This may seem darkly ironic, since First Nations have historically suffered more from the construction of hydroelectric dams than other Canadians. These power projects, such as the Peace and Columbia River dams and Alcan’s Kemano project near Kitimat, were justified on the basis of industrial expansion, a means of opening up British Columbia’s substantial forest, mining and aluminum sectors. The economy boomed, but little of the benefit, and much of the environmental cost, landed with First Nations’ communities.

New power-project development remains as vital as ever to B.C.’s economy and environment. The clean electrification of new and existing industry is critical if B.C. is to meet its targets for greenhouse gas reduction; it currently does not have the power to meet the demands of this energy transformation.

With this next round of power-project development, however, First Nations must share in the benefits, and we must take the lead on environmental implications.

Indeed, few – if any – other sectors of the economy can deliver B.C.’s and Canada’s promised reconciliation, let alone achieve it largely with expenditures that federal and provincial environmental targets already demand.

To this end, Coastal First Nations (CFN) would like to jointly explore with B.C. and Canada the idea of developing a Northern Power Authority (NPA) for northwestern B.C.

Under the NPA, clean power from onshore and offshore wind, run-of-river hydro, solar, and geothermal could be developed by First Nations across the north, aggregated through new transmission and distribution infrastructure, and then resold – to BC Hydro, directly to industry, and for export – to help power a new clean economy.

The model CFN is proposing has a long history in B.C. Under the 1995 Columbia Basin Accord, Columbia Power and the Columbia Basin Trust together received $500 million to develop, as joint venture partners, three power projects in the Columbia River basin. The Trust uses its income from the projects to help residents of the region with economic, social and environmental improvements in the basin. 

CFN was established by eight B.C. First Nations to work together with a common vision of protecting the environment and enabling sustainable economic development on B.C.’s north and central coasts and on Haida Gwaii. During its first 20 years, CFN has led the change to land-use and forest-management practices that are embodied in the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements and other legislation. Its Great Bear Forest carbon credits are produced from a protected area of 68,000 square kilometres and generate 1.1 million tonnes of carbon offsets per year, a significant achievement that benefits all Canadians. Parallel work on marine planning and a new network of marine protected areas helps Canada meet its targets for ocean protection.

Beginning in 2020/21, CFN members, working with Canada, will start to change the look of commercial fisheries on the north Pacific coast. Through a reconciliation agreement signed with Canada in 2019, the new fisheries will repatriate jobs and restore the prominence of the First Nations in fisheries management.

Even with the fisheries agreement, revitalized forestry and wilderness tourism, the Nations of CFN are challenged to provide jobs for our members and revenue for our governments. Remote First Nations, like CFN’s members, need access to large-scale economic development, but the opportunities for this are scarce. A Northern Power Authority could provide jobs, revenue, training, education, and avenues for entrepreneurship in a new clean economy, with First Nations as owners and custodians of the projects on our traditional lands.

The vision of CFN has been to build a new clean economy and a cleaner way of living. We are striving for communities powered by a clean grid instead of diesel generators, fishing boats with hybrid or electric motors, fisheries operated the most environmentally friendly way (i.e., no bottom dragging), new forestry practices that protect biodiversity, and wilderness tourism built on observing, not taking. We must develop clean and renewable electricity as a major economic engine, and use it to attract people and new industries that want to be part of a reconciled society.

Critics suggest that B.C. is awash in surplus power, but forecasts don’t account for the level of electrification needed to meet B.C.’s legislated targets for greenhouse gas mitigation. Critics might also muse about the costs of powering industries with clean electricity, but it is far from clear that electrification is the cheapest way to meet reconciliation and environmental goals. We must critically examine these narratives and be willing to embrace new approaches. CFN is inviting both levels of government to explore the NPA with our member First Nations.

Major power developments in Canada and B.C. that were once the source of intractable conflict and legal challenges between senior governments and First Nations could be employed as a far- reaching tool for reconciliation and a major new initiative under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Societally, we need to move from our dependence on carbon-intensive fossil fuels to much cleaner options. 

CFN communities look forward to taking the lead in the planning and implementation of a major regional economic project on a government-to-government basis. This is what reconciliation with First Nations is about. Anything less isn’t reconciliation.

Chief Marilyn Slett is president of the Coastal First Nations.

