Today, Acting Deputy Secretary Daniel-Davis moderated a panel entitled Building Climate Resilience with Indigenous Knowledge. The discussion showcased the implementation of the United States’ commitment to elevating Indigenous Knowledge through meaningful consultation with Tribal governments, strengthening relationships with Tribal Nations, investing in programs for climate resilience informed by Indigenous Knowledge. 

During the panel, Acting Deputy Secretary Daniel-Davis highlighted the work of the Department to increase Tribal co-stewardship of lands and waters as well as incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into its work, including through the publication of departmental guidance on the inclusion and protection of Indigenous Knowledge in decision making and scientific research, which was announced by Secretary Deb Haaland at the 2023 White House Tribal Nations Summit. Under Secretary Haaland’s leadership, a new chapter?in the agency’s Departmental Manual formalized Indigenous Knowledge as a foundational piece of the Department’s mission and formally recognized Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important knowledge systems that contribute to the well-being of the United States and to the collective understanding of the natural world. As part of the implementation of the Department Manual chapter, the Department will conduct Tribal consultations next month on a draft handbook that has been developed to provide guidance, practical tips, and promising practices for engaging with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities on the inclusion and application of Indigenous Knowledge.  

The panel included representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the International Indian Treaty Council, and the Quinault Indian Nation, one of the communities chosen to participate in a first-of-its-kind Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation Programas part of a $135 million commitment to support relocation of tribal communities affected by climate change. This historic program was made possible through new funding through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, the Quinault Nation is relocating its Taholah Village, which lies at the confluence of the Quinault River and Pacific Ocean, and is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, storm surges, and river flooding. 

The program is part of a nearly $560 million investment for Tribal climate resilience programs through the Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriations. In addition to Community Driven Relocation, the Biden-Harris administration has also significantly boosted the BIA’s Tribal Climate Resilience program. This funding is part of more than a collective $50 billion invested by the President’s Investing in America agenda to advance climate adaptation and resilience across the nation, including in communities that are most vulnerable to climate impacts.