Decolonizing Climate Policy
ICA’s Decolonizing Climate Policy research project aims to investigate the shortcomings and problems associated with Canadian climate policy while at the same time supporting, and developing Indigenous-led climate policy - climate policies by and for Indigenous Peoples that will raise up and empower Indigenous-led solutions.
Read the Reports
DCP Phase 2 | Part 1
DCP Phase 2 | Executive Summary
DCP Phase 1
![DCP Phase 1 | Summary [French]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e4b5ae8628564ab4bc44c/b481c248-6440-4c06-ad5d-e8fe2a97f75f/Screen+Shot+2023-10-19+at+12.46.14+PM.png)
DCP Phase 1 | Summary [French]
Sneak Peak
Full Report | Coming Soon
Watch the Webinars
Presentations & Workshops
About the Research
Our definition of “research”: gathering information that serves the well-being of our communities to support life, this can include information in the form of stories, ideas, numbers, oral histories, and other varieties and forms rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of knowing and being.
“This work envisions a world where Indigenous-led climate solutions are the standard and where colonial structures are doing the work to figure out where their resources and knowledge can offer support to existing Indigenous systems, not the other way around. This will require a deconstruction and undoing of current systems to create space for our own independent processes and plans built around a more holistic, interconnected, balanced approach based on reciprocity and respect with the natural world.” — Eriel Tchekwie Deranger, Executive Director ICA
The Latest on Decolonizing Climate Policy
![Indigenous Led Climate Action - Next Generation of Policy Change-makers [Webinar]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e4b5ae8628564ab4bc44c/1645829708058-YGWPAORRJXPS1R9VEQMR/NEXT+GENERATION+OF+POLICY+CHANGE-MAKERS.png)
What we mean by these English words that we keep using
“Decolonizing” to us means transforming the power imbalance where settlers and their governments have control over Indigenous lands and peoples. It means restoring and reinvigorating Indigenous cultures, languages, self-determination, sovereignty and relationships with lands. It means settlers relinquishing control over Indigenous lands and people.
“Policy” The mainstream, colonial definition of the word policy is “a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business, or individual”, but to us, when we say ‘policy’ we mean decisions and agreements made together about how we should best take action to address a problem and work towards building healthy, stronger communities with all our relatives
“Climate Policy” To us climate policy means decisions and agreements we make together about how we will work on addressing the climate crisis and fight for climate justice
“Research” to us means gathering information, which may be in the form of stories, ideas, numbers or anything else that helps us know what we need to know in order to take action and make changes in the world.
“Indigenous-led” to us means a project or initiative that is led by Indigenous people, through an Indigenous-led process of decision-making and drawing on diverse Indigenous worldviews, practices, ceremonies and governance structures. Settlers may be involved in these processes, but in a supportive capacity only.