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A picket sign reading "The Climate is Changing, so should we! #ACTNOW

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Use #OurLandOurCrisis to join the conversation

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Use #OurLandOurCrisis to join the conversation

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#OurLandOurCrisis emphasizes Indigenous peoples and how climate change disproportionately affects their communities. Our collective draws from Indigenous knowledge to address climate change in Canada together.

Help us build awareness for the campaign by using this hashtag on your social media posts.

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Land RIGHTS NOW - Photo by Elain Pilot-Syran 

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Indigenous lands contains 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity 

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Indigenous lands contains 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity 

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It is imperative to reconsider the concept of land rights and justice, especially in light of the following:

Indigenous lands make up around 20% of the Earth’s territory, containing 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity—a sign Indigenous Peoples are the most effective stewards of the environment.
Source: https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/indigenous-peoples-defending-environment-all

This statistic underscores the significance of recognizing Indigenous land rights and their integral role in preserving biodiversity. We emphasize recognizing and upholding Indigenous land rights, vital for preserving their cultural heritage and enabling their continued stewardship of the environment. Historical context and relevant legal frameworks support our argument for the restitution of Indigenous territories and the protection of their inherent rights.

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United Nations Conference on Climate Change 

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It is undeniable that climate change poses one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

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It is undeniable that climate change poses one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

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Read more: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange

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Indigenous knowledge included in Climate Atlas of Canada

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Please sign this petition to push the Canadian federal government on taking legally binding action on ensuring and providing accessible, clean, safe water and adequate living conditions that Indigenous peoples live in, every signature is one step closer to clean water and a better future.

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The Great Lakes contain 18 percent of the world's fresh surface water. In Ontario, they are a large, greatly-depended upon resource for residents who are connected to this particular water source.
However, the Great Lakes Basin is full of toxins and pollutants that contaminate the water & make it unhealthy and dangerous to consume.
It is estimated that more than 90 billion litres of the waste that is dumped into the Great Lakes each year is untreated sewage. That is the equivalent of dumping more than 100 Olympic swimming pools of raw sewage into the Great Lakes each day!

This basin drains into the Great Lakes water supply, which is designated for the Indigenous peoples' reserves located on the coast.

Although Canada prides itself as a highly developed, first-world nation, the lack of Federal government action towards this water crisis clearly exhibits the environmental discrimination and injustice towards Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Recently affecting the Chippewas of Georgina Island is the Upper York Sewage Solutions Project, which has been in limbo for over a year now; UYSSP would contribute to the disposal of "more than 40 million litres of treated wastewater per day into the Lake Simcoe Watershed". From the most recent updates, the government and decision makers have failed to include the community in any aspects of the project proposal, as well as ignoring critical concerns for health and the environment - threatening the Lake Simcoe watershed, drinking water quality, along with the rights and livelihood of the Chippewas of Georgina Island residing in the area.
News article link: https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/9208677-chippewas-chief-presses-georgina-for-stance-on-upper-york-sewage-solution/
The government regulates water quality for non-Indigenous communities, but has no binding regulations for water on Indigenous land. Collectively, we can raise awareness and push for a well overdue change in our society, including the protection of water bodies on Indigenous territories and the rights of the people who live there!
It is a fundamental human right to have clean, safe drinking water, and it is unacceptable that the Canadian government [namely Trudeau's party in power, most recently] has failed to provide this to Indigenous communities for decades, whilst failing to live up to treaty agreements and personal promises made by the state and PM Trudeau.
Please sign this petition to push the Canadian federal government on taking legally binding action on ensuring and providing accessible, clean, safe water and adequate living conditions that Indigenous peoples live in, every signature is one step closer to clean water and a better future.
More information:
https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/the-great-lakes https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/06/07/make-it-safe/canadas-obligation-end-first-%20nations-water-crisis

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The Great Lakes contain 18 percent of the world's fresh surface water. In Ontario, they are a large, greatly-depended upon resource for residents who are connected to this particular water source. However, the Great Lakes Basin is full of toxins and pollutants that contaminate the water & make it unhealthy and dangerous to consume.

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We need YOUR SIGNATURE among 99,999 others by September 30!

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"We're desperately looking around the world for climate solutions, and here's one that is at least 4,000 years old" - CBC 

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"We're desperately looking around the world for climate solutions, and here's one that is at least 4,000 years old" - CBC 

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Our planet is changing. So is our journalism. This weekly newsletter is part of a CBC News initiative entitled "Our Changing Planet" to show and explain the effects of climate change. Keep up with the latest news on our Climate and Environment page. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox every Thursday. This week:

Ancient Indigenous 'clam gardens' could be modern-day climate solution

Diving into an underwater art exhibit

Is a forest with a variety of tree species better at fighting climate change?

Ancient Indigenous 'clam gardens' could be modern-day climate solution

For close to four millennia, "clam gardens" on beaches on the west coast of B.C. have provided First Nations with a supply of not just clams but other types of seafood.

In the aftermath of the brutal 2021 heat dome on the West Coast, there's renewed interest in this ancient aquaculture technique.

Five days of stifling heat killed hundreds of people and billions of sea creatures. But scientific experimentation by researchers from Simon Fraser University, in collaboration with Coastal Salish First Nations, indicates clam gardens help sea life stay cooler.

The research aims to show how ancient Indigenous practices offer a modern-day solution to coping with climate change.

SFU master's student Emily Spencer wanted to know whether the clam gardens, with their steady supply of cool water, could help keep shellfish cooler and protect them from future episodes of extreme heat.

Ken Thomas was more than willing to demonstrate the age-old practices of maintaining clam gardens on a recent visit to Russell Island, which lies close to the better-known Saltspring Island, off the southeast coast of Vancouver Island.

He's intimately involved with the research being carried out here. A tall, broad-shouldered man in his 50s, Thomas is in charge of fisheries, wildlife and natural resources for the Penelakut First Nation.

He picked up a three-pronged rake and began "tilling" the sand. As he pulled the rake down, he explained that it helps keep the beach from becoming "hard and dormant." It also revealed small clams and crabs living close to the sand's surface.

When the idea of reconstructing a clam garden on this beach was broached a few years ago, Thomas wasn't convinced. Elders directed him and others to pick up large rocks from higher up the shore and arrange them to form a rough seawall close to the low tide line.

"At first it was, 'OK, yeah, I'll go move rocks, whatever,'" Thomas told What On Earth. But something shifted in him as he heard the elders tell stories from the past. He began to understand and appreciate how a technique so old could work so well for him and his children.

"It really touched me in a way that I can't explain," Thomas said. "Every time I moved a rock and placed it on the wall, I was like, wow, my ancestors touched these rocks, and here I am putting it back, restoring it back to what it was meant for."

The rock wall is about a metre and a half tall and runs the length of the beach, about 750 metres. It ensures that ocean water recedes slowly as the tide goes out, maintaining a cool, wet environment until the tide comes back in. That makes the beach a kind of shelter or refuge - or pantry, according to Thomas's forebears.

