It is important for Arctic Indigenous peoples to be heard at this crucial meeting, to help people understand why we need the Arctic to remain cool by reducing emissions from shipping and other sectors.
It’s not every day that elder Alaska Natives are heard and respected by leaders from around the world.
We would see an estimated 700% increase in shipping traffic in the Salish Sea. With it would come increased risks to fishing families, coastal communities and our marine wildlife.
As someone with family and ancestral roots in the Arctic region who tries to inform their communities on such proposals, I was glad to be able to testify as a representative from Friends of the Earth.