Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada)

𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 To read the full press release, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gNEfus2s #Inuit #IndigenousRights #UNPFII

"We know that access to archival records is necessary for sovereignty, for decolonization, for truth and reconciliation, and for healing. Records have power – they can and are used for all purposes just mentioned. Records also tell stories – and these stories can be joyful... ICC’s records are the records of an organization, but they are also a celebration of Inuit success and determination." This quote is from ICC's Archivist Lisa Mullins and her presentation on the importance of Archives in decolonization processes last week at the Danish Institute for International studies. Her presentation was titled, Building an Archive for Inuit with the ICC Canada Archives. You can watch the whole presentation below, starting at the timemark 1:20: https://lnkd.in/gCNxcxhQ You can access and learn more about ICC's archive online here: https://lnkd.in/gDWf_9Dj #inuit #DIIS #Archives

The fourth intergovernmental negotiating committee meeting #INC4 finished in the early morning hours on Tuesday this week. ICC Vice-Chair Lisa Koperqualuk led a strong delegation that included Gerald Inglangasuk of the Inuvialuit Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Liz Pijogge, Northern Contaminants Researcher for the Nunatsiavut Government, and several ICC staff. ICC advocated for human rights and the rights of Indigenous Peoples to be included in the operative text of the treaty, “When the text acknowledges human health and the environment, it needs to include the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. This does not create new obligations, but adds continuity, clarity, and alignment with the existing human rights framework” said Vice-Chair Koperqualuk. ICC plans to continue our advocacy during intersessional work, although it remains unclear whether observers will be involved in this process, and at final negotiations in Busan, Republic of Korea later this year. Read more about the outcomes in our press release: https://lnkd.in/gGpkkPM2 #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #BeatPlasticPollution

𝗜𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 To read the full press release, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gGpkkPM2 #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #BeatPlasticPollution #INC4

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗡𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗮𝘁 Microplastics and plastic additives arrive in the Arctic through several ways. While some plastic waste is due to local sources (e.g. from dumps, sewage systems, ships, industrial activity, etc.), plastic pollution is also carried northward to Inuit Nunaat from the south through environmental pathways, such as waterways, oceans currents, the atmosphere, migratory birds, and storebought products. Studies reveal that the Arctic deep sea harbors disproportionately high concentrations of microplastics and ranks amongst the highest measured globally. This is concerning because new research is showing how microplastics and even smaller particles of nano plastics can affect local wildlife and human health. Globally, over 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, with 30% being single-use plastics such as water bottles, food wrappers, and plastic bags. This results in over 2000 garbage truck loads of garbage ending up in the ocean everyday and that number is only growing. It is expected that plastic waste will triple by 2060. The ongoing treaty negotiations present a pivotal opportunity to address this crisis by curbing global plastic production and pollution, with the hope of consequently reducing the plastic pollution and microplastics in Inuit Nunaat. Inuit voices must be given the opportunity to be heard at plastic pollution treaty negotiations. #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #BeatPlasticPollution #INC4

ICC Vice Chair Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk moderated another panel today, on human and Indigenous Rights titled: Indigenous Perspectives and a Rights-Based Approach to Eliminating Plastic Pollution. • Lisa Koperqualuk, ICC Vice Chair (moderator) • Delbert Iyaanga Pungowiyi, Yupik Elder and Tribal Leader (Alaska Community Action on Toxics) • Ana Paula Souza, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights • Kate Gillis, Policy Advisor for International Relations at the Métis National Council • Graeme Reed, Assembly of First Nations Strategic Advisor • Vi Pangunnaaq Waghiyi, Environmental Health and Justice Program Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #beatplasticpollution

CBC’s Labrardor Morning show interviewed Liz Pijogge about her work monitoring plastics. She is one of the ICC delegates this week at INC-4. Listen to the episode on the link below: https://lnkd.in/eWDpDi8i #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #beatplasticpollution

“Indigenous Peoples are rights holders, not stakeholders and the lack of our direct engagement in these spaces violates UNDRIP article 41 and ultimately, will lead to a treaty that creates more issues, rather than solving them.” Above is a quote from ICC’s first intervention at the INC-4 plastic pollution negotiations this week. ICC requested the Arctic be recognized in the text as a sensitive region, as it is in the Minamata and Stockholm Conventions. It also asked that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples be recognized in the operative text of the document. ICC Vice Chair Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk emphasized, “When the text acknowledges human health and the environment, it needs to include the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.” The need for a rights-based approach was emphasized by the Vice-Chair at the plenary. #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #beatplasticpollution

Catherine Cullen from The House interviewed ICC Vice Chair Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk as part of this week's episode, 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ-𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑈𝑁 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑂𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑤𝑎. Listen at the link below. Lisa starts to speak at time mark 24:35. https://lnkd.in/g6jfDErz

ICC Vice Chair Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk moderated a panel today, Plastic Pollution and Community-Based Monitoring: Examples from the Arctic. Panel included: • Sarah Kalhok Bourque, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Chair - Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), and Chair - Northern Contaminants Program (Canada) • Jenn Provencher, Wildlife Health Unit at the Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment and Climate Change Canada), AMAP Litter and Microplastics Expert Group co-lead; • Lauren Divine, Ecosystem Conservation Office at the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island; AMAP Litter and Microplastics Expert Group; PAME Arctic Marine Litter Expert Group; CAFF Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program • Liz Pijogge, Contaminants Researcher • Vi Pangunnaaq Waghiyi, Native Village of Savoonga, Alaska Community Action on Toxics Environmental Health and Justice Program Director, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council Vi Pangunnaaq Waghiyi spoke the experience at the INC-4 negotiations so far: “They haven’t heard from observers nevermind Indigenous peoples. My relatives traveled two days to be here… Our voices should be heard by the decision makers,” Vi Pangunnaaq Waghiyi #Inuit #PlasticsTreaty #beatplasticpollution #INC4