The James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment (JBACE)

Over the last 50 years, the Crees have experienced many rapid and complex changes in the environment and the speed of climate change is likely to exacerbate the effects of major development projects and socio-economic constraints, thus representing an additional challenge for maintaining the Cree way of life and Cree identity. In 2007, in keeping with its policy role under the JBNQA, the JBACE commissioned a first state of knowledge report on climate change in Eeyou Istchee James Bay. Subsequently, the Committee collaborated on a project led by the Cree Trappers' Association (CTA) to document and determine a profile of land use and of how land use may be impacted by climate change. Ten years after the publication of the first report, the JBACE commissioned Ouranos to undertake an update of the state of knowledge, in order to enable the Committee to develop an updated appreciation of the role of environmental assessment (among other things) in this regard.

Recent actions:

• December 2017: report by Ouranos on the state of climate change and adaptation knowledge for the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory
• November 2018: participation in the Regional Forum on Climate Change (Eastmain)
• December 2018: publication of the report on the JBACE website (available here)
• March 2019: comments on MELCC’s draft document entitled Climate change and environmental authorizations - A Guide for project proponents
• May 2019: presentations from ECCC, MELCC, and CNG to the JBACE members followed by a discussion to identify the next steps for the JBACE in this file
• November 2019: coordination of the Cree consultation for the development of the MELCC'S Electrification and Climate Change Plan (held in the Ouje-Bougoumou Cree Nation
• February 2023: Publication of a fact sheet on the impacts of climate change in the Territory in English and in French.