First Nation Climate Initiative and Halfway River First Nation Sign First-of-its-Kind MOU
Parties call on Governments of British Columbia and Canada to adopt policy framework proposals to promote nature-based solutions
The Respective Territories of the Haisla Nation, Nisga’a Nation, Metlakatla First Nation and Halfway River First Nation, October 17, 2022 – Today, members of the First Nations Climate Initiative (FNCI)—Halfway River First Nation, Haisla Nation and Nisga’a Nation—announced the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding affirming their commitment to work together to strengthen the FNCI net-zero policy framework, achieve First Nations economic self-determination and mitigate the impacts of climate change in Canada.
This MOU is unique in Canada. It is the first time First Nations governments have formally recognized the ecological impact of one Nation’s economic development activities on another Nation’s territories and way of life, and the first time a group of Nations have formally committed to working together to find solutions to these impacts.
Specifically, the Nations are exploring the implementation of nature-based solutions on Halfway River territory to simultaneously protect and recover the capacity of ecosystems to support traditional values, while protecting and expanding carbon sinks.
For decades, Halfway River First Nation has felt first-hand the devastating impacts of oil and gas projects that have been developed to meet the broader needs of society. Together, the FNCI Nations are creating pathways for environmental and economic reconciliation to address the fact that Nations like Halfway River have felt the brunt of heavy industry on their lands, but none of its benefits.
The MOU represents an early step in putting the FNCI’s newly released Climate Action Plan into action. The plan, which highlights investment in nature-based solutions to address climate change impacts and ecosystem restoration, was released in September of this year.
The FNCI Nations Call on other Governments to Expand Carbon Markets
The FNCI’s Climate Action Plan is designed to enhance Federal and Provincial climate policies and programs while advancing economic and ecosystem-based reconciliation. The FNCI Nations are calling on the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada to adopt these measures, and to centre First Nations in the emerging decarbonized economy and policy framework.
With the signing of this MOU, the FNCI Nations are highlighting the first policy proposal within the FNCI Climate Action Plan: to expand the carbon market in B.C. to achieve net-zero as quickly as possible.
B.C. does not presently allow for offsets as a compliance pathway for industry. The new Forest Carbon Offset Protocol in British Columbia has the potential to facilitate large-scale First Nations-led nature-based solution carbon projects in the province, like those the FNCI Nations have committed to exploring.
Prefeasibility work completed with seven First Nations across northern B.C., across eight million hectares, testifies to the massive opportunity to directly address the reconciliation imperatives of ecosystem protection and recovery, and self-determined economic opportunity, in addition to protecting and creating globally significant carbon sinks.
Many companies that FNCI has engaged with are ready to purchase millions of tons of offsets from First Nations nature-based solution projects in B.C., which will help pay to address the massive restoration deficits in their territories. In order to realize these investments, and other nature-based solutions developments in B.C., the FNCI Climate Action Plan outlines the following policy and investment proposals to expand carbon markets in the province:
1.) Align B.C.’s climate policy for industry: Coordinate with the Federal Output Based Pricing System to include offsets and trading for compliance.
2.) Finalize and approve the B.C. Forest Carbon Offset Protocol: Incorporate input from First Nations and project developers to ensure the projects developed using the protocol are viable, competitive, and in keeping with international standards while facilitating carbon financing of First Nations nature-based solutions projects.
3.) Expand the use of carbon markets and offsets for compliance: Develop protocols for a variety of carbon mitigation projects (i.e., fuel switching, wetlands, coastal and aquatic ecosystems, methane and other natural and technological emission reduction including bio‐energy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air capture and storage (DAC) technologies).
4.) Implement strategies to protect low carbon export opportunities: Use practical Emission Intensive Trade Exposed benchmarks to prevent carbon leakage (i.e., prevent investment from going to countries without carbon policies).
5.) Invest carbon taxes into climate change solutions: Direct carbon taxes from industries into carbon abatement and negative emissions projects, and funding strategies.
