The BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) said it’s concerned about the lack of Indigenous people involved at the UN’s Climate Change Conference.
They’re also calling for world leaders to scale up climate change action beyond the Paris Agreement.
“We need to move from rhetoric to action,” stated Regional Chief Terry Teegee.
“Our leaders have good talking points about the urgency in reducing GHG emissions and adapting to a warmer planet. However, very few governments, including Canada and BC, are pursuing the systemic changes needed to address the roots of the climate crisis.”
Teegee added that there was a noticeable failure to include First Nations in these discussions.
“To halt human-caused global emissions, the world needs to move away from the use of fossil fuels and replace it with sustainable energy sources, not increase oil and gas production as we are planning to do here in Canada.”
“Canada’s and BC’s climate change plans do not represent the point of view of First Nations and are not aligned with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or BC’s Declaration Act. That can change, but it requires listening to First Nations’ concerns and priorities.”
World leaders are in Glasgow, Scotland for the UN’s Climate Change Conference of the Parties, which started on October 31st and runs to November 12th.