A State‐of‐the‐Art Review of Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Pollution. (4th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fernández‐Llamazares, Álvaro; Garteizgogeascoa, María; Basu, Niladri; Brondizio, Eduardo Sonnewend; Cabeza, Mar; Martínez‐Alier, Joan; McElwee, Pamela; Reyes‐García, Victoria
• Is Part Of: Integrated environmental assessment and management. Volume 16:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 324
• Page End: 341
• Publication Date: 2020-03-04
• Subjects: Environmental justice -- Health burdens -- Indigenous knowledge -- Pollution -- Native Americans; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental toxicology -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; 628
• DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4239
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1551-3777

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Indigenous peoples (IPs) worldwide are confronted by the increasing threat of pollution. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature (n = 686 studies), we present the current state of knowledge on: 1) the exposure and vulnerability of IPs to pollution; 2) the environmental, health, and cultural impacts of pollution upon IPs; and 3) IPs' contributions to prevent, control, limit, and abate pollution from local to global scales. Indigenous peoples experience large burdens of environmental pollution linked to the expansion of commodity frontiers and industrial development, including agricultural, mining, and extractive industries, as well as urban growth, waste dumping, and infrastructure and energy development. Nevertheless, IPs are contributing to limit pollution in different ways, including through environmental monitoring and global policy advocacy, as well as through local resistance toward polluting activities. This work adds to growing evidence of the breadth and depth of environmental injustices faced by IPs worldwide, and we conclude by highlighting the need to increase IPs' engagement in environmental decision‐making regarding pollution control. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:324–341. © 2019 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC) KEY POINTS: This review maps out the worldwide impacts of environmental pollution on Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples experience large burdens of environmental pollution linked to the expansion of commodity frontiers and industrial development. Indigenous Peoples are amongst the populations at highest risk of impact by pollution of water, land and biota through both exposure and vulnerability. Indigenous Peoples actively contribute to develop innovative strategies to limit, prevent and abate pollution from local to global levels