Anthony Watson knows the Country in Western Australia's Kimberley region well.
Being born and raised there, his roots to the land stretch back generations.
The chairman of one of the country's most powerful Land Councils, Watson has seen the landscape change dramatically in the past few decades and changing and erratic weather conditions have taken their toll on the community.
"The seasons are getting hotter, we've got the rainy season harder and faster,” he told NITV’s The Point.
“We've seen droughts, funny storms... We're getting four or five weather changes during the month.
"It is changing.”
His concern about the ever-increasing signs of climate change led him to make the long journey six years ago to attend the Paris climate summit.
"As Indigenous people, we have to be at the forefront of decision making,” he said.
“It's our plants and our animals. It's part of our Dreamtime."
At the time, Paris had just experienced a devastating terrorist attack. Watson's family even advised him not to make the journey.
But he was focused on the fight against climate change, and was determined to explain how Indigenous land management practices could help.
"It was very important that Indigenous people had an international forum to hear their concerns on the world stage because we need to do something about climate change,” he said.
“We need to hold governments and industry accountable to make sure those targets are met. We need to keep these issues alive and well.”
But he fears little has changed since the landmark Paris meeting.
Kimberley Land Council delegates including Anthony Watson at the Paris COP21 conference with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (Supplied: KLC))
Global Indigenous leaders heading to COP26
Indigenous people from all over the globe are gathering in Scotland to push for more action on climate change from global leaders, as evidence mounts that .
The calls have been becoming more pressing after a recent UN global report urged world leaders to act to prevent 'catastrophic' impacts of climate change within the next decade.
"Listen to our voices — You can't allow 60,000 years of history to be gone in 200 years.”
Mr Watson isn’t going this time, but Australia’s First Nations community will be represented by ANU researcher Dr Virginia Marshall and Sydney Pastor Ray Minniecon, through their work with the Indigenous Peoples Organisation.
"We need to have a seat at the table so that we can make sure that they're doing the right thing by our ancient wisdom, by our ancient knowledge, by our ancestors who looked after it," Pastor Minniecon said.
The Kabi Kabi and Gurang Gurang man told The Point that the cost of inaction would be too great, and said Indigenous people have solutions.
“We are facing a climate crisis. Our land is being destroyed and waters are being destroyed, it's a crisis.”
A jetty underwater in the Torres Strait. Rising sea levels have prompted families to relocate to higher ground. Source: AAP
"Listen to our voices — You can't allow 60,000 years of history to be gone like that in 200 years. We've got to change our attitudes and our behaviors immediately," Pastor Minniecon said.
Dr Marshall and Pastor Ray are making the journey to Glasgow in the hopes that their message will be heeded.
"We don't have much time according to the scientists, so we really need to make sure every moment counts. We need to change the way we think, and we need to work together for the common good," Dr Marshall said.
The Wiradjuri Nyemba woman said Indigenous people are bearing the brunt of extreme weather events and climate change around the world.
"Indigenous peoples are going to be the most familiar with these impacts from climate change and throughout Australia we've had huge flooding events, we've had huge heating events," Dr Marshall said.
Pastor Ray Minniecon and COP26 Indigenous delegate is calling for urgent action on climate change ahead of the conference. (The Point: Edgar Ferreira)
She said endangered flora, fauna, and sacred lands are already at risk due to climate change.
"That's why a lot of people from Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander communities and Indigenous peoples across the world are taking that opportunity to go to COP26."
But in the Kimberley, Anthony Watson said time could be running out.
"We could be seeing more disaster, and if they do listen (is it) too late? Or can we can work together to make a change?"
For more on this story, tune into NITV's The Point at 7.30pm, or later on SBS or SBS OnDemand.
