The Association of First Nations has just released a strategy for dealing with climate change. Included below are several announcements going back to the AFN’s declaration of a climate emergency in 2019.
[The strategy can be read by scrolling through the lower panel of the screen below.]
First Nations Climate Leadership offers an opportunity to re-operationalize First Nations legal systems and assert First Nations jurisdiction.
It means holding all levels of government accountable for their commitment and obligations under the Paris Agreement and creating space for First Nations to lead the way with decarbonization plans.
The AFN National Climate Strategy is developed with distinct objectives:
- To uplift First Nations’ rights, self-determination, and knowledge systems within federal, provincial, and territorial climate action.
- To promote First Nations-led solutions to the climate crisis, grounded in their rights, self-determination, and knowledge systems.
- To advocate for urgent and transformative climate action aligned with the First Nations-in-Assembly Declaration of a First Nations Climate Emergency.
Furthermore, AFN National Climate Strategy ensures that First Nations governance, laws and priorities breathe life into the Government of Canada’s climate plans committing to “position Indigenous climate leadership as a cornerstone of a strengthened climate plan.”
The National Climate Strategy introduces seven priority areas:
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Prioritize First Nations Knowledge Systems, health, languages, cultures, and spiritualities.
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Recognize, respect, and position First Nations Inherent jurisdiction and right to self-determination as central to climate decision-making at all levels.
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Address capacity needs to support First Nations governance and their role as climate leaders.
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Ensure First Nations self-sufficiency in food, water, and energy.
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Close the natural and built infrastructure gap.
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Ensure First Nations are equipped to mitigate, prevent, respond, and recover from all emergencies.
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Leverage the Climate Lens to reform federal, provincial and territorial legislation, regulation, policy, and programs.
Each priority area coincides with a specific goal, a set of objectives, and a detailed list of strategies and actions. Altogether, the strategy presents 108 strategies and actions, each complimented with recommendations for implementation partners.
To achieve the vision set forth in the AFN National Climate Strategy, federal, provincial, and territorial governments must work directly and in full partnership with First Nations rights and title holders to implement self-determined First Nations climate priorities. This includes providing sufficient and sustainable funding for each First Nation.
Central to our culture, language, and livelihood is a deep connection to the Land, Water, and Environment.
In 2016, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Elders’ Council released an Elders’ Statement on Environment and Climate Change, acknowledging the climate crisis. In the face of government inaction, an increasing number of First Nations have taken matters into their own hands, calling for rapid de-carbonization to meet the target of the Paris Agreement. This landmark statement by the AFN Elders Council laid the foundation for AFNs climate action, representing the guiding vision of the AFN National Climate Strategy.
The escalating impact of climate change led First Nations-in-Assembly to pass a range of mandates and resolutions, amplifying the importance and centrality of First Nation approaches to climate action. Since 2016, eleven such climate-related resolutions have been passed.
Overview
In July 2019, First Nations-in-Assembly passed Resolution 05/2019, Declaring a First Nations Climate Emergency. This resolution mandated the AFN to organize National Climate Gatherings and develop a National Climate Strategy.
Since then, the AFN began its journey to develop the first National Climate Strategy, facilitated through two National Climate Gatherings, national and regional webinars, and two surveys. The first National Climate Gathering was held to discuss the Climate Strategy and the First Nations Climate Lens was held in March 2020 in Whitehorse, Yukon, on the territory of the Ta’an Kwächän and the Kwanlin Dün. In 2022, the AFN hosted the second National Climate Gathering in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati peoples.
Watch the video: 2nd AFN National Climate Gathering Overview – Preserving our Environment, Lands, and Waters for Future Generations
Alongside these gatherings, the AFN National Climate Strategy has been discussed regularly with the Advisory Committee on Climate Action and the Environment (ACE). These discussions occurred during weekly video conferences, in-person meetings, and presented during Dialogue Sessions held at the AFN Annual General Assemblies and Special Chiefs Assemblies. Members of the AFN Secretariat have also been analyzing federal and international climate legislation, regulation, policy, and programs. To finalize AFN National Climate Strategy, the AFN held a series of additional webinars with the ACE, the AFN Secretariat, and representatives from the AFN Knowledge Keepers’ Council, and the AFN National Youth Council. Over one thousand First Nation experts, leaders, youth, men, women, and 2SLGBTQIAA+ individuals, Knowledge Keepers, professionals, and allies from coast-to-coast-to-coast have participated in this process.
