This event is jointly organised by the International Law and the Environmental and Governance Working groups and will discuss biodiversity loss, climate change, and policy actions to mitigate their collective impact, with a specific focus on indigenous people.
Today, the international community faces a triple crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution, calling for urgent action. Scientific literature demonstrates that Indigenous peoples’ lands play a critical role in biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation, hosting the planet’s most intact ecosystems. Meanwhile, Europe’s Energy Transition and Ecological Transition are political and social processes ostensibly guided by principles of equality and justice. Key to this transition is renewable energy storage, which relies on natural resources like lithium, nickel, and other rare elements-primarily extracted from South America, New Caledonia, and Africa. In this context, the EU and Chile have established a lithium production agreement that risks destroying native salt flat ecosystems, which are both biodiversity hotspots and Indigenous sacred lands.
Drawing from the paradigmatic example of Chile and the treat to biodiversity and Indigenous sacred territories, Freddy Sébastian Medina will delve into the problematic, discussing the possibility of integrating science approaches with Indigenous practices. Based on his own experience, he will also expose about the interaction between Indigenous people with State and business actors and outline Indigenous mobilisations in the climate change scene.
Speaker:
Freddy Sébastian Medina is a biologist and a proud 'Yatichiri' (teacher in Aymara), rooted in the Aymara community of Putre, Chile. Passionate about preserving endemic ecosystems within Indigenous territories, he bridges Indigenous knowledge with scientific innovation to advance sustainable governance. As the leader of the Indigenous Climate Forum, Freddy champions advocacy at the intersection of culture, science, and environmental stewardship. He took part to several COP, including the COP29. He holds a Master’s in Political Arts from Sciences Po Paris and an MSc in Environmental Geochemistry from Pierre and Marie Curie University, blending academic rigor with a profound commitment to Indigenous governance and ecological advocacy.
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