The Cocopah Indian Tribe and NWF’s Tribal Lands Conservation Program partnered to host a Tribal Lands Climate Conference—the first event of its kind—on the Cocopah Reservation in Somerton, Arizona, December 5-6. With thousands of years of traditional knowledge and connections to the environment, Native Americans are important eyewitnesses to our changing planet. Native people can play a significant role in shaping how Americans address and generate active responses to combat climate change.

The Tribal Lands Conservation Program reached out to Native Americans to provide a venue to relate their first-hand, on-the-ground accounts about the natural resources that have sustained changes due to carbon emissions and climate change related events. The conference gathered more than 150 representatives from over 55 tribes from throughout the U.S. to exchange ideas on proactively addressing climate change. The conference engaged and empowered tribal advocates on climate change who are now working together to develop a tribal task force who can serve as spokespeople on climate change.

In addition to NWF and the Cocopah Tribe, NWF secured conference co-sponsorships from nine organizations, including Arizona Wildlife Federation, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Indigenous Environmental Network, Intertribal Council of Arizona, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, National Tribal Environmental Council, Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, Native Energy and Native Movement.

Quechan Tribe Storytellers

Dr. Bob Corell (Chair, Arctic Climate Impact Assessment) and Bradley Udall (Western Water Assessment Team) set the stage on the science of climate change, nationally and regionally. Tuesday afternoon’s panels provided an open venue for tribal members, such as Caleen Sisk-Franco (Winnemem Wintu), Terry Williams (Tulalip) and Evon Peter (Neetsaii Gwich’in), to speak about the impacts of climate change to their tribal lands, communities and cultures. Tribal representatives, such as Aaron Miles (Nez Perce), Louie Hena (Tesuque Pueblo) and Robert Gomez (Taos Pueblo), also discussed how tribes are proactively addressing climate change through such efforts as carbon sequestration, permaculture and renewable energy.

Verner Wilson, Yup'ik Eskimo

On Wednesday, conference participants broke out into small groups for more focused and inter-personal conversations about the impacts of climate change to tribes, solutions and next steps. Each group then reported back to the entire conference, highlighting tribal perspectives of climate change and how tribes could proactively address climate change. Participants were very enthusiastic about the conference. “It was very important to see how other tribes are feeling the effects of climate change and their ideas on how we can solve it,” said Verner Wilson, Curyung Tribe, Yup’ik Eskimo. Patrick Mc Entee of Chickaloon Native Village concurred, stating, “FANTASTIC – I really gained a lot of knowledge and renewed confidence that what I’m doing counts.”

Jerome Ringo, Board Chairman, NWF

NWF Board Chairman Jerome Ringo gave a keynote address, highlighting the significant role Native People can plan in shaping the national and international response to climate change.

In his keynote address, Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, emphasized that Native Americans must speak up and be heard on the impacts of climate change in order to ensure the preservation of Native lands, communities, and cultures.

Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director, Indigenous Environmental Network

The Tribal Lands Climate Conference laid the foundation to develop an intertribal climate coalition for tribes to spread the word about climate impacts to Native people, educate the American public and advocate action on climate change. We believe that Native Americans can be a significant force in changing the course on climate change.

Partnerships with tribes present incredible opportunities to directly benefit wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation, confront climate change, engage a powerful new constituency, inspire others to engage in the movement, help NWF in its outreach to minority communities and diversify the conservation movement.

NWF’s Tribal Lands Conservation Program aims to ensure the viability of wildlife and habitat on and near tribal lands by working in partnership with tribal and non-tribal governments and tribal organizations, members and activists, while respecting tribal culture and sovereignty.