25 Feb The Government of Canada establishes a Net-Zero Advisory Board, includes Yukon Regional Chief Adamek

AFN Yukon Regional Office
Regional Chief Kluane Adamek

February 25, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Government of Canada establishes a Net-Zero Advisory Board, includes Yukon Regional Chief Adamek

Whitehorse, Yukon – Yukon Regional Chief Kluane Adamek and the AFN Yukon Region welcome the federal government’s recent announcement to establish a Net-Zero Advisory Body to advance Canada’s goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Regional Chief Adamek has been formally appointed as a member of the Advisory Body and will be responsible for providing advice and guidance to the federal government on the best pathway to reaching its goal.

Regional Chief Adamek recognizes her role on the Advisory Body as an important opportunity to ensure the perspectives of First Nations, especially those in the North, are represented in Canada’s strategies for reaching its net-zero target.

“First Nations continue to show their leadership in climate action and stewardship. As rights holders, First Nations are driving innovative solutions and are breaking ground to design a truly just and equal future. I am deeply honored to join a remarkable group of leaders and experts as a member of Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body and I look forward to sharing perspectives and insights as we work together to reach our shared goals” said Regional Chief Adamek.

Yukon First Nations (YFNs) continue to demonstrate exceptional leadership on climate action, approaching solutions with a multidimensional and holistic lens that includes the fundamental perspectives of youth, women and knowledge keepers. YFNs climate action leadership has been illustrated consistently in decisive actions such as the YFNs Climate Change Emergency Declaration, the collaborative development of a YFNs Climate Action Strategy and the recent launch of a YFNs Climate Action Fellowship. The AFN’s National Climate Gathering held in Whitehorse in March 2020 also resulted in the compiling of many community-driven solutions and best practices that are already being undertaken by First Nations in the Yukon and beyond. The AFN’s Advisory Committee on Climate Action and the Environment (ACE) is simultaneously working on the development of a National First Nations Climate Strategy. As a member of the Net-Zero Advisory Body, Regional Chief Adamek expects to be an advocate for these rights-based approaches and integrating them into federal climate action and emissions reduction plans.

Regional Chief Adamek’s participation will provide federal policy makers with a significant advantage as the inclusion of First Nations-led solutions is absolutely vital to the federal government, and the country, to successfully meeting its targets.

“The impacts of climate change are all interconnected and, therefore, addressing them as part of reaching net-zero emissions will require an equally holistic approach,” Regional Chief Adamek said, “we must all be committed to advancing First Nations community-led and community driven climate solutions, I join the Net-Zero Advisory Body with the expectation that the federal government will be receptive and inclusive of these recommendations for right-based approaches to reaching net-zero”.

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For media requests, please contact:

Hannah Geiser

Communications

AFN Yukon Regional Office

[email protected]

604-335-7281

For full press release, please see here