Improving Climate Services for Tribes: Recommendations from a National Survey of Service Users and Providers

Abstract The disproportionate impacts of climate change on frontline communities become further amplified when inadequate provision of climate services leads to limited support around climate risks and adaptation measures. To better understand the state of climate services available to Native American Tribes, we surveyed Tribal climate service users and providers across the contiguous United States and Alaska. The survey assessed the availability and usefulness of 28 distinct climate services available to Tribal entities and asked how these services could be improved. Responses show Tribal users value a wide range of climate services, with grants, tools, trainings, and network rated highest. Responses also show climate services are provided more frequently for earlier stages of the adaptation cycle (e.g., planning), while fewer services are provided for later stages (e.g., implementation). However, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation were identified as planned or in progress for most Tribal respondents, suggesting growing need for climate services that support later adaptation stages. Tribal respondents also described many climate services as being inaccessible and a poor fit to their needs. Data tailored to Tribal priorities and a centralized location for simplified climate services were among the most frequent suggestions for improvement offered by Tribal respondents. Tribal respondents also identified the need for additional funding and staff capacity to carry out climate preparedness activities. Our findings may be used by a wide range of climate service providers to better support Tribes in their resilience efforts, particularly by engaging with Tribes to codevelop climate services tailored to Tribal needs. Significance Statement To better understand the state of climate services available to Native American Tribes, we conducted a survey of Tribal climate service users and providers. Our findings identified gaps and opportunities for better supporting Tribal climate adaptation efforts. We found that Tribal respondents value a wide range of climate services, with grants, tools, trainings, and networks rated highest. However, Tribal respondents also expressed a need for more tailored and accessible data that are relevant to Tribal decision-making, including climate information tailored to geographic domains unique to Tribes. These results suggest that as Tribes advance their climate adaptation efforts, there is opportunity to increase coordinated action among climate service providers to codevelop climate services tailored to Tribal needs.