Integrating traditional knowledge in climate change adaption

Abstract

Local peoples' experiences and interpretations, as well as scientific research, indicate that climate change seldom acts in isolation, but interacts with other environmental and social factors. Interactions tremendously affect peoples' perceptions, interpretations, and adaptations to climate change (Salick and Byg,2007).

Introduction: [Extract] All peoples have traditional knowledge and much of this knowledge will be of value in dealing with climate change. In this chapter we will discuss examples of traditional knowledge from a diversity of origins that has potential applications in mitigation or adaptation to climate change. However, much of the recent literature on traditional knowledge and climate change and my own research focuses on the knowledge of peoples who are considered to be indigenous. Below I have therefore given indigenous peoples and their knowledge special attention. Nonetheless, where information is available, I have drawn upon traditional knowledge from more mainstream sectors of society. People have adapted to climate change in the past. The emergence of agriculture and many fundamental attributes of human societies were driven by the episodes of climate change in the Holocene. However, none of these periods of climate change were as rapid as those as we are now experiencing and it is doubtful if they have much to teach us about the problems that we face today.