What is Just Transition?

Just Transition began during the trade union movement, with the goal of protecting workers’ rights and providing a way to switch industries: when economies are changing over to more sustainable practices, while addressing climate change. ICA’s approach for Just Transition is not set up only for outside communities, but it is specifically inclusive to Indigenous communities. Communities are at the forefront of climate change, which puts us at a higher risk of natural disaster, the Just Transition movement needs to be central to our decision making. It encompasses areas of  land management, water usage, air quality, new initiatives, renewable energy projects, careers, educational systems, and traditional practices like ceremonies and celebrations. Indigenous Climate Action’s approach to Just Transition includes: Indigenous leadership, decolonial practices, and integrating Indigenous peoples’ voices at the forefront of decision making. 

My journey into Just Transition

This April, I started working with Indigenous Climate Action as the Just Transition lead. As someone new to this line of work I have learned a lot about what a true Just Transition means. In the last few months a lot of my preconceived notions about what this work entails have been challenged. In March, ICA launched the Decolonizing Climate Policy Report and it was here that I learned about the importance of why Indigenous Peoples must lead these projects within our own communities, and the harm that non-Indigenous "experts" can cause and how this contributes to the continuation of colonization and oppression of Indigenous peoples. . This coupled with my own personal experience has informed my understanding of decolonization, and has guided me in my subsequent work.

For most of us a Just Transition is a new field to explore ways to bring renewable energy into our communities. However, it's about more than renewable energy, for us at ICA it’s a movement guided through sharing knowledge and stories of uplifting our community. We do this through providing navigation systems, resources designed for Indigenous peoples in areas of career development and sustainable livelihood. When we implement renewable projects we enter an agreement with Mother Earth to provide the natural law of that land. By doing this we are listening to Mother Earth and Father Sky to help guide us on which project is best for our community. For example, on Dinetah (Navajo Nation) where water is scarce, wind or solar power might be the more viable option for renewable energy, instead of coal or uranium mining. By applying these principles we are in alignment with the natural laws of Mother Earth and Father Sky. (See: IEN Just Transition Principles).

Prior to my role with ICA I worked with my Nation, Tsuut’ina, and one of the biggest lessons I learned was that we need to be hiring our own experts. This means hiring an Indigenous knowledge holder who knows the land, the community, and what it means to have solutions grounded in community values and culture. This is what makes things safe and community led. Who better to understand what our community needs than our own citizens? We can't solely rely on outside "experts'' and systems that were built out of colonial practices that continue to exclude Indigenous voices, input, and decision making... My experience at Tsuut’ina is a reflection of the firsthand experience of just how harmful colonial approaches to a Just Transition can be, both on a personal and community level. We need to work with allies who have an understanding of our values, and who align themselves with indigenous natural laws and protocols. This is how we can work together to improve our communities and projects like the Just Transition movement. 

Since that time I have joined other Indigenous-led groups and organizations that have truly shown me what stewardship of the land is, what kinship means, and what decolonization of the renewable energy sector looks like. Most importantly I’ve been finding my voice and speaking out against colonial practices and systems that hold our nations hostage. For instance, the energy sector is heavily influenced by patriarchs who seek to exclude Indigenous voices and Indigenous communities creating a system that does not and cannot work for Indigenous people. To perpetuate this practice is harmful to Indigenous communities across Turtle Island and cannot continue. 

I’ve always viewed myself as a hybrid individual of the past and present. It wasn’t until I joined Indigenous Climate Action that I realized how much colonialism impacted me, which was interesting because I grew up participating in ceremonies. I was also a long time Powwow singer and dancer, yet I still find myself learning and undoing the wrong that was done to me throughout my life. I guess you could say that I am still on my healing journey of reclaiming my power.

Our work at ICA is at the heart of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island. We are creating solutions and movements that are Indigenous-led and centered to help safeguard our future, so that generations from now our young people may have a safe place to call home. We are doing this through the release of our Just Transition Guide that will help to empower Indigenous communities around Turtle Island to engage in the transition from fossil fuels to a renewable energy future. The Just Transition Guide showcases successful Indigenous stories from Nations across Turtle Island: and how they embarked on their journeys into asserting their sovereignty, and examples where they are no longer dependent on fossil fuels as a source of energy.. 

Currently, our Just Transition program is funding two solar projects in remote communities. One being in northern Ontario with the Onaman Collective, which will assist young people with land-based teachings. The other is with the Gidimt’en checkpoint in Wetsuwet'en Territory, which is on the frontline of keeping their community safe from the RCMP, as the community protects itself from the Coastal GasLink project. Our program is planning on building out two more solar projects by the end of the year that are community-based and supporting frontline action. 

Our vision for the Just Transition program is to assist Indigenous communities from across the country with providing the means to fund their Just Transition projects and build sovereign energy independent Nations for the next seven generations. We plan to accomplish this goal by creating an inclusive framework that will reach communities by introducing our new Just Transition guide, building online cohorts that enables communities to have support systems, and connecting communities to resources for start-up funding for renewable energy projects.

If you would like to be placed on our Just Transition programs’ list and to receive a copy of the Just Transition Guide, please sign up for our newsletter by sending an email to jacob@indigneousclimateaction.com.

I am very excited to be assisting our communities with ICA’s Just Transition to renewable energy and I look forward to connecting with you soon.