National EPA

– T ribal Science Council

Tribal Science Priorit y

- Final June 2011 

### Climate Change

Issue Statement

Climate change is happening and is occurring global ly . It affect s almost everything in our environment and communi ties, including Tribal c o m m u n i t i e s

. Climate change not only pose s threats t o the health of our environment and the ecological health of the biological population, it

also poses threats to the health of our community, especially to our elders and children who are

more sensitive to adverse im pacts than the general population . Tribes are di sproportionately impacted by climate change

. Tribes and Native Alaska ns have a deep

- rooted connection to the

environment in direct correlation to their culture. Most Tribes d o not have a plan to mitigate

and/ or adapt to climate change and many communities h ave little scientific knowledge regard ing

its occurrence. Traditional lifeways may be drastically affected by environmental changes. Climate change presents a tremendous threat to the health of Tribal enviro nments and

communities.

Explanation of the Issue

Climate c hange has alter ed many of our traditional ways of life. The Tribal and Native Alaska people have been observing various changes in their environment, such as the reduction of Trib al

natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

Seasons are changing. In some part of the country, the rain y season has shifted to later in the

year. G athering periods for native plants and animal migration pat terns also have been altered. Winters are longer. For example, a few years ago, s outheast Alaska Villages experienced a cold front that killed all of the blooming berries during the spring

. Summers are hotter and drier. Moreover, h eavy winter rain storms result ed in storm damage. Parts of the southwest Tribes experien ced prolonged drought and enhanced threat from wildfires.

Native plants and habitats are also affected

. Tribal elders and communities still gather their food according to the traditional knowledge with respect to seasons. Climate change may adversely imp act the health of these communities and a lter their traditional way of life by shortening and/or eliminating growing seasons for native plants and damaging habitats. Alaskan Tribes are encountering new and invasive plant and animal species that threaten na tive species. Tribes in

California have notice d that production of native food source s , such as acorn s , has been significantly lower for several years in a row . N ative plants seem less available, and trees, such

as Tan Oak s, are suffering from sudden o ak d eath. Lastly, populations of wild animals, such as deer, northern spotted owl

, and quail are significantly reduced and less prevalent on Tribal lands.

O ther concerns include the indirect impact s on drinking water supplies caused by rising sea levels, and new migration patterns of animals traditionally hunted and harvested for foods

.

What do Tribes and Ala ska V illages Specifically Need f rom EPA to Address the Issue ?

Tribes need technical assistance and resources to develop and implement adaptation/mitigation plans to address climate change. These needs will vary from resources to support education,National EPA

– T ribal Science Council

Tribal Science Priorit y

- Final June 2011 o utreach, and program implementation to research and technical assistance on specific scientific questions.

Proposed Implementation Strategies and Potential Measures of Success

Proposed implementation strateg ies are:

Education and outreach :

o Build capacity of Tribal scientists through workshops and training (e.g., courses of varying levels of detail on adaptation that are specific to the needs of the tribes; courses on various expertise that will be needed to plan and implement adaptation, such as hydrology, technology, energy, engineering, storm water,

fore stry, and predictability of future environmental, social, cultural, agricultural, and economic consequences)

o Integrate climate change education curriculum into selected Tribes as a pilot to empower Tribal communities to take positive actions to reduce the impacts of climate change

o Provide education al outreach on climate ch ange issues to Tribal communities

o Advocate Tribal participation in national landscape cooperatives

o Act as a climate change portal to connect the Tribes to other federal agencies

o Use Trib al

- specific and culturally sensitive methods to communicate climate change and train the Tribes

Program implementation:

o Conduct an emissions inventory to determine the impacts of climate change on air quality

o Prepare an air quality sampling plan and perfo rm air quality monitoring on Tribal

land

o Provide tools to c onnect environmental decisions with public health that are specific to individual tribes (i.e., not aggregated national data) through epidemiology, public health surveys, and baseline information

o Recognize the variability of climate change issues among individual Tribal

communities

Science/research:

o Document the impacts of climate change o n Tribal and Native Alaska

communities and their ecosystem s

o Conduct research on climate change in Tribal and Native Alaska communities

o Study other possible potable water sources to address depleting water suppl ies

o Facilitate access to the most current and relevant science and best available technology via a clearinghouse of information (e.g., access to experts)

o Promote the science of data (including collection, storage, and maintenance) so that Tribes have legally defensible data and evidence to protect their natural

resourcesNational EPA

– T ribal Science Council

Tribal Science Priorit y

- Final June 2011

o Develop methodologies and tools to include climate change approaches in grant applicati ons

o Provide climate change modeling expertise to the Tri bes (e.g., air, ecological,

water , future scenario )

o Continue development of decision tree screening tools (e.g., T

- FERST)

o Consider all aspects of water in addition to quality: quantity, storage,

cons ervation, reusability

o Quantify and mitigate the social science aspects of climate change: reverse Tribal migration, economic collapse, influx of non

- Tribal members to Tribal lands (environmental refugees), permanency of Tribal reservations, health and social

service issues

o Provide tools and methodologies to allow the Tribes to perform their own longitudinal studies (e.g., to understand potential changes in traditional practices)

Potential measures of success are:

Documentation of the impact on climate change on Tribal and Native Alaska

communities and their ecosystem s Report on climate change educational outreach and adaptation activities within Tribal and

Native Alaska communities
Ownership of climate change adaptation plan s specific for Tribes and Na tive Alaska

Shar e and present research, studies, and success stories at community, professional,

academic, government

, and inter

- government meetings and conferences
Observe behavioral changes due to implementation of climate change measures