Indigenous-led Climate Policy (Executive Summary Report)

ORGANIZATION:
Indigenous Climate Action

Year: 2022

Phase 2 of Indigenous Climate Action’s Decolonizing Climate Policy Project

As an Executive Summary Report of Phase 2 of Indigenous Climate Action’s (ICA) Decolonizing Climate Policy (DCP) project, this document serves as an introduction to what the ICA team and friends have been learning over the last year. Through many conversations with Indigenous peoples across so-called Canada, ICA has heard from folks as they shared their own visions for Indigenous-led climate policy and solutions.

From youth to Elders, ICA heard from First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people about what ‘policy’ means to them. ICA also heard about what policy-making means within a variety of Indigenous contexts, grounded in the unique traditions and governance structures of a diversity of Nations. Further, folks spoke about climate solutions already happening in their communities, as well as what they would like to see take root and flourish. ICA shares this summary report with the intention of amplifying these visions, celebrating the solutions already happening, and supporting the work still to be done. Through this summary report, ICA invites you into the conversations that were had and sets the groundwork for the full report.

The conversations that brought this body of work into life build on a powerful legacy of Indigenous climate leadership that has been practiced for millenia. Indigenous Peoples from across the Earth have always led and governed in a way that is rooted in relationship with the lands and waters. Subsequently, it has been Indigenous Peoples who have been leading the struggle for climate justice.

Within this executive summary report there will be an overview of the research approach and methods that were used to gather the words, knowledge, and experiences of Indigenous people across so-called Canada. There will also be an introduction to Indigenous research methodologies and how they have been applied to this project. Finally there will be a brief overview of the key findings gathered from the research.