Climate change is impacting communities worldwide and calls for innovative solutions are coming through more clearly than ever. Alongside modern conservation and resilience strategies, Indigenous practices are a time-tested approach for climate adaptation. 

These Native communities pass extensive ecological knowledge from generation to generation, which has proven critical for impactful and sustainable solutions. Collaboration between Indigenous people and policymakers is essential and you can learn how to be a good environmental steward from them. 

Indigenous Stewardship — Guardians of Biodiversity and Ecosystems 

According to a 2021 World Wildlife Fund report, Indigenous people and local communities own and govern approximately 32% of the global land area, equivalent to 43.5 million square kilometers. Even more impressive, 65% of these areas remain in their natural state with minimal or no human modification. These intact ecosystems are particularly critical in mitigating climate change, as they enable carbon sequestration.

Indigenous tribes have long been leaders in biodiversity and environmental protection. For example, Native Americans have used prescribed burning techniques for centuries to grow specific nut crops, clear and maintain grass prairies for pastureland, and improve habitats. 

In the Florida Everglades, the Miccosukees and Seminoles use traditional restoration methods for removing invasive species and reintroducing raccoons, hawks and other animals that belong in the local wilderness.

Tanzania’s Indigenous people have focused their efforts on centuries-old agroforestry, carefully selecting crops, livestock, and overstory trees to maintain natural soil and water conditions and harvest sustainable yields.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge — A Blueprint for Adaptation 

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) refers to Indigenous wisdom, practices and beliefs, developed and passed down throughout generations. It reflects tribal interactions with the environment, delivering adaptive strategies for conserving local ecosystems and enhancing resilience to climate change. 

TEK ties into Indigenous communities’ spiritual, cultural and social fabrics and is highly flexible. The holistic approach shapes their relationship with the land and each other, allowing them to address sustainable water management, crop diversification and other eco-friendly practices to meet global sustainability needs.

Another example of TEK’s sustainable, place-based solutions can be seen in cooling methods. While modern air conditioners use energy-intensive refrigeration cycles to transfer heat outdoors, TEK leans into passive cooling like strategic building orientation, natural ventilation and local resources to minimize impacts.

For instance, the Anasazi people of Mesa Verde built south-facing cliff dwellings between 500 C.E. and the early 1300s. They used mud, stone and wood to construct homes up to three stories high, some with terraces. Mud has a high thermal mass, meaning it absorbs heat slowly and stores it, which would have kept the Anasazi cool in the Southwestern summers. 

Indigenous-Led Climate Resilience in Action 

Indigenous-led climate resilience is more important than ever. Currently, the world is facing a 10% increase in hurricane severity due to rising temperatures, while cities experience dangerously hot weather each year. Floods, wildfires, extreme snowstorms and other disastrous weather events are also more prevalent. 

Indigenous communities possess ancient expertise and methods that can help global nations address the climate crisis, but they need to be acknowledged and supported. Researchers in Australia are partnering with the Yuwaalaraay people in New South Wales to learn how to manage water and drought conditions through traditional knowledge.

In Northern California, the Yurok tribe and the U.S. Geological Survey are collaborating to share knowledge and apply ancient fire management practices, aiming to understand how fire interacts with the landscape.

Indigenous agroforestry systems, such as the Kichwa and Shuar in the Ecuadorian Amazon, also showcase native forest stewardship while supporting food, medicine and cultural traditions without fertilizers and heavy machinery.

Blending Indigenous Practices With Modern Sustainability Efforts 

Although Indigenous practices deliver incredible insight into modern sustainability efforts, their distinct understanding of the world makes it challenging to integrate them effectively. Whereas science is based on facts, a tribal approach is rooted in personal experience, culture and their relationship with the environment. For this reason, they are often excluded from conservation discussions and efforts.  

It’s essential to respect Indigenous knowledge, and establish policies that safeguard it, to ensure effective climate resilience. Including their communities in research projects leads to solutions that are effective and culturally appropriate. Also, teaching these perspectives in schools encourages environmental respect and prepares future generations to care for the planet.

You can also engage with Indigenous-led initiatives personally. Look for educational resources about traditional methods and amplify their voices in sustainability conversations. Social media provides an excellent platform for this. Remember to listen actively, and with humility, to demonstrate your respect for Indigenous views and rights.  

If you have an Indigenous community near you, it may be worth visiting or attending a public event. You can then communicate your interest in their age-old, environmentally friendly practices and learn from them firsthand.

A Collaborative Approach With Traditional Solutions

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues the world is facing, and Indigenous people could provide a traditional yet novel roadmap for addressing the crisis. Working together promotes more robust climate resilience, ensuring long-term protection for future generations.