"To this day, you still hear our elders saying, 'When the tide's out, the table's set. Go get your food.'"

Working with Thomas to ensure Indigenous knowledge and practices are respected, Spencer designed an experiment that used Ikea chairs, propane torches and non-flammable material to recreate the conditions of the heat dome on the beach. "We created little saunas for the clams," she said.

At low tide, they erected a series of these small tents with the clams inside. They did this for five days straight - replicating the length of the heat dome. After that, the clams were scooped up and taken to labs for analysis.

Spencer's results - to be submitted for peer review in the coming months - found the gardens kept the clams cooler even with the added heat.

This effect suggests the gardens are more than a way to create and maintain a food source. They could also be a climate adaptation strategy for an entire ecosystem.

Spencer's supervisor at SFU, marine ecologist Anne Salomon, is excited about the prospect.

"We're desperately looking around the world for climate solutions, and here's one that is at least 4,000 years old," Salomon said. "It works. It's a very simple process, and so I am very optimistic about the future when I see examples like this."

For Ken Thomas, it's confirmation that his people knew how to use the resources responsibly for millennia. That's one reason he so readily agreed to go ahead with Spencer's experiment.

"Just last night, we had a nice pot of steamers, manila clams and little neck clams [to eat]. So you know, we still utilize it and we still love it and we want it around forever."
- Laura Lynch Check out our radio show and podcast. How do you prepare for when wildfires hit close to home? Emergency managers say you can get ready early with a "go bag." We'll help you pack it. airs on Sundays at 11 a.m. ET, 11:30 a.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador. Subscribe on your favourite podcast app or hear it on demand at Joanne Moyer: .
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The Big Picture: An underwater art exhibit

June 8 is World Ocean Day, when we reflect on the ecological importance of our oceans and raise awareness about the measures needed to protect them from climate change and biodiversity loss. British artist Jason deCaires Taylor is marking the day with an ethereal exhibit down inside Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world. Rising temperatures related to climate change have led to a number of mass bleaching events in the reef, which have greatly damaged the coral.

The display, entitled , is being hosted by the local Museum of Underwater Art and features an array of submerged statues. Made from "Earth-friendly concrete" (according to the museum), these surreal, serene objects are totems to specific scientists who have worked to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Suffice to say, the exhibition is best viewed while scuba diving or snorkelling.

This isn't deCaires Taylor's first attempt at aquatic art - in 2019, he sank a number of statues elsewhere off the coast of Australia for an exhibition called Coral Greenhouse. He says his intent, then as now, was to make the statues friendly to marine life, so that corals, sponges and other creatures would change them in "vibrant and unpredictable ways."

Hot and bothered: Provocative ideas from around the web

Is a forest with a variety of tree species better at fighting climate change?

Planting trees is often a go-to action for environmental sustainability, but it turns out that it really matters what types of trees you plant - and where.

Tree diversity, or the amount and distribution of tree species in a forested area, is critical for growth, sustaining biodiversity and building resilience to the effects of climate change.

A new study shows it also makes a big difference in the carbon cycle - that is, the balance created by carbon being absorbed by ecosystems and then returned to the atmosphere through decomposition.

Unfortunately, tree diversity is on the decline on a global scale, and is a particular problem in Canada.

"In Canadian forests, as compared to temperate and tropical forests, tree diversity is low," said Scott Chang, a professor of renewable resources at the University of Alberta.

But around the world, tree diversity "has been decreasing due to human interference, global climate change, harvesting of forests and so forth," he added.

Tree diversity is a term used to describe three specific qualities in our forest environment, according to Chang.

The first two qualities are species richness, which is measured by the number of trees in an area, and evenness, which Chang describes as how equally the species are distributed.

The last factor comes down to the actual trees and the different functions they perform in a forest.

"Some of them have bigger leaves, some have small leaves, and those are a measure of function," Chang said.

Different species of trees have distinct physical characteristics; in turn, those characteristics give them different capacities to adapt to certain challenges. And that ensures the forest is resilient to stress, said Devon Earl, an environmental scientist and conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association.

While maintaining forest biodiversity helps to improve resilience to climate change, diversity can also help mitigate further warming, according to published by Naturein April on carbon storage in natural forests across Canada.

"This is the first study to demonstrate that tree diversity can increase soil carbon sequestration in natural forests," said Chang.

The study looked at data over an almost 20-year period, and included hundreds of forest plots scattered across the country.

According to the study, increasing species evenness increases soil carbon and nitrogen by 30 and 42 per cent, respectively.

Increasing the functional diversity - that is, the variety of physical characteristics within the forest - enhanced soil carbon and nitrogen by 32 and 50 per cent, respectively.

"More diverse trees can uptake more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that will mitigate the global change, and also it could ... reduce nitrogen loss from the forest," said Xinli Chen, a post-doctoral student and lead author on the study.

Chen said that more diverse forests often have more biomass production. Factors like root depth and canopy height play a role in how forests grow and thrive, he added.

"They can take more resources from the ecosystem," he said. "So this means they can grow better ... and it means they can take more carbon from the atmosphere."

Chang said the study opens the door for embracing tree diversity as a means of climate change mitigation in Canada. He said the implications from this research should be implemented in the Canadian government's "2 Billion Trees Commitment," an initiative that is working to help organizations plant two billion trees in Canada over the next decade.

"If they can use multiple tree species for instructing those tree plantings instead of just a single tree species, there is a potential benefit that can be gained to increase carbon sequestration," Chang said.

According to Earl, after an area is logged, forestry companies tend to plant a single species that they want to cut again in the future. In addition, she said, companies will often use the herbicide glyphosate to suppress the growth of deciduous trees and other plants.

"They just want to have that one species of tree growing back that they want to harvest again, and they don't want that tree species to have any competition for things like light and soil nutrients," she said.

Earl explained that allowing those deciduous trees to grow in replanted cutblocks benefits the wildlife but also helps with the increased risk of wildfire as our climate changes.

Deciduous trees such as aspen are less likely to burn, and when they do, they burn less intensely.

"It's really important to have these trees in the forest that are less likely to burn intensely and can act as sort of a break."

- Christy Climenhaga

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Are there issues you'd like us to cover? Questions you want answered? Do you just want to share a kind word? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at whatonearth@cbc.ca.

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Editor: Andre Mayer | Logo design: Sködt McNalty

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Ancient Indigenous 'clam gardens' could be modern-day climate solution | CBC News

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In this week's issue of our environment newsletter, we explore how "clam gardens" can be a climate solution and learn about the importance of biodiversity in forests.

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Extensive research highlights the impacts of climate change, including droughts, floods, wildfires, and the loss of biodiversity.

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Canadian Island Disappearing Due to Climate Change

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The consequences are not distributed equally, with Indigenous peoples disproportionately affected. 

