Photos by James Whitlow Delano @jameswhitlowdelano for @everydayclimatechange:
I want to start the year on a positive note – by celebrating responsible stewardship of the land, most often by indigenous peoples. There are few more awesome examples than the rice terraces, made by hand, centuries ago by the indigenous Ifugao people, high in the cordillera of the Banaue region, Luzon Island, Philippines.
Humanity could do no better than to seek the wisdom of indigenous peoples around the world, when it comes to sustainability. If you look at satellite images of autonomous regions administered to by indigenous peoples, what you are most likely to find are patches of green, sustainably-maintained land.
Having said all this, the rice terraces in the Banaue region, in recent years, have eroded significantly because of increased frequency of flooding due to torrential downpours.
We all share the planet together but those who depend upon the soil for their sustenance, study climate cycles, seasonal transition, are more likely to take the view of nurturing the health of the environment for future generations.
#climatecrisis #Ifugao #indigenouspeoples #sustainability #globalwarming #climatechange #philippines #banaue #water #riceterraces