ALES researchers awarded New Frontiers in Research Fund

Congratulations to Debra Davidson and Brenda Parlee and their colleagues, who have won New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) awards. The NFRF funds interdisciplinary, transformative research led by Canadians. Read more about their projects below. 

Justice First: Community-Embedded Energy Transition Planning for Climate Resilience - Debra Davidson

Amount awarded: $4.9 million

As its title implies, this international and community-based project focuses on enhancing energy transition planning, recognizing that such plans must integrate mitigation and adaptation; embrace a justice framework; and be socio-culturally embedded within local communities. Realizing this objective demands direct engagement with the diverse peoples living and working in those spaces, with special attention to vulnerable groups. Empowering marginalized community members will reduce inequity and conflict and deploy valuable local knowledge to advance sustainable development goals. 

Davidson has coalesced an international team of world-renown and emerging researchers and community leaders to embark upon comparative, community-engaged research with equity-deserving Indigenous and marginalized communities uniquely vulnerable to climate change in Canada, the U.S., Norway, India, Mexico and Ghana. While these communities face shared climate-related risks and unique challenges, they demonstrate the necessary capacities to facilitate effective, sustainable and equitable energy transitions. 

The research team plans to hold a launch workshop this fall at University College London.

Confronting 'Green Colonialism': Indigenous and Local Community Led Action and Solutions for Food-Water-Land Security - Brenda Parlee

Amount awarded: $1.5 million

Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable local communities are on the front lines of climate justice; in addition to experiencing the biophysical stresses of climate change, they are also facing many costs associated with the decarbonization of global economies. These communities' stresses are growing in many parts of the world. Often it is women, and those with physical disabilities who are the most significantly impacted. 

This trend has been described as “green colonialism” by Indigenous leaders. Examples include lithium and rare earth mineral mining for electric vehicles, flooding and resettlement caused by hydroelectric dam construction, and carbon capture initiatives. How can Indigenous and local community knowledge keepers contribute to innovations for a more equitable energy transition? Our research team addresses this question with the aim of producing innovations that can transform climate change policy (nationally and globally) but also contribute to food, water and land security (i.e., contribute to peace and reduce forced mobility).

Parlee’s gender and culturally diverse, interdisciplinary research team is led by Indigenous and local community leaders, and a team of academic experts from more than 10 disciplinary foundations with decades of experience in collaborative research on the core issues of this proposal. This project will also benefit from a strong network of intersectoral connections with national and global agencies.