So why are development projects still slow at incorporating and taking advantage of this important knowledge sharing mechanism? Using community-based approaches to NRM and climate change adaptation are not novelty, however they seem to still be viewed by many donors as too costly, time consuming, and inadequate. While there has been more interest as of late in merging more participatory approaches to development, conservation, and climate change adaptation, we are still lagging behind... in spite of the known positive result that could be attained from these partnerships.
The report highlights several examples, to include (p.9):
In the Arctic, some communities have begun to deploy adaptive co-management strategies and communications infrastructure, combining traditional and scientific knowledge.
In Central and South America, ecosystem-based adaptation including protected areas, conservation agreements, and community management of natural areas is occurring. Resilient crop varieties, climate forecasts, and integrated water resources management are being adopted within the agricultural sector in some areas.
In small islands, which have diverse physical and human attributes, community-based adaptation has been shown to generate larger benefits when delivered in conjunction with other development activities.
Indigenous peoples "low carbon" traditional ways of interacting with the environment have contributed little to climate change. In fact, development practitioners could learn a lot from the inextricable link that these populations have to their surrounding environment. With collective knowledge of the land, sky and sea, these peoples are excellent observers and interpreters of change in the environment. It's time to bridge the gap between climate science and TEK, giving traditional knowledge a role in the global climate change discourse.
