From assembly to action: how planning language guides execution in indigenous climate adaptation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Indigenous Studies

Background:

• Indigenous Peoples in the USA experience disproportionate climate change effects, impacting resource-based livelihoods.
• Threats include sea level rise, species migration, extinction, and extreme weather events.
• American Indigenous communities are actively developing climate adaptation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze tribal climate adaptation plans for proposed actions and implementation criteria.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to the successful implementation of these adaptation strategies.
• To provide recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of Indigenous climate adaptation efforts.

Main Methods:

• Review of 14 tribal climate adaptation plans.
• Evaluation of plans based on 11 criteria for successful implementation.
• In-depth interviews with tribal climate specialists.

Main Results:

• Adaptation actions predominantly featured "soft" measures like capacity building and policy reform.
• Commonly included criteria were identifying implementers and mainstreaming climate activities.
• Implementation challenges include funding shortages, lack of expertise, and poor coordination.

Conclusions:

• Successful adaptation relies on mainstreaming climate priorities into existing environmental concerns (e.g., hazard mitigation).
• Enhanced staff training, dedicated funding, and integration across tribal government are crucial.
• These actions will help Indigenous communities safeguard cultural resources and lands amid climate change.