Tag Archive for: Indigenous Climate Leadership

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The River Is Telling Us Something: Indigenous-Led Water Monitoring as Canada’s Climate Early Warning System

For communities who have lived beside rivers for thousands of years, change in the water is never just a data point —it is a message.

Water as a Living Relative

In many Indigenous traditions across Canada, water is not a resource to be measured and managed. It is a relative, a living system with memory, voice, and place in the web of life. And this worldview, far from being incompatible with environmental science, turns out to produce some of the most sensitive monitoring on the continent. Because Indigenous communities live in close, generations-long relationship with rivers, lakes, and wetlands, they notice changes early and they notice things that instruments alone often miss.

What Elders Knew Before the Data Arrived

Along the Peace-Athabasca Delta in northern Alberta, a wetland of international ecological significance and Ramsar World Heritage status —Dene and Cree community members were observing changes in river flow, ice formation, and water quality for decades before formal scientific monitoring confirmed their observations. Mikisew Cree guides and Elders who have navigated the delta’s waters across a lifetime track changes in water depth at critical passages, noting that summer flows have declined and that boat navigation is increasingly difficult in areas that were once reliably deep.¹ Research confirms that ice conditions and break-up patterns in the Peace-Athabasca Delta have changed measurably, with Mikisew Cree First Nation Elders reporting that ice “just melts away” where dramatic break-ups once occurred.²

The Keepers of the Water

Organizations like Keepers of the Water, an Indigenous-led network working across the Arctic Drainage Basin, have built formal programs that combine Elder observation with modern tools measuring oxygen, salinity, temperature, and pH.³ In the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, community-owned aquatic monitoring programs near Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok have been collecting water quality data since 2019, producing novel long-term datasets from areas where government monitoring has historically been absent.⁴

A National Network of Indigenous Monitors

Through the federal Indigenous Community-Based Climate Monitoring Program —which provides approximately $8 million per year; dozens of First Nations, Métis Settlements, and Inuit communities across Canada have established their own water and environmental monitoring programs.⁵ In the Peace-Athabasca Delta, this funding has supported hydrometric stations, buoys, and trail cameras providing real-time data on water and ice conditions. These programs produce ecological intelligence that no southern laboratory can replicate.

Why This Matters for All of Canada

University of Saskatchewan researcher Dr. John Pomeroy, Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change (2003-2024), has described the current situation plainly: western Canada is entering new climate territory, with more severe droughts and more intense rainfall events.⁶ The rivers and lakes that Indigenous communities have observed through ceremony and practice for millennia are now among the most important early warning systems Canada has. Integrating that knowledge respectfully and in genuine partnership into national water policy is both good science and a long-overdue recognition of who has been watching longest.

Passing the Knowledge Forward

In communities across the north, Elders speak about passing water knowledge to their children not as nostalgia, but as urgent practical preparation for a changing world. That ethic captures what Indigenous-led water monitoring represents at its core: an ancient responsibility made newly urgent by a crisis these communities did not create but are among the first to confront.

Blog by Rye Karonhiowanen Barberstock

Photo by Philip Davis on Unsplash

References

[1] CBC News. (2022, October 3). Climate change is drying up the Peace-Athabasca Delta. Can the people who live there adapt? https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/climate-change-Indigenous-adaption-Peace-Athabasca-Delta

[2] State of the Athabasca-Bow-North Saskatchewan River Basin (SOAER). Peace – Water Quantity. https://soaer.ca/peace-water-quantity/ [Mikisew Cree First Nation Elders reporting on ice conditions and break-ups]

[3] Keepers of the Water. (2024). About Keepers of the Water. https://www.keepersofthewater.ca/

[4] Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC). (2024). Indigenous Community-Based Climate Monitoring Program. Government of Canada.

[5] CIRNAC. (2024). Indigenous Community-Based Climate Monitoring Program. Government of Canada. Approx. $8 million per year.

[6] Pomeroy, J. (Various). Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change. University of Saskatchewan. https://www.usask.ca/research/chairs/pomeroy.php

May 15, 2026/by IndigenousClimateHub

Indigenous Innovation and Climate Solutions: Building a Future of Balance

Blog, Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant concern; it is a lived reality. Across Canada, Indigenous communities are on the frontlines of its impacts: flooding threatens homes and infrastructure, wildfires scorch traditional territories, permafrost thaw destabilizes land and water systems and shifting animal and plant populations disrupt food security and cultural practices.

These challenges are profound, but they are not insurmountable. Indigenous Peoples have always been innovators, responding to changing environments with creativity, resilience, and solutions rooted in deep relationships to land and life. Today, as technology becomes an increasingly important tool for mitigating climate risk and adapting to it, Indigenous innovation is showing a powerful way forward.

Technology for Climate Awareness on Indigenous Lands

Across First Nations, Métis, and Inuit territories, technology is being leveraged to monitor and respond to environmental changes in real-time. Remote sensing tools, such as drones and satellite imaging, are now being utilized by Indigenous guardians to monitor deforestation, changes in water levels, and coastal erosion. These technologies provide visual and data-based evidence of changes that many Elders and knowledge keepers have already observed, creating powerful bridges between traditional knowledge and scientific monitoring.

