MEDIA

Just Transition Guide supports Indigenous communities exploring alternative energy

A collection of Indigenous and climate groups have launched a guide to support Indigenous communities that are working to address the climate crisis on their own terms. Melina Laboucan-Massimo, the founder of Sacred Earth Solar and the co-founder of Indigenous Climate Action, told host Jason D'Souza how an oil spill in her own community inspired her work on energy alternatives.

Can Clean Energy Deliver Energy Justice to Canada’s First Nations? | Energy policy now

Guest Melina Laboucan-Massimo, a member of the Lubicon Cree, who has for more than a decade been an activist on behalf of indigenous communities that have been impacted by the development of fossil fuels. Her television program, Power to the People, explores the power of clean energy to empower First Nation communities. On this podcast, host Andy Stone and Melina discuss the impacts of fossil fuel development on indigenous communities, and efforts to counter those impacts through advocacy and clean energy development.

#NOMOREDIRTYBANKS CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

Melina moderated a panel featuring Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’moks, Gidimt’en Spokesperson Sleydo’, West Coast Environmental Law Association Staff Lawyer, Eugene Kung and oscar-nominated actor and activist Mark Ruffalo to launch the #NoMoreDirtyBanks Campaign. Over 65 celebrities are standing with the Wet’suwet’en and impacted Indigenous communities from the tar sands to demand RBC and their subsidiary, City National Bank, divest from the Coastal GasLink pipeline, defund the tar sands, and respect Indigenous rights. Learn more and sign on at: www.NoMoreDirtyBanks.com

University of victoria | Indigenous perspectives & Approaches to Climate Action

Melina shares a keynote speech with the Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement at the University of Victoria on Indigenous Perspectives and Approaches to Climate Action.

PROTECTING THE EARTH: INDIGENOUS SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS | #DearWorldLive | Doha Debates

This episode of #DearWorldLive centers on how Indigenous peoples occupy around 28% of the world's land, but are protectors of around 80% of its remaining biodiversity. What can we learn from Indigenous communities, and how can native knowledge and practices help us in the fight against climate change?

CANADA CLIMATE LAW INITIATIVE - CELEBRATING 26 climate champions

Melina Laboucan-Massimo was named one of 26 Climate Champions by the Canada Climate Law Initiative in 2021.

”A net-zero future means we no longer have sacrifice zones or sacrificed communities.”

Power to the people | AN INDigenous clean energy tv series

We’re proud to announce the launch of Melina Laboucan-Massimo’s new docuseries Power to the People.

The series premiered nationally on APTN in Canada in January 2020. You can stream the series online on APTN’s Lumi.

Reimagining our relationships and communities: a conversation with david suzuki and melina laboucan-massimo

Join Melina Laboucan-Massimo and David Suzuki as they converse with the David Suzuki Foundation on reimagining our relationships and communities to create a better world.

How these Mi'gmaq communities are revitalizing their culture by developing wind power

What On Earth's Indigenous climate solutions columnist Melina Laboucan-Massimo brings us the story of the Mesgi’g Ugju’s’n wind farm on the Gaspe Bay Peninsula. Melina says it's an example of how Indigenous communities can exercise their land rights and create economic prosperity from renewable energy.

JUST Look UP! ALLIANCE LAUNCH

Alongside Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’moks, Mark Ruffalo, Meryl Streep, Alex Ebert and Director of Don’t Look Up, Adam McKay, Melina discussed the impacts of financing dirty fossil fuel extraction. These impacts extend from Indigenous communities at the source - the tar sands - to communities all along the pipeline corridor.

CUI X Victoria | Climate Justice, Grief, and Action: Intergenerational Dialogue on Climate Change and What’s Next

This curated conversation between long-time activists and scholars and youth in Victoria BC currently working to protect the old growth trees at Fairy Creek and other climate actions explored the difficult terrain of intergenerational climate inequity, climate anxiety and climate action. What are the steps we need to take together to ensure that youth and the planet we all love have a livable future? How do we best incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing?

stand.earth | The whole world is watching

Indigenous leaders, celebrities and scientists came together to demand urgent action to protect the last old growth forests in British Columbia.

The condor & The Eagle

Four Indigenous leaders embark on an extraordinary trans-continental adventure from the Canadian Boreal forests to deep into the heart of the Amazonian jungle to unite the peoples of North and South America and deepen the meaning of “Climate Justice”. The Condor & The Eagle documentary offers a glimpse into a developing spiritual renaissance as the film four protagonists learn from each other’s long legacy of resistance to colonialism and its extractive economy.

Solar Panels in the Path of a Pipeline

The Tiny House Warriors are building 10 Tiny Homes in the path of the Kinder Morgan pipeline and with the help of Sacred Earth Solar, recently solarized the first home.

REDx Talks - Melina Laboucan-Massimo | VIoelence against the earth is violence against women

Melina Laboucan-Massimo, Sacred Earth Solar’s founder, speaks to the REDx Talk’s audience about MMIWG2S, the link between natural resource extraction and violence against Indigenous women and girls, climate justice, the tar sands, and Indigenous rights.

“building a just transition” panel

Ignite Change Global Convention 75th Anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) works to advance dignity, freedom, justice, and security through collaborative relationships and transformative education on peace and human rights. Watch two of our own, Melina Laboucan-Massimo and Santana Dreaver speak to the community-driven work that fuelled the JTG guide!

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY PUBLIC SQUARE | HOPE IN RESISTANCE: STORIES OF CLIMATE JUSTICE

Hope in Resistance features Melina alongside Anjali Appadurai, climate justice lead at Sierra Club BC; and Naisha Khan, co-founder of Banking on a Better Future, in a conversation moderated by Nahlah Ayed (host of Ideas on CBC Radio One). They analyze the plans and commitments that emerged from the COP26 climate summit and discuss the necessity of hope and joy in fighting the climate crisis. This keynote event of Towards Equity was livestreamed from The Cultch's Historic Theatre in East Vancouver with opening and closing words and songs from Shamantsut Amanda Nahanee (Squamish, Nisga’a).

MAKEWAY x ONEEARTH | Ambitious Lifestyle and Behaviour Changes for Justice, Nature and Climate Webinar

Estimates are that two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are connected to households and 50-80% of total land, material and water use. There is great inequality in emissions: according to Oxfam (2020) the top 10% income class globally is responsible for 50% global carbon emissions.

There are far-reaching profound implications for daily lives of high-consumers, and vast opportunities to innovate and listen deeply to learn from those living alternative low impact lives today.

In this webinar, Melina joins Lewis Akenji, Devika Shah, Joanna Kerr and Vanessa Timmer to launch the MakeWay and OneEarth Funder Collaborative on Equitable 1.5 Degree Living in Canada.

RUTGERS Roundtable | Toward A Post-Covid Future: Feminist Perspectives on Care

The "Making Care Count: Care Work, Gender, and Covid-19" symposium featured distinguished leaders whose research, policy work, and activism are advancing our understanding of one of the most pressing issues of our times: the care crisis. Introduction by Rebecca Mark, moderated by Krishanti Dharmaraj.

Sacred Earth Solar | Protecting Land is Protecting Women

Just Transition Solar in Indigenous Communities - Piitapan Solar Project

Built in the heart of Alberta’s Peace River oil sands. In 2015, Sacred Earth Solar (formerly Lubicon Solar) launched the Piitapan Solar Project, a 20.8kW renewable energy installation in Little Buffalo that powers the community health centre. The 80-panel solar project has created more green jobs and reduced the community’s reliance on fossil fuels.