Post #5

Climate change has become one of the largest topics of discussion both within the U.S. and around the world. The earths rising temperatures have several consequences, including the extinction of many cultures. Climate change is not only an environmental issue, it is a human rights issue as well. The United Nations Human Rights Organization recently released a statement about the issue. Climate change is disproportionally affecting poorer areas, which are located around the equator and on small islands. The increase in flooding in these areas destroys both the homes, and cultures of the people who reside there. Both of these are protected under the Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations). Dr. Elisabeth Lindsey experienced the cultures of at-risk areas first hand. Growing up in a Hawaiian village, she learned a lot from the many elders who raised her. She also traveled to many remote areas where communities had no contact with the outside world. Dr. Lindsey makes a point that there is a lot to learn from these cultures and their ways of life (Ted Talk). This argument is valid because remote cultures are more connected to the earth than we are. They can see the climate changing, and their culture is the first to be affected. This means that their human rights are the first to be infringed upon as global temperatures rise.

As of the 2019 World Report, Nepal had two devastating earthquakes which left thousands of people homeless. It is believed that these earthquakes were in part caused by the rising global temperatures. As a result, many people were left without homes for the entirety of the winter and into monsoon season. Nepal is no stranger to the effects that climate change has on the human rights of its people, and they are continuing to provide aid to all those in need (World Report 2019).

As with many countries, Nepal is facing several endangered cultures. These cultures could soon cease to exist because their last living members are growing old and there are no young children to learn both their language and way of life. Specifically, the Kusanda language has one living 75 year old native. Kusanda is considered an isolated language because it is not related to any other language in the world. There are only 20 of these “language isolates” left (BBC).

Wade Davis presented a TEDTalk on the issue of endangered cultures in 2003. In his presentation, he describes the interesting cultures that small tribes have. Davis talks about everyone from the Inuits to the Tibetians. Each group has their own language, religion, and even social cues. As a result of deforestation, over mining, and the floods that arise from climate change, more cultures go extinct every year (TEDTalk). I agree with Davis as he evokes thoughtful discussions about the people who are constantly at risk of being the last ones alive with knowledge of their culture.

Eurocentrism is also one of the contributors of extinct cultures. The practice of eurocentrism focuses on the history and culture of Europe rather than the rest of the world. In other words, Europe’s history and culture is viewed as more important than that of other countries and cultures. Farish Noor explores this idea by noticing how the political world is run by western leaders. Noor goes on to state that many westerners are uncomfortable with the idea that other cultures exist and are unwilling to change. The last section of Noor’s work focuses on the diversity of the history of Asia. There are so many westerners who have never been taught Asian history in the same depth that Europe’s history is covered. Asia has a complex and interesting culture that arose from thousands of years of developing religion and language. There is no proper reason why Europes history should be considered more important than Asia’s.