Indigenous Engagement
Supporting Indigenous leadership and participation in shipping governance
Background
Equal Routes is committed to advancing Indigenous rights and voices in global shipping governance.
We work in partnership with Indigenous organizations to support meaningful participation in international maritime decision-making and to ensure Indigenous knowledge and priorities are reflected in shipping policies.
Areas of Focus
How we engage
Supporting Indigenous representation, participation and leadership in maritime governance
Amplifying Indigenous priorities within shipping policy discussions
Collaborating on research and advocacy that responds to Indigenous Peoples identified needs
What we do
Advancing responsive research and knowledge sharing
Building long-term partnerships and sustained support
Fostering accountability in shipping policy and decision making
Partnerships and Engagement
We work alongside Indigenous organizations to support Indigenous representation, participation, and leadership in maritime governance. From co-developing submissions to the IMO to co-convening side events, engaging with Member States and consulates, and participating in correspondence groups, we support Indigenous participation in global maritime decision making and centre Indigenous voices and priorities in shipping governance.
Inuit Circumpolar Council - Canada
The Inuit Circumpolar Council - Canada (ICC Canada) is an Inuit representative non-profit organization led by a board of directors comprising the elected leaders of the four Inuit land-claim regions: the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. ICC Canada has commissioned Equal Routes to undertake work on the reduction of underwater radiated noise in the Arctic and Inuit Nunaat. The Directors of Equal Routes were also involved in the work of ICC international obtaining consultative status at the IMO.
Heiltsuk Tribal Council
The Heiltsuk Tribal Council is the governance body of the Heiltsuk Nation, which is an Indigenous Nation on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada, with a history spanning thousands of years. The council is committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of the Haíɫzaqv people. Their vision is rooted in preserving and revitalizing cultural heritage while promoting a sustainable relationship with the environment. Equal Routes is supporting the Heiltsuk Tribal Council engagement and advocacy at the IMO on cultural loss and meaningful representation of coastal Indigenous Nations in shipping international policy.
Key Activities and Resources
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Just and Equitable Transition in the South Pacific
An interview with John Taukäve on sound, shipping, and oceanic leadership. John is a Rotuman and Fijian artist, researcher and advocate, whose work bridges culture and climate leadership. John brings lived experiences of Pacific Island communities, descendants of the world’s most advanced ocean voyagers, into IMO negotiations.
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![https://www.equalroutes.ca/news-resources/in-the-intersection-of-shipping-biodiversity-and-decarbonization]()
Navigating the Future: Bridging Shipping, Biodiversity, and Decarbonization
Released during COP28 in Dubai, this report highlights the urgency of addressing the triple planetary crisis - pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in the context of shipping solutions and impacts.
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First Nation in B.C. asks UN body IMO to count cultural losses in spill compensation formula
Delegates from Heiltsuk Nation were at the International Maritime Organization calling for change on the compensation formula for oil spills. Liability and compensation regimes for all types of marine spills to cover Indigenous cultural losses.
