Reimagining climate justice through Indigenous ecological knowledge and community-led digital knowledge hubs
Abstract
Climate change disproportionately impacts marginalised communities in the Global South and Indigenous/First Nations peoples, intensifying vulnerabilities tied to social identities, resource access, and environmental degradation. This viewpoint proposes a transformative approach to climate justice by integrating Indigenous ecological knowledge with community-led digital knowledge hubs. Unlike earlier top-down digital inclusion models, this framework prioritises community agency and data sovereignty, offering a novel synthesis of traditional knowledge and participatory technology. Drawing on case studies from Australia, Kenya, Brazil, and India, it argues that combining Indigenous environmental wisdom with decentralised digital platforms can empower communities, foster resilient adaptation, and challenge top-down development models. The approach emphasises co-design, intersectional equity, and policy integration, addressing digital divides and data sovereignty to advance equitable, culturally grounded solutions for sustainable development.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Indigenous Studies and Ecology
Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond
ICT in Developing Communities
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Development in Practice
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 163–169
- Publication date
- 19 January 2026
- Language
- EN