Perceptions of climate change and risk are informed by cultural worldviews that influence the opportunities and acceptability of climate adaptation responses. Indigenous peoples bring a particular perspective of climate risk related to their socio-economic, historical, political, cultural and environmental circumstances. This means specific communities and their cultures have specific climate risk perceptions which need locally determined Indigenous-led approaches to climate adaptation planning.
This project will build on research and a co-design partnership established in the previous NESP Earth Systems and Climate Change and Marine Biodiversity hubs with the Malgana Traditional Owners from Gutharraguda (Shark Bay), Western Australia. Through Malgana-led research, this project will pilot different Indigenous-led knowledge-sharing tools to consider climate risk. It will test participatory mapping, seasonal calendars and cascading consequence diagrams as knowledge sharing tools to improve the participation of Indigenous peoples in understanding and using climate information for adaptation planning.
The project results will provide a critical foundation for the recognition and inclusion of cultural heritage values of Malgana People in climate change adaptation planning for the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, and more broadly in climate change adaptation planning for other World Heritage Properties. The lessons gained from testing these approaches of Indigenous-led knowledge sharing tools in Indigenous-led adaptation planning can be continued and built on through connections with the project Understanding and Connecting Parallel Climate Knowledge of Western Systems and Ancient Lore.
Want to know more?
Please contact the project lead: Peci (Pethie) Lyons, CSIRO