ABSTRACT
Earth's climate—typical weather trends over long periods of time—has changed numerous times due to natural events throughout history, shifting between long ice ages to periods of warming. Already, in some extreme circumstances, coastal territories around the world are becoming unviable to maintain livelihoods and settlements due to increasing flooding, coastal erosion, sea level rise, and/or melting permafrost. The issue of displacement becomes all the more heightened as tipping points and thresholds in the climate system are crossed, with direct implications on the intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme weather events. Tribal and other communities in southeast coastal Louisiana are living this reality every day. Additionally, climate change is, at times, being used by certain entities to further geopolitical goals of fossil fuel extraction. In fact, many Indigenous communities at risk of climate change impacts are the same ones that have already been—and continue to be—sacrificed by the fossil fuel extractive energy industry.
