As the world turned to Glasgow for the first week of COP26, the ICA team hit the ground running with full days and nights of action and events.  We came together, holding our home communities in our hearts, and we worked hard to support both  policy and  action strategies. We listened into the expertise of the International Indigenous caucus members and worked closely with our relatives at Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and NDN Collective to confront decision makers on false climate solutions. 

Before COP26 began, we attended the Local Communities Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP)––an important group that brings Indigneous rights and knowledge into the climate negotiations. This group was created by the International Indignenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), also known as the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus––a group of Indigenous peoples from across the globe. 

The inside is a bustling place where our team was set up primarily at the Indigenous Peoples' pavilion.  We moved from meetings to discuss Article 6, to panels as knowledge experts amongst thousands of people, all vying for influence into the global discussions. 

On the outside we lifted up the fights on the frontlines, connected with Indigenous youth land defenders and celebrated the work of land defenders as effective climate action that helps keep fossil fuels in the ground. 

Throughout our time here in Glasgow, we continually engage with the media to amplify the connection between colonialism and climate change. We also meet with Canadian politicians to remind them of their responsibilities to engage with the grassroots and give our people and land defenders the respect they deserve. 

The week ended with the "Global Day of Action for Climate Justice" march, where hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets. ICA was part of the Indigenous Peoples’ Bloc leading the march. We held banners to amplify our important messages: ‘No Net Zero’ ‘Colonialism caused climate change’ and ‘No false solutions. Indigenous rights are the solution’.  

For photos of the past week, check out our Flickr here

Some more highlights from this week! 

On the Inside of the COP26 venue:

• Participating and supporting an action to call out Biden and fossil fuels

• Getting the lay of the land inside the COP26 venue  

• Supporting the opening the Indigenous peoples pavilion

• Supporting the Indigneous Peoples caucus with opening statements and blogs

• Connecting with Indigenous peoples from around the world

• Participating with Indigenous Caucus morning briefing sessions to help orient the days inside the COP venue

• Participating in open negotiation sessions to support the 7 key issues presenting in the opening statement of the Indigenous peoples

• Meeting with state leaders

• Participating on panels to speak on alternatives to large hydro and support (Hydro alternatives, OCI press panel)

• Responding to media inside the venue

Outside w/ Civil Society 

• Supporting actions outside of the venue to call attention to the false solutions

• Connecting with folks in social movement spaces

• Helping to build out key messaging and banners for the Indigenous peoples bloc for the March on saturday

• Connecting with Indigenous youth land defenders 

• Connecting with It Take Roots and other intersectional delegations

• Connecting as a team to ensure we are grounded and taken care of

• Participating in events and panel presentations at venues in Glasgow (NDN event, Indigenous Listening Session)

A couple key media articles we wanted to share again in case you missed them! 

• First Nations delegates say COP26 discussions should prioritize Indigenous knowledge

•  A continuation of colonialism’: indigenous activists say their voices are missing at Cop26

• ‘The time for change is now’: demonstrators around the world demand action on climate crisis

And some of our favourite quotes!

"The youth have to think of our next seven generations, so bringing that to the table is really important, and in my experience, I haven't seen colonial governments think that far ahead," Jayce Chiblow. Garden River First Nation. ICA’s Toolkit Training Lead 

“This report emphasizes how important it is to end fossil fuel extraction, yet Oil and Gas companies continue to push ahead, citing false solutions like carbon markets, to allow for the status quo,” said Rebecca Sinclair, policy analyst with Indigenous Climate Action, who contributed to the report. “As Indigenous peoples we know what is necessary to address the climate crisis. Corporations need to get out of our way and let us fix the mess they created.

“Indigenous people from all over the world have come together to raise the alarm from the frontlines of the climate crisis. These so-called world leaders are relics of colonialism. Their value systems put corporate profits over the health of communities. They keep trying to save the economy, pushing false climate solutions like carbon offsets and other market mechanisms. We cannot continue to be sacrificed for the well-being of the wealthy. This is not just a risk for Indigenous peoples, these false solutions will harm us all.” - Eriel Deranger, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. ICA Executive Director

“Inside the Cop venue, unfortunately, it’s corporate interests at the front of the line, so here today Indigenous people are leading the movement – and that’s how it should be inside the Cop venue too. We’re here to put Indigenous voices at the forefront of the climate crisis.” Ohontsakahte, Kahnawake Mohawk Youth delegate