Indigenous Environmental Education: The Case of Renewable Energy Projects

Abstract

This article presents insights from an inquiry into renewable energy development by Indigenous communities across Canada. The focus is on Indigenous leadership in developing renewable energy projects that align with traditional ecological philosophies while also providing increased economic and energy security, sovereignty, and educational opportunities. These projects build new STEM knowledges and practices across cultural divides. The article also discusses broader sociocritical concerns regarding renewable energy development, the associated challenges of renewable energy education, and Indigenous environmental education in the context of capitalist and nationalist agendas.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I acknowledge Rajan Rathnavalu who served as a research assistant.

FUNDING

This inquiry was made possible in part through funding provided by the University of Calgary's Werklund School of Education.