On January 21, SDG Advocate Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim participated at the panel discussion on Averting a Climate Apocalypse at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos. This discussion followed Greta Thunberg’s strong call for urgent climate action. 

Picking up on Ms. Thunberg’s warning that “our house is burning”, Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim reminded the audience that indigenous people suffer first from the consequences of climate inaction, she underscored the sense of urgency and the action needed now - not in 2050. Referencing the forest fires in Australia and the Amazon, Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim noted that indigenous people around the world depend on these forests: for food, medicine and education. 

Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim also called for accelerated action today from business and government. “We have the wisdom, we are the most impacted but we understand this nature”. She highlighted indigenous people’s valuable knowledge to adapt, restore and protect: “We are the future, we are the solution. You need to listen to us, learn from us to get your business sustainable”.

Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim welcomed the One Trillion Trees Initiative launched at the World Economic Forum, but stressed the need to keep and restore the existing trees. She noted indigenous people’s ability to protect the related ecosystems: “My grand-mother is the best technology. She can predict the weather without having a cell phone or Internet, but by observing the wind direction, the migration of birds, the flowers on the trees”.

To avert a climate apocalypse, Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim declared: “The emergency is now. The forests burning and the people dying now cannot wait for the next 30 years”. She called on businesses and governments in Davos to take a radical step further, shift to a clean economy and take decision for a sustainable system. As her closing statement, she declared: “Give us our space and listen to us. Let’s act all together right now”.

This session was developed by the World Economic Forum, in partnership with the New York Times. Watch the full session here.