Rising Voices of Indigenous Peoples in Weather and Climate Science and Policy

The challenges of understanding and responding to a changing climate and extreme weather necessitate broad engagement with diverse communities. As climate science has matured, it has moved toward more inclusive dialogues where scientists and policy makers work together with indigenous communities to define and carry out research programs that advance science and address community priorities. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) hosted a workshop on the growing engagement of Native American, Alaska Native, and Pacific Island communities in climate and weather science, research, policy, and community response conversations. The workshop addressed the driving question: What are the elements of successful co-production of science and policy in the fields of extreme weather and climate change? The workshop was conducted in collaboration with the Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Working Group and several other community-based organizations. Participants were actively involved in cross-cultural scientific engagement with Native American, Alaska Native, and Pacific Island communities and represented academic institutions, including tribal colleges and universities, as well as government agencies and non-governmental organizations. A primary goal of the workshop was to identify lessons learned for, or barriers to, achieving successful co-production of science and policy by appraising the first-hand experiences of those involved in cross-cultural efforts to integrate indigenous knowledge and diverse understandings in climate and weather modeling and assessments. The workshop also sought to foster and support collaborations between experts on cross-cultural engagement and NCAR scientists, and to promote student opportunities to engage with weather and climate scientists. This poster presents workshop insights to help guide future endeavors that bring together diverse “ways of knowing” about weather and climate.