Climate change is a major issue for First Nations, as it has wide-ranging impacts on their territories, rights and way of life. However, the particular context of First Nations – in terms of governance, economy, infrastructure, activities related to the territory, etc. – means that most solutions developed for non-Indigenous communities can’t be applied to First Nation communities.

Building public awareness about climate change during a workshop in a Uashat mak Mani-Utenam school (2014)

With the help of its partners, the FNQLSDI works to facilitate climate change adaptation by First Nation communities, by identifying and implementing concrete adaptation solutions which reflect First Nation priorities and values. At the same time, the FNQLSDI works to improve how First Nations issues are integrated in climate policies, while supplying communities with tools to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Impact and Solution Identification Guide for Resilient Housing

It’s a fact, the climate is warming, and extreme weather events are increasing in both number and intensity. In general, buildings in Quebec are not well adapted to the effects of climate change.

A well-designed and maintained home will cope with the effects of extreme weather and minimize the negative impact on its occupants.

Écohabitation, in partnership with the FNQLSDI, has produced this guide in order to increase the knowledge of First Nations housing stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of adaptation measures to climate change.

This guide highlights eight climate risks and identifies the adaptation measures to be implemented during the renovation of existing housing or the construction of new housing.

Click the following link to download the Impact and Solution Identification Guide for Resilient Housing.

Reporting from the Land of the First Nations: Qimmiq Explores the Effects of Climate Change

After his third multilingual book on how climate change is affecting First Nations communities, Qimmiq, an Inuit dog, explores solutions to fight against climate change.

He comes back to share with us some simple actions to take through six video clips, available in different Indigenous languages, in order to reduce our ecological footprint.

• Video in Anicinape language
• Video in Atikamekw language
• Video in Cri language
• Video in Innu-aimun language
• Video in Mi’gmaw language
• Video in Kanien’kéha (mohawk) language

Events

• Indigenous Youth Ambassadors for Climate Action (February 21-24, 2019)
• Workshop on Climate Change (September 21, 2016)
• The Changing Climate: Forum on Climate Change Adaptation by First Nations in Quebec (February 25-26, 2015)

Some of our achievements include:

• Writing and updating an atlas of climate change impacts on 11 First Nations in Quebec
• Developing a guide for First Nations who want to create their own Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCAP)
• Collaborating with 7 First Nations in the development of their first CCAP (Akwesasne, Odanak, Opitciwan, Pessamit, Pikogan, Uashat mak Mani-Utenam and Wôlinak)
• Supporting the first implementation phase of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam Innu First Nation’s CCAP
• Organizing the first Forum on Climate Change Adaptation by First Nations in Quebec and Labrador (in collaboration with the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique)
• Publishing a Green Action Plan to promote local actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions