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Cited by 492Indigenous Studies and EcologyIndigenous Health, Education, and RightsEnvironmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond

The Resilience of Indigenous Peoples to Environmental Change

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Ford, James D., King, Nia, Galappaththi, Eranga K., Pearce, Tristan, McDowell, Graham, Harper, Sherilee L.·2020·One Earth
DOI 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.014
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Abstract

Indigenous peoples globally have high exposure to environmental change and are often considered an "at-risk" population, although there is growing evidence of their resilience. In this Perspective, we examine the common factors affecting this resilience by illustrating how the interconnected roles of place, agency, institutions, collective action, Indigenous knowledge, and learning help Indigenous peoples to cope and adapt to environmental change. Relationships with place are particularly important in that they provide a foundation for belief systems, identity, knowledge, and livelihood practices that underlie mechanisms through which environmental change is experienced, understood, resisted, and responded to. Many Indigenous peoples also face significant vulnerabilities, whereby place dislocation due to land dispossession, resettlement, and landscape fragmentation has challenged the persistence of Indigenous knowledge systems and undermined Indigenous institutions, compounded by the speed of environmental change. These vulnerabilities are closely linked to colonization, globalization, and development patterns, underlying the importance of tackling these pervasive structural challenges.

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  • Today, IPLCs have diverse ecological knowledge about Amazonian plants, animals and landscapes, which allows them to quickly identify and respond to environmental changes with mitigation and adaptation practices.

    “Today, IPLCs have diverse ecological knowledge about Amazonian plants, animals and landscapes, which allows them to quickly identify and respond to environmental changes with mitigation and adaptation practices68,69.”

    From Critical transitions in the Amazon forest system (2024) · cites this paper as [69]

    The paper’s discussion of Indigenous knowledge (section labeled “War uet”; page not provided) says botanical and ecological knowledge helps Indigenous peoples detect environmental change and adapt their practices. The Resilience Factors section also describes fire-management practices in Latin America. These passages support the general mechanism, but do not establish the claim specifically for IPLCs’ knowledge of Amazonian plants, animals, and landscapes or their ability to respond quickly there. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Ford, J. D., King, N., Galappaththi, E. K., Pearce, T., McDowell, G., & Harper, S. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Leeds (GB)
  • Queen's University (CA)
  • McGill University (CA)
  • University of Northern British Columbia (CA)
  • University of British Columbia (CA)
  • University of Alberta (CA)
Corresponding author
Ford, James D.
ORCID
Venue
One Earth
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-06
Volume
2
Issue
6
Pages
532-543
ISSN
2590-3322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.014
OpenAlex
W3036750041
Cited by
492
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 92 · 2025: 115 · 2024: 90 · 2023: 82 · 2022: 71 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 10
FWCI
48.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • One Earth (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
  • VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Indigenous Studies and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond
Keywords
indigenous peoples, resilience, environmental change, place identity, indigenous knowledge, collective action, indigenous institutions, agency, land dispossession, vulnerability, colonization, globalization, adaptation

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