 Aloha. Welcome to Cooper Union in a special edition as we are here in Glasgow at COP26, one of the most historic UN meetings focusing on the UN Frame Convention on Climate Change and looking at what will happen next for humanity and earth. We're very fortunate as our theme today is good to go to Glasgow. Indigenous proof is protecting the planet and have an amazing guest with us. We vote this is and organizes in his home community, but it's also a climate reality project leader working with Al Gore, making sure that the world is educated about the most important compelling issues facing our community and global civil society, but also is very active in making a difference. Roger, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you for this opportunity. Did you share with us some of the most exciting aspects of what you've seen so far at COP26 and what inspired you to come and participate in this historic global gathering? Well, I always felt that the voice of the global south of the indigenous communities, local people who are at the front line of the climate crisis are under-representative, especially from the global south. And I felt the need to come here myself and be the voice of the indigenous peoples of India and and stand in solidarity with the indigenous peoples all over the world. And what I came to see here is really evident that so many indigenous groups and peoples are represented and I'm happy to see that. We have seen some of those gatherings here outside of any of them. It's so heartening to see that finally the voices of the global south are heard. That's a really good point as the world is looking which direction to go and trying to find guidance of what we can do and how we can all contribute to positive good policy. It seems indigenous peoples around the world and many of their countries actually have been taking care in our stewards of our nature and can actually share a lot. Yes, absolutely. I think the traditional knowledge systems of indigenous peoples have never been recognized. It's a known fact that about 70% of the remaining natural areas in the world are either inhabited or managed by indigenous peoples. And without the traditional knowledge systems, without the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities around the world, the biodiversity and climate crisis cannot be addressed. We have to mobilize, we have to understand and we have to recognize the traditional knowledge systems that indigenous peoples bring. And we have been sustainable for centuries before the world was invented. And that is what the world needs to understand now. And this is probably the last chance that indigenous knowledge systems need to be brought to the forefront. No, that's a great point. And everybody's calling it the last cop. And it's the last best chance to save humanity. And as you said, it's the wisdom that existed about that relationship with the world. It wasn't that people didn't want to pursue profits, didn't want to just blindly follow a model of markets, but that you actually understood from that intimate relationship in Hawaii that where we malama, where we take care of the earth, that we know then the earth take care of us. And that's one of the aspects that hopefully the world is beginning to understand as we are seeing we're on a precipice with our planet and the natural world. And this is one of our final chances. But then it also corrects historical harm of denying the rights of indigenous people. So in a way, we can do both, we can make sure that we protect the planet, but also do something that should have been done a long time ago for indigenous peoples. And it's great as you're sharing being from India, that then people understand indigenous peoples are all around the planet. And the story of colonization is similar. But the exciting part is after all that resistance still existing, that maybe we have a formula for fundamental freedoms to making the world a better place. Yes, we really need to understand that the lives and cultures of indigenous people are intertwined with the biodiversity around it. That means understanding that traditional knowledge is understanding that we need to conserve the biodiversity around us. And that itself is a solution to the biodiversity crisis, the climate crisis. And it goes in direct. It agrees with the sustainable development goals as well as the even decade of goals for ecosystem restoration. The world needs to recognize and bring that to the forefront at this point. That's an excellent point. It is true that that relationship and harmony with our environment is the way that we must think about all of our public policy, all also as well, all of the entrepreneurship that's existing, and to see the new path forward. And if we look at some of the main issues that were being addressed, I think the first one that came up that maybe you might be able to share about as well as we know India made a big speech this week. We know President Joe Biden was there. We know Modi was there. Could you give us some perspective of if you believe that was enough? And what next should be done to fulfill this plan? I think when the goals for the COP26 were outlined earlier this year, adaptation of affected communities was one of the four goals. And that has to be a key point. It has to be about people. We cannot have just numbers. We cannot have 2060, 2070 that you cannot have net zero. That is not the point here. The key point here is that people are being affected by the climate crisis, lives and livelihoods are lost. And that is what the world needs to focus on. I know of communities around India who have been suffering from the worst effects of climate change, and they need the finance to help them overcome these impacts. They need to move up in their lives. You know, they need to have the basic minimum living