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The consequences are not distributed equally, with Indigenous peoples disproportionately affected. 

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"Just in my life, we lost quite a bit of land in front of my mother's," said Miiga'agan, a Mi'kmaw grandmother. - CBC

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First Nations communities along the Atlantic coast may face grave challenges from climate change, a recent federal report says.

The Regional Perspectives Report: Atlantic provinces said Esgenoôpetitj First Nation, about 130 kilometres north of Moncton, was already at risk for flooding but climate change and rising sea levels may intensify flood risks for the community, and intense storm surges have increased erosion.

"Just in my life, we lost quite a bit of land in front of my mother's," said Miiga'agan, a Mi'kmaw grandmother.

She's lived in the community since the late 1950s and said traditional foods have been destroyed or contaminated. Esgenoopetitj houses a wastewater treatment plant and Miiga'agan worries the plant discharge may harm local clam beds, blueberries, mussels and common periwinkles.

She said she thinks because of colonization humanity has lost touch with its responsibility to the natural world, but Miiga'gan said she is hopeful things can change.

"Humanity is mature enough to know something has to change," she said.

Her solution to the changing climate is reclaiming the Mi'kmaw language. Miiga'agan said the language holds a spiritual and philosophical connection to the land and by reintroducing the language, a stronger bond will form with the land.

"Our identity comes from the land," she said.

Facing flooding and increased erosion

The federal report worked with provincial governments, academics and Indigenous organizations to explore the challenges the region is facing from climate change and to encourage adaptation to the increasing risks.

Esgenoopetitj, Ugpi'ganjig, Indian Island and Lennox Island First Nations were named specifically as communities facing significant challenges from climate change, but all coastal communities are at risk of flooding.

Indian Island and Ugpi'ganjig First Nations have already been hit with violent storm surges that caused flooding. In December 2010, Ugpi'ganjig experienced a storm that caused over $1.7 million in damages and responded by constructing a concrete seawall and other flood prevention measures. Indian Island First Nation also built a seawall and began elevating homes in the last five years.

Tom Johnson, the Geographic Information Systems co-ordinator at Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Incorporated, was one of the writers on the report.

"Historically we're not looking at ways to dominate nature, we're looking at ways to live in nature," said Johnson, who is Wolastoqew.

He said historically Mi'kmaq moved seasonally and, if faced with increased flood risk, would have moved inland. But the reserve system forced them to stay put.

Johnson helped map out New Brunswick for the report. He said the loss of land from coastal erosion is minor for most communities but Ugpi'ganjig, a coastal community situated along the Eel River and the Bay of Chaleur, is at higher risk. A dam built in the 1960s caused changes in sediment distribution, destroying sandbars, and increased erosion led to the loss of 24 hectares of land, which in turn increased the community's flood risk.

The report said there are plans to increase flood preparedness in Indigenous communities like improving drainage systems, and raising and fixing flood damaged homes and other infrastructure.

Sabine Dietz, the co-lead author of the report, said western science tends to silo things while Indigenous science takes a holistic approach. Dietz said science may separate forestry from the river, while the Mi'kmaq see the relationship the two have. Building trust with Indigenous organizations was key for the collaboration on the report, she said.

"When it comes to adapting to climate change, western scientists have a lot to learn," said Dietz.

The P.E.I. Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action said it sent letters to First Nation chiefs about consultation on a climate adaptation strategy. The New Brunswick government said it has provided funding to First Nation communities facing climate change through the Environment Trust Fund and will continue to engage with them. Newfoundland and Labrador said it will continue to work with Indigenous communities impacted by climate change.

The province of Nova Scotia did not respond to a request for comment by time of publishing.

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Indigenous communities along Atlantic coast at risk from rising sea levels | CBC News

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First Nations communities along the Atlantic coast may face grave challenges from climate change, a recent federal report says.

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How To: Climate Change vs Indigenous Poster

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How To: Climate Change vs Indigenous Poster

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On June 21, 2023, our organization will be celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day.  We want YOU to create your own Climate Change vs Indigenous poster and share it with us!

Step 1: Gather all your materials like LARGE white cardstock paper, pens, and markers

Step 2: Write WHY Indigenous people and climate change is important to you. For example: "Our climate is changing so should we!"

Step 3: Use hashtag #OurLandOurCrisis

Step 4: Take a picture with your creation and tag us @Indigenousclimatechange on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook

Step 5: On September 30, we will share your submitted photos on our page!

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Indigenous communities have long lived in harmony with nature, developing sustainable practices that ensure the well-being of their communities and the Earth.

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Indigenous communities have long lived in harmony with nature, developing sustainable practices that ensure the well-being of their communities and the Earth.

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Indigenous Peoples believe themselves as one element of the natural world; therefore, they treat and protect it as their family for the next generations. It is crucial to recognize and respect Indigenous traditional knowledge and practices in environmental management.

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Using Indigenous knowledge to tackle climate change

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We invite readers to join us in building a sustainable future that recognizes the vital role of Indigenous peoples and safeguards the well-being of humanity and the planet we call home.

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We invite readers to join us in building a sustainable future that recognizes the vital role of Indigenous peoples and safeguards the well-being of humanity and the planet we call home.

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With this Manifesto on Indigenous rights and Climate Change, our organization calls for collective action grounded in critical thinking and research.

We care about climate change because we are concerned for our future. Truthfully, taking care of the land we reside is all of our responsibility.

It's time to address our crisis together!

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We are seeking 100,000 signatures by September 30

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We are seeking 100,000 signatures by September 30

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September 30, 2023, is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. You can find our petition at 'change.org' titled: Indigenous Rights and Climate Change

Our petition reads:

To address the ecological crisis and support Indigenous communities, we propose actions for governments, corporations, and individuals:

1. Recognize Indigenous land rights and support their efforts to protect and manage their territories effectively.

2. Invest $3 billion in renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change, while prioritizing the perspectives and needs of Indigenous communities.

3. Provide financial and technical assistance to help Indigenous communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, including sustainable infrastructure and adaptation strategies.

4. Foster collaboration between Indigenous communities and scientific institutions, integrating Indigenous traditional knowledge and practices into environmental decision-making processes.

5. Ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous communities in decision-making processes related to climate change at all levels, acknowledging their unique perspectives and solutions.

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Fire experts prescribe Indigenous cultural burns to reduce wildfire risk in B.C.

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Wildfire experts say British Columbia must spark far more prescribed burns, akin to how Indigenous communities have managed forests, to mitigate the risk of huge blazes.

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SAVE THE LAND, LAKES & PEOPLE OF SOUTH INDIAN LAKE from continued ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION! #WATERISLIFE

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SAVE THE LAND, LAKES & PEOPLE OF SOUTH INDIAN LAKE from continued ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION! #WATERISLIFE

Manitoba Hydro, a crown corporation, flooded and destroyed the land at O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation/South Indian Lake in 1974 when they diverted the Churchill River to generate Hydroelectric power.

