INDIGENOUS RIGHTS & CLIMATE JUSTICE PLATFORM
In 2025, we're pushing our legislators to strengthen Minnesota's climate leadership and to go bold on advancing Indigenous rights and climate justice.
In 2025, we're pushing our legislators to strengthen Minnesota's climate leadership and to go bold on advancing Indigenous rights and climate justice.
As people who care passionately about our planet and the people in it, we want to build a future that supports vibrant Native and non-Native communities living in right relationship with the land.
As part of our systemic work, MNIPL has put together a 2025 Policy Agenda focused on actions our state government can take to repair the harms of climate change, prevent more carbon from being put into the atmosphere, and protect Minnesotans from further harm.
We believe that including the perspectives and experiences of local communities, people of faith, conscience, and spiritual practice and those most impacted by climate change is crucial to creating effective and equitable policy.
Join us in creating a more just and sustainable Minnesota!
Get Involved
Sign up for updates! Interested in getting further involved in the legislative work this year? Join our policy team by contacting Sara Wolff (sara@mnipl.org) or sign up for email updates from MNIPL by clicking here!
Make a financial gift to MNIPL to help us continue our leadership and engagement in this critical moment in history. You can become a sustaining donor with a monthly contribution or make a one-time donation.
2025 POLICY AGENDA
Wild Rice, known as manoomin to the Anishinaabeg and psíŋ to the Lakota and Dakota, is crucial to the health of people and ecosystems in Minnesota. Importantly, manoomin/psíŋ is central to Anishinaabe and Dakota spirituality, culture, and nutrition, as well as their economies. Wild rice is also the state grain of Minnesota and an essential part of our understanding of this place we call home. Manoomin/psíŋ is under threat from invasive species, climate change, and pollution.
MNIPL will staff and support the work of the Rise & Repair Alliance, which will lead legislative actions to strengthen protections for Manoomin/Psiŋ as a food source, a living being, and a crucial part of Minnesota’s ecosystem.
The language for the bill proposed this year was developed in collaboration with the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light (MNIPL).
Click here to learn more about this effort with Rise & Repair!
We know that climate disruption is having an effect on both our present and our future, but many of the places where we and our state are investing money aren’t taking those realities into account. In fact, 17 states across the county, influenced by fossil fuel interests, have passed laws barring their State Investment Boards from considering risks like climate change. Not only is this bad news for the environment, but it’s bad news for those pension-holders.
What’s more: as insurance companies are raising rates for Minnesotans and citing increased wind and storms as the cause, they are continuing to invest in projects and companies that are exacerbating wind and storms by ignoring climate change.
MNIPL is working to pass legislation that allows Minnesota’s State Investment Boards to take climate into consideration when making investment decisions and legislation that will hold insurance companies accountable for providing affordable coverage for Minnesotans.
For more resources and information on climate-smart investments, click here!
Young people here and across the world are the generations most impacted by climate change and the generation least responsible for it. We can’t do climate justice work without making sure that young people are at the center of our decisions and that they have well-paid career prospects in climate work.
MNIPL is working to pass legislation that would provide internships to young people interested in pursuing a career in climate justice and decarbonization work.
Carbon dioxide pipelines are being sold as a necessary part of meeting our climate goals. What industry representatives don't like to mention is that they are taking compressed CO2 to oil wells in North Dakota to push out more oil – a process called Enhanced Oil Recovery.
We know that a safe and equitable transition to a greener future means ending our use of fossil fuels, not finding more creative ways to hide it.
MNIPL is working to pass legislation that would keep carbon pipelines (and other false solutions like carbon sequestration) from being built or pursued in Minnesota. We’ll also work to support legislation that encourages equitable and carbon free energy production as part of the Clean Energy by 2040 plan.
For more resources and information on carbon dioxide pipelines, click here!
PROTECTING MANOOMIN/PSÍŊ (WILD RICE)
Wild Rice, known as manoomin to the Anishinaabeg and psíŋ to the Lakota and Dakota, is crucial to the health of people and ecosystems in Minnesota. Importantly, manoomin/psíŋ is central to Anishinaabe and Dakota spirituality, culture, and nutrition, as well as their economies. Wild rice is also the state grain of Minnesota and an essential part of our understanding of this place we call home. Manoomin/psíŋ is under threat from invasive species, climate change, and pollution.
MNIPL will staff and support the work of the Rise & Repair Alliance, which will lead legislative actions to strengthen protections for Manoomin/Psiŋ as a food source, a living being, and a crucial part of Minnesota’s ecosystem.
The language for the bill proposed this year was developed in collaboration with the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light (MNIPL).
Click here to learn more about this effort with Rise & Repair!
CLIMATE-SMART INVESTMENTS & INSURANCE
We know that climate disruption is having an effect on both our present and our future, but many of the places where we and our state are investing money aren’t taking those realities into account. In fact, 17 states across the county, influenced by fossil fuel interests, have passed laws barring their State Investment Boards from considering risks like climate change. Not only is this bad news for the environment, but it’s bad news for those pension-holders.
What’s more: as insurance companies are raising rates for Minnesotans and citing increased wind and storms as the cause, they are continuing to invest in projects and companies that are exacerbating wind and storms by ignoring climate change.
MNIPL is working to pass legislation that allows Minnesota’s State Investment Boards to take climate into consideration when making investment decisions and legislation that will hold insurance companies accountable for providing affordable coverage for Minnesotans.
For more resources and information on climate-smart investments, click here!
INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLIMATE LEADERS
Young people here and across the world are the generations most impacted by climate change and the generation least responsible for it. We can’t do climate justice work without making sure that young people are at the center of our decisions and that they have well-paid career prospects in climate work.
MNIPL is working to pass legislation that would provide internships to young people interested in pursuing a career in climate justice and decarbonization work.
PREVENTING CO2 PIPELINES & OTHER FALSE SOLUTIONS
Carbon dioxide pipelines are being sold as a necessary part of meeting our climate goals. What industry representatives don't like to mention is that they are taking compressed CO2 to oil wells in North Dakota to push out more oil – a process called Enhanced Oil Recovery.
We know that a safe and equitable transition to a greener future means ending our use of fossil fuels, not finding more creative ways to hide it.
MNIPL is working to pass legislation that would keep carbon pipelines (and other false solutions like carbon sequestration) from being built or pursued in Minnesota. We’ll also work to support legislation that encourages equitable and carbon free energy production as part of the Clean Energy by 2040 plan.
For more resources and information on carbon dioxide pipelines, click here!
MNIPL is proud to be a part of Rise & Repair, a diverse alliance of people and organizations advancing Indigenous rights & climate justice during Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session.
Check out this video to see some of what Rise & Repair is working on this session!
Rise & Repair Partners:
Cooperative Energy Futures, EcoFaith Network, Institute for Self-Reliance, Land Stewardship Project, Mi C.A.S.A., Minnesota Environmental Justice Table, Mountains and Waters Alliance, R.I.S.E. Coalition, Sierra Club, Vote Solar, Take Action MN, MCEA, Climate Generation, The Repair Communities for Makoce Ikikcupi, Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, MUUSJA, CURE, Water Legacy, Episcopal Church of MN, MN 350 Action, and Recycling Electronics for Climate Action (RECA)