DHAKA, Oct 5, 2019 (BSS) – The Commonwealth has launched a regenerative
climate change model that marries the ancient wisdom of indigenous groups
with emerging innovations, technologies and scientific approaches.
Common Earth, is the programme that will create a network of projects that
could be replicated and adapted to any community, country or region, said a
media release received here today.
Government officials, environmentalists, scientists, economists, and
representatives from indigenous groups from around the Commonwealth met at
the organisation’s headquarters in London to discuss how the initiative can
achieve sustainable development whilst protecting the planet.
“It is not game over in the battle against climate change its game on,”
said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
“Because this about looking at practical, existing strategies to clean
streams, restore forests and damaged ecosystems, protect marine health,
educate our populations and challenge the economic and development approaches
that led to the decline of our planet,” Patricia Scotland said.
“It is about a development model that takes into account the ancient wisdom
of the indigenous peoples that found a way to live in harmony with their
environments, and integrates it into our scientific advances and solutions to
climate change. And it is a model I will take to ministers in our upcoming
trade and finance summits and heads of governments at their meeting next
year,” she added.
Common Earth, she added, will be based on regenerative economic models.
Economist Stuart Cowan explained how these types of economies will work.
The Common Earth project will be hinged on the activities of five working
groups: the ‘Commonwealth Small State, Climate Change Blue-Green Trade
Working Group”, the ‘Gender and Climate Change Working Group’, the
‘Indigenous Affairs Working Group’, the ‘Waters Prosperity Working Group’ and
the ‘Regenerative Finance Working Group’.
Nichie Abo a member and former chairman of the Tribal Council for the
Kalinago Indians in Dominica described the conference as important in
providing solutions to climate change. He described the Kalinago Global
Resilience projects which have created approaches to building infrastructure
and farming that can help to protect, preserve and restore natural resources.
He said, “The Kalinago way is simple, it is not materialistic, not
extractive, it has respect for the earth and the entire environment and we
view ourselves as one element in the circle of life. What has brought us to
this point is that we are not spiritually connected to the earth. And this
indigenous philosophy is what the world is now returning to because Western
societies have recognised that and the science has proven he benefits of that
the indigenous way of life.”