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Climate Change on Arid Lands – A Vulnerability Assessment of Tribal Nations in the American West

Palmer, Anna E.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1502443290575261

Abstract Details

2017, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Environmental Studies (Voinovich).
Historic marginalization has left many tribal communities in the American West facing a unique set of water resource management challenges associated with climate change. Several approaches have emerged to measure and compare climate vulnerability using techniques from national-level climate vulnerability assessments, applied on a community-level scale to examine and map the relative vulnerability of sovereign tribal territories to climate-induced water challenges. These approaches draw on the literature on integrated vulnerability assessments and can be used to construct a composite index of agricultural vulnerability for 72 western tribal lands. Nineteen empirical indicators were deductively selected and grouped into exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Exposure indicators include numerous measures of climate variability such as drought and other extreme weather events, temperature and precipitation change. Sensitivity indicators featured three types; human, livelihood, and physical capital. Adaptive capacity examined social, economic and institutional dimensions. Final results include four vulnerability maps offering a comprehensive picture of how differences in access to resources, class, and other socio-economic factors result in drastically different vulnerabilities across tribes that are located in a similar biophysical context. The discussion addresses both the utility and limitations of traditional climate vulnerability assessments for understanding tribal water challenges. These include the sovereign status of native lands, their connectivity to surrounding regions, nestedness within state and national governance systems, importance of cultural integrity, and evolving legal institutions surrounding water rights. The thesis concludes with a call for a more dynamic approach to understanding the inherent adaptive capacity and resilience of tribal populations, and paths forward for improving water resource management on sovereign tribal territories.
Derek Kauneckis (Advisor)
Anirudh Ruhil (Committee Member)
Amy Lynch (Committee Member)
133 p.
Agriculture; Environmental Studies; Native Americans
Climate change; drought; vulnerability assessment; agriculture; adaptive capacity; Native Americans

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Palmer, A. E. (2017). Climate Change on Arid Lands – A Vulnerability Assessment of Tribal Nations in the American West [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1502443290575261

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Palmer, Anna. Climate Change on Arid Lands – A Vulnerability Assessment of Tribal Nations in the American West. 2017. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1502443290575261.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Palmer, Anna. "Climate Change on Arid Lands – A Vulnerability Assessment of Tribal Nations in the American West." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1502443290575261

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1502443290575261
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.