Eranga Galappaththi, PhD
My research focuses on the climate-food-health nexus of Indigenous peoples at a global level. The key research questions are: 1) How are Indigenous food systems impacted by climate change, and what are the implications for the health of Indigenous peoples? 2) How do Indigenous peoples respond to complex climate-health emergencies? and 3) What conceptual, methodological, and policy tools are needed to advance Indigenous health research? To address these questions, I employ a solution-oriented, community-based participatory approach. I collaborate with 11 Indigenous communities, including Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic and Vedda communities in Sri Lanka. I am also one of the principal investigators of the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON), which spans 17 countries and includes over 100 Indigenous communities worldwide. IPON is a network of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, decision-makers, NGOs, and community members who have come together to better understand and respond to threats facing Indigenous communities globally, building resilience to manage global change.