The victory at Standing Rock could mark a turning point | Bill McKibben

The defeat of an energy company by indigenous activists shows what nonviolent unity can accomplish. There are lessons here as we enter a challenging new age

The news that the US federal government has refused to issue the permit needed to run a pipeline under the Missouri river means many things - including that indigenous activists have won a smashing victory, one that shows what nonviolent unity can accomplish.

From the start, this has been an against-the-odds battle. Energy Transfer Partners, the company building the pipeline, is as wired as they come: its line of credit links it to virtually every bank you've ever heard of. And operating under a "fast-track" permit process, it had managed to win most of its approvals and lay most of its pipe before opponents managed to mount an effective resistance.