Assessing Data and Information Priorities for Enhancing Climate Adaptation on Reservation Lands
Abstract
Indigenous communities are among some of the most vulnerable to climate change impacts, particularly with regards to their water and land resources. Planning effectively to remain resilient within existing socio-cultural, political, and economic constraints requires an assessment of the climate data and information needs most pressing in Indigenous communities. While integrating diverse Indigenous stakeholder perspectives and knowledges with western-science is fundamental in creating comprehensive climate adaptation plans for Indigenous communities, this process is also very complex. This study seeks to support such integration through the use of a participatory research design that assesses data and information needs critical to enhancing climate adaptation on reservation lands in the Southwestern United States. The presentation outlines development of a survey instrument implemented at the 2016 and 2017 Native Waters on Arid Lands Tribal Climate Summit and highlights the results of statistical tests using responses to the 33 Likert-type scale questions. Study participants include tribal government workers, agriculturalists, researchers, and outreach professionals interested in climate adaptation on reservation lands. Results from this regional study indicate that more than 75% of the 98 voluntary participants are Native American and 83% reside in either the Great Basin or Colorado River Basins. Participants prioritize data and information that serve to: assess climate change impacts, enhance food security, and integrate Traditional Knowledge into reservation-wide adaptation planning and action. In this data-scarce region, respondents prioritize water quality data as their highest need followed by streamflow and temperature data. Results from this study may assist in collaborative research efforts with Indigenous communities by reducing assumptions about climate data and information needs. Furthermore, regional needs assessments with Indigenous communities related to climate impacts are rare due to the extensive diversity among these communities. This study includes a discussion on ethical collaboration when conducting such studies, with special attention to protecting the data sovereignty of Indigenous communities when sharing this information with the general public.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMPA51C0780F
- Keywords:
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- 0230 Impacts of climate change: human health;
- GEOHEALTHDE: 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 1880 Water management;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 6620 Science policy;
- PUBLIC ISSUES