Justice is Critical for the Transition off Fossil Fuels

Artwork featuring four Indigenous folks from different regions of so-called Canada. Cursive text is in the corner and reads: Uphold Indigenous rights & work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples

“Indigenous rights and sovereignty must be the foundation upon which every aspect of Just Recovery in so-called Canada is built. Throughout the recovery process, Indigenous Peoples must be at the table, as must voices from all structurally oppressed communities. Prior to the pandemic, many of our communities were in crisis due to lack of infrastructure, health and social services and the current situation has only deepened these inequalities. Moving forward, Indigenous Peoples must have access to adequate resources that also uphold our sovereignty and collective rights.”

- Lindsey Bacigal, ICA Director of Communications

ICA offered the above statement to support the recent launch of the Just Recovery Principles developed in response to the COVID19 pandemic. Our team participated in the formation of these principles, highlighting the importance of integrating references to Indigenous Peoples throughout the principles, rather than siloed into one. In this work, we drew on the Indigenous “Principles of a Just Transition” from the Indigenous Environmental Network, as well as the Red Deal by The Red Nation.

Participating in this process has made it clear that more effort and focus is needed on framing and developing Indigenous solutions for a Just Transition and a Just Recovery from the pandemic.  

In the past, ICA has not been shy in highlighting the barriers for a Just Transition and a Green New Deal. Following participation in Green New Deal discourses held by members of the environmental sector, our Executive Director, Eriel Deranger, wrote an article to speak about the difficulties of the experience. In the piece, The Green New Deal in Canada: Barriers for Indigenous Participation, she remarked

“The fact is that the GND is still being created in silos of elitism and is aimed primarily at influencing, and putting pressure on, colonial and corporate power to lead change.  While it’s true that governments should be stepping up, history has indicated a stubborn attachment to the status quo, absent the will and commitment of the people. Indigenous Climate Action and other Indigenous organizations and communities are striving to ensure there are measures of accountability and true transformation embedded in moving things forward on the GND to avoid repeating history.”

Although the principles of a Just Recovery offer some hope that the network pushing for climate solutions appreciates the importance of involving Indigenous leadership - and the leadership of other racialized and structurally oppressed people - we will remain cautious in our optimism for change within colonial structures and continue to work with members of our communities who are implementing climate solutions on the ground. 

For ICA, this looks like continuing to work in solidarity with our relatives in other oppressed communities, like the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change. It means uplifting Indigenous solutions to climate change, some of which were shown in the recently launched Power to the People TV series, hosted by ICA’s Director of Programs and co-founder of Sacred Earth Solar, Melina Laboucan-Massimo.

Looking ahead, ICA will also be embarking on building out a Just Transition Guide which will help uplift knowledge and best practices for communities that are seeking to move away from fossil fuels.