The federal government, the Northwest Territories and the Déline Got’ine government signed a plan on Saturday to create an indigenous protected area around Great Bear Lake.
The three governments signed a letter of intent at the COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal in what the First Nation describes as a major victory, after fighting to have the lake declared an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.
“Our people have kept it that way for many generations, we believe we have a responsibility to keep it that way for future generations to come,” government leader Danny Gaudet Déline Got’ine said via Zoom.
“It’s our turn to have the responsibility to treat this place with respect, it’s something we’ve been told to keep alive (by the elders) because it will be a place of refuge for the future of people, for all living beings. »
Great Bear Lake or Tsa Tué is the eighth largest freshwater lake in the world and is considered one of the most intact ecosystems in the world, in addition to its cultural significance to the Dene people. It is also the largest lake contained entirely within the Canadian border.
It was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2016. It is surrounded by boreal forest which provides important habitat for muskox, caribou and moose.
Mr. Gaudet said he hoped to reach an agreement in the coming months to ensure long-term management.
Shane Thompson, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources for the Northwest Territories, said establishing and funding a conservation area will mean active Indigenous stewardship of critical habitat.
“Great Bear Lake covers more than 31,000 square kilometers or 0.3% of the land area of Canada,” said Mr. Thompson. In comparison, it is a larger area than Belgium. »
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Indigenous leadership in nature conservation is crucial because they bring a unique perspective on knowledge, rights and responsibilities regarding their lands, waters and ice. .
Saturday’s announcement ends several commitments and funding announcements with provinces and communities at the COP15 conference, including an investment of $800 million to support Indigenous-led conservation projects.
All of this brings Canada closer to a goal of protecting 25% of its land and oceans by 2025. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said unequivocally that Canada will achieve this goal.
As of December 2021, Canada had retained 13.5% of its land and nearly 14% of its marine territory. To achieve 25×25, Canada must protect more than 1.2 million square kilometers of additional land, roughly the size of Manitoba and Saskatchewan combined.
Mr. Guilbeault pointed to the announcements made in Montreal over the past few weeks as an example of how to achieve the goal. He also remains convinced that the COP15 agreement will include a commitment to reach 30% of protected areas by 2030 – the goal that Canada and some other countries are pushing for.
“We’re very close, actually, to being able to show how we get to ’25×25′, we get there,” Guilbeault said. And Canada can only achieve this goal through strong partnerships with provinces, territories and Indigenous peoples. »