Interior Department Will Provide Millions to Help Native Americans Adapt to Climate Change

The federal government is providing $8 million to help native communities in the U.S. plan for the impacts of climate change, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced Tuesday.

Half of the $8 million will go toward tribes’ general efforts to adapt to climate change, and half will go toward efforts focused specifically on coastal issues, such as sea level rise, erosion, and ocean acidification.  Coastal issues are of particular concern to native communities in Alaska, where Jewell announced the new wave of funding.

“Sea level rise, coastal erosion, drought and more frequent and severe weather events are impacting Alaska Native villages and American Indian tribal communities across the nation,” Jewell said.  “This funding can help tribes prepare and plan for climate-related events and build capacity to address these evolving challenges.”

Last year, the White House’s Climate Assessment singled out Alaskan native communities as some of the most vulnerable in the U.S. to climate change.  The report noted that poverty among native groups can limit options for climate adaptation.  That poverty makes moving difficult for tribes that need to migrate in order to escape rising seas or other climate impacts.

Interior Department Will Provide Millions to Help Native Americans Adapt to Climate Change