Janna Wale
About
Janna Wale is a Gitxsan (Gitanmaax First Nation) & Cree-Métis climate research leader, policy advisor, and speaker advancing Indigenous-led approaches to climate action.
Her work sits at the intersection of Indigenous leadership, climate science, and public policy.
She works to bridge Indigenous and Western knowledge systems and supporting ethical, relational approaches to climate action across government, research, and policy spaces.
She advises, writes, and speaks widely, and is known for her commitment to reciprocity, relational accountability, and doing climate work in a good way. She holds a bachelor of Natural Resource Sciences (B. Nrsc.) from Thompson Rivers University, and a Masters in Science (M.Sc.) in Interdisciplinary Sustainability from the University of British Columbia - Okanagan.
Logo & Meaning
In Gitxsan culture, our lessons, histories and stories revolve around the concept of transformation.
The trickster Weg’et is a prime example of this: transforming from raven to pine needle, growing in knowledge and experience, ultimately leading him into a better relational space with himself and with the life around him.
Raven Dancer Design by Garth Wale (2015).
Work
Read
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![Woman crouching by the water on a rocky shore, wearing a cedar hat decorated with abalone shells, during sunset or sunrise.]()
What does reconciliation look like in an era of climate turmoil?
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions
September 2025
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![Illustration of a cross-section of land and water, showing buried natural gas pipeline, with a large dark blob representing natural gas leakage, and dead trees on dry land, emphasizing environmental damage from liquid natural gas ownership.]()
Buried Burdens: The True Cost of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Ownership
The Yellowhead Institute
July 2025
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![A close-up of a Indigenous-style northwest coastal art design featuring abstract animal and face motifs in red, black, white, and light blue colors.]()
“Fast-Track” to Disaster: BC’s Bill 14/15, Indigenous Rights & the Climate Crisis
The Yellowhead Institute
June 2025
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![Abstract digital artwork featuring smooth, flowing layers in shades of yellow, orange, and red, resembling a stylized sunrise or sunset over rolling hills.]()
Climbing the mountain: Climate, colonialism, and reconciliation
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions
September 2025
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![Northwest coastal art featuring a crescent moon, stars, and fish patterns on a dark blue background.]()
From Risk to Resilience: Indigenous Alternatives to Climate Risk Assessment in Canada
The Yellowhead Institute
September 2024
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![Illustration of mountains, night sky with stars and a crescent moon, and the logos of Canadian Climate Institute and Indigenous Research in the top left corner. Text reads 'BEYOND SUSTAINABILITY: The Power of Indigenous Healthy Energy Homes'.]()
Beyond Sustainability: The Power of Indigenous Healthy Energy Homes
Canadian Climate Institute
July 2024
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![Cover of a publication titled 'Canadian Geographies' with Canadian flag maple leaf design in blue and white.]()
A framework for Indigenous climate resilience: A Gitxsan case study
Canadian Geographies
January 2024
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![Aerial view of ocean waves crashing onto rocky shoreline.]()
Turning the tide on flood risks: how can governments address disproportionate impacts
Canadian Climate Institute
January 2024
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![A diverse group of Indigenous people protesting on steps in an urban area, holding signs and drums, with a large red banner that reads 'SOVEREIGN RIGHTS' in front of them.]()
Canada can’t reconcile climate change without first reconciling with Indigenous Peoples and the land
Canada’s National Observer
September 2023
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![A person standing on a rock near the ocean, facing the water and watching a wave hit the rocks.]()
Your heart may be breaking, but please take care of yourself
Canada’s National Observer
August 2023
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![Cover of a publication titled 'BAD FORECAST: The Illusion of Indigenous Inclusion and Representation in Climate Adaptation Plans in Canada' by Janna Wale. The illustration features stylized Indigenous art elements, including faces and abstract designs in shades of blue, red, black, and cream.]()
Bad Forecast: The Illusion of Indigenous Inclusion and Representation in Climate Adaptation Plans
The Yellowhead Institute
May 2023
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![A smoky cityscape with trees in the foreground, overlaid with text reading 'The Case for Adapting to Extreme Heat. Costs of the 2021 B.C. heat wave.']()
The Case for Adapting to Extreme Heat: Costs of the 2021 B.C. heat wave
Canadian Climate Institute
June 2022
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![Two rescue workers with helmets and safety vests standing on snow-covered slope, observing a partially constructed house on a mountain slope.]()
Gitxsan and Secwépemc Resilience to Climate Change
The Alpine Club of Canada
April 2022
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![A man wearing a white cap, blue t-shirt, and camouflage shorts fishing in a river with rapid, murky water, using a fishing net on a long pole.]()
Gitxsan Rez-ilience: Understanding climate resilience as Naadahahlhakwhlinhl
Canadian Climate Institute
June 2022
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![Cover of Métis Mental Health and Wellness Magazine titled 'Resilient Roots' with an illustration of a lion's face, a black bird in flight, pink flowers, and intricate orange and yellow patterns.]()
Intersections of Climate Change and Mental Health
Resilient Roots: Métis Mental Health & Wellness
April 2022
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![Black and white line drawing of mountains with a face carved into the side, resembling a totem or sculpture, with pine trees in the foreground.]()
Climate Rez-ilience: Building Transformative Climate Resilience in Indigenous Communities
Master’s Thesis - UBC Open Collections
June 2022
Watch
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![Young woman speaking at a TEDx event, wearing a hat and a black jacket with red designs, with text overlay stating 'Climate change is a relationship problem'.]()
Indigenuity: How to Reframe Our Relationship With Climate Change
TedX Surrey
January 2025
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![A lynx walking through snow in a forested area with snow-covered trees and bushes.]()
The Land Remembers - Canada's Living Planet Report 2025
World Wildlife Foundation - Canada
September 2025
