Tribal Research Program

California Native American tribes and communities are already experiencing and adapting to the impacts of climate change, including severe drought, flooding, wildfire, sea level rise, and extreme heat. Building climate resilience requires sustained investment in climate research which reflects tribal priorities, supports tribal sovereignty, and recognizes tribal expertise and Indigenous Knowledges. 

Through California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment Tribal Research Program, the state is supporting tribally led climate research and creating opportunities for tribal priorities and expertise to inform the Fifth Assessment and strengthen climate resilience across California. 

California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment Tribal and Indigenous Communities Statewide Topical Report provided an important foundation for this work. The report documented climate impacts affecting tribal communities, highlighted tribal adaptation and stewardship practices, and identified priorities for future Assessments, including stronger collaboration with tribes and greater recognition of Indigenous Knowledges. Building on lessons from the Fourth Assessment, the Fifth Assessment established a more robust Tribal Research Program.

The Tribal Research Program includes: 

• A Tribal Advisory Group (TAG) that provides guidance to the Fifth Assessment and helps ensure tribal priorities, expertise, and Indigenous Knowledges inform Assessment research and products in ways that are appropriate and meaningful to tribal communities. 

• A Tribal Research Grant Program (TRGP) that funds tribally led research addressing climate change research needs and priorities as identified by California tribes. 

• A Tribal and Indigenous Communities Statewide Topical Report that brings together tribally led research and other available research to summarize climate change impacts affecting California Native American tribes and highlight tribal adaptation, resilience, and stewardship practices. 

Across these efforts, the Tribal Research Program supports ongoing consultation, engagement, and partnership with tribes throughout the Fifth Assessment and its products.