Climate Training Workshops for Native American Tribes

During the summer of 2014 the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP) in conjunction with the South Central Climate Science Center (SC-CSC) hosted climate training workshops for environmental professionals and related staff of Oklahoma and Texas Native American tribes. The motivation for the training came from prior SCIPP work including a needs assessment and a climate adaptation meeting that revealed the need for climate education for Native American tribes. The two-day workshop took place in four locations around Oklahoma. The purpose of the workshop was to educate on the basics of climate science and to assist the tribes in addressing their climate science needs. Participants learned about weather and climate hazards, climate data tools, and vulnerability assessments.

The workshops were supported by the NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments program and SCIPP partnered with the Chickasaw Nation and the SC-CSC to carry them out. The partnership was critical in determining workshop locations, suitable hosts, participants and material relevancy. This presentation will summarize the workshops and cover feedback on tribal climate concerns and information from roundtable discussions on the 2014 National Climate Assessment Indigenous Peoples chapter.