely unfettered, unregulated resource extraction. This is why it is critical we follow the leadership of Indigenous peoples and center Indigenous knowledge and understandings in climate and environmental work. Indeed, there cannot be climate and environmental justice without Indigenous Sovereignty and Land Back. 

Once Indigenous lands are back in Indigenous hands worldwide, we can feel better knowing we are on the right track to correcting course and re-establishing a right relationship with Unci Maka and all life.