Earth’s climate changes are not only about temperature increases but also involve various factors that affect agriculture. To aid Native farmers and ranchers in the United States, Native Climate has released comprehensive local climate projections for 633 tribally controlled areas, including Alaska Native Villages and State Designated Tribal Areas, as well as climate divisions in Hawai‘i.
These projections, which extend through 2100, cover twenty-six agricultural climate variables such as temperature, wind speed, growing season length, and seasonal precipitation. These variables were identified through discussions between Native Climate team members and tribal agricultural producers over several years.
Maureen McCarthy, Native Climate Program Director and research professor at Desert Research Institute, explained that the projections were created to address specific questions from tribal partners regarding agricultural challenges and health impacts of heat. “The new set of projections were created in response to those questions,” she said.
Developed by Kyle Bocinsky of the Montana Climate Office using NASA Earth Exchange data, these projections include historical data from 1950 to present and future conditions under four emissions scenarios. They are presented in easy-to-read graphs available for download on the Native Climate website.
Bocinsky emphasized the importance of providing data in a format useful for Tribal climate adaptation plans: “We’ve really worked to provide straightforward access.” The projections have been shared with Native communities at various conferences. McCarthy noted that the dataset is evolving based on community feedback; for instance, projections now include days over 70°F for Alaska tribes due to health concerns.
Native Climate encourages using these projections for various purposes, including communication and educational projects. The data can be accessed via an interactive map on their website. For more information or specific requests, contact Kyle Bocinsky at kyle.bocinsky@umontana.edu.
