Air Pollution and Climate Change in Indigenous Communities

Air pollution causes major environmental health problems in Indigenous communities.

Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by pipelines, mines, waste incinerators, and other polluting industries that poison the air and water.

Indigenous adults and children have higher rates of many diseases linked to air pollution exposure, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). An emerging air quality threat for Indigenous people is climate change. Wildfires are an increasing concern to air quality. As the climate changes, hotter temperatures and drier conditions can trigger catastrophic wildfires on and near Tribal lands.

Climate change poses particular threats to ways of life and health of Indigenous families in every region of the US. Climate change is contributing to the loss of Indigenous cultures and Indigenous knowledge systems, and it is forcing the relocation of Indigenous communities.

A Report from the National Tribal Air Association and Moms Clean Air Force

In April 2021, The National Tribal Air Association and Moms Clean Air Force released Indigenous People and Air Pollution — a report detailing the harm that air pollution and climate change cause to Indigenous communities and Tribal lands in the United States.

Download the Report

MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE HONORS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH 2023

To honor the significance and importance of the Native American community, Moms Clean Air Force recognizes the lands and territories that were originally stewarded by over 574 Native American Tribal Nations before the arrival of European colonists, and we pay tribute to the Indigenous peoples’ deep connection to this land.

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