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Formally Launches its Transformative National Climate Strategy
(Ottawa, Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ontario) – Today, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) announced the formal launch of its National Climate Strategy at Parliament Hill. Endorsed through Resolution 36/2023, Urgent and Transformative Climate Action through the AFN National Climate Strategy, at the AFN Annual General Assembly in July 2023, the strategy comes as a collective effort of First Nation experts, leaders, youth, men, women, and 2SLGBTQIAA+ individuals, Knowledge Keepers, professionals, and allies from coast-to-coast-to-coast over the past four years Interim AFN National Chief Joanna Bernard and AFN Quebec-Labrador Regional Chief Ghislain Picard presented the AFN National Climate Strategy, following an opening by Nokomis Roberta Oshkabewisens.
“This past summer has been the worst fire season in Canada on record. Over 15 million hectares have burned, affecting First Nations from coast to coast to coast. Projections indicate that Canada’s temperature is expected to warm at double the global average rate and triple in the North. The time for action is now,” said Interim AFN National Chief Joanna Bernard. “We urge the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to fully and directly partner [sic] with First Nations rights and title holders in executing the self-determined climate priorities highlighted in our strategy.”
The AFN National Climate Strategy aims to prioritize First Nations’ rights, self-determination, and knowledge systems within federal, provincial, and territorial climate action; promote First Nations solutions to the climate crisis, grounded in their rights, self-determination, and knowledge systems; and call for urgent and transformative climate action in line with the First Nations-in-Assembly Declaration of a First Nations Climate Emergency. The Strategy introduces the First Nations Climate Lens, which encompasses four concentric spheres of activity to bring into focus the relationships between Natural Law, First Nations’ climate impacts, climate action, and the broader climate landscape. The First Nations Climate Lens emphasizes the role of First Nations as climate leaders and active drivers of transformative change.
“Our efforts culminate today with the introduction of the first AFN National Climate Strategy, recognizing the climate crisis as a state of emergency for our lands, waters, animals, and communities. The Climate Strategy is only the start of a conversation that prioritizes First Nations solutions to the climate crisis, grounded in our rights, self-determination, and knowledge systems,” said AFN Québec/Labrador Regional Chief Ghislain Picard. “Now, it is time for implementation. We call upon our government, business, and academic partners to work alongside First Nations as we implement climate strategies in our Lands, Waters, and territories.”
The 2016 Elders’ Statement on Environment and Climate Change by the AFN Knowledge Keepers Council acknowledged the climate crisis and has been foundational in guiding the vision of the AFN National Climate Strategy. In July 2019, First Nations-in-Assembly declared a First Nations Climate Emergency, leading to the development of the National Climate Strategy through national and regional webinars, and surveys.
The AFN will hold a technical briefing webinar on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, to explore the AFN National Climate Strategy and its seven priority areas in detail. For more details about the AFN National Climate Strategy and to register for the technical briefing webinar, please visit www.afn.ca.
In 2021, the Association of First Nations (AFN) reiterated its belief that we are in a Climate Emergency.
AFN BULLETIN – AFN Calls for urgent action and more equitable participation of Indigenous Peoples Following COP26: UN Climate Change Conference 2021
SUMMARY:
The AFN sent a small delegation to the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, October 31, 2021 to November 12, 2021.
The AFN participated in many discussions highlighting First Nations climate leadership, including through a moderated discussion, Turtle Island Climate Action: Declaring Indigenous climate emergencies, which was livestreamed from the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion on November 4, 2021.