In doing so, they caused immeasurable environmental devastation to the lands, rivers, and lakes- destroying entire ecosystems and polluting aquatic and non-aquatic wildlife.

The socio-economic effects of this mass destruction in the name of progress have been immeasurable to the community's Indigenous people and are still being felt today.

In 1973, Manitoba Hydro was granted an Interim Licence that allowed operation and fluctuations of 2 feet over a twelve-month period, much like fluctuations in nature. Manitoba Hydro has not followed the terms of the Interim Licence since 1979! Manitoba Hydro has deviated from the Interim Licence, called the Augmented Flow Program (AFP), which allows 6 additional inches of flooding, 1 foot of further dewatering, and 4.5 feet of lake fluctuation. This operation is devasting and unnecessary for current Manitoba needs!

Regrettably, on May 13, 2021, the Minister of Conservation and Climate, Sarah Guillemarde, granted MANITOBA HYDRO a final licence for the Augmented Flow Program. Augment just means increase or raise, and they have raised water levels greatly- causing MASS ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION!

What is truly problematic is that the Minister falsely stated in a press release that the decision was made after "decades-long consultation with Indigenous communities." Consultation is meaningless if it is done merely as lip service and a formality. Consultation must actually be implemented and this has not been the case.

What would we like to see happen?
Ultimately, we want the province of Manitoba to rescind their issuance of a final "licence to destroy" to Manitoba Hydro. Manitoba Hydro is a crown corporation and is owned by the province, which puts the province in a serious position of conflict of interest. In order to do the right thing, they must recuse themselves and have a neutral, third party examine the issue, following actual, meaningful consultation and implementation of Indigenous people's concerns.
Now, we are calling upon the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT to intervene. This is not solely a provincial issue because it involves Indigenous lands and Indigenous peoples!!!! Manitoba is required under the Constitution of Canada to conduct a section 35 consultation regarding the Churchill River Diversion Final Licence issuance regarding potential impacts on Aboriginal & Treaty Rights. Once again, despite fictitious claims to the contrary; this did not happen!
Chief Shirley Ducharme of South Indian Lake has been very clear on her opposition to this project. She has called repeatedly for meaningful consultation and action. It doesn't seem like Manitoba Hydro is listening to her and it's unfortunate.

We'd like to see Manitoba Hydro engage in meaningful consultation with South Indian Lake, Split Lake, Cross Lake, and other impacted First Nations. A community member in South Indian Lake who led the consultation process has said repeatedly and publicly that he's frustrated he went through the process of engaging community members, but that Manitoba Hydro rejected the views of the community and there has been no follow-up.

When the Minister issued a Final Licence to Manitoba Hydro without the required meaningful consultation under Sec. 35 and more importantly, Accommodation of the impacts on Aboriginal & Treaty Rights as required by the Canadian Constitution of 1982- she did so in violation of the Constitution!

In sum, please support us by signing this petition and asking MP Marc Miller and MP Carolyn Bennett to rescind Manitoba Hydro's issuance of a final license to destroy the land, water, wildlife, and Indigenous peoples in Northern Manitoba! The honour of the Crown is at stake and our rights as Canadians are collectively being violated! The provincial government of Manitoba MUST NOT get away with these vile actions!

Kinanaskomitinawaw (thank you, with extreme gratitude) for your support! We must protect our environment and preserve it for future generations to come!

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Français SAVE THE LAND, LAKES & PEOPLE OF SOUTH INDIAN LAKE from continued ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION! #WATERISLIFE Manitoba Hydro, a crown corporation, flooded and destroyed the land at O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation/South Indian Lake in 1974 when they diverted the Churchill River to generate Hydroelectric power.

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Action #2: Use hashtag #OurLandOurCrisis

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Action #2: Use hashtag #OurLandOurCrisis

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We need YOU help us build the campaign awareness!

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How climate change affects Indigenous peoples is important to us. Period. 

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How climate change affects Indigenous peoples is important to us. Period. 

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"First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada are uniquely sensitive to the impacts of climate change"

In the face of an unprecedented ecological crisis, caused largely by human activities, our organization presents this manifesto on Indigenous and Climate Change.

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Summary

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada are uniquely sensitive to the impacts of climate change because they tend to live in geographic regions experiencing rapid climate change and because they have a close relationship to and depend on the environment and its natural resources. The direct and indirect impacts of climate change on the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis are interconnected and far-reaching.

The changing climate will exacerbate the health and socio-economic inequities already experienced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, including respiratory, cardiovascular, water- and foodborne, chronic and infectious diseases, as well as financial hardship and food insecurity. Natural hazards, coupled with unpredictable and extreme weather events, can result in temporary or long-term evacuations from traditional territories, in addition to greater risk of injury and death from accidents while out on the land. Infrastructure damage or instability due to climate change, particularly in Northern and remote locations, may restrict access to health systems and supplies. Climate change threatens First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' ways of life, resilience, cultural cohesion, and opportunities for the transmission of Indigenous knowledges and land skills, particularly among youth. Cross-cutting climate impacts will disrupt the livelihoods of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, families and communities, affecting their sense of identity and cultural continuity and compounding existing mental health issues. Indigenous knowledge systems and practices are key to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' ability to observe, respond, and adapt to climate and environmental changes.

Key Messages

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada are uniquely sensitive to the impacts of climate change, given their close relationships to land, waters, animals, plants, and natural resources; tendency to live in geographic areas undergoing rapid climate change, especially Northern Canada; and greater existing burden of health inequalities and related determinants of health.

The health impacts of climate change on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are interconnected and far-reaching. They result from direct and indirect impacts of climate change that exacerbate existing inequities, and affect food and water security, air quality, infrastructure, personal safety, mental well-being, livelihoods, and identity, as well as increase exposure to organisms causing disease.

Health impacts are experienced differently within and between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis men, women, boys, girls, and gender-diverse people. Thus, research and adaptations must respect cultures, geography, local contexts, and the unique needs of these communities.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples have been actively observing and adapting to changing environments in a diversity of ways since time immemorial. Indigenous knowledge systems and practices are equal to scientific knowledge and have been, and continue to be, critical to Indigenous Peoples' survival and resilience.

Indigenous knowledge systems are increasingly recognized, both nationally and internationally, as important in adapting to climate change, monitoring impacts at the local and regional level, and informing climate change policy and research.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are rights holders. Preparing for the health impacts of climate change requires that Indigenous Peoples' rights and responsibilities over their lands, natural resources, and ways of life are respected, protected, and advanced through distinctions-based, Indigenous-led, climate change adaptation, policy, and research.

