Decolonizing Climate Policy in British Columbia

The document examines the role of First Nations' Ceremony in shaping climate policy in British Columbia, highlighting the disconnect between colonial policy frameworks and Indigenous worldviews. It argues that Ceremony is not merely symbolic but a pragmatic governance tool that fosters interconnectedness and responsibility toward the Land. The authors critique historical and current Canadian policies for marginalizing Indigenous rights and recommend a paradigm shift that centres the well-being of the Land, implements UNDRIP, and integrates Ceremony into co-development processes between governments and First Nations.

• Colonial policy frameworks are described as inhibitors to climate action because they are built on "entrenched patterns of inequality, exploitation, and environmental degradation" and are often "siloed and surface-level" compared to Indigenous approaches.
• Indigenous Ceremony serves as a governance protocol that translates relational knowledge into the principles, values, and intent that guide decision-making and resource allocation, effectively acting as a "policy in itself".
• Historical Canadian policies have used legal tools to oppress Indigenous Peoples, such as the ban on Potlatches from 1885 to 1950 and the forced relocation of people to reserves, the latter of which led to climate maladaptation by placing homes on floodplains.
• The federal Cabinet process is identified as a systemic barrier to transparency and inclusivity, as its confidentiality rules remove Indigenous rights and title holders from the final decision-making table despite "meaningful engagement" efforts.
• The authors recommend that federal and provincial governments provide targeted resources for First Nations to conduct Ceremony and ensure that Ceremony is an "integral and consistent component" of any co-development or engagement process.
• A proposed paradigm shift in climate policy-making would move away from decisions that "centre people and profit at the expense of the Land" and instead incorporate Sacred and Natural Law into implementation and decision-making.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2024). Decolonizing Climate Policy in British Columbia. https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/decolonizing-climate-policy-british-columbia/

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. Decolonizing Climate Policy in British Columbia. 2024. https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/decolonizing-climate-policy-british-columbia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=Decolonizing Climate Policy in British Columbia |date=17 June 2024 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/decolonizing-climate-policy-british-columbia/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitute2024decolonizing, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{Decolonizing Climate Policy in British Columbia}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/decolonizing-climate-policy-british-columbia/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }