Toward Indigenous visions of nature-based solutions: an exploration into Canadian federal climate policy

Figures & data

Table 1. Description of policy processes and their objectives, launched by the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.

	Overview
Expert Panel on Climate Adaptation and Resilience Results	The Expert Panel, comprised of academics, representatives of Indigenous organizations, industry, and environmental NGOs, was mandated to propose indicators to measure progress on adaptation, as related to the five priority areas within the Pan-Canadian Framework: human health and well-being; supporting particularly vulnerable regions; climate-related hazards; infrastructure; and translating science and Indigenous knowledge into action. Following eight months of intense work, the Expert Panel produced a report, Measuring Progress on Adaptation and Climate Resilience: Recommendations to the Government of Canada, proposing a suite of 54 indicators across the five priority areas. Members identified a further sub-set of indicators, 19 in total, that could start future discussion and work on measuring progress on adaptation and climate resilience. The full report can be found here: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/eccc/En4-329-2018-eng.pdf
Advisory Council on Climate Action	The Advisory Council, composed of co-chairs Tamara Vrooman and Steven Guilbeault, was created to support the government in identifying opportunities to reduce emissions in the transportation and building sectors, sectors that account for more than a third of Canadian emissions. The final report contained eight recommendations for the Government of Canada to act, and can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/eccc/documents/pdf/climate-change/advisory-council-climate-action/acca-final-report.pdf
Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance	The Expert Panel, comprised of four financial experts, was mandated to explore global trends in sustainable finance, most notably climate-related risk disclosure, explore opportunities for sustainable finance in Canada, and propose recommendations for the government of Canada to advance the uptake of sustainable finance within its areas of jurisdiction. The report, Mobilizing Finance for Sustainable Growth, identified a suite of recommendations (15 in total) to shift climate change opportunity and risk management into the mainstream, business-as-usual approach to business. The recommendations leverage Canada’s financial status to accelerate market activities, behaviours, and structures to support the transition to a climate-smart economy. The full report can be found here: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2019/eccc/En4-350-2-2019-eng.pdf
Climate Science 2050: Advancing Science and Knowledge on Climate Change	Climate Science 2050 was a national synthesis to understand the breadth of climate change science and knowledge needs that exist in Canada. The process was led by a federal department, Environment and Climate Change Canada, convening discussions with partners and stakeholders including through surveys and a national workshop held in Ottawa in February 2019. The report identified four outcomes, as well as a fifth area of work: earth system climate science; healthy and resilient Canadians, communities, and built environments; a carbon-neutral society; resilient terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; and sustainable natural resources. In addition to these sections, the report began by recognizing the importance of Indigenous spaces in climate change science, emphasizing the mobilization of Indigenous leadership and participation. The full report, and the description of this section, can be found here: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2020/eccc/En4-414-2020-eng.pdf

Table 2. Terms used for coding analysis.

	Coding terms
Nature-based climate solutions	Nature-based solutions; Nature-based climate solutions; Natural climate solutions
Indigenous Peoples	Indigenous; First Nations; Métis; Inuit
Indigenous jurisdiction	Indigenous jurisdiction; Indigenous governments or Nations; Treaty, modern land claims, and self-governing First Nations; Inuit land-claim organizations; Métis settlements
Full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples	Engage or engagement with …  Partner or partnership with …  Collaborate or collaboration with …  Working with …  Will be involved / involvement …  Take into account …  Advance
Indigenous knowledge systems	Indigenous knowledge systems; Traditional knowledge; Indigenous knowledge
Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders	Rights and title holders; Rights (constitutionally protected, Treaty, and title); Respect rights; Recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership; UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Figure 1. Percentage of references to ‘Nature-based solutions’ in total ‘Natur*’ references in federal climate policies.

Table 3. References to components of sustainable self-determination in federal policy documents.

	Indigenous Peoples	Indigenous jurisdiction	Full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples	Indigenous Peoples as Rightsholders	Indigenous knowledge systems
Pan-Canadian Framework	80	0	31	6	9
	− 59 Indigenous Peoples − 10 First Nation − 9 Inuit − 2 Métis		− 10 engagement − 1 consult − 4 partnership − 3 collaborate − 8 work with − 1 involvement − 2 take into consideration − 1 advance	− 4 rights of Indigenous Peoples (incl. UN Declaration) − 2 recognition of rights	− - 9 traditional knowledge
Pan-Canadian Framework First Synthesis Report	98	0	21	4	8
	− 47 Indigenous Peoples − 28 First Nation − 11 Inuit − 12 Métis		− 8 engagement − 1 consult − 3 partnership − 1 collaborate − 6 work with − 2 involvement	− 1 rights of Indigenous Peoples − 3 recognition of rights	− 5 traditional knowledge − 3 Indigenous knowledge
Pan-Canadian Framework Second Synthesis Report	129	2	19	2	20
	− 39 Indigenous Peoples − 52 First Nation − 20 Inuit − 18 Métis	− 2 Indigenous Governments	− 5 engagement − 8 partnership − 2 collaborate − 4 work with	− 2 recognition of rights	− 6 traditional knowledge − 14 Indigenous knowledge
			*New section on Federal Engagement and Partnership with Indigenous Peoples
Pan-Canadian Framework Third Synthesis Report	124	1	14*	4	15
	− 22 Indigenous Peoples − 60 First Nation − 29 Inuit − 13 Métis	− 1 Indigenous Government	− 3 engagement − 2 partnership − 2 collaborate − 5 work with − 1 take into consideration − 1 advance	− 2 recognition of rights − 1 rights-bearing communities	− 6 traditional knowledge − 9 Indigenous knowledge
			* Modified section on Federal Engagement with Indigenous Peoples
Expert Panel on Climate Adaptation and Resilience Results	282	6	15	9	120
	− 230 Indigenous Peoples − 28 First Nation − 14 Inuit − 10 Métis	− 5 Indigenous Governing Bodies − 1 governance structure	− 2 engagement − 1 co-development − 3 collaborate − 5 work with − 1 take into consideration − 3 include	− 1 recognition of rights − 1 recognition of constitutionally protected rights − 3 rights-holders − 1 UN Declaration	− 87 Indigenous knowledge systems
Advisory Council on Climate Action	0	0	0	0	0
Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance	6	0	3	0	0
	− 3 Indigenous Peoples − 1 First Nation − 1 Inuit − 1 Métis		− 1 consult − 1 partnership − 1 involvement
Climate Science 2050	113	4	15	13	23
	− 42 Indigenous Peoples − 10 First Nation − 54 Inuit − 7 Métis	− 1 Indigenous Government − 1 Indigenous Nation − 2 Indigenous governance structures	− 7 partnership − 5 collaboration − 3 co-development	− 4 rights of Indigenous Peoples (incl. UN Declaration) − 2 Aboriginal and Treaty rights − 1 inherent rights − 1 Indigenous rights	− 6 Indigenous knowledge systems
A Healthy Environment and A Healthy Economy	81	2	26*	4	2
	− 35 Indigenous Peoples − 20 First Nation − 15 Inuit − 11 Métis	− 1 Indigenous Government − 1 governance	− 7 engagement − 2 co-development − 1 consult − 5 partnership − 7 work with − 2 take into consideration − 2 advance	− 1 inherent rights − 1 rights-holders − 1 recognition of rights − 1 UN Declaration	− 1 Indigenous knowledge systems
			*New section Canada’s Partnership with Indigenous Peoples