Amy Bowers Cordalis is many things: a lawyer, a mother, an environmental advocate. But before all that, she was a member of the Yurok Tribe of California and grew up fishing on the Klamath River. Bowers Cordalis served as his tribe’s general counsel responsible for dismantling four hydroelectric dams that were choking the river and the indigenous people who depend on it. She helped negotiate with the dams’ owner, PacifiCorp, to secure the $550 million deal to tear down the dams and allow the river to heal. The dam removal project, the largest of its kind in history, was completed in August. The Bowers Cordalis Indigenous Conservation Group, From ridges to rapids, is now working with the Yurok tribe to restore the waterway’s once-thriving fish population.

What do you think is the most important action that the public, or a specific business or government (other than yours), should take in the next year to advance the climate agenda?

The most critical action to advance the climate agenda is to work directly with indigenous nations and peoples. Climate, biodiversity and conservation are deeply linked; Solutions to the climate crisis often lie in protecting biodiversity and adopting local, nature-based solutions. Indigenous territories hold 80% of the planet’s remaining biodiversity because these lands, set aside for Indigenous use, have been protected from development while allowing Indigenous stewardship practices to thrive. Indigenous peoples manage these resources with respect, guided by traditional ecological knowledge passed down through generations and safeguarded by inherent tribal sovereignty.

Governments and businesses must move beyond exploitation of Indigenous resources and conflict with Indigenous nations, and instead form partnerships that honor Indigenous legal rights, knowledge, and unique political status. This approach is strongly supported by tribal, U.S., and international law. Many tribes in the United States have sophisticated tribal laws and court systems that codify ancient reciprocal relationships with nature and land management practices. U.S. treaties with tribes constitute the supreme law of the land, providing powerful legal tools to promote nature-based solutions to the climate crisis. Furthermore, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) affirms the indivisibility of human rights, sovereignty, natural resource management and planetary health. It highlights our responsibility to restore the environment for future generations and calls on governments to address past harms caused to indigenous peoples and the planet. To advance justice and healing, it is time for the United States and all countries to fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ensuring protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples and all our responsibilities towards future generations.

The removal of the Klamath River Dam, the largest river restoration project in U.S. history, is a prime example of the enormous potential in supporting nature-based, Indigenous-led solutions . Native grassroots activism and tribal leaders led the largest river restoration project in history. The $550 million deal, with one of the world’s largest power companies, resulted in the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. The agreement also respects indigenous rights, the rights of nature, commercial interests and the needs of the public. Removing the dams was less expensive than upgrading them, resulting in lower electricity costs for consumers, the restoration of more than 400 miles of spawning habitat, improved water quality and reducing methane emissions. Most importantly, it ensures that the indigenous people of the Klamath can continue their fishing lifestyle by restoring the lifeblood of our culture.

This type of collaboration shows that solutions respecting the rights of nature, indigenous peoples and businesses are not only possible but essential. To achieve this, we must dismantle the colonial systems that have monopolized land and resources for profit, thus leading to ecological destruction. By restoring balance through the mutual interests of indigenous people, nature and business, we can heal the planet.

What’s a climate solution (other than yours) that isn’t getting the attention or funding it deserves?

Only 1% of philanthropic funds go to Indigenous nations, even though their lands are home to 80% of the planet’s remaining biodiversity. Imagine the impact if Indigenous nations received equitable funding to manage their lands, waters and natural resources. The Yurok tribe, for example, retains only 0.27% of its Aboriginal land, and many tribe members live below the national poverty line, still lacking basic infrastructure like running water and electricity. Despite these challenges, we have taken major actions in favor of the climate, notably the Klamath Dam Removalreintroduce the California Condor and operate a carbon sequestration project. Many other tribes are doing similar work, overcoming obstacles rooted in historic systemic racism, but are limited by lack of resources.

Investing in indigenous nations tends to generate high returns. While political administrations, CEOs, and NGOs come and go, Indigenous nations remain deeply committed to their lands, waters, and cultural resources. Many tribes follow ancient mandates from the Creator to manage their territories, which have been incorporated into modern tribal law and protected through the exercise of tribal sovereignty. They manage land and water using traditional knowledge developed since time immemorial. This long-term commitment places tribes in a unique position to develop and implement local solutions to the climate crisis. Philanthropy and government funding must prioritize Indigenous-led environmental solutions.

If you could stand up and speak to world leaders at the next United Nations climate conference, what would you say?

I would call for a regenerative global economy that also values ​​the rights of nature, indigenous peoples and businesses as a solution to the climate crisis. We must form partnerships with Indigenous nations, rather than seeing them as obstacles to overcome. Indigenous people have been stewards of land and water for thousands of years, and our knowledge is essential to restoring ecosystems and addressing the climate crisis. Combining this wisdom with modern technology and business sector resources offers a powerful and equitable approach to modernizing economies toward sustainability.

Climate, biodiversity and conservation are not separate issues. Solutions to the climate crisis often lie in merging all three. For example, removing the Klamath Dams not only restores the Klamath Basin ecosystem, which supports a $500 million annual economy based on agriculture, commercial fishing and tourism, but also rebuilds the third largest salmon runs in the continental United States and reduces methane emissions. On the Klamath, we reduce emissions, restore ecosystems, support economies, and support indigenous ways of life. We must address the climate crisis by rebuilding the planetary ecosystem, recognizing that multiple interconnected elements work together to sustain the planet. Instead of isolating problems or limiting funding to specific areas, we must use all available tools and resources to tackle the climate crisis holistically, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the heights of the ‘Everest.

The Paris Agreement does not go far enough in protecting Indigenous lands and rights. It is not consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the voices of indigenous peoples must be included in decisions that affect their lands, waters and future. Indigenous nations and small island states cannot be left behind while big oil companies and rich countries dominate negotiations. Those who have harmed the planet, small communities and indigenous peoples must be held accountable and provide solutions by supporting indigenous representation, promoting local and nature-based solutions and ensuring adequate funding. We must listen to those who live closest to land and water if we truly want to heal the planet.