The global climate crisis is no longer an impending threat-it is visible in rising seas, devastating wildfires, melting glaciers and in extreme weather patterns that no longer shock because they have become routine. Despite the urgency, the world continues to underestimate and underutilize one of the most powerful allies in the fight against climate change; indigenous communities. In Canada, these communities have lived in close relationship with the land for millennia, guided by traditional knowledge systems that centre harmony. Ignoring their role is not only unjust, it is a missed opportunity with global implications.
Canada is home to more than 600 First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Together, they represent over 1.6 million people. These communities are not merely stakeholders, they are rights holders. And, more importantly, they are knowledge holders. They manage and influence approximately 20 percent of Canada’s landmass and are increasingly recognised for their ability to lead conservation efforts and climate adaptation strategies. According to Indigenous Services Canada, 70% of Indigenous communities are located in forested regions, many of which are on the front lines of climate-related disruption. The impact is personal. The solutions must be as well.
Yet Indigenous peoples in Canada remain vastly underrepresented in mainstream climate policy and decision-making while funds allocated to Indigenous-led conservation initiatives continue to fall short. Although the Canadian government committed over 340 million Canadian dollars in 2021 to support Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, many communities have still not received adequate support to implement their plans. This disparity reveals a troubling disconnect. While Indigenous knowledge is widely celebrated at international climate forums, the pathways to implement it are often blocked by bureaucratic barriers, lack of political will and extractive economic models.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge, also known as TEK, is a system of understanding the environment based on generations of observation, spiritual insight and experiential practice. Unlike Western science which often seeks control, TEK emphasises co-existence. It reads the signs of the earth with patience and reverence. It is neither romantic nor primitive. It is science. For instance, the Haida Nation of British Columbia has long used seasonal indicators to guide fishing practices, ensuring the protection of marine biodiversity. The Cree Nation has monitored moose and caribou migration to detect ecosystem changes that forecast broader climate impacts. These practices are deeply empirical. They are rooted in place, but relevant to the planet.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge, also known as TEK, is a system of understanding the environment based on generations of observation, spiritual insight, and experiential practice. Unlike Western science, which often seeks control, TEK emphasises co-existence. It reads the signs of the Earth with patience and reverence. It is neither romantic nor primitive—it is science. For instance, the Haida Nation of British Columbia has long used seasonal indicators to guide fishing practices, ensuring the protection of marine biodiversity. The Cree Nation has monitored moose and caribou migration to detect ecosystem changes that forecast broader climate impacts. These practices are deeply empirical. They are rooted in place but relevant to the planet.
Some of the most promising conservation efforts in Canada today are being led by Indigenous communities. The Seal River Watershed Initiative in northern Manitoba, for example, is a bold plan to protect over 50,000 square kilometres of boreal wilderness. If recognised formally, it would become one of the largest Indigenous-led protected areas in the world. Similarly, in the Northwest Territories, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation spearheaded the creation of Thaidene Nëné, a protected area covering 26,376 square kilometres. These initiatives demonstrate not only environmental vision but governance expertise, scientific rigour and profound respect for future generations.
The importance of Indigenous leadership in the climate space is also increasingly supported by global data. A 2021 study published in the journal Nature Sustainability found that Indigenous-managed lands in Canada, Australia and Brazil have equal or greater biodiversity than state-managed protected areas. This is not coincidental,. Iit is proof that the land remembers those who treat it with respect.
Despite this, extractive industries continue to pose a major threat. Oil and gas projects, mining, deforestation and pipeline expansions disproportionately affect Indigenous territories. In 2020, the Canadian Energy Regulator reported that more than 80 percent of existing and planned oil sands projects intersect with Indigenous lands. The environmental degradation is profound, but the spiritual and cultural loss is equally devastating.
If Canada is to meet its international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, if it is to protect its vast and vulnerable ecosystems, and if it is to chart a just transition, then it must centre Indigenous leadership substantively. It must support Indigenous-led climate solutions with funding, autonomy and legal recognition. It must integrate Indigenous voices into climate governance at every level, from local land use decisions to national policy frameworks.
This is not a matter of charit,y. Iit is a matter of justice. And more than that, it is a matter of wisdom. The rest of the world is waking up to this reality. The United Nations has repeatedly affirmed the crucial role of Indigenous peoples in achieving global biodiversity targets. In 2022, at COP15 hosted in Montreal, Indigenous delegates emphasised again that no climate justice can exist without Indigenous justice. Their message was clear and . Ttheir solutions are read;y. Wwhat remains is for Canada to listen, to honour and to act.
Time is no longer a luxury,. Tthe fires are burning,. tThe glaciers are disappearing,. Tthe rivers are choking. Bbut the people who have always known how to heal the land are still here, waiting and fighting.
Canada does not need to look to the future for hope,. iIt needs only to look inward;. Toward the stewards of the land who have been here all along. If you are a policymaker, push for inclusive frameworks. If you are a funder, invest in Indigenous-led initiatives. If you are a citizen, amplify their voices. Canada’s climate future depends on it.
References
1. Indigenous Services Canada. (2023). Indigenous Communities and Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca
2. Government of Canada. (2021). Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience.
3. Nature Sustainability. (2021). Indigenous lands hold equal or greater biodiversity than protected areas.
4. Seal River Watershed Alliance. (2023). About the Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.sealriverwatershed.ca
5. Canadian Energy Regulator. (2020). Canada’s Energy Future.
6. COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference. (2022). Indigenous Contributions to Biodiversity Protection.
7. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. (2022). Thaidene Nëné: A Model for Indigenous-Led Conservation.
8. Haida Nation. (2022). Marine Stewardship Practices.
9. United Nations Environment Programme. (2021). Making Peace with Nature: A Scientific Blueprint.
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