The crippling effects of colonization on Canada‘s Indigenous peoples is systemic and widespread, with resource allocation and infrastructure development preventing many communities from developing autonomy. One instance is in the energy sector where over 80% of remote First Nation communities are dependent on environmentally taxing, diesel-generated microgrids. Ultimately, colonial energy politics and economics have made it difficult for Indigenous people to lead self-sufficient and autonomous lives.
However, as renewable energy sources become more affordable, many Indigenous communities are rejecting fossil-fuel powered electricity and turning towards renewables. The benefits are multi-fold: the new technologies are environmentally sustainable and enable Indigenous communities to be self-sustaining, while surplus energy can be sold to larger grids to generate income.
A new paper in Environmental Reviews is the first to systematically examine this transition towards a sustainable energy future, exploring its motivations, outcomes, and impact on autonomy and reconciliation.
The researchers thematically analyzed 26 pieces of literature from 2006 until 2017 to better understand the relationship between Indigenous-lead renewable energy projects and active decolonization, reconciliation, and Indigenous autonomy.
Environmental, economic, and socio-political autonomy were cited as the driving reasons for transitioning to renewable. Initiatives allow Indigenous communities to establish independence from the colonial state in terms of energy and governance, and funds otherwise used to maintain fossil-fuel dependency can instead be used to support community development.
At the outset, the researchers thought that the strive for autonomy would be the motivating factor behind community interest in renewable energy, while economic prosperity would be ancillary. And while this was true for some communities, the literature review found that for others, economic prosperity and social development were the primary motivations for the transition towards renewables rather than autonomy. The researchers concluded that there is no generalizable trend across Indigenous communities, as motivations to adopt renewable energy initiatives differed based on individual community dynamics and the type of technology being introduced.
Of the 26 papers that were reviewed, only four were found to be written by Indigenous authors. The authors noted the importance in including Indigenous perspectives: “Without the implementation of Indigenous viewpoints and possibilities for authorship, we risk losing sight of the issues most important to local communities and thus may practice a type of academic imperialism whereby research results are not meeting the needs of community.”
According to the authors, there is a potential for Indigenous-lead energy initiatives to still perpetuate colonial exploitation and hegemony through reliance on outside companies, organizations, or governments. This is especially true if the motivation for adopting renewables comes from outside of the community. The authors argue that the literature review is necessary in order to safely move forward with transitioning to renewables.
The researcher’s concluded that, while stakeholders collaborating and engaging with communities during planning stages are important for shaping approval, “local control is paramount throughout.”
“After generations of environmental degradation, broken promises, and one-sided partnerships, calls for self-governance over Indigenous territories are justified and indeed, much needed,” reads the paper.
Read the full paper:Renewable energy and energy autonomy: how Indigenous peoples in Canada are shaping an energy future in Environmental Reviews.