Health Impact or Hazard Category Climate-related Causes Possible Health Effects

Impacts on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and communities

Increased wildfire, drought, and flooding events

Instability and melting of permafrost and changes to ground snow cover, sea ice extent and thickness

Changes to sea levels and weather patterns

Higher exposure to climate risks in relation to natural and built environments (such as poor housing, water, sanitation, and environmental contaminants)

Decreased availability, quality, quantity, and health of traditional food sources

Melting and damage to ice roads

Effects of warming and changes to precipitation patterns that affect survival and transmission of disease-causing organisms

Exacerbation of health and socio-economic inequities

Air quality health impacts (such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases)

Increased water and foodborne diseases

Mental health impacts (such as stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder)

Exacerbation of chronic and infectious diseases

Increased injuries and deaths from accidents (e.g., natural hazards and extreme weather events)

Increased direct and indirect health impacts from permafrost-related infrastructure damage

Decreased opportunities for transmission of Indigenous knowledges and land skills, particularly among youth, affecting sense of identity, mental well-being, and cultures

Temporary or long-term evacuation or displacement of populations from traditional territories, disrupting lives, creating financial hardship and affecting mental well-being

Food and water insecurity due to decreased access to and quality of land, waters, plants, animals, and natural resources

Impacts on health and infrastructure (such as restricted or delayed travel for health and emergency services, access to medical supplies, and patient safety)

"Sister of ocean and sand,
Can you see our glaciers groan with the weight of the world's heat?
I wait for you, here,
on the land of my ancestors,
heart heavy with a thirst for solutions
as I watch this land change
while the world remains silent"
Indigenous Peoples, in Canada and globally, are recognized as uniquely sensitive to the impacts of climate change because they often live in geographic regions already experiencing rapid change and because of their close relationships with and dependence on land, waters, animals, plants, and natural resources for their sustenance, livelihoods, cultures, identities, health, and well-being (Ford, 2012; ILO, 2017; Jones, 2019). Non-climate determinants of health exacerbate these sensitivities, including a greater existing burden of health inequalities compared to non-Indigenous populations and the historic and ongoing effects of colonization and socio-economic and political marginalization (Ford et al., 2010a; Ford, 2012; ILO, 2017; Jones, 2019).

The health impacts of climate change on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are interconnected and far-reaching. Changing temperature and precipitation regimes will increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (e.g., floods, storms, heat events, droughts), wildfires, sea level rise, and coastal erosion, with direct and indirect impacts on food and water security, air quality, infrastructure, personal safety, mental health and well-being, livelihoods, and identity (Ford et al., 2010a; Ford, 2012; Yusa et al., 2015). These impacts will be experienced differently within and among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis men, women, boys, girls, and gender-diverse people in communities from coast to coast to coast.

Although often portrayed as passive victims or harbingers of climate change impacts in international reporting (Ford et al., 2016b; Belfer et al., 2017), Indigenous Peoples in Canada and around the world have been actively observing and adapting to changing environments in a diversity of ways for millennia (Ford et al., 2020). Indigenous knowledge systems and practices have been critical to their survival and resilience and are increasingly recognized as valuable to understanding and responding to climate change (Ford et al., 2016b; Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, 2018; ILO, 2019). Mobilizing Indigenous knowledges and experiences in climate change adaptation, policy, and research in a consistent, collaborative, decolonial, and rights-based way, however, remains a significant challenge (IPCC, 2014; Ford et al., 2016b; Belfer et al., 2019; Huntington et al., 2019; Latulippe & Klenk, 2020).

This chapter provides an overview of climate change risks to Indigenous Peoples' health in Canada. It begins with a description of Indigenous health inequalities, followed by climate change risks to health specific to natural hazards; mental health and well-being; air quality; food safety and security; water quality, quantity, and security; infectious diseases; and health systems. The role of Indigenous knowledges in climate change adaptation, monitoring, policy, and research is then discussed within the context of Indigenous Peoples' rights as well as national and international obligations. Existing knowledge gaps specific to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples important for efforts to protect health are provided, along with considerations for moving forward.

This chapter is a synthesis of publicly available peer-reviewed and grey literature, as well as alternative media sources (e.g., videos, news articles) focused on climate change risks to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' health in Canada and on the role of Indigenous knowledges in climate change adaptation, policy, and research efforts. It is important to note that this is the first time an Indigenous-specific chapter has been included as part of Canada's national climate change and health assessment. Emphasis was placed on literature specific to Canada published since the 2014 assessment on human health in Canada in a Changing Climate: Sector Perspectives on Impacts and Adaptation (Berry et al., 2014), although older sources and international literature were included, as appropriate.

Sources were identified through a search of academic databases (e.g., BioMed Central, PubMed, and Science Direct), Google, and Google Scholar using the following search terms: "First Nations/Inuit/Métis/Indigenous" and "climate change" and "adaptation/infectious diseases/natural hazards/mental health/air quality/food security/water safety/water security/health services" and "Canada" and "traditional knowledge/traditional ecological knowledge/Indigenous knowledge." This search was supplemented with manual scanning of citations in key publications and a targeted search of relevant websites, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous government agencies and organizations (e.g., national Indigenous organizations, Indigenous Services Canada). Additional sources were included based on peer-review feedback of this chapter.

Of the relevant publications identified, the majority were peer-reviewed and focused on Inuit populations in the Arctic, with the remainder focused on First Nations or Indigenous populations generally in rural and Northern Canada. Specific populations are distinguished in this chapter, where possible, to highlight the diverse perspectives and experiences within and among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and communities. However, some generalizations are made depending on the number and nature of citations used (e.g., more than one Indigenous group is being referenced) and in instances where there are potentially shared experiences (e.g., health inequalities and determinants).

In assessing climate change risks to health, it is important to recognize the limitations and challenges of Indigenous health data and research as they currently exist in Canada. Relevant, high-quality data are challenged by a lack of disaggregated and longitudinal First Nations, Inuit, and Métis-specific data; the absence of relevant, consistent, and inclusive Indigenous identifiers in population health data sources; and a lack of strengths-based and community-driven health and wellness indicators (Smylie, 2010; Smylie & Firestone, 2015). Some geographic areas and populations are over-represented in core population health data sources (e.g., Status First Nations living on reserve or Inuit living in Inuit Nunangat), while others are severely under-represented (e.g., non-Status First Nations, Métis, or other Indigenous Peoples living in urban areas) (Young, 2003; Smylie, 2010; Kumar et al., 2012). This substandard health data result in generalizations across diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis populations and an under-estimation of the health inequities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people (Smylie & Firestone, 2015). Working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and their representative and governing organizations to govern and manage the data collected from them is critical to addressing these challenges (Smylie & Firestone, 2015).

