Indigenous Knowledge Systems Offer Climate Solutions for Business

Watch Anne Poelina deliver her opening remarks for the "Indigenous Vision for Climate" panel at the Impact X Sydney Summit.

Australia's sustainability leaders are being urged to embrace Indigenous knowledge systems as a pathway to more effective climate action, with speakers at the Impact X Summit Sydney arguing that ancient wisdom could transform how businesses measure environmental impact and engage younger generations in climate solutions.

The discussion, part of Climate Action Week, brought together Indigenous leaders from across Australia and the Pacific to challenge conventional approaches to sustainability reporting and youth engagement in climate action.

Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Business

The case for integrating Indigenous methodologies into corporate sustainability frameworks was compelling. Tui Shortland, Director of Te Kopu Pacific Indigenous & Local Knowledge Centre and advisor to New Zealand's Climate Change Commission, argued that businesses could improve both efficiency and innovation by adopting Indigenous approaches.

"If we were to incorporate Indigenous methodologies into ESG, we'll be able to save money. You'll be able to innovate more quickly by bringing diverse knowledge systems together," said Shortland, who has spent two decades helping organisations integrate Indigenous frameworks into environmental reporting.

Anne Poelina, Professor of Indigenous Knowledges at the University of Notre Dame and Chair of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, positioned Indigenous knowledge as essential for planetary wellbeing. "We as bottom up people from the ground up are coming and sharing that we do have solutions for planetary wellbeing," she said.

Poelina's work focuses on what she terms "biocultural wellbeing indicators" – a framework that could offer businesses a more holistic approach to measuring environmental impact beyond traditional metrics.

Reframing Economic Models

The discussion challenged prevailing economic assumptions, with speakers arguing for fundamental shifts in how businesses approach wealth creation and resource extraction. Poelina was particularly critical of Australia's resource export model, noting that "most of the gas that's going offshore from impacts to Japan... is going just about free. Japan is then getting a surplus on selling into the international market and they're making money, not us."

This critique extended to broader questions about intergenerational equity and youth engagement. Poelina argued that current economic models were failing young people, stating: "This is the first generation we are bringing into that will be bonded into debt."

The panel advocated for what they termed "forever industries" and "economies of wellbeing" that factor in social, human, cultural, and environmental capital alongside financial returns.

Youth Engagement and Future Leadership

A significant portion of the discussion focused on engaging younger generations in climate action. Cliff Cobbo, First Nations Principal Advisor at WWF Australia, emphasised the authority and knowledge that Indigenous peoples bring to climate solutions.

"First Nations peoples, Indigenous peoples, the 500 odd million of us, right across this self-evolving living planet, we have authority. We have knowledge. We have values because it's our common values that will solve our problems for our common good," Cobbo said.

The speakers argued that young people's despair about climate change could be addressed through meaningful engagement and recognition of their potential contributions. Shortland described establishing youth councils to ensure climate policies are responsive to younger generations' concerns.

Local Action, Global Impact

Alopi Latukefu, Director of the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice & Community Education, stressed the importance of local action in addressing global challenges. Drawing from Pacific leadership on climate advocacy, he noted: "The time for talk is over. The time for action is now."

The discussion highlighted how Indigenous communities are already implementing practical solutions, from conservation economies to biodiversity protection, that could be scaled across different sectors.

Strategic Implications

For sustainability executives, the session highlighted several key considerations. First, the potential for Indigenous knowledge systems to enhance ESG reporting and measurement frameworks. Second, the need for businesses to reconsider their role in intergenerational wealth transfer and youth engagement.

The speakers' emphasis on "bottom-up governance" rather than centralised power structures suggests opportunities for businesses to develop more collaborative approaches to sustainability planning and implementation.

The discussion also raised questions about benefit-sharing in biodiversity and resource extraction projects, particularly relevant as Australia develops its critical minerals strategy and nature-positive policies.

The central message was clear: Indigenous knowledge systems offer practical, tested solutions for climate challenges that businesses have struggled to address through conventional approaches. As Poelina concluded:

"We as Indigenous people have got the solutions to planetary health and wellbeing, but it's going to take not just recognising us, but investing in us to create the new models of economy."

The question for Australia's sustainability leaders is whether they're ready to move beyond recognition to genuine partnership and investment in Indigenous-led solutions.