Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is an alliance of Indigenous Peoples whose shared mission is to protect the sacredness of the Earth by respecting and adhering to Indigenous knowledge against a rising tide of extractive industries contaminating and exploiting our shared natural resources.
IEN’s activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of their people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.
IEN accomplishes this by maintaining an informational clearinghouse, organizing campaigns, direct actions and public awareness, building the capacity of community and tribes to address environmental justice issues, development of initiatives to impact policy, and building alliances among Indigenous communities, tribes, inter-tribal and Indigenous organizations, people-of-color, faith-based and women groups, youth, labor, environmental organizations and others.
IEN convenes local, regional and national meetings on environmental and economic justice issues, and provides support, resources and referral to Indigenous communities and youth throughout primarily North America – and in recent years – globally.