The Just Transition Summit

THE JUST TRANSITION SUMMIT IN 2020 & 2022: REMEMBERING FORWARD

In January 2020, the first Alaska Just Transition Summit was held on the lands of the Lower Tanana Dene peoples. Kohtr’elneyh (“Remembering Forward'' in Benhti Kanaga’) was the first of its kind to bring together leaders from various sectors to openly discuss a post-oil economy in Alaska. The concept of Remembering Forward grows from an understanding that solutions to the intersecting crises our communities face are found in Indigenous knowledge systems: economies of care, equity, sustainability, and reciprocity.

In May 2022, we were honored to gather on Dena'ina Ełnena, now known as Anchorage, Alaska, for Nughelnik: the 2022 Alaska Just Transition Summit. The Alaska Just Transition framework deepens our collective vision and reevaluate economy, social and environmental justice, local governance, and community self-determination. Nughelnik comes at a critical time of transformation for Alaskan communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted systemic faults in our state: disservice to our rural communities that lack access to water and sanitation; instability of extractive industries; dependence on outside contract workers for our healthcare, education, and public infrastructure; importation of food and goods that can stop in an instant and leave shelves bare; the collapse of our salmon fisheries across the state; the brink of irreversible damage to Earth due to climate change; and economic and social disparities that hurt working families and Alaska’s future. The stakes are high; we are out of time. A Just Transition is a critical act of love to our communities, families, lands and waters, and future. We commit to collective action and hope as we acknowledge shared histories, reshape community economies, and forge a path toward a thriving Alaska.

BRINGING JUST TRANSITION HOME

Every good vision starts with a plan, for some we have planned for generations, for others we are just seeing the need for a plan - all are welcome to build this plan together! As we think of a ten year vision for Alaska, what would you like to see in your world in 2032? For example, energy justice organizers want to see a completely renewable energy grid by 2030. What timeline do you hold for your vision or work? With your input we want to see what a just transition timeline across sectors looks like and from there work on supporting these necessary and achievable goals by then!

While the framework of Just Transition can be an academic framework, we see it as a way to place all of our visions and fears into actionable places to move from. It can be a simple way to organize ideas about how to create a community that feels good for us and for future generations. It can help us turn the future that we imagine into reality.

We invite you to review the five bubbles in the living economy and envision the future of your community whether that be in the classroom, workplace, your union or with your neighbors. Take some time to reflect on these questions: In the future you want: how do people define work in your community, how is that different from today? How is that work shared across your community, are people working together? How are decisions being made? What type of healing and support is available for community members? What regenerative resources are being used? How are people in relationship with the land? In the circles below or in your own journal, write or sketch your thoughts.

BRINGING JUST TRANSITION HOME

Visions turn to goals turn to actions turn to wins. Think of a project you are doing or would like to do that fits in the vision you created. What are the first steps or the next steps you need to make it happen? Which season is the best time to take those next steps?

PROJECT:

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Who else do you need support from? Let’s say you would like to start an indoor garden to grow food for your community. Maybe you could reach out to someone at the Tribal office or the school to see if there might be some space you could use. Maybe you can support efforts that are already happening. List out the people who could support this idea and how you could work together to start things!

NAME: CONTACT INFO: HOW CAN THEY HELP? HOW CAN YOU HELP THEM IN RETURN?

NAME: CONTACT INFO: HOW CAN THEY HELP? HOW CAN YOU HELP THEM IN RETURN?

BRINGING JUST TRANSITION HOME

Why do you feel this idea is something good for your whole community? Going back to the indoor garden, it could be a good source of vegetables for people in the winter time. This list will help you explain to your community why this is a good idea. List out some benefits to your community.

Now you’re ready to reach out to those support people and ask them to work with you on this idea together. Consider asking the Tribal council for time to present your idea at a meeting or ask a teacher at school if you could present your idea to your classmates or talk to a friend at the next basketball game.

There are so many ways to get other people excited about Just Transition. Don’t be afraid to start small! Your big goal might be to find funding to build and run a greenhouse for growing lots of vegetables. But even taking the first step of growing a small garden at home can be a great way to show other people around you that the future that you envision is possible.

Mashi' choo • Quyana • Chin’an • Gunalchéesh • Taikuu • Háw’aa • Nt'oyaxsn • Qagaliqux • Tsin’aen • Quyanaa • Enaa Baasee’ • Thank You!