Submitted by Brian McHattie, Program Chair
Sources of Knowledge (SoK) would like to invite you to the April 28-30, 2023 Forum themed on biodiversity. We feel that the timing is right following the United Nations Convention of the Parties on biodiversity meetings in Montreal in December, 2022. By all accounts, Canada played a leading role in forging the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, committing countries to protect 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030, recognizing Indigenous leadership as a central pillar of achieving these goals and reaffirming Indigenous Peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent to development projects taking place on their territories. It also includes a call for rich countries to support poorer countries with US$200 billion to protect nature by 2030, including $20 billion per year between now and 2025 and $30 billion per year after that until the end of the decade.
Why is this important? Biodiversity is the variety of all living things on this planet, from bats to cattails, bears to humans, caribou to orchids. There are millions of plant, animal, insect, bacteria and fungi species that make up life on Earth, and each one has a part to play in helping ecosystems thrive. But this precious biodiversity is under serious threat. Over the last half-century or so, the number of animals on Earth has dropped by half. Up to one million species are currently on the brink of extinction, some within decades or earlier. Scientists say we’re seeing the sixth mass extinction on our planet, the first to be caused entirely by one species – us.
In gathering at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre for the April 2023 Forum, we have several learning and action objectives:
• Learn about biodiversity and the importance of the United Nations COP15 agreement.
• Situate Indigenous conservation leadership as central; as Canada’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault says, “By coupling Indigenous and Western science, we can fight the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, strengthen our relationships with Indigenous communities, and build a better future for everyone.”
• Apply critical thinking skills by considering contradictions in what governments say and actually do. While Canada was announcing funding to support Indigenous conservation during COP15, they were also announcing plans to fast-track environmental assessments for ‘Ring of Fire’ mineral mining projects in Ontario’s boreal forest, home to dozens of Indigenous Nations and critical caribou habitat.
• Examine how important the Saugeen Peninsula is to Great Lakes-wide biodiversity, hear about important efforts already underway by government and local groups, and learn how you can take action.
Over upcoming editions of the newspaper, we will tell you more about the Forum program and the fascinating speakers we have lined up. But, as a teaser, we are excited to a announce that we will be showing the new film: The Issue with Tissue, A Boreal Love Story with Director Michael Zelniker. Check out the movie trailer on the Sources of Knowledge website (sourcesofknowledge.ca).
The program and registration process will be officially launched on the SoK website in late January/early February. Look for a new section on biodiversity providing you with a learning primer to enhance your participation in the Forum. While you are on the site, view videos of speakers from our October 2022 Forum on climate change.
See you soon!
