Things have changed significantly in recent years, however, as the realities of manmade climate change have become increasingly apparent and the fight to save our planet has hastened, and with it, the conversation has intensified.

But the change in tempo appears to be just a front. While new governmental policies and collective promises at major gatherings to take on climate change have become the norm, the rhetoric has been bad. Missing from the table where many of these decisions are made, are the remarkable people actually living and working on the front lines — young leaders like Mitzy Cortés, who are risking their lives to preserve their culture, land, and way of life to secure all our futures.

At the age of 23, Mitzy, a Mixtec from Oaxaca, is not your ordinary Zoomer. A member of the Futoros Indígenas, a network formed to discuss the climate crisis from the perspective of Indigenous peoples, she is a passionate environmentalist who last year attended the annual international climate conference, COP, with the “Defenders of the Earth” delegation.

Growing up in a community that prided itself on having an intimate relationship with nature, Mitzy learned early on about the importance of preserving our earth. After entering university, she saw how the education system was failing to understand and teach the solutions that Indigenous people have in combating the climate crisis. Mitzy had grown up witnessing first-hand the mistreatment of her community and their sacred land, and the abuse by governments and corporations alike in the name of growth and greed.

It was these realisations that shaped her believes and values, and out of which was born an activist.

Mitzy subsequently joined the Futoros Indígenas and made it her mission to share how Indigenous peoples can provide answers to help the world improve the protection of land and water, and fight extractivism.

Research has revealed that wealthy nations in the Global North are responsible for more than 90% of excess global carbon emissions, yet the impacts can be seen and felt much further away. For countries located in Mesoamerica, the effects of climate change are particularly severe: dry seasons are expected to become longer and sanitary drinking water will become increasingly scarce. Already, water across 18 states in Mexico has been flagged as a risk to peoples’ health due to arsenic contamination caused by extractive industries such as mining. What’s more, an astounding 80% of the planet’s biodiversity is left to be defended by Indigenous groups.

It was to address this very issue, that the Futoros Indígenas formed, and they have been working over the past two years to launch communication campaigns that focus on highlighting causes around the defence of territory, energy, water, and food. The group are collectively taking on the plants of big-name companies such as Bonafont and demanding community-led water management by filing lawsuits against governments.

While Indigenous groups continue to fight to keep their ancestors’ legacies alive, their knowledge, expertise, and culture remains at stake. If rampant colonisation persists, the degradation of land will continue, voices will be silenced, and pivotal stories never told.

Thanks to activists like Mitzy, there is hope however; of peaceful coexistence between Indigenous lifestyles and modern society, and of building stronger relationships with nature and our planet itself. Many communities believe there is plenty of land, water, and food for all to live harmoniously — not just in Mexico, but around the world. For them, the key to regeneration lies not in complex new technologies or radical policy changes, but with the people themselves.

To attain this brighter future, we must first recognise and embrace the valuable and critical role that Indigenous communities play in providing solutions to the climate crisis. Only then can we truly start to rebuild our home.

About Mitzy Cortés

Mitzy Cortés is a Mixtec from San Sebastián Tecomaxtlahuaca, Oaxaca. An active member of the Futuros Indígenas network, Mitzy attended the COP26 as a member of the “Defenders of the Earth” delegation and the “Cura Da Terra” Assembly of Indigenous Women. Mitzy was awarded the 2022 Global Citizen Prize: Citizen Award Mexico. With her key mission being to defend the planet, Mitzy uses her platform to encourage others to become involved in the battle against climate change and to understand international perspectives, especially those of Indigenous peoples.