IGNACE – In a recent report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, scientists from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization have been recognized as contributors to the cross-disciplinary global policy study.
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services assessment report on the diverse values and valuation of nature found political and economic decisions should be made a driving factor for government to address the global biodiversity crisis.
The finding in the Assessment Report on the Diverse Values and Valuation of Nature suggests that there is a dominant global focus on short-term profits and economic growth, which often excludes the consideration of multiple values of nature in global policy decisions.
“With more than 50 valuation methods and approaches, there is no shortage of ways and tools to make visible the values of nature,” said Prof. Unai Pascual (Spain/Switzerland), who co-chaired the Assessment with Prof. Patricia Balvanera (Mexico), Prof. Mike Christie (UK) and Dr. Brigitte Baptiste (Colombia). “Only 2% of the more than 1,000 studies reviewed consult stakeholders on valuation findings and only 1% of the studies involved stakeholders in every step of the process of valuing nature. What is in short supply is the use of valuation methods to tackle power asymmetries among stakeholders, and to transparently embed the diverse values of nature into policymaking.”
In other words, environmental impact studies aren’t being considered nearly enough when governments implement a new policy.
This is unfortunate when considering nuclear waste management and the long-term solutions to safely storing used nuclear fuel.
As it stands, nuclear power is both economical and produces fewer greenhouse emissions.
As provinces across the country are looking into more ways to utilize small modular reactors to power heavy industry and remote communities, more nuclear waste will be produced. Without a stable long-term solution to store nuclear waste, the environmental impact could be devastating.
Since the acknowledgment of Indigenous people as stewards of the land, policymakers must adopt Indigenous knowledge into their decisions.
The NWMO’s Melissa Mayhew, Senior Environmental Scientist, and Jessica Perritt, former Section Manager for Indigenous Knowledge and Reconciliation, were invited to contribute a submission to the IPBES Values Assessment.
In the assessment, Mayhew and Perritt’s contribution was highlighted as a real-world example of how Indigenous knowledge is used to foster sustainability in planning for the deep geological repository.
“As an Indigenous woman, I was honoured to contribute to this important international study to amplify the sophistication of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the importance of Indigenous voice. Collectively, we need to understand that in order to elevate the quality of work and organizations, we have to make space for multiple ways of knowing in order to co-create more effective solutions to protect Mother Earth,” said Ms. Perritt, who is currently on leave from her position at the NWMO and working with the Turtle Island Institute. “Successfully implementing Indigenous Knowledge systems into large environmental infrastructure projects requires, first and foremost, that western scientists make shifts to ensure that outcomes are grounded in relationship, respect and reciprocity between the human and non-human species.”
Their submission was featured in the summary for policy-makers released on July 11, 2022, with the full contribution to appear in the report’s final chapter later this year.
“Recognizing and respecting the worldviews, values and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities allows policies to be more inclusive, which also translates into better outcomes for people and nature”, said Dr. Baptiste. “Also, recognizing the role of women in the stewardship of nature and overcoming power asymmetries frequently related to gender status, can advance the inclusion of the diversity of values in decisions about nature.”
The NWMO was one of the first organizations in North America to implement an Indigenous Knowledge Policy (2020).
The NWMO policy commits them to consult and include diverse values in all of the NWMO’s work and decision-making processes.
