Has there been a subconscious omission on my part in failing to recognize the link between colonialism and climate change? I am conscious of my privilege. The luck of being born with a skin tone that arbitrarily positioned me at a great advantage. It contributes to my ability to obtain valuable education, to provide a safe home for my children. This privilege positions me in a more comfortable place within a flawed society. So I must ask myself, is there a part of me that desires to preserve the status quo? Have I avoided looking too closely at colonization because it provides security for myself while endangering others?

In order to meaningfully address climate change in the present, we must retrace our history to correct the most significant missteps of humankind. This is how I capture my sentiment of the first week of the MACAL Intensive. I am surprised, overwhelmed and excited by many of the ideas brought forth. Some ideas are new to me and others provide light switch moments, illuminating the relevance of knowledge deeply buried within. Most notably is the idea that finding climate solutions requires acknowledging that climate change is a result of colonialism. As Whyte aptly states, climate change is an “intensification of colonially-induced environmental change” (Whyte as cited in Gram-Hanssen et al., 2020, p. 674). 

Perhaps the most intriguing idea, which inspires much self-reflection, is the origin of Western education and its primary purpose of exerting control over Indigenous peoples. As explained by Smith (2012): “the major agency for imposing (…) positional superiority over knowledge, language and culture was colonial education” (p. 118).  A lifetime spent pursuing knowledge in institutions which arose from such intentions will create inherent bias. I must be intentional in the acknowledgement that colonialism has shaped my worldview – my understanding of what I know. 

One concept I agree with is the implication that the term allyship puts the onus on those most negatively impacted by colonialism. As Gram-Hanssen et al. (2020) explained: “colonization is not a mutual problem and colonial violence does not and has never originated from the colonized; it is the sole action of the colonizer” (p. 678). I have considered myself an ally without fully examining the meaning, the potential harm. The ethical argument is clear: the power and the responsibility to affect change is unbalanced.  The change must come from those at fault, those who wield the power. Conceptually, those who hold more influence will have more ability to affect change and provide a platform for advocacy.

Climate change is a complex problem, requiring an understanding of complex factors prior to attempting to find solutions. This can be an uncomfortable space. It is necessary for me to stay here to allow recognition of my own potential biases that may limit my view. The answer lies in expanding our gaze to see all ways of knowing.

References 

Gram-Hanssen, I., Schafenacker, N., & Bentz, J. (2021). Decolonizing transformations through ‘right relations.’ Sustainability Science, 17(2), 673–685. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00960-9

Smith, L.T. (2012). Colonizing knowledges. Chapter 3. In L. T. Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies Research and Indigenous Peoples (2nd ed., pp. 117-143). Zed Books