Climate change and Indigenous People and local communities

In Module 1, we will explain the basic concepts of the course and present the basic paradox of research on Indigenous peoples and climate change impacts: while Indigenous Peoples minimally contribute to anthropogenic climate change, they are directly and disproportionally impacted by it. The module will also highlight the reasons why tapping in Indigenous knowledge is basic for climate change research.

In Module 2, we will explain the importance of understanding how climate change impacts Indigenous Peoples and local communities. IPLC are disproportionally impacted by climate change because they depend directly on the use and management of natural resources. We will also present some common approaches to assess the vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to climate change impacts. Finally, this module will bring examples of how climate change impacts elements of the climatic, physical, biological and human systems, and how these impacts are perceived by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

In Module 3, we describe coping and adaptive strategies that IPLC from around the word have used to respond to the impacts of climate change. After an introductory video, the module is structured around examples of the following IPLCs' responses: i) sharing and cooperation, ii) diversification, iii) exchange, iv) storage, v) forecasting, vi) rationing, vii) mobility.

In Module 4 we discuss IPLC contributions to climate change research and introduce a standardized methodological protocol to assess such contributions.