Free, Prior & Informed Consent in the context of the just energy transition

The global push for clean energy is essential for mitigating climate change. However, the rapid expansion of renewable energy projects and the increased demand for critical minerals to fuel them are increasingly impacting Indigenous lands, cultures, and resources. This podcast explores the intersection of Indigenous rights, the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the evolving landscape of the just energy transition. The speakers look at how companies can and have engaged in the FPIC process responsibly.

Daniel Cardenas is CEO and Chairman of the National Tribal Energy Association, drives sustainable energy infrastructure development and advocates for tribal sovereignty and economic opportunities across Native American communities nationwide. He is also on the Equitable Origin Board.

Kaki Comer is Standards Development Manager at Equitable Origin. Kaki has extensive experience in advancing responsible business practices across the energy, mining, and international development sectors in the US and Latin America. As Standards Development Manager at Equitable Origin, she led the refinement and rollout of the FPIC-360° Tool, designed to assess and strengthen enabling conditions for FPIC through multi-party engagement.

Chapters

• 5:04 What does FPIC mean to your community - not just as a legal principle, but as a lived practice?
• 9:56 How does tribal sovereignty intersect with state and federal permitting processes for large-scale energy and resource extraction projects?
• 15:28 Could you walk us through a recent large-scale energy project engagement with your or another US Tribe? What went well, and what didn’t?
• 19:47 Are there ways that companies can build in more flexibility when working with communities?
• 25:32 How can companies and Tribes create genuine partnerships rather than transactional consultations?
• 30:27 What changes in policy, funding, or capacity building would most strengthen FPIC implementation in the U.S.?
• 38:43 What story or lesson from your community would you like listeners to remember after this conversation?
• 41:55 Concluding remarks