Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Pursues Solar Sovereignty Through Economic Development

In the Dakotas, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has made history with the success of an interesting organization, the Indigenous Environmental Institute (IEI). Founded by a group of determined individuals, the IEI has set out to help build solar panels on reservations to promote sustainable energy practices and to establish “solar sovereignty,” which is an important component of economic development. 

One of the co-founders of the IEI, Cody Two Bears, a tribal council representative for the community of Cannon Ball, has said that the organization's mission is to protect the land and give their people access to sovereignty by creating their own energy. IEI's goal is to share their successes and help other tribes’ economic development as well.

The IEI's efforts illustrate how renewable energy can benefit not only the environment but also the economy. Their success in the Dakotas is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when tribes are given the opportunity to take control of their own resources and pursue economic sovereignty through technological development.