In the last edition of Shining a Spotlight, we highlighted the involvement of the Environment Unit with Environment and Climate Change Canada in planning for the UNFCC Conference of Parties, also known as COP 27. Since our last update, Steven Kuhn, Director General of the Multilateral Affairs and Climate Change Directorate, has extended a preliminary invitation to NWAC’s President Carol McBride to join the Canadian delegation to COP27. NWAC will play a leading role as part of the Canadian Pavilion at COP27. The Environment Unit will provide technical support to NWAC’s contribution to COP27.

We are also pleased to announce that the Environment Unit has just added two new projects to our portfolio: Water Carriers Phase 2: Engaging Traditional Knowledge to Build Capacity and Engaging Indigenous Peoples in Climate Change Policy.

Water Carriers Phase 2 will focus on empowering “Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people as protectors of the water and amplifying the voices of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in their role as water carriers.”

Engaging Indigenous Peoples in climate change policy will focus on the challenges associated with the impacts of climate change on Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse people.

To execute these projects, the Environment Unit has just hired two policy officers.

We are also pleased to announce that the Environment Unit will be collaborating with the Canadian Red Cross to implement the Inclusive Resilience: Reducing Disaster Risk for Canadians project. The project is funded by Public Safety Canada’s Emergency Management Public Awareness Contribution Program. NWAC’s involvement will extend to the first two years of the project, which has a life cycle of four years. 

In the first year of the program, NWAC will assist the Canadian Red Cross by conducting research into disaster preparedness using a culturally relevant, gender based, intersectional lens. We will also contribute to culturally relevant gender-based analysis (CRGBA+) review of project activities, materials, and approaches.

In year two, we will continue to support the Red Cross by contributing to a culturally relevant gender-based analysis (CRGBA+) review of project activities, materials, and approaches.

The Canadian Red Cross project is expected to start in early September 2022.