Communities are also building networks of environmental sensors that measure air quality, water purity, soil health, and temperature fluctuations. In northern regions, sensors tracking permafrost thaw provide essential data to anticipate landslides, flooding, and infrastructure risks. In coastal territories, water sensors alert communities to rising salinity levels, pollution, and erosion. These tools enable communities to act quickly and decisively in protecting their lands and waters.

Mobile applications and AI-driven platforms further expand this capacity. For example, Inuit hunters have used apps that track ice thickness and weather patterns, providing life-saving information when travelling across shifting sea ice. Similar innovations are being developed in wildfire-prone areas, where apps give communities early warnings and suggest evacuation routes. These technologies do not replace Indigenous knowledge; they amplify it, ensuring that guardians of the land are equipped with every possible tool to respond to ecological challenges.

New Fields of Expertise for Indigenous Climate Leadership

The accelerating climate crisis demands new areas of expertise, and Indigenous Peoples must be represented in these fields. Climate science and environmental engineering, for example, are crucial disciplines for developing mitigation strategies. When Indigenous youth and professionals enter these areas, they bring unique worldviews that prioritize balance and reciprocity over profit and exploitation. This shifts the very foundation of how climate solutions are designed and implemented.

Renewable energy is another vital frontier. Indigenous-led solar, wind, hydrokinetic, and geothermal projects are not only reducing reliance on fossil fuels but also fostering energy sovereignty. Communities that generate their clean energy are less vulnerable to external market fluctuations and government control, thereby creating resilience alongside environmental benefits.

Equally important is the field of data science and artificial intelligence. When Indigenous professionals lead in this space, they ensure that climate modelling reflects Indigenous priorities and the lived realities of specific territories. For example, climate adaptation plans that integrate Indigenous knowledge alongside AI-driven predictions can yield more accurate and culturally grounded outcomes.

Ecological restoration, land-based healing, and regenerative design are also emerging as critical fields. Indigenous professionals are combining traditional ecological knowledge with advanced methods to rewild landscapes, restore wetlands, and revitalize food systems. These efforts are not just about survival but about strengthening life systems for future generations. Alongside this, policy and governance expertise is needed to shape laws and systems that respect Indigenous ecological sovereignty and embed Indigenous leadership at the center of climate decision-making.

Funding Indigenous Innovation: Closing the Gaps

Despite the promise of Indigenous innovation, one of the most significant barriers remains a lack of sustained funding. Too often, Indigenous communities are asked to do more with less and are expected to adapt to climate change without the resources to lead solutions. National and regional governments must commit to scaling Indigenous-led climate programs and ensuring that innovation is not just supported but prioritized.

Scholarships and mentorship programs for Indigenous students entering fields such as climate sciences, engineering, or data science are essential to building long-term capacity. Funding for community-based innovation hubs, where Indigenous knowledge keepers, youth, and scientists can collaborate, is another necessary step. These hubs would enable communities to develop solutions tailored to their specific territories, rather than relying on external models that often fall short.

Moreover, Indigenous start-ups and entrepreneurs in clean technology and ecological restoration need access to capital. Many Indigenous businesses face barriers to financing, which stifles innovation. By investing in these ventures, Canada could support Indigenous climate innovators while also advancing national and global climate goals. Finally, training opportunities should be developed for non-Indigenous professionals to ensure that climate fields incorporate Indigenous governance and ecological worldviews into their everyday practice, thereby building mutual capacity and respect.

Technology as a Tool for Healing, Not Exploiting

The risk of technology is that it can become another means of exploitation, extracting resources more efficiently or creating profit-driven systems that accelerate ecological collapse. To avoid repeating colonial patterns, climate innovation must be guided by Indigenous philosophies that frame technology as a tool for healing.

For example, regenerative technologies can restore ecosystems instead of depleting them. Wetland restoration projects, powered by renewable energy and supported by advanced water management systems, can help revive critical habitats while also mitigating the impact of floods. AI-assisted monitoring of endangered species can support efforts to protect the kinship networks of animals, insects, and plants that are essential to biodiversity. Precision harvesting technologies can allow communities to gather resources sustainably, ensuring that plants and animals regenerate in healthy cycles.

Technology can also be used to strengthen local food and water security. Renewable-powered greenhouses and hydroponic systems can extend growing seasons in northern communities. Water purification systems designed for remote locations can ensure safe, accessible drinking water without reliance on external supply chains. When designed through Indigenous leadership, these technologies shift from tools of exploitation to instruments of healing and regeneration.

The Power of Human Ingenuity for Good

The story of climate change is often framed as one of despair and inevitability. But it is equally a story of the possibility of human ingenuity, creativity, and our collective ability to reimagine how we live with the Earth. For Indigenous Peoples, innovation has always been about adaptation and resilience. Climate change is not the first crisis Indigenous Nations have faced, and it will not be the last. Yet time and again, Indigenous Peoples have shown that survival is not only possible but can give rise to renewal.

What is needed now is a recognition that Indigenous ingenuity must be at the center of climate solutions. A future dependent on the extraction of finite resources will only deepen the crisis. A future built on innovation, guided by Indigenous ecological knowledge and fueled by regenerative technologies, offers something radically different: sustainability, balance, and thriving homelands for generations to come.

Indigenous innovation in climate governance, technology, and ecological restoration is not simply a contribution; it is essential. It is the compass pointing toward a climate future defined not by loss and collapse, but by renewal, balance, and hope.