The post How Canada can power up reconciliation with clean energy projects appeared first on Corporate Knights.

In early May, the Prime Minister unveiled a new “bridge loan” program to support large businesses recovering from a pandemic economy. Among the conditions, companies must demonstrate how they will contribute to federal climate targets for decarbonization. By encouraging carbon offsetting in the plan, Canada has an opportunity to further reconciliation with Coastal First Nations and ensure our economies are not left behind in the recovery plan.

The Great Bear Rainforest Carbon Project – led by nine coastal First Nations – is the world’s largest forest carbon initiative. Vast amounts of carbon are stored by old growth trees in the Great Bear Rainforest on the North and Central Pacific Coast and Haida Gwaii. The forests here represent one quarter of the world’s remaining coastal temperate rainforests. As coastal people, who have lived here for 14,000 years, we know that keeping ocean and forest ecosystems healthy is the key to preserving our way of life.

To create a sustainable economy, coastal First Nations looked beyond the destructive resource extraction model common to our coast 20 years ago. In 2000, the Coastal First Nations began working with BC on land use planning. A landmark 2006 agreement lead to the protection of the Great Bear Rainforest, making 85% of the rainforest off-limits to industrial logging. Then in 2009, when the two Parties signed the Reconciliation Protocol, it allowed for the validation and sales of carbon credits. ​

Corporations looking to take steps to meet their emission reduction targets can invest in protecting that rainforest with Great Bear Carbon Credits. All revenue from offset sales goes directly back into First Nations stewardship of our lands and waters, and supports projects to ensure traditional governance and community well-being.

Building off land use agreements, this carbon sequestration funding model also contributes to the adjacent coastal and marine areas.  The carbon offsets support the innovative funding model of the Marine Planning Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP), globally recognized as the gold-standard for collaborative marine use planning. MaPP undertakes marine ecosystem-based management with 17 First Nations and British Columbia.

Carbon offset sales support Coastal Guardian Watchmen who are highly-trained and experienced guardians of land, water, wildlife and cultural sites. In Kitasoo/Xais’xais territory on the Central Coast, Guardian Watchmen have led monitoring of world-renowned grizzly bear habitat and eradicated illegal hunting.

With dwindling government resources for science research, the carbon finance model has helped First Nations stewardship offices undertake some of the most advanced –and in some places, the only – species monitoring and wildlife data collection on the BC coast. As well, climate change research and planning by communities is taking place. This is science that benefits all Canadians. In Heiltsuk territory, offset funds provide core funding for advanced scientific research on crab, rock cod and invasive species to inform a sustainable approach to Indigenous fisheries management. Offset revenue also finances stewardship activities to monitor at-risk whales and Pacific salmon species in Haida Gwaii.

Carbon financing also offers a source of long-term funding for communities to explore meaningful opportunities for renewable energy projects on a diesel-dependent coast, sustainable shellfish aquaculture, ecotourism and non-timber forest product ventures.

The Great Bear Rainforest Agreements have put in place a world-leading model of ecosystem-based forestry management: 85% of our coastal temperate rainforest is set aside for protection and is now permanently off-limits to industrial logging.

Towering old-growth trees that reach up to 1,000 years in age can still be found in our territories. Our streams and rivers sustain 20% of the world’s wild salmon. Rainforest, ocean estuaries, fjords and islands support remarkable biological diversity – including iconic species such as grizzlies, Spirit bears and black bears, coastal Pacific wolves, humpback and killer whales and six million migratory birds.

The Great Bear Forest Carbon Project offers Canadian businesses and governments the chance to build back better in the wake of COVID-19 by working with Coastal First Nations to protect the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest right here on our Pacific Coast.  In the effort to regain lost economic momentum during the pandemic, buying Great Bear credits is an opportunity to invest in a conservation economy that balances ecological integrity with human well-being.

As the country works to revitalize the national economy and meet its 2050 climate goals, Canada must ensure First Nations economies are not left behind and build the new normal together. The federal government has the opportunity to support investment in sustainable jobs in our communities and protect climate resiliency by conserving one of the world’s largest carbon storage rainforests for future generations.​

Chief Marilyn Slett is president of the Coastal First Nations.

The post Build Back Better by investing in Coastal First Nations Great Bear Forest Carbon Project appeared first on Corporate Knights.