standards. And that is not even the topic in this COP. I mean, that should be the people's impact. What people's suffering should be the, you know, center of this discussion, not the yearly goals, not the numbers. You know, you really brought up the most silly thing. It's not about the six. It's about the sincere ability to make sure that everyone can live to their full potential. And what we're discussing here today, what we're discussing here today, actually, conscious decisions to save. And I think you brought up a really good point. When we look at climate crisis, the people who have done the least are being impacted the most throughout the forefront. That can really begin from there. And when you look at the Paris Agreement, there was a huge element of equity and equality on top of ecology. And I think you're highlighting some of those points here. And it's great to make sure that Indigenous peoples are having an impact this COP. About Modi's speech, also about some of the other leaders, do you think we're moving in the right direction? I do not think that, you know, we should be setting targets on a yearly basis. I mean, going, thinking of 2070 and not really targeting net zero by 2050 is a disaster. We should have been talking about achieving the target much sooner than 2050, considering that lives and livelihoods of millions are at stake. We are at a catastrophic tipping point. But we can now control it beyond this, maybe we do not know what will happen. Why wait for something that we can not control? Why not try to control it when we know that we can still bring such a catastrophic collapse of humanity to a halt and have a more equitable world. That's a bit of focus of world leaders, not, you know, not continue support for fossil fuels. We have had two centuries of fossil fuels where we have to take it. We still have 800 million people who are going hungry. We have millions who are in poverty, who have no basic education. This is not right. We need to change the entire development model. And make sure that we have a more just and equitable work. It is not about numbers. That's what I said earlier. It's not 2050 to 2070. I do not agree with any world leader who focus on the year we need to go to net zero. The thing is, we need to keep fossil fuels on the ground and stop the use of coal and work together towards the most sustainable world, especially ensuring that the most affected people are finally given the rights that they have been deprived of as human beings. It's about people. That's a great point. And it reminds me that there are two documents, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that every country in the world has recognized, but also ILO Convention 169, which I believe also India is ratified. So in a way, those two international instruments sort of provide a road map. And it's also a road map of reconciliation, but also making sure that the world has a positive path moving forward. And so it's rooted in human rights, but it's also taking care of the environment at the same time. Yes, unfortunately, we have seen that many countries are making international commitments. They're having stated both, but on the other hand, they are also having national policy decisions. They're making rules and regulations that are in contravention of this international agreement and goals. So it is not given for certain that, you know, anything that has been declared internationally actually is implemented on the ground. So we have to ensure that it is, if the world leaders are not being truthful, they have to be pointed out. And it is high time that the youth of the world recognize that, you know, what is said is not been implemented. Forget about, you know, what is not been said. We are not hearing what we want to hear. But even what we are hearing is not been implemented on the ground. So that's a big, big issue. There's a lot of promises, but there's also a lot of peril. And what we're trying to balance here is seeing a new way forward. And you can see and even hear her breathing here as we walk the halls of the blue zone, the green zone and all the different sides of it. You can really see people coming together, demanding a new direction. And as you point it out, we don't want dates down the line. It's what can we do here and now? And how can we transform and start seeing things through the lens of culture, through the lens of peaceful societies, through all those aspects, and not only looking at economy, which has been what has got us to the place that we are today. Can you maybe share a bit about what are some of the major challenges that indigenous peoples are facing in India that you see are common with indigenous peoples in other parts of the world? Well, indigenous people from the very beginning for centuries, they have been sustainable even before the world was even before the world was invented. And then I feel that most indigenous communities are by nature. You know, they are not polluting. They have zero waste. And basically, they have a very what we define as circular economy. So they are very within their own communities, very sustainable. And they have been so for centuries. And right now, we see a destruction of that sustainability. In other words, indigenous people are facing challenges from all sides. Political exploitation is one or they have been ostracized for a long long time. But at the same time, they are facing challenges of food security, water security, with the natural areas been exploited for development activities, and then opening up of new natural areas that are usually managed or inhabited by indigenous people for especially linear development projects or for extractive industries, I think provides a new challenge. And without having contributed to a much greenhouse gas emissions, they have to bear the worst impacts of climate change like