Portrait
Name
Leona Humchitt
Company
Heiltsuk First Nation
Location
British Columbia
Description
Leona Humchitt is the Climate Action Coordinator for the Haiłzaqv Nation of Bella Bella, British Columbia.
She credits her journey and capacity building for clean energy to the Indigenous Clean Energy Leadership program, the 20/20 Catalyst Program, an intensive clean energy capacity-building program that provides practical and applied learning about renewable energy, community energy planning, energy efficiency and conservation.
She is currently working locally and regionally with a peer network of Climate Action Coordinators that has representation of eight participating Coastal First Nations of B.C. They support each other and collaborate on efforts to decarbonize our coast, transition off diesel generation and reduce transportation of fossil fuels through our ecologically and culturally significant territories.
Nationally, the Haiłzaqv Nation is one of 15 remote and rural First Nations communities participating in the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative (IOD). The Haiłzaqv Nation has just completed its community-led Clean Energy Plan. As a grandmother, this work has become much more meaningful and important for Leona. “We have an obligation to ensure that through climate action, we protect and preserve our collective future for our children yet to come. “
She serves on many boards related to climate change. Leona is a member of the Indigenous Clean Energy Advisory Board and was recently blessed to attend COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland with ICE. She deems this a game-changer and an amazing opportunity to represent her nation on the international platform.