Takeaways: IIPWG July 2026 Newsletter
Items excerpted from the July 2026 Investors & Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IIPWG) Newsletter. IIPWG strategy calls take place the third Thursday of the month. Learn more.
Indigenous Peoples’ Collective Priorities for Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels
Patricia Suárez, an advisor to the Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC), presented on the Indigenous Peoples’ statement (English translation, pg. 10) from the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, held in Santa Marta, Colombia April 24-29.
Over 250 local, national, and international Indigenous Peoples came together to address issues impacting Indigenous Peoples globally and forward Indigenous Peoples’ solutions to the climate crisis. In the statement, Indigenous Peoples collectively established 13 essential principles for a just transition and provided recommendations pertaining to the three conference pillars: economic dependency on fossil fuels, fossil fuel supply and demand, and international cooperation. The statement ends with a call for crosscutting safeguards for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
Suárez emphasized that, as it relates to climate change and fossil fuels, self-determination is a top priority for Indigenous Peoples globally. She underscored that Indigenous Peoples’ territories must be free from mineral and fossil fuel extractivism and Indigenous Peoples’ Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) must be embedded across all processes, including financing. Please see the conference report and background article for more information.
State of Tribal Clean Energy Development and Indigenous-led Fund
IIPWG welcomed Remington Schneider, Fund Manager at Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, who discussed the landscape of Tribal clean energy development in the U.S. and the Indigenous Power & Light Fund for Energy Sovereignty.
The fund was initially created to help tribes benefit from the influx of clean energy funding and tax credits in 2024. However, the massive rescission of federal funding and tax credit programs by the current administration has negatively affected Tribal clean energy projects. For instance, it is estimated that ending the Solar For All Program rescinded $700 million funds earmarked for tribal energy development.
The fund pivoted to focus on bringing projects over the finish line and ensure capital goes to the most critical projects, which often include projects related to community assets critical to the culture and the well-being of tribes such as housing, health clinics, community centers, food storage, and schools. The fund offers direct, recoverable, small, and emergency grants, as well as development loans.
UN Business & Human Rights Report on Private Sector Responsibilities to FPIC
The Working Group on Business and Human Rights published Guidance on the right of Indigenous Peoples to free, prior and informed consent in the context of business activities, which provides analysis of the state of FPIC and what Indigenous Peoples are experiencing, as well as the role businesses and the private sector can play. The report:
Notes positive normative developments in the protection and respect of FPIC by countries and businesses, while acknowledging persistent implementation gaps;
Clarifies country-level obligations and business responsibilities under the three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; and
Provides practical guidance for operationalizing FPIC across business project lifecycle and underscores the importance of FPIC as an essential safeguard to guarantee the protection and respect of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and to build trust between countries, businesses, and rights-holders.
IIPWG Canada
The July IIPWG Canada call featured debriefs on the following topics:
The Gwich'in Steering Committee on the lease sale for the Arctic Refuge ft. Rachael Johnson, Partnerships and Advocacy Director, Gwich'in Steering Committee
The BMO Indigenous Bond; see press release and Indigenous Bond Framework – April 2024 ft. John Uhren, Global Head of Sustainable Finance at BMO Capital Markets and Dan Adams, Head of Office of Reconciliation at BMO
Empowering Indigenous Nations in the energy transition: Why strengthening local capacity is the first step to Canada’s future in critical minerals ft. Jordan Peterson, CEO & President of Affinity North
The Moose Hide Campaign ft. Mark Sevestre, Senior Advisor, Mokwateh
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) Reconciliation Action Plan Resources
Learn more about IIPWG Canada.