Research on Indigenous health has, and continues to be, dominated by non-Indigenous researchers (Brown, 2018; Anderson, 2019) and by scientific knowledge paradigms that consider Indigenous methodologies, epistemologies, knowledges, and perspectives less rigorous than Western science (Saini, 2012; Hyett et al., 2018). It is also tainted by a history of unethical policies and practices, including the "misappropriation and abuse of Indigenous knowledge, property, culture and biological samples," as well as a "failure to share data and resulting benefits; and the dissemination of information that misrepresented or stigmatized entire communities" (Hyett et al., 2018, p. E616). Consequently, much of the health research conducted to date is not relevant to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' health needs or priorities (Young, 2003; Wilson & Young, 2008; Hyett et al., 2018). Although ethics guidelines and community-based and partnership approaches are improving the practice of health research involving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples (Hyett et al., 2018), there is still considerable work to be done to ensure research is respectful, relevant, reciprocal, and responsible. Guidance on best practices for research with Indigenous Peoples and communities have been developed by non-governmental organizations, national Indigenous organizations, and government agencies, and complement resources developed by communities and other organizations (RCAP, 1996; NAHO, 2011; First Nations Information Governance Centre, 2014; Hyett et al., 2018; CIHR, 2013; CIHR, NSERC, & SSHRC, 2018; ITK, 2018; Kilian et al., 2019).

Significant gaps identified from this review include literature related to climate change health risks affecting Indigenous populations in other regions of Canada (e.g., Prairies, Maritimes), Métis and urban Indigenous populations, and gendered perspectives on climate change (see Section 2.7 Knowledge Gaps). The focus of research in the North is due to the more rapid warming in that region and the greater severity of current and projected impacts (Ford, et al., 2014; ITK, 2019b). The gaps also point to the limitations of Indigenous health research and data in Canada more generally (see Box 2.1).

" Rapid climate change is yet another layer of stress cast over our already stressed society "

Although Indigenous Peoples are the most youthful and fastest-growing segment of Canada's population, they do not enjoy the same benefits of good health as other Canadians. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals, families, and communities experience a disproportionate burden of ill health compared to non-Indigenous people, including significantly higher rates of infant and child mortality, unintentional injury and death, chronic and infectious diseases, suicide, exposure to environmental contaminants, malnutrition, and a reduced life expectancy (Gracey & King, 2009; Greenwood et al., 2018; PHAC, 2018a). Health disparities are influenced, in part, by the social determinants of health, or the conditions in which individuals are born, grow, live, work, and age (CSDH, 2008). Key social determinants of health include income and social status, employment and working conditions, education, early childhood development, physical environments, social supports and coping skills, health behaviours, access to health services, gender, culture, and race. These conditions are, in turn, the result of complex structures and systems operating at the local, national, and global levels that determine the distribution of money, power, and resources within and among countries (Marmot, 2007; CSDH, 2008; Reading, 2018). Together, the determinants of health and their structural drivers contribute to a social gradient of health, where the most socio-economically disadvantaged populations experience the greatest burden of ill health (Marmot, 2007) (see Chapter 9: Climate Change and Health Equity).

Indigenous-specific determinants of health are linked to past and contemporary colonial policies and practices, including dispossession of traditional lands; forced relocation to reserves or settlements; child apprehensions related to Indian residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and subsequent child welfare policies; forced relocation to tuberculosis sanatoria and Indian hospitals; oppression through the Indian Act; and systemic discrimination (Gracey & King, 2009; Greenwood et al., 2018). These determinants serve to perpetuate structural inequities and systemic disadvantage across the lifespan and across generations. Such intergenerational impacts are evident in the disturbingly high rates of substandard or overcrowded housing, poverty, food and water insecurity, unemployment, child apprehension, incarceration, as well as lower rates of educational attainment and poorer access to quality health care (Reading & Wien, 2009; NCCAH, 2012; NCCAH, 2017). In contrast, factors such as spending time out on the land, having a strong sense of Indigenous identity, cultural continuity, supportive kinship and community relationships, and expressions of self-government and self-determination can promote protective factors such as resilience, self-reliance, and self-confidence to facilitate more positive health outcomes (Chandler & Lalonde, 1998; Petrasek MacDonald et al., 2013a; Kielland & Simeone, 2014). Health determinants intersect and manifest differently among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, influencing risk and protective factors associated with health status in distinct ways across the lifespan (Reading & Wien, 2009).

Determinants of health frameworks, and perspectives of health and well-being generally, vary considerably within and among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. At a national level, some key documents articulating these perspectives include:

The First Nations Health Transformation Agenda by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN, 2017)

Social Determinants of Inuit Health in Canada by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK, 2014)

Métis Life Promotion Framework© (MLPF) (Martens et al., 2010).

The status of determinants of health can increase or decrease vulnerability to health risks associated with climate change (see Chapter 9: Climate Change and Health Equity). Existing health inequities and inequalities can compound vulnerability to climate-related health risks. This results in increased exposure and sensitivity to climate hazards and decreased ability to cope and adapt (Islam & Winkel, 2017).

"The respect that we need to show the land and its relatedness to us. We are the land. If the land is sick then it ain't going to be very long before we're going to get sick."
The impacts of climate change on the land, and on Indigenous Peoples' relationships to the land, are already evident in communities from coast to coast to coast, not just in terms of effects on physical health, but also on the emotional, spiritual, psychological, and cultural well-being of Indigenous Peoples (ISC, 2019a). The dramatic, unprecedented rate of change has led some Indigenous communities and organizations to declare climate change states of emergency. In May 2019, the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (Old Crow, Yukon) was the first to issue a formal state of emergency, asserting that their traditional way of life was under threat from the rapidly changing landscape (). Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Chief, Dana Tizya-Tramm, noted, "It's going to be the blink of an eye before my great grandchild is living in a completely different territory, and if that's not an emergency, I don't know what is" (Avery, 2019, n.p.). The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) subsequently declared a global climate emergency at its July 2019 annual general meeting, along with calls to develop a First Nations-led climate strategy and to convene a national gathering to advance climate advocacy, which was held in March 2020, in Whitehorse, Yukon (AFN, 2019, AFN, 2020).

In Inuit Nunangat, which is warming at almost three times the global average (Bush & Lemmen, 2019), the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) has responded to this unprecedented rate of change and impacts by developing the Inuit Priorities for Canada's Climate Strategy: A Canadian Inuit Vision for Our Common Future in Our Homelands report (ITK, 2016) and the National Inuit Climate Change Strategy (ITK, 2019b).

In October 2016, the Métis National Council (MNC) passed a resolution on climate change and the environment at a special sitting of its general assembly. Couched in a nation-to-nation, government-to-government approach, the resolution supports meaningful Métis engagement and review of federal environmental legislation, policy, protection, management, and assessment processes (Métis National Council, 2016). The MNC has also conducted a national climate change and health vulnerability assessment (JF Consulting, 2020).

The health impacts of climate change on Inuit, Métis, and First Nations peoples are far-reaching, and have already been observed in many regions of Canada. The following section provides a broad overview of climate change risks to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' health and well-being associated with natural hazards, mental health, air quality, infectious diseases, food safety and security, water safety and security, and health systems. Risks are discussed in the context of existing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' health inequalities and the unique sensitivities of Indigenous Peoples to climate change. Examples of Indigenous adaptation projects and initiatives from across Canada in response to climate change are also provided.

