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Paper short abstract:

This paper examines the climate and indigenous people's crises from an integral human development approach and argues for a radical solidarity in resolving these crises.

Paper long abstract:

In The Nutmeg’s Curse the Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh convincingly shows that injustices against indigenous peoples are intimately connected to the climate crisis: both injustices are the direct result of centuries of colonialism and a capitalism. Similarly, the native-American philosopher Kyle White argues that we have reached a crisis or tipping points in kin relationships of trust, mutual consent, and reciprocity across different societies, which are due to “the operations and impacts of colonialism, industrialization, and capitalism” (Whyte 2020, 5) resulting in an apparently irresolvable tension: The climate crisis requires urgent action. But treating this crisis purely as managerial technological problem threatens to perpetuate colonial injustices. Whilst restoring trust and building kin relationships across societies requires considerable time.

I examine these dual crises from the perspective of the capabilities approach and the related integral human development approach (Keleher 2018). According to Nussbaum’s version of a capabilities approach, being able to engage in various forms of social relations is required by human dignity. Colonialism and the climate crisis interfere with human flourishing by interfering with reciprocal social relations within indigenous societies including trust, mutual consent and reciprocity. In integral human development terms, colonialism and the climate crisis undermine persons standing in relation of radical solidarity with each other. But is it “too late for indigenous climate justice” (Whyte) because restoring kinship relationships requires time which the climate crisis does not grant us?

A partial answer to Whyte’s worry lies in recognizing that addressing climate injustices and standing in solidarity does not require equal sacrifices. Our responsibilities are dramatically unequally distributed, which allows for differential responses. We should ask for urgent “sacrifices” from the highest emitters. Simultaneously, we should address the injustices resulting from denying the capability of engaging in rich kin relationships of trust and reciprocity. If solving both the climate crisis and the relational crisis requires going beyond managerial and technological solutions, a sustained and long-term solution to the climate crisis will require urgent action on the relational crisis, which will require relationships of radical solidarity across different societies.

Ghosh, Amitav. 2022. The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Keleher, Lori. 2018. “Integral Human Development.” In Routledge Handbook of Development Ethics, edited by Jay Drydyk and Lori Keleher, 29–34. London: Routledge.

Whyte, Kyle. 2020. “Too Late for Indigenous Climate Justice: Ecological and Relational Tipping Points.” WIREs Climate Change 11 (1)