The Importance of Indigenous Peoples in Climate Change and Energy Governance

• Author / Creator

  MacKay, Makenzie

• Indigenous peoples in northern Canada are already experiencing significant climate change impacts. Young Indigenous people will inherit serious climate effects that threaten their physical and mental health, as well as ancestral traditions. It is these same young people that live in communities faced with social decay as a result of colonialism. Understanding how climate action can be a mechanism for positive youth development and resilience to environmental and social challenges is important for communities. Many of these same communities continue to be reliant on diesel systems despite the understanding that fossil fuels contribute to climate change. Given the challenges of relying on such an imported, carbon-intensive fuel, communities have expressed interest in renewable energy as a tool to address their energy insecurity. With this context in mind, this thesis explores (1) the benefits of Indigenous youth in climate governance and, (2) Inuvialuit values and decision-making experiences with energy systems in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, NT. This thesis was inspired by principles of decolonized and community-based participatory research which led to collaboration between the student and the research communities at every stage of the research project. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indigenous youth and key informants that participated in a series of culturally appropriate climate action activities. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 23 energy stakeholders, including Elders, community members, researchers, and government officials. Both sets of interviews were transcribed and analyzed with a conventional content analysis approach to identify key themes. The research finds that there are significant benefits to including Indigenous peoples in governance processes, including providing opportunities for skill development as well as increasing the likelihood that decisions will reflect the needs of the communities impacted. This thesis contributes to the literature on Indigenous youth in climate action and renewable energy in the Arctic.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Climate action
  • Governance
  • Northern Canada
  • Community based participatory research
  • Arctic
  • Indigenous
  • Renewable energy
  • Youth

• Graduation date

  Fall 2020

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-kap2-dt55

• License

  Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.