Exploring First Nations opportunities at the Energy & Resources Law Association Conference

Nearly half of the infrastructure and critical materials projects required to reach net zero will be developed on First Nations land which is subject to formal rights.

Building collaborative partnerships with First Nations leaders and their communities will be key to the successful delivery of projects, grounded in the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

FPIC was the focus of a recent panel hosted by the Energy & Resources Law Association Conference in Perth, held on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. First Nations Node Leader, Sam Kirby, spoke about Powering Australia’s work across clean-tech manufacturing and the opportunities for First Nations in the energy transition.

Sam joined panellists Ivy Chen, Helen Degeling, Christopher Barry and Simon Scott, to discuss how First Nations knowledge, custodianship of Country, and experience in sustainable land management can be embedded in projects to manage challenges and unlock opportunities in Australia’s critical minerals.