floods and erosion that we see across India, particularly where I live in Assam, that are appearing communities have to deal with increased intensity and frequency of floods. In the coastal regions of India, communities, you know, were basically engaged in fishing have been affected very much by flood surges, by storms. And then in the interiors of India, a lot of farming communities are affected by the water crisis, which has been extended for many years now in India. And we have drought like situation with rivers, running dry wetlands, so without having contributed much to the emissions ever in their entire history, it extends to maybe 10,000 years. The last 200 years since the disaster, they are losing lives and lifestyles, the cultural heritage that's taken. So I think indigenous people and local communities are the worst affected in terms of climate change impacts. And it is not just in India, not just in Assam where I live, it's across the world in Amazon, in the Arctic, across Africa. And they are not here. They're not in the on the negotiating table. That is the residue of this, you know, our time of I think it's like humanitarian crisis, the biggest order. It really brings up a good point. What we're calling for is an end to the exploitation and end to extraction, and creating a new culture of exchange and experiment that's rooted in equality among all people. And what's so exciting about these hop negotiations is it really does see a new direction that's rooted in dignity. And that's also in a way it's an earth democracy as Vandana Shiva has maybe referred to it, where we're now seeing what matters most. And really getting to what you're saying is a people-centered approach to global politics, one that's definitely from the community to our capitals, and then to the global civil society, but also realizes what Gore talks about when he looks at that fragile blue planet floating in space and realizing that we really only have one island earth. Yes, and this earth, one planet is shared by all of us, or all the people of the world are one, they are born as human beings, and all human beings deserve to have the minimum basic standard of life. If we look at some of, you know, the impact that people have for no fault of their own, I have seen, you know, living standards have not developed at all, and they are going down. They are in poverty and their lifestyles have been affected. People with children are not going to school, women are suffering so much, people still have to walk for miles to carry water. And even people living near the rainforest, which are supposed to be, you know, water abundant, are sometimes suffering from water crisis. What is this? These are because of exploitation of natural areas. These are because of extracting industries. And these are not doing good to anybody. We are just, you know, building up a world where only the corporate interests matter. And the politicians are here to protect the corporate interests. We need to change the world order. We have to bring indigenous people in as the stakeholders, you know, because the control managed over 70% of the earth and they have been doing so sustainably for millennia before the industrial revolution. We have to go back to those times. That's an excellent point in that point that that's where we need to recalibrate what matters most. And as you pointed out, an unimaginable amount of money has been made by a small percentage. And it's crazy when the larger percentage of humanity is not even able to barely survive. And so we do see if we use the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People as well as looking at the Paris Agreement and maybe even the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Can you share how the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda plus the Paris Agreement, maybe contribute to create campaigns for indigenous peoples and more importantly, to protect our planet? Absolutely. I think in the Paris Agreement, in the Sustainable Development Goals, we have a framework where basically the organizations which are deciding the fate of humanity can come on board and talk. This is not just the government, but all the non-governmental organizations also come on board. And together, I think everybody needs to sit down and, you know, I like the fact that the UN has named this as a decade of ecological restoration. And to achieve that, we need to have the ingenious voices, we have to have the traditional knowledge systems in place. And probably this is the last decade of where the Paris Agreement Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals all can be achieved together. But the key is to bring indigenous stakeholders into the picture making process immediately and give the power of governance to them, make the funds available so that ecosystem restoration works so that Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved so that climate literacy is not something that only urban, you know, youth are able to get. Everybody should understand that the world is changing and why and what are the impacts and consequences and how we can take positive steps to ensure that we stop that catastrophic effect now. And when you think about it, we really only have 98 months left. We have 98 months to get it right. And if we don't get it right, we will definitely see a situation where we already see now, we see our forests on fire, we see our ocean levels rising, we see huge amounts of drought and also unimaginable aspects of people actually losing the ability to even control nature and the environment. So there's so much going on around us at these excited tops. What we need to look at is to decide what's possible and how we can do that as we go forward together. But what's important is as Indigenous peoples and at this top that we stay focused no matter what's