News
Global News, Action Items, and Updates from Tallgrass Institute
Tallgrass Institute Discusses Energy Transition Impacts at Johns Hopkins International Studies School
Tallgrass Institute’ presented on Green at What Cost? Human Rights and the Energy Transition by Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. The discussion examined impacts on Indigenous Peoples from “green” economic development and the transition to renewable energy and energy transition technologies.
Automakers Still Lag on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Despite Notable Firsts in 4th Industry Leaderboard
SIRGE Coalition reviewed findings in the fourth annual Lead the Charge automotive supply chain leaderboard. Indigenous Peoples’ rights remained the lowest average indicator at 9%, the largest number of evaluated companies made improvements since the leaderboard first launched in 2023, and more.
Declaration Urges Countries, Corporations to Protect Indigenous Peoples in Isolation
Written collectively and endorsed by 28 organizations from across the world, the Jakarta Declaration outlines a set of calls on countries, multilateral Institutions, national and international financial institutions, and global supply chains to take concrete and urgent action to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation.
News of Note 2/20/26: Forced Displacement of Yaaku, Soy Safeguard Rollback, Canada Mine Impacts on Alaska Natives
Yaaku people violently evicted from Mukogodo Forest in Kenya, banks asked to uphold zero-deforestation criteria despite Amazon Soy Moratorium rollbacks, Alaska tribal consortium shares major concerns about impacts from mine approval in Canada, and more.
Tallgrass Institute on ‘Just Investing’ Podcast
Tallgrass Institute’s Kate R. Finn appeared on Just Investing to discuss operationalizing FPIC as a priority for investor due diligence, banks’ pivotal role towards protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights across industries, and the critical need to respect Indigenous Peoples’ self-determination and participation in carbon credits and other nature-based schemes.
News of Note 2/13/26: Open Letter for Indigenous Leader’s Freedom in Russia, 100+ Reject Amending BC’s UNDRIP Act, Gwich’in Lawsuits to Protect Caribou
Global Indigenous caucuses send Russian Federation letter for freedom of Indigenous leader, more than 100 First Nations leaders object to amending UNDRIP legislation in British Columbia, Gwich’in lawsuits to protect caribou from oil and gas development, and more.
Indigenous Peoples’ Open Letter to the Russian Federation for the Release of Daria Egereva
Tallgrass Institute supports the open letter and petition from Indigenous Peoples around the world to Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin requesting the immediate release of Daria Egereva, a Selkup leader who was arrested in December and currently awaiting trial in a Russian jail.
News of Note 2/6/26: Indigenous Opposition to EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, Deep-Sea Mining Dangers, 1M Hectares Added to Protections in Bolivia
EU-Mercosur trade agreement may contribute massive impacts to Indigenous Peoples’ rights, The Metals Company deep-sea mining plans threaten Asia and Pacific Indigenous coastal communities, nearly 1M hectares that connect Indigenous territories added to Bolivia protections, and more.
Tallgrass Institute Discusses Need for Indigenous Peoples’ Consent in U.S. Push for Deep-Sea Mining
Tallgrass Institute provides context for Indigenous Peoples’ right to consent for the Grist article “Indigenous concerns surface as Trump calls for seabed mining in Alaskan water.”
SIRGE Coalition Recommendations to Ensure Electric Vehicle Compliance with Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
EV automakers should integrate Indigenous Peoples' rights into their due diligence systems, scoring methodologies, procurement decisions, and supplier accountability to align with emerging best practices and mitigate material, legal, reputational, operational, and financial risks.
News of Note 1/30/26: Massacre of Pastoral Mbororo Community, Invasion Day Protests, WHO’s Indigenous Health Plan
14 killed in massacre of pastoral Mbororo community in Cameroon, tens of thousands join Invasion Day protests across Australia, persistent health inequities and Indigenous knowledge among issues in World Health Organization's draft plan, and more
News of Note 1/23/26: DRC Minerals Mining Threats, BC to Scale Back Indigenous Rights Law, Indigenous Women Drive Economies in Bangladesh
Community forest concessions may not be eviction stopgap in Democratic Republic of the Congo mining rush, British Columbia to scale back Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, Indigenous women in Bangladesh are driving economic and social change, and more.
Takeaways: IIPWG January 2026 Newsletter
Forestry Stewardship Council’s guidance on Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation in Peru, Strengthening FPIC in the Global Investor Commission on Mining 2030, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s Indigenous Action Plan, and more.
Tallgrass Institute Discusses Indigenous Rights in Benefit Agreements on Native American Calling
"Any time there is a negotiation with a private company or a mining company, that company has to understand the context and inertia that they are working with in Indian Country." Kate R. Finn of Tallgrass Institute and Maranda Compton of Lepwe discuss rights-based approaches to benefit agreements with Tribes and Indigenous Peoples.
News of Note 1/16/26: Uru Chipaya Fear Extinction, Native Americans Detained in ICE Raids, Canada Resource Deals Rights Risk
Climate impacts of drought and migration threaten existence of Uru Chipaya ‘water people’ in Bolivia, multiple Native Americans detained in Minneapolis ICE raids, accelerated resource deals in Canada signal Indigenous Peoples’ rights rollback, and more.
2026 Message from Tallgrass Institute: Stewardship in Action
At Tallgrass, we will telegraph the complexity and nuance faced by Indigenous leaders in a rapidly changing business and geopolitical environment. And while this complexity continues to be undervalued by the market, the risk profile of failing to recognize Indigenous Peoples and to integrate their concerns into investment criteria is unchanged.
News of Note 1/9/26: Inuit Response to US Greenland Threats, Avocado Impacts, Bison Return to Illinois
Inuit lawyer and advocate Aaju Peter responds to US threats of colonizing Greenland, Avocado exports in Mexico tap Indigenous Peoples’ water and subsistence resources, Native-stewardship returns Bison to Illinois prairies after almost 200 years, and more.
News of Note 1/2/26: Indigenous Leaders Arrested in Russia, Pingpu Recognized by Taiwan, 2025 in Review
Russia wrongfully arrested at least 17 Indigenous leaders following COP30, Taiwan recognized 980,000 people when it passed the Pingpu Indigenous People’s Identity Act, reviews of Indigenous issues in 2025, and more.