Webinar: Environmental Racism – A Story of Colonization and Ecocide

RAVEN joined Stop Ecocide Canada on January 26th for a webinar, Environmental Racism: A Story of Colonization and Ecocide. The purpose of the webinar was to raise awareness on using international law, and specifically a crime of ecocide, to uphold Indigenous rights and environmental protection.

In this third discussion, we heard stories from the frontlines, centered on environmental racism, the ongoing impacts of colonisation and how it connects with ecocide, the mass destruction of nature. We met with Chief Roland Willson of West Moberly First Nations and a strong advocate opposed to Site C dam, Chrissy Issacs of Grassy Narrows First Nation and long-time activist of mercury justice, and Tamara Lorincz of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute. The webinar was moderated by Suzanne Dhaliwal, climate justice creative, campaigner, researcher, lecturer in environmental justice and trainer in creative strategies for decolonisation.

Harmful industrial practices have contributed to decades of long-term environmental damage, the impacts of which can be seen daily around the globe. Stop Ecocide International aims to make ecocide an international crime, and according to their website this would make “individuals who are responsible for acts or decisions that lead to severe environmental harm liable to criminal prosecution.” This means holding industry and corporations accountable for environmental destruction including ocean damage, air pollution, deforestation, and land and water contamination. 

We are at a point in a global climate crisis that cannot be undone by household recycling and green cleaning supplies. Indigenous leaders and climate activists around the world are leading the movement to stop corporations and other entities that engage in ecocide. 

Right now Grassy Narrows is dealing with mercury contamination of their land and water. This example of ecocide has deep and long term environmental consequences. Watch the video to learn more from leaders on the frontlines.

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