Ottawa invites proposals for community climate-monitoring projects

Ottawa is ready to spend money on new climate monitoring projects involving Indigenous communities. (FILE PHOTO)

A deadline is approaching for Indigenous groups to pitch the federal government their ideas for how to best monitor the effects of climate change.

The Indigenous Community-Based Climate Monitoring Program has $5.5 million earmarked to support such projects. The new program flows from the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, which committed to “robust, ongoing and meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples on clean growth and climate change.”

Projects supported by the program can involve community-based climate monitoring and capacity building and can include Indigenous knowledge, information sharing, researchers and networks.

“Through collaboration among Indigenous organizations, territorial governments and other partners, this program will draw on Indigenous knowledge and modern science to inform adaptation decisions and ensure that those impacted by climate change are also on the frontline of mitigation,” said Carolyn Bennett, the federal minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, in a news release.

Information on the new program says it will prioritize proposals that are community-driven, engage Indigenous youth, and draw on Indigenous knowledge and modern science.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday, Feb. 16.

Indigenous communities and organizations or Indigenous individuals can work with external partners such as other Indigenous communities, federal, provincial, territorial or regional governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and consultants.

Successful applicants will be notified by spring 2018.

For more information, you can go to the department’s calls for proposals page.