Indigenous knowledge, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), TK, and Inuit knowledge or Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit are all dynamic and living concepts that denote the understanding, interdependence, and relationality between Indigenous Peoples and the lands they call home, including all Creation and beings (animate and inanimate) within that land (McGregor, 2014). According to the Inuit Circumpolar Council (n.d., para. 4), Indigenous knowledge can be defined as "a systematic way of thinking applied to phenomenon across biological, physical, cultural and spiritual systems. It includes insights based on evidence acquired through direct and long-term experiences and extensive and multigenerational observations, lessons and skills. It has developed over millennia and is still developing in a living process, including knowledge acquired today and in the future, ... [as] passed on from generation to generation." TEK is the "knowledge, practice, and belief, evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by cultural transmission, about the relationship of living beings, including humans, with one another and with their environment" (Berkes, 2012, p. 7). The direct translation of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is "that which Inuit have always known to be true" and it is governed by four natural laws: "1) working for the common good; 2) respecting all living things; 3) maintaining harmony and balance; and 4) continually planning and preparing for the future" (Nunavut Department of Education, 2007; Tagalik, 2010, p. 1). According to concepts around Métis peoples' TEK, "understanding the natural world, building skills and behaviour adaptable and applicable to other facets of Métis life...contribute[s] to personal and community spiritual, physical, intellectual and emotional health and development" (Vizina, 2010, p. 13).

Indigenous knowledges are embedded within Indigenous languages and transmitted to younger generations through community knowledge (Task Force on Aboriginal Languages and Cultures, 2005; Battiste, 2010; Tagalik, 2010; Wilder et al., 2016). This includes observations about the land, plants, insects, forests, waterways, sea, sea ice, soil, weather conditions, and migratory patterns of animals (Tagalik, 2010; McGregor, 2014; Sandoval et al., 2016; Windchief & Ryan, 2018). Cosmological, medicinal, pharmacological, agricultural, and botanical knowledges, for example, are shared through direct observation and participation in them, as well as through storytelling, prayers, dance, art, protocols, teachings, and ceremonies (Neeganagwedgin, 2013; Kulnieks et al., 2016; Reo et al., 2017). Indigenous knowledges inform ethical, social, political, legal, governance and moral practices, and are pivotal for community survival and continuity, as well as resource management and sustainability (Alexander et al., 2011; McGregor, 2012; Windchief & Ryan, 2018).

"It is our right to keep on living the way we used to and also the right to adapt for a better future."
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples have a distinct constitutional relationship with the Crown as rights-holders under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, including the inherent right to self-government over their lands, natural resources, and ways of life (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, 2018). In line with the Government of Canada's commitment to reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (2015), 10 overarching principles were developed in 2018 to support a renewed "nation-to-nation, government-to-government, and Inuit-Crown relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership as the foundation for transformative change" (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, 2018, p. 3). The Principles Respecting the Government of Canada's Relationship with Indigenous Peoples address national commitments, such as treaties or other agreements and negotiations between the Crown and Indigenous Peoples, and acknowledge that distinctions-based approaches are needed to "ensure that the unique rights, interests and circumstances of the First Nations, the Métis Nation and Inuit are acknowledged, affirmed, and implemented" (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, 2018, p. 17).

The principles also address international commitments, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was adopted by Canada without qualifications in 2016. This declaration recognizes the urgent "need to respect and promote the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples which derive from their political, economic and social structures and from their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and philosophies, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources" (United Nations, 2007, p. 3). Additionally, it states that "Indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditional practices contribute to sustainable and equitable development and proper management of the environment," and that Indigenous Peoples have "the right to the conservation and protection of the environment and the productive capacity of their lands or territories and resources" (United Nations, 2007, p. 4, 21). Similarly, the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals articulate a 15-year agenda to eradicate poverty in all its forms and address the global challenge of sustainable development, including goal 13, to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity. Respecting and promoting these rights supports Canada in meeting its domestic and internal commitments and is central to climate change efforts going forward.

There are significant knowledge gaps regarding climate change and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' health in Canada. Both the population and geographic focus of the research is uneven, with the majority focused on Inuit populations and the Canadian Arctic, which is recognized as a "global hotspot" for climate change (ITK, 2019b; Ford et al., 2014). Relatively little research exists on First Nations communities outside the North, especially First Nations communities in the Prairies and the Atlantic provinces. Métis peoples across Canada are significantly under-represented in climate change research. There is also limited research on climate change in the context of urban First Nations, Inuit, and Métis populations, which is problematic, given that over 50% of Indigenous Peoples in Canada live in urban centres. Similarly, few studies examine the intersection of climate change and gender, particularly the experiences of gender-diverse people. The perspectives of Indigenous Elders and natural resource users are over-represented in the literature, with fewer studies looking at children and youth. These gaps are linked, in part, to the inadequacies of health data and research in Canada, including a lack of disaggregated and longitudinal data specific to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples; the absence of relevant, consistent, and inclusive Indigenous identifiers in population health data sources; and a lack of strength-based and community-driven health indicators (Smylie, 2010; Smylie & Firestone, 2015). As noted in Box 2.1, Indigenous health research also continues to be dominated by non-Indigenous researchers and scientific knowledge paradigms (Saini, 2012; Brown, 2018; Hyett et al., 2018; Anderson, 2019).

In terms of climate change risks to Indigenous health, more research is needed to understand the holistic and long-term impacts of changing temperature and precipitation regimes on food and water safety and security, air quality, health infrastructure, personal safety, mental health, livelihoods, and identity within and among diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and communities. These climate-related risks to health also need to be examined in the context of existing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' health inequalities and inequities, and related determinants of health. For example, more research is needed to understand how increases in air pollutants and aeroallergens will affect First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who already experience a disproportionate burden of chronic and infectious diseases and poor housing conditions (e.g., homes in need of repair, overcrowding, and poor ventilation). Similarly, little is known about how infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, will affect Indigenous food systems that are already compromised by climate extremes (e.g., drought, record-breaking temperatures, and wildfires) and undermined by historic and ongoing colonization (e.g., land dispossession, social exclusion) (Zavalete-Cortijo et al., 2020). Although Indigenous Peoples are often described as simultaneously vulnerable and resilient in climate change research (Vinyeta et al., 2015), there are few studies that examine resilience and protective factors in regard to climate change.

Research on the direct impacts of climate change on traditional harvesting also dominates the literature, although few examine the indirect effects of potential new economic development opportunities arising from climate change and how they may mediate the negative impacts of climate change to Indigenous Peoples' economy, health, and culture (Ford & Pearce, 2012). Studies on the determinants of adaptive capacity are also limited, including access to financial resources, social networks, flexibility in resource management regimes, the role and potential of social learning in adaptation, and the role of government policies and programs in adaptive capacity (Ford & Pearce, 2012). Similarly, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness of community-based adaptation initiatives and how Indigenous knowledges have been used in adaptation initiatives.

