Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new 800 million dollar fund to support Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. This investment is part of the government’s plan to repair its relationship with Indigenous Peoples and to protect the environment. Trudeau announced the fund at COP-15, the biodiversity summit held in Montreal, Canada.
Indigenous protecting nature in 4 areas throughout Canada
The fund will help Indigenous communities to protect natural areas and species. It will provide funding for land acquisition and co-management agreements, as well as for community-led monitoring and stewardship programs. The fund will also support Indigenous-led research and innovation.
The four projects that will receive financial support take place throughout the whole of Canada. From British Columbia to Nunavut and the Northwest Territories to Ontario. Those places are the natural habitats of thousands of species of whales, otters, birds and fish. Watch here Prime Minister Trudeau announce the fund for 4 projects during COP-15.
Indigenous Peoples have a special connection to the land and a deep understanding of the natural world. They have been taking care of the land for generations and have a lot of knowledge and experience to share. This new fund will help Indigenous communities to continue protecting the environment and preserving their cultural heritage. It will also help to build capacity within these communities and support the development of new conservation leaders.
Canadian tundra’s and their wildlife will be better protected with the new fund announced by prime minister Justin TrudeauRecognising and respecting Indigenous Peoples
In addition to the environmental benefits, this new fund is also an important step in the process of reconciliation between the government and Indigenous Peoples. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which Canada has endorsed, recognises the rights of Indigenous Peoples to maintain and strengthen their cultural traditions and values, including their relationship to the land and their natural resources.
Supporting Indigenous-led conservation initiatives is a crucial part of recognising and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It allows Indigenous communities to take the lead in protecting their traditional territories and cultural heritage, and it helps to ensure that their voices are heard in decision-making processes that affect their lands and resources.
By investing in Indigenous-led conservation, the government is taking a step towards fulfilling its obligations under the UN Declaration and supporting the human rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. It is a positive step forward in the ongoing journey towards reconciliation and a more fair and equal society.
Indigenous Peoples have such a strong bond with nature. Now it’s time that we recognise and respect the Indigenous and their efforts more.Overall, this new fund is a positive investment in the future of conservation in Canada. It will provide Indigenous communities with the resources they need to continue their important work, and it will help to protect the natural areas and species that are important for our shared environment.
Educate yourself about Indigenous Peoples
Although the indigenous people make up less than 5% of all the people in the world, they protect 80% of biodiversity. It is very important to keep on supporting these groups of people, for them to be able to survive and for us and the planet as well. By forming resistance movements for protection of their cultures and environments, they create equity and uphold human rights.