going on around us on what matters most. And I think we can maybe share what has it been like for you to work without Bore and the Climate Leadership Project and what are some of the things that are done in India and what are you doing here to make sure that people know about the most important points so that we can save our Yeah, that's a great question. And I think the Climate Reality Project actually empowers a lot of people to be effective communicators of climate change. And me, I'm myself from a non-scientific background and I think the Climate Reality Project has given me the training, the expertise and the resources to talk about climate change and the solutions available to people all over the world. And this has been incredible. It has been such an incredible journey to network with like-minded people from all over the world. I mean, we have Climate Reality Project in over 100 countries, almost all countries of the world. And then we are able to come together, replicate success stories, you know, share the best practices. And then we have the confidence as indigenous leaders, as people from different backgrounds, from the most remote space corners of the world. I travel like 30 to 40 years from Assam and to be able to even speak with you here and talking about my people back home and about climate justice. This itself is empowering. I think all the global organizations like Climate Reality Project and Mr. Boris leaders have given us the confidence and the network to do this. That is great. And I've actually been to Assam. I was working on an Indigenous Rights Project around five years ago. So it's great to connect with you here and be part of that Climate Reality Project, Ohana, our family as we call it. What are some of the things you'll be doing for the remainder of your time here? And how do you think that will also help the people back home? Yeah. So I have been a voice of the original people as they're listening to the Earth at the National Prebellion yesterday. I was also able to have a conversation with the BBC and there was a talk just on the BBC News last night and that's also about the climate justice and the need for finance, climate finance to reach where people are most affected. And then I have another talk at the class of Kelvin College organized by Climate Reality Europe on the 9th with some of the top climate scientists and activists. And then the next week we'll be in the blue zone and I look forward to interacting with a lot of fellow climate activists also take part in the negotiations and come to my bed as an observer. Yes. So please pace yourself. As we know we have a very long time still to go but it's exciting to be here at the end of that first week. Has there been anyone you've seen or heard that was inspiring that you had not heard before? Or what were some of the words that Kelvin got you thinking about? What more we can do together? Yes. Yesterday I had met Mr. Tom Boll too from the Indigenous Environmental Forum from the U.S. and it was inspiring to listen to him and I really find that I'm motivated to ensure that Indigenous communities from India and all of Asia are brought together on the common path along with Indigenous people in local communities from around the world so that we have a common platform and a voice and we can work together in the future to ensure that this rise and the changes that we need to make happen are achieved as fast as we can before the consequences and the tipping point So one quick idea as I know we're running out of time and we all have to get to our next event and we thank you so much for taking time at your busy schedule here at POP. What are one or two actions that people can take at home for watching? And what are one of the two things that you think you'll do as soon as you get home when you return after this important two-week summit? Well first and foremost it's important that each one of us understand that what is happening around us in terms of environmental impact is directly a consequence of what we are doing as individually, as a community, and as a reason. So if our politicians make the wrong choices, if companies continue to exploit nature, mother nature, then we are all going to suffer. Climate change is not something that's happening in some other areas, some other people, but it is happening to all of us here and we are all responsible and we are all in it together. We have to act together so that our future generations do not suffer the worst consequences that so that our children and the generations that come after them are protected from having to deal with something that they were never responsible for. So when I go back home I am sure that I'll be able to continue my message as the ambassador for climate impact and for more sustainable ways of living. For more informed consumer choices, which is, I think, critical because at this moment no one is immune and no one can say that I do not care about the environment. We are all born of the earth, we will return to the earth and must take care of it when we are living on this earth. Thank you so much and it is true. This is really our duty for us all to share this information because it's not covered as a crisis in the media and people aren't aware and we believe if people have the knowledge and the information they can take the steps to then live a life of sustainability and solidarity with one another. So thank you again for taking time out. You also did remind us a very big point. They used to say today to value tomorrow you but the truth is we're all on the front lines now and we can see that it's imminent and therefore we must have innovative initiatives to make sure that the Paris Agreement is achieved and we protect our planet and preserve it for future generations. Thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you. Thank you.