Topic: Adaptation Planning, Coasts and Oceans, NCRC Tribal Coastal Resilience Portfolio, Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, Vulnerability and Risk Assessments | Region: Tribal Nations

Climate Adaptation Barriers and Needs Experienced by Northwest Coastal Tribes: Key Findings from Tribal Listening Sessions

The Tribal Coastal Resilience Portfolio of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative conducted an assessment to better understand the state of climate adaptation among Northwest coastal Tribes, and to elevate Tribes’ experience of key barriers and needs which, if addressed, could help advance Tribal resilience.

  • Amelia Marchand, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
  • Meade Krosby, UW Climate Impacts Group
  • Ryan Hasert, UW Climate Impacts Group
  • Tanya Eison-Pelach, Natural Resources Program Manager, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
  • Ryan Erhart, Environmental Division Manager, Makah Tribe
  • Aaron Jones, Interim Natural and Cultural Resources Director, Tulalip Tribes
  • Kristopher Murphy, Biological Technician, Coquille Indian Tribe
  • Candace Penn, Climate Change Ecologist, Squaxin Island Tribe
  • Todd Mitchell, Environmental Director, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
  • Kylie Avery, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
  • Chandler Countryman, Washington Sea Grant
  • Patrick Freeland, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
  • Marco Hatch, Western Washington University
  • Melissa Poe, Washington Sea Grant
  • Eliza Ghitis, Climate Scientist, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
  • Monte Mills, Director, Native American Law Center, University of Washington School of Law
  • Gary Morishima, Natural Resources Technical Advisor, Quinault Indian Nation
  • Jason Vogel, Interim Director, UW Climate Impacts Group
  • Completed
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program (award number NA21OAR4310311)

Photo credit: Jonathan Armstrong

The assessment was informed by a review of Tribal climate documents and other relevant reports, as well as a series of listening sessions with Tribal staff, citizens and elected officials. Results suggest Northwest coastal Tribes face significant barriers and unmet needs in realizing their adaptation goals, despite being leaders in climate adaptation. Key barriers and needs focus around five key areas: funding; Tribal staff and workforce capacity; collaboration and partnerships; technical assistance and climate services; and communication, education and outreach.

This report is intended to build awareness of these challenges among funders, policy makers, climate service providers and others to mobilize necessary action in support of the climate adaptation efforts of Northwest coastal Tribes.

REPORT

TWO-PAGE SUMMARY

Tribal governments were invited to review a draft of the report and provide comment, with the option of making these comments public in an addendum to the report. If your Tribe would like to provide additional comment to include in the addendum, please contact Meade Krosby: mkrosby@uw.edu.

ADDENDUM (updated Jan. 2025)

In this recorded webinar, report authors share their key findings, describe their research approach, and provide information on the project’s next steps.

In this second recorded webinar, report authors describe the practices they employed to ensure ethical and effective Tribal engagement and use of information.

In the Media

The Associated Press | Pacific Northwest tribes are battered by climate change but fight to get money meant to help them

High Country News | Northwest coastal tribes are drowning in paperwork trying to escape sea-level rise

Oregon Public Broadcasting | Report outlines struggles, successes Pacific Northwest coastal tribes face in adapting to climate change

Public News Service | Report finds barriers for NW coastal tribes responding to climate change

Seattle Times | Climate change is already reshaping PNW shorelines. Tribal nations are showing how to adapt

UW News | Report describes the barriers Pacific Northwest coastal Tribes face in adapting to climate change

Acknowledgements

This report was produced as part of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative’s Tribal Coastal Resilience Portfolio, which is co-led by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, with partners Washington Sea Grant and Western Washington University. Special thanks to Erica Asinas and Jackson Blalock for their support early in the project. A Tribal Advisory Group provided invaluable guidance regarding project design, listening session structure, Tribal consent and review processes, and the format of this report. The report was also much improved by the thoughtful comments of invited reviewers. Finally, this report would not have been possible without the generous contributions of listening session participants, who shared their experiences around climate adaptation in their communities.

This project was developed as part of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, a NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP) Program. Learn more about our work with coastal Tribal communities under the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative.