The Pembina Institute has hosted conferences on renewable energy in remote communities since 2003 for the purposes of bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders to discuss the reduction of diesel consumption and the integration of clean energy in remote communities’ energy systems.
In 2022, nearly 300 participants attended RiRC2022 held at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Center. RiRC2022 highlighted successful partnerships and opportunities for collaboration; youth and Indigenous leadership; climate and energy policies; and pathways for accelerating an Indigenous-led clean energy transition.
Conference topics included a progress update on the status of diesel reduction, presentations on community-led clean energy projects and partnerships, financial opportunities, and strategies for renewable energy development and the regulatory changes required for better costing structures. Roundtables were also held on ways to strengthen the business case for investing in renewables.
An overriding theme was the importance of social and economic reconciliation, and the significance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). UNDRIP is pivotal to navigating a successful transition to an equitable, clean energy economy in remote communities.
Themes
Of the many topics and themes covered throughout the four days of RiRC2022, seven overarching themes were identified.
The seven themes are:
- Progress towards diesel reduction and community energy autonomy
- Storytelling and connecting through Indigenous clean energy projects
- Capacity-building and Indigenous leadership
- Youth leadership in the clean energy transition
- Partnerships and collaboration
- Project financing
- Reconciliation and UNDRIP