Traditional Owners are observing the impacts of climate change to Country.
The inclusion of Indigenous knowledge (through free, prior and informed consent) can support the preservation of Indigenous land management practice and empower future generations to manage Country using both Indigenous and western knowledge. This project bridged western science and the ancient lore of Australian Indigenous people’s climate knowledge through place-based, and Indigenous-led vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning.
The Butchulla people, custodians of K’gari, now a World Heritage-listed sand island of south-eastern Queensland, partnered with the Climate Systems Hub and the Queensland Government Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) to pilot the development of a climate change plan. Adapting the process outlined in the Australian government’s Climate Change Toolkit for World Heritage Properties in Australia, an Indigenous-led process focused on cultural governance and engagement. The resulting K’gari Climate Adaptation Plan is based on a set of values meaningful to the Butchulla and community.
A partnership with the Ipima Ikaya Registered Native Title Body Corporate of the Northern Peninsula Area in Queensland focused on strengthening the communities’ understanding of climate change and sea level rise risks for their Country. Information on seasonal calendars and sea level rise was developed for the project.
Finally, the project completed a six-month cultural orientation with the Mimal Rangers and Warddeken Rangers of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory to explore the sustainability of right-way burning practices in northern Australia.
These initial partnerships will demonstrate approaches to Indigenous-led vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning which can be shared with other Indigenous communities looking to address climate change adaptation challenges.
Want to know more?
Please contact the project lead: Amelia Tandy CSIRO
