Responsibility toward water: water justice inspired by indigenous perspectives

An Indigenous notion of water justice focuses on the responsibility that people have toward it. This represents a departure from the focus on water as a human right, which was the premise for water justice at the turn of the century. The second wave of water justice is centered on the intrinsic value of nature and autonomy from settler colonial governments. In this piece, we trace the origins of Indigenous water justice, demonstrating its uniqueness. This manifestation of water justice in the context of Canada's First Nations provides one such lens through which to view water justice, though it does not account for all Indigenous perspectives. In spite of the variety between Indigenous perspectives, our analysis confirms an emerging notion of water justice which moves the conversation beyond a ‘right to water’ toward a ‘responsibility toward water.’ Viewing humans as obligated to responsibly manage water has very different policy implications than viewing water as a human right. In order to adapt to the coming shifts (and imbalances) in water supply due to climate change, it will be necessary to consider how people use water and to modify their consumption based on a sense of responsibility toward water.