The Department of the Interior announced that the Biden administration will be providing over $120 million in funding to tribal governments to combat the impacts of climate change. This initiative aims to assist tribal nations in adapting to climate threats, such as relocating infrastructure.
Indigenous communities in the U.S. are among the most affected by severe climate-related environmental challenges. These threats have already had adverse effects on water resources, ecosystems, and traditional food sources in Native American communities across the country.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized the urgency of bolstering climate resilience for tribal communities facing rising seas, coastal erosion, wildfires, and other extreme weather events. Haaland highlighted the importance of providing resources to tribal leaders to prepare and ensure the safety of their people.
Indigenous peoples globally safeguard 80% of the world's biodiversity, despite representing only 5% of the population. In the U.S., federal and state governments are increasingly relying on the traditional ecological knowledge of Indigenous peoples to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The Department of the Interior has adopted a policy to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into climate change solutions. Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland emphasized the importance of investing in tribes' ability to utilize their knowledge to address climate challenges.
The funding for this initiative will be sourced from President Biden's Investing in America agenda, drawing from various legislative acts and annual appropriations. This funding marks the largest annual amount awarded through the Tribal Climate Resilience Annual Awards Program, established in 2011 to support tribes in responding to climate change.
The allocated funds will be used for planning and implementing projects related to climate adaptation, community-led relocation, ocean management, and habitat restoration. The administration's commitment to working with tribal nations underscores its recognition of past neglect towards certain communities.
In 2022, $135 million was committed to 11 tribal nations for relocating infrastructure threatened by climate hazards. A 2020 Bureau of Indian Affairs study estimated that addressing climate-related relocation needs in tribal communities could cost up to $5 billion over the next 50 years.
