September 2026
by Sarah Ozog
This paper examines alignment of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) with British Columbia (BC)’s clean energy policy framework. It assesses provincial efforts to reconcile clean energy objectives with UNDRIP implementation and offers five guidelines to support policy development and UNDRIP implementation in the clean energy sector. The guidance presented has value for all levels of government and industry that are seeking to align First Nations objectives with clean energy development.
BC is the first province to legislate compliance with UNDRIP across all its laws, and policymakers are making efforts to align provincial clean energy policy objectives with UNDRIP implementation. To support these efforts, the paper highlights priorities identified through engagements with BC First Nations, including: government-to-government planning, economic opportunities, and energy affordability.
The study also finds that tripartite initiatives between federal and provincial governments and First Nations organizations are necessary to advance First Nations’ clean energy objectives. Important outcomes of tripartite initiatives include improved access to capital and cross-jurisdictional coordination to support clean energy project development.
We encourage the use and sharing of this material. Please cite as:
Ozog, S. (2026). Learnings from British Columbia on UNDRIP Implementation in the Clean Energy Sector: Guidance for Policymakers (Working Paper). Simon Fraser University. https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/learnings-from-british-columbia-undrip-implementation-clean-energy-sector
The Clean Economy Working Paper Series disseminates findings of ongoing environmental and clean economy work conducted by researchers from a range of disciplines. These working papers are meant to make results of relevant scholarly work available in a preliminary form. Although these papers have not undergone a peer-review process, they meet general standards of scholarly excellence. The views expressed in these working papers are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Smart Prosperity Institute.
