As part of the Obama Administration’s effort to prepare communities for the impacts of climate change, U. S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell yesterday announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has awarded $11.8 million in Tribal Climate Resilience Program funding awards.
The funding will help federally recognized tribes and tribally chartered organizations with climate change adaptation and ocean and coastal management planning projects.
Following Secretary Jewell’s visit to Kotzebue and Kivalina, Alaska, where she heard directly from Alaska Native leaders and community members, Interior announced the availability of funding for tribal Climate Adaptation Planning and Ocean and Coastal Management Planning.
This round of funding includes approximately $2 million to support Alaska Native villages that are directly experiencing the dramatic impact of climate change, as well additional funding for tribes around the country experiencing impacts to critical cultural and economic resources, which, in addition to coastal erosion, include loss of traditional foods and degradation of ecosystems, water quality and quantity.
Projects will help tribes plan, train and participate in technical workshops and forums, while also supporting coastal tribes as they address the unique challenges of coastal erosion and development, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and emergency management.
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