The AFN continues to call on the Government of Canada to include First Nations governance, laws and priorities in their climate plan.
The AFN urges all parties to the UNFCCC to push for full and effective participation for Indigenous Peoples in all future sessions, including COP 27 in Egypt.
First Nations are uniquely positioned to lead efforts to protect, conserve and sustainably manage the environment. We are the first to experience the impacts of climate change and we can be first responders in this global emergency.
COP26 was an important opportunity to advance the leadership of First Nations in addressing the global climate crisis, consistent with the recent resolution: Declaring a First Nations Climate Emergency (AGA 2019), and in line with the findings of the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) sent a small delegation to the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which took place in Glasgow, Scotland, October 31, 2021 to November 12, 2021. The AFN has been participating in international climate negotiations for the past several years, including with respect to the Paris Agreement in 2015.
As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, priority attention must return internationally to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and its structural drivers in order to rebalance the relationship with all of Creation. With record heatwaves, wildfires and floods around the world, there is no issue more pressing for all of humanity.
The AFN continues to call on the Government of Canada to include First Nations governance, laws and priorities in their climate plan. First Nations are uniquely positioned to lead efforts to protect, conserve and sustainably manage the environment due to our longstanding reciprocal relationship with all of Creation. COP26 was an important opportunity to advance the leadership of First Nations in addressing the global climate crisis, consistent with the recent resolution: Declaring a First Nations Climate Emergency (AGA 2019), and in line with the findings of the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.
As we move forward in our work domestically, the AFN also urges all parties to the UNFCCC to take urgent and transformative climate action, and push for the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples. Canada is one of the few countries that offers delegation badges to organizations outside the federal government such as the AFN. Even with badges, participation in negotiation meetings is challenging, exacerbated by the health pandemic.
Representing the AFN at COP26 were Nova Scotia/Newfoundland Regional Chief Paul Prosper, Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) Secretary-Treasurer Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, UBCIC Climate Policy Analyst Josh Kioke, and AFN Senior Policy Advisor of Environment, Lands, & Water Branch Graeme Reed.
Highlights included:
- Participating in the Indigenous Peoples Caucus, including the Preparatory meetings, and confirming an updated three-year workplan at the Indigenous Peoples Platform negotiation.
- Attending the Indigenous Clean Energy event on renewable energy leadership by Indigenous Peoples, with Regional Chief Prosper speaking on the importance of a First Nations Climate Lens.
- Leading a moderated discussion, Turtle Island Climate Action: Declaring Indigenous climate emergencies, which was livestreamed from the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion on November 4, 2021. Regional Chief Prosper was joined at the discussion by United Tribes of Michigan Executive Director, Frank Ettawageshik and National Congress of American Indians President, Fawn Sharp, which was moderated by Graeme Reed.
- Witnessing the first-ever Annual Knowledge Keepers Gathering, which supported 28 Knowledge Keepers from all seven UN Indigenous socio-cultural regions and enabled them to address state parties.
As the AFN develops a National Climate Strategy, COP26 provided an opportunity to call on Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault to ensure that First Nations governance, laws and priorities breathe life into the Government of Canada’s climate plan committing to “position Indigenous climate leadership as a cornerstone of a strengthened climate plan.” COP26 also provided an opportunity for Regional Chief Prosper to meet with Minister Guilbeault, while sharing our priorities and seeking a commitment to continue the constructive dialogue at a domestic and international level.
COP26 Priorities
The AFN continues to advance several priorities related to First Nations climate leadership, rooted in our resolution: Declaring a First Nations Climate Emergency (AGA 2019)
Our priorities at COP26 were to:
- Amplify First Nations’ and other Indigenous Peoples’ voices and climate leadership on the international stage, while supporting efforts for full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change);
- Urge Canada to re-commit to urgent and transformative climate action in line with the Chiefs-in-Assembly resolution from 2019 and to advance these priorities in the international setting;
- Communicate the utility of a First Nations Climate Lens to help reconceptualize the root causes driving climate change and offer reimagined Indigenous-led solutions.