"Climate change is bad...we feel it in the north a lot more than people in the south...I've noticed in my 16 years of life that snow doesn't get as high as possible because around my house we always had this big huge snowbank, like bigger than the house, about the size of the house. But now it barely comes up to your hips. That's the one thing I've noticed as a child, that my favourite snowdrift hasn't come back. If I've noticed this in such a young stage of life, I can't imagine how the Elders would feel because they obviously have much more experience with the land around me. I am worried because I have noticed this change. Noticing it is the first thing, the next thing is to solve it."
Climate change represents one of the greatest threats to global health in the 21st century (WHO, 2018). For First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, this threat is exacerbated by their close relationships with and reliance on land, waters, animals, plants, and natural resources for their sustenance, livelihoods, cultures, identities, and health and well-being (Ford, 2012; ILO, 2017; Jones, 2019). Although First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, and Indigenous Peoples globally, contribute very little to greenhouse gas emissions, they are disproportionately affected by climate change due to pervasive health inequalities, inequities, and determinants of health, including historic and ongoing colonial oppression (Ford, 2012; ILO, 2017). The direct and indirect impacts of climate change are already being felt in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities from coast to coast to coast, particularly in geographic areas experiencing rapid change (Ford, 2012; ISC, 2019a). These impacts are interconnected and far-reaching, from increased food and water insecurity and infrastructure damage, to threats to personal safety and basic human rights, all of which are experienced differently within and among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and communities. To address the growing threat of climate change, Indigenous Peoples are drawing on their unique and diverse knowledge systems and practices, passed down from one generation to the next, that have enabled them to respond, adapt, and survive changing environments for millennia. Indigenous knowledge systems are equal to scientific knowledge and are increasingly recognized as important to climate change mitigation, adaption, research, and policy in Canada and internationally.

Significant knowledge gaps hinder effective adaptation and reflect a lack of distinctions-based, Indigenous-led, community-based participatory research on climate change and health in Canada. Continued focus and sustained research to address these gaps will ensure that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples' perspectives, experiences, knowledges, and voices are centred within climate change discussions, negotiations, and actions at all levels moving forward.

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Chapter 2 - Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate

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First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada are uniquely sensitive to the impacts of climate change because they tend to live in geographic regions experiencing rapid climate change and because they have a close relationship to and depend on the environment and its natural resources.

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“We always had a challenge finding bark because of the deforestation and a lot of the trees..."

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‘The trees are dying’: Climate change affecting a Mi’kmaq tradition says canoe maker

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‘The trees are dying’: Climate change affecting a Mi’kmaq tradition says canoe maker

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Atlantic Provinces Chapter of Regional Perspectives Report 

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Atlantic Provinces Chapter of Regional Perspectives Report 

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"Indigenous experiences inform adaptation in Atlantic Canada: The Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik and Peskotomuhkati Nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy have occupied the Maritimes since time immemorial and have adapted to changes in climate and the environment over countless generations."

Read more: https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2021/12/atlantic-provinces-chapter-of-regional-perspectives-report.html

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Climate change may be considered by many to be the most pressing issue in the world right now. But for people in Nova Scotia's black and Indigenous communities too busy dealing with issues of poverty and racism, it's often way down the list.

Now a push is on to reach out to those marginalized groups, many of whom have historically lived in areas without good public infrastructure, potentially making them that much more vulnerable to the effects of a warming planet.

"These are communities that have less access to political resources, economic resources that would enable them to come back from climate change impacts and survive the impacts of climate change," said Ingrid Waldron, an associate professor in Dalhousie University's school of nursing in Halifax.

Halifax-area officials note a number of concrete issues. Black communities like North Preston, East Preston and Cherry Brook, for instance, are on the "urban wildlands interface" - populated areas bordering forest zones.

"We know that with increasing dry periods, over time, as a result of climate change ... that will create an environment where forest fires could be," said Alex MacDonald, is a climate change specialist who leads the Halifax 2050 Acting On Climate Change Together Project.

While the HalifACT 2050 group has heard during meetings with black community groups that climate change "in itself isn't a priority," MacDonald said, threads of related issues have come to light during those conversations. Those include food security, and the cost of power and transportation.

Bryan Maponga, a climate change intern with the municipality's energy and environment department, said people in Nova Scotia's black communities are aware that climate change is one of the biggest issues the planet faces.

"I think it all boils down to the fact that every single day you are affected by climate change in one way or another," said Maponga, who is from Zimbabwe.

"It might not be you are going through a hurricane every single day, but the things such as energy poverty ... things such as how expensive is our energy production going to be for the general public."

In September, the Bahamas was devastated when Hurricane Dorian struck. The Category 5 hurricane ripped off roofs, overturned cars and tore down power lines. As of last month, the death toll was 61, with hundreds more people listed as missing.

Chaz Garraway, a Bahamian student in his third year of engineering studies at Dalhousie University, recently did a climate change presentation at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

His focus in such discussions is generally environmental racism, climate refugees and how climate change affects minorities.

"So with climate change it's usually minorities and the poorest people that are affected the worst because their communities are usually, in the case of environmental racism, placed near places like natural gas plants or dumps, so they experience health problems more than other parts of the community," Garraway said.

"And another way that they're affected is that their communities aren't as protected and they don't have as good infrastructure to protect against some of the effects of climate change, like severe weather and storm surge."

At the end of the day, Garraway said, education is the most important thing to show people that they can actually be part of the solution.

While it's important for Nova Scotia to continue to discuss the facts-based science, Waldron said, what's often missing are the ways in which climate change is experienced uniquely in different communities.

"We also need to know how it's felt on the ground ... by those who are most vulnerable," she said.

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Black and Indigenous voices often missing from climate change discussions | CBC News

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A push is on to reach out to marginalized groups in Nova Scotia, many of whom have historically lived in areas without good public infrastructure, potentially making them that much more vulnerable to the effects of a warming planet.

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We need YOU show us your poster and inspire others on September 30!

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These effects not only threaten the survival of Indigenous communities but also endanger the delicate balance of ecosystems that sustain life.

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These effects not only threaten the survival of Indigenous communities but also endanger the delicate balance of ecosystems that sustain life.

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We aim to advocate for immediate action to protect the environment and support Indigenous communities, who are among the most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change.

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Through credible references and case studies, we demonstrate the efficacy of Indigenous wisdom in fostering ecological balance and resilience.

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Through credible references and case studies, we demonstrate the efficacy of Indigenous wisdom in fostering ecological balance and resilience.

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To translate our commitment into tangible impact, we call upon individuals, organizations, and governments to actively contribute through donations, fundraising participation, and signing petitions.

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By taking these actions, we can provide vital support and resources to Indigenous communities, fostering a path towards a sustainable future for all.