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![A woman with dark hair, wearing earrings and a gray sweater, sitting in front of a microphone, in a recording studio with wooden acoustic panels. Text on the image reads: "The voice of JANNA WALE Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions".]()
A Radical Act of Hope Podcast: Something to Find Hope In
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions
September 2025
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![A seal on ice near water, looking directly at the camera.]()
A Radical Act of Hope: "What A World We’d Created"
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions
September 2025
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![A woman with long dark hair wearing red strawberry earrings and a black shirt, speaking outdoors with green trees and a blue sky in the background.]()
Indigenous Rights in the Resource Economy: British Columbia’s Bills 14 and 15
Yellowhead Institute - Instagram Reel
July 2025
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![Title slide for a discussion on charting a course in the sea of climate misinformation, featuring the logos of the University of Waterloo and the Waterloo Climate Institute.]()
TRuST – Charting A Course in the Sea of Climate Misinformation
TRuST - University of Waterloo
September 2024
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![Partial view of a green background with the word 'PURPOSE' in large pink letters and smaller black text related to inspiring careers in sustainability.]()
Pathways to Purpose: Episode #1
Leading Change Canada
December 2024
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![Event poster for DAIS talks on anti-racism titled 'Environmental Racism and Indigenous Communities,' scheduled for November 14, 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, available in person and online, featuring logos of Toronto Metropolitan University, DAIS, and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.]()
Dais Talks on Anti-Racism: Environmental Racism and Indigenous Communities
The Dais at TMU
November 2023
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![A woman wearing a cedar hat and a maroon jacket with festive red and orange embroidery on the shoulders, standing outdoors in a snowy landscape.]()
"Preparing Future Generations" Livestreams with Janna Wale
Diversity in Sustainability
March 2024
Listen
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![Promotional graphic for a show titled "A Radical Act of Hope" with Silila Watt-Cloutier, featuring her photo and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions logo.]()
A Radical Act of Hope with Siila Watt-Cloutier
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions
July 2025
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![Title page with text 'Indigenous Planetary Health' and a stylized white logo resembling a snowflake or sun, featuring abstract landscape with green, blue, and sky colors.]()
EP 23: Busting the ‘Illusion of inclusion’ myth at COP29 with Climate Leader Janna Wale
Indigenous Planetary Health
June 2025
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![Logo of CBC in red and white with bold text reading "Columnists from CBC Radio" on a black background.]()
How Bill C-5 allows governments to bypass certain regulations to speed up development
CBC News
July 2025
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![Cover of Root & Stem magazine, Spring 2024 issue, featuring a colorful illustration of trees, plants, flowers, butterflies, and a bee, with headlines about climate-conscious future, land, and indigenous leadership.]()
Janna Wale: Climate Policy for a Sustainable Future
The Roots & Stem Podcast
May 2024
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![Illustration of a woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smiling, with the name Janna Wale below.]()
Net-zero jargon and concepts demystified
Down To You Podcast
May 2024
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![Graphic with CBC logo and text "Columnists from CBC Radio" against a red and black background with white geometric shapes.]()
How Canada can learn from Indigenous communities to improve food security
CBC News
November 2023
Interviews & Features
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![A woman with long dark hair smiling, wearing a cedar hat, earrings, a beige hoodie with a tree design, and a dark green jacket. She is standing next to a colorful totem pole with a smiling face painted on it.]()
Janna Wale - Bridging worlds: Indigenous leadership in climate change
Frontiers
October 2025
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![Three women outdoors in natural settings with mountains, trees, and water in the background.]()
Celebrating women and girls in science
University of Victoria News
February 2025
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![Woman in winter outdoors with snow-covered ground and trees, wearing a cedar hat, a maroon jacket, and a colorful Louis Riel Sash]()
Climate science: Relationships with the land
University of Victoria - Oceans and Climate Action
February 2025
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![Jars of salmon fillets with salt on a white table outdoors.]()
Inspiring climate action through Indigenous ways of knowing
Scotiabank Impact
June 2025
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![Two women engaged in a discussion on a stage. One is speaking, wearing a black top, and the other listens attentively, wearing glasses and a plaid blazer. There are water glasses and microphones on small tables. The background features curtains lit with green and blue.]()
Building trust through community conversation on climate misinformation
TRuST - University of Waterloo
September 2024
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![Three young women standing outdoors in a mountainous area, smiling and holding buckets of huckleberries on a sunny day.]()
Balancing Science and Self-Care with Climate Researcher Janna Wale
Pinnguaq
April 2024
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![A longhouse surrounded by trees, with a mountain in the background, during dusk.]()
UVic researchers are leaders in Indigenous climate action
The Martlet
November 2024
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![A young woman standing on a snow-covered frozen lake during winter, wearing a maroon jacket, a cedar hat, and a Louis Riel sash, with a forested mountain in the background.]()
Land Remembers: How did we lose our balance?
Scienceworld
January 2024
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![A young woman with long dark hair wearing a red sweater and a cedar headband, standing in front of a rocky landscape with patches of snow and water.]()
Guided by her culture, Gitxsan scientist looks to old ways for climate resilience
Indiginews
June 2023
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![A woman standing outdoors in winter, wearing a cedar hat, a red jacket, a Louis Riel sash, and jewelry, with snow-covered ground and trees in the background.]()
Climate change is chasing away the salmon, so she’s chasing climate change
University of British Columbia
January 2023
Contact
To inquire about writing, consulting, speaking, or any other potential collaborations - please fill out the contact form below. Ha’miyaa!
