Phase I of the project was undertaken between 2016-2018 and it focused on Capacity Building through information gathering and education.
The objectives of this phase included:
- Broadly increase Tribal climate change knowledge and skills
- Determine the immediate, medium, and long-term climate risks to the Tribe
- Develop an initial Climate Adaptation Plan called a Local Early Action Plan (LEAP) that can be further built upon
Participatory approach: Our method to make use of local, Indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices involved co-authoring each part of the initiative.
Through in-person meetings and dialogue, we discussed the immediate and long-term concerns of the Tribe regarding climate change, and also got a baseline for the educational requirements and for what specific community members in the group required.
Furthermore, there was a commitment to confidentiality in collecting critical, but sacred and sensitive information such as traditional plant use, which was thought to influence land use decisions. The Tribe also shared their preferred ways of meeting – including opening and closing prayers and the use of stories to share knowledge.
We worked with the Council to ensure that the female members of the Tribe have a voice in the process and in the decision-making. This resulted in one of the women taking the lead on the project. This female lead was mentored and further engaged by introducing her to the global climate change arena at the next UNFCCC session as a co-presenter.