The impact First Nations people have on Australia's energy transition will be explored in detail during the 2024 First Nations Clean Energy Symposium next month in Adelaide.

The deep dive from hundreds of First Nations leaders and community members, government, industry, unions, academics and expert representatives comes ahead of the Federal Government's impending Budget and its inaugural First Nations Clean Energy Strategy, after Australia's energy minister's ensured in 2022 First Nations would be central in meeting the country's renewable energy targets.

The symposium will highlight achievements to date, including 15 significant First Nations clean energy project partnerships, a clear narrative of engagement, consent and partnering, and policy settings revamped to prioritise early engagement, partnerships, equity, ownership and benefit-sharing.

"We will highlight wins showing project achievements and what genuine engagement looks like, and tease out ongoing barriers from getting rooftop solar and reliable electricity, to gaining consent and negotiating equity and benefit-sharing in major projects on Country, determining 'where to next', the First Nations Clean Energy Network said.

Next month's groundbreaking summit follows FNCEN's steering group member Leslie Schultz's attendance at an international conference in New York a fortnight ago ahead of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) this week.

A declaration of Indigenous Peoples was formulated at the international conference, attended by 87 representatives from countries across the world discussing 'Indigenous Peoples and the Just Transition', where it was evident Indigenous people spearheading renewable energy initiatives was key to delivering a fair, fast and effective energy transition, as well as being essential for self-determined sustainable development and supporting economic empowerment.

Karrina Nolan, co-Chair First Nations Clean Energy Network and a descendant of the Yorta Yorta people, said: "Without our people, our leadership and our intimate knowledge of lands and waters, the energy transition cannot be done. As we enter a new phase of protecting, managing and developing our land and sea country in response to the global shift towards clean energy and critical minerals mining and manufacturing, we know our people must be central to this transition".

"First Nations communities must self-determine what happens on our country, and in the context of climate change and areas fast becoming too hot and more challenging to live in, our consent, participation and inclusion in the detail, design and decisions across a project lifecycle is essential.

"The First Nations Clean Energy Network - now with over 500 FIrst Nations individuals and organisations and thousands of supporters - continues to bring our communities into the energy transformation to be part of developing energy policy, to work in partnership with government and industry, and to sit at the table and negotiate equitable outcomes for our First Nations people - which was sorely missing in the last mining boom."

Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation CEO Joe Morrison, a Dagoman and Mualgal man with more than 30 years of experience working with Indigenous people in northern Australia, said the ILSC worked with First Nations peoples so they could realise the social, economic, environmental, and cultural benefits of owning and managing Country.

"When we partner with First Nations peoples, we look to prioritise their environmental benefits so they can achieve their aspirations as the rightful owners of land, water, and sea," he said.

"Over the past years, we have seen climate change awareness positively impacting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon farming.

"This awareness has created opportunities for Indigenous land managers to develop projects on their Country, where land management appropriates carbon into trees and soils – stopping emissions being released into the atmosphere.

"Our goal is to allow for knowledge sharing and stronger Indigenous voices in all environment and energy-related activities.

"The First Nations Clean Energy Symposium provides an opportunity to bring people together to share ideas about clean energy and the significant role that First Nations peoples play in combating the impacts of climate change. The ILSC is proud to be supporting the 2024 Symposium."

The New York conference heard that at least half of the world's transition minerals and significant renewable energy potential was on Indigenous peoples' lands, and that global renewable energy targets were unachievable without proper engagement with those who had held those territories for millennia.

The declaration set specific demands for states, companies and energy regulators to deliver a just transition in respect to Indigenous peoples' rights, including.

For states: Fast-track divestment from fossil fuels; provide direct, adequate and flexible funding, including access to climate financing mechanisms, and technical and legal capacity-building support to empower Indigenous Peoples to shape their own present and future in renewable energy development.

For companies and investors: Fairly negotiate and implement equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, including co-ownership and co-equity models, that respect Indigenous Peoples' rights and contributions and ensure respect to their FPIC.

For energy utilities and regulators: Establish effective mechanisms for full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in planning, implementation, revenue generation and monitoring of energy development projects; ensure access to affordable renewable energy for Indigenous Peoples' communities.

Context for the Adelaide Symposium:

More than a quarter of Australia's energy generation now comes from renewables, driving a massive shift in Australia's energy system. The symposium aims to identify how First Nations people can and should benefit from this transition, be they via small community-based projects, to large scale clean energy, jobs, and supply chain business opportunities.

"The opportunity of renewable energy should and can be available to all. But we know for many of our communities affordable, secure and clean power is not yet a reality," the FNCEN said.

"First Nations communities are still faced with unreliable and expensive power and the impacts of this are worsening as extreme temperatures increase because of climate change.

"The regulatory environment is complex and can frustrate efforts to build energy security, which is exacerbated for many First Nations because of substandard housing that is not energy efficient.

"Despite this, many First Nations communities are engaged in the clean energy transition and are either proactively considering, negotiating or partnering in developing clean energy projects, at both a community level to a nation and export level."

The FNCEN said more Indigenous clean energy partnerships would be established in the coming years as industry and government realised the benefits of First Nations-led projects.

"As Canada has found, and as financiers in Australia are realising, partnering with First Nations across the project lifecycle from pre-feasibility engagement though to post-project closure, can reduce delay, risk and costs by increasing engagement, community buy-in, local employment, business development and benefit-sharing opportunities, realising positive impacts on land, social licence and energy security, and achieving sustainable clean energy projects," it said.

"First Nations people have substantial native title rights and interests on land and sea encompassing many of our richest energy resources including sun, wind, waters and essential transition minerals... First Nations' consent will be more critical than ever ... as we aim to collectively tackle climate change and ensure clean energy is done the right way, driven by our communities and developed so it sustains country and culture for generations to come."

Indigenous communities should participate and benefit equitably from the scaling of renewable energy generation and production, creating jobs, building skills and stronger communities, while addressing climate change that threatened Country and people.

"We will also assert our right to consent, or not, to projects on our country, ensuring some of the mistakes of the extractive industry are not repeated, so we share in the benefits as renewable energy expands, while protecting our cultural heritage," the FNCEN said.

"We want to ensure our people are part of the renewable energy revolution, from household solar through to incubation of community-owned projects and equitable arrangements for large scale renewable projects.

"This will require investment and a supportive government policy framework and a commitment from industry and investors to apply best practice principles.

"We aim to keep building trust, collaboration and relationships between First Nations communities and government, industry and other stakeholders to ensure all parties are working together towards a just and clean energy transition."

Key themes being explored at the Adelaide Symposium:

- Supporting the development of community-owned renewable energy projects to deliver lower-cost, reliable energy.

- Powering job opportunities and strong economies so our mob can live and work on Country.

- Developing collaborative pathways to community-led small, medium and large scale clean energy solutions.

- Building in First Nations early engagement and free prior and informed consent to reduce risk and cost and increase shared benefits.

- Accelerating First Nations partnerships, equity and ownership, embedding First Nations leadership.

- Implementing the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy and recommendations for policy and regulatory reform.

First Nations Clean Energy Symposium

8-9 May 2024, Stamford Grand Adelaide Hotel, Adelaide

Hosted by First Nations Clean Energy Network, Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and National Native Title Council