As the environmental movement grapples with its own history of anti-Blackness, attention must also be given to the legacies of colonialism across the globe. Racists and eugenicists laid the foundation for much of what is now mainstream environmentalism and conservation. These rotten foundations continue to infect environmentalism and conservation.

Decolonization is a broad topic, and this document cannot hope to provide a complete understanding of the diverse perspectives of decolonization. However, it is important to understand the history of colonization as it relates to the environmental movement. The video below provides a brief introduction into environmental colonialism. 

Indigenous scholars sometimes refer to climate change as a second colonization. The violence and trauma of settler colonialism, followed by erasure of these histories leads to an isolation of environmental issues outside of the context of colonialism. This article from Decolonial Futures provides an excellent overview of different perspectives of Indigenous scholars and activists. In the For the Wild Podcast, Dr. Kyle Whyte talks with host Ayana Young discusses pipelines and environmental struggle in the context of Indigenous struggle.

Tensions exist between Decolonial movements and dismantling anti-Black racism. As Adele Thomas explains in her article “Stolen people on stolen land: decolonizing while Black ”, settler privilege, anti-Indigeneity, and erasure of Indigenous history intersects with the legacies of slavery and anti-Black Racism. For another perspective, Luam Kindae and Jarrett Martineu discuss the importance of linking decolonization struggles with struggles for racial justice in their article “Building Connections Across Decolonial Struggles” Progressing together requires movements to deconstruct colonial frameworks in their work, in addition to dismantling anti-Black racism.