Deforestation and climate change is a global concern and humans live in unsustainable ways. One reason to this is rooted in the increased disconnection to nature. This disconnection originates from a Westernized view of nature, which has its roots in colonialism, industrialization, religion, and capitalism. Research has shown that the disconnection with nature is one of the key factors to explain the global climate crisis. The need to reconnect to our natural world is crucial to be able to decrease negative impact on the planet, such as deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Meanwhile, many Indigenous cultures consider nature to be a living being, which we are connected to, and also regard themselves as stewards of nature. Being and feeling connected to nature is related to increased environmental concern, pro-environmental behavior and nature relatedness. Studies show that ancestral Indigenous knowledge could help to prevent negative impacts on nature and reduce loss of biodiversity and deforestation. However Indigenous peoples are still being overlooked, and their knowledge is considered less valuable. The Kichwa Indigenous Peoples of Sarayaku, in Ecuador, have introduced the declaration Kawsak Sacha, the living forest, which considers nature to be a living being with its own rights. The declaration was introduced in 2018 with the purpose to live in harmony with nature, and to stop deforestation, oil extraction and mining. This study aimed to research the views of Kawsak Sacha, Indigenous peoples’ views of nature and whether this view of nature could be a possible pathway to decrease deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. This study aimed to include Indigenous peoples’ perspectives and voices, this was done through interviews to learn and understand more about their perspectives. The study demonstrates the importance of acknowledging Indigenous knowledge in academia, and environmental decision making. It also shows that learning from Indigenous peoples’ knowledges and views of nature, could be a pathway for Westernized societies to reconnect to nature and that Kawsak Sacha could be an inspiration for other countries to include Indigenous perspectives and knowledge in environmental decision making.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-531386 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Herrera, Angelica |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | Examensarbete vid Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 1650-6553 ; 2024/20 |
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