Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Levels and Effects on Plant Nutrition and Health of Indigenous Peoples; a Review of Current Research
Cora Moran, Rudolph C. Rÿser, PhD, Susan McCleary
Volume 20, Number 2 (2025) 20 (2): 48-64
Keywords kálhaculture, Fourth World peoples, nutrition, chronic disease
Abstract
The extent to which current academic research has investigated the possibility that elevated levels of atmospheric carbon-based gases are affecting the health of indigenous peoples is a pressing issue. As described in the paper ‘Traditional Foods and Medicines and Mounting Chronic Disease for indigenous Peoples Worldwide’, prior meta-analyses of extant literature have noted that “elevated CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have negatively affected cultivars of various commercial crop species resulting in serious chronic disease consequences for human beings”. This paper notes that there is a “dearth of information on the changing nutrition (protein, micronutrients, bioavailability) of wild plants and animals, which constitute from 40% to 80% of Fourth World
peoples’ diet and sources of medicine” which “suggests the need for further research”. The effects of elevated carbon-based gases in the atmosphere may impact on the nutritional value of consumable plants and animals and consequently directly affect the health of indigenous peoples and other peoples in the world dependent on commercially cultivated foods and medicines.
As part of this call for further research, this paper seeks to investigate the extent to which current academic literature has investigated the possibility that elevated levels of atmospheric carbon-based gases are affecting the health of indigenous peoples. Gaining a clear picture of the state of such research will help to determine the particular vulnerabilities of distinct peoples from these changes, develop strategies tailored to assist indigenous peoples in mitigating any effects and determine any insights their káhlaculture based lifeways may present for adaptation to the effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 levels for humanity generally.
A mixed methods analysis of relevant literature was conducted for this investigation, providing an overview of findings on the large scale social and ecological effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and reviewing the extent to which current academic research has investigated the possibility that elevated levels of atmospheric carbon-based gases are affecting the health of
indigenous peoples specifically. In order to review current findings from research about this, a mixed methods analysis of relevant literature was undertaken, providing a holistic overview of findings and the effects of elevated atmospheric carbon-based gas levels on indigenous communities. The findings from this provide an overview of the wider ecological and human health effects of rising atmospheric carbon-based gases and insights into where further research is required to address current gaps in the literature.
Cora Moran
Rudolph C. Rÿser, PhD
Susan McCleary
Published August 14, 2025
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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