Uplift Indigenous Voices in Climate Modeling

Story

We are a group of Indigenous researchers, storytellers, and activists doing work in climate data justice. We recently learned that our work has been accepted to Scenarios Forum, a leading climate modeling conference affiliated with the UN. Presently, there is a lack of Indigenous representation in climate modeling spaces, and also no mention of Indigenous peoples in the climate models themselves, which are interactive tools used to tell stories about the future. These models shape policy conversations at the UN and around the world. Because Indigenous people are currently left out of the models, we are often left out of policy discussions regarding climate change, especially when it comes to the historic roles of Indigenous groups in preventing ecological destruction. It is confirmed by satellite data that land held by Indigenous groups is less likely to experience ecosystem removal, and this helps reduce emissions. Isn't it time for leading climate models to reflect this reality? Isn't it time for Indigenous peoples' contributions to be factored in? In our talk that has been accepted to Scenarios Forum, a leading gathering for climate data scientists, we will be asking the climate data science community to better study the impact that Indigenous people have upon reducing emissions, while laying out a framework what what we call the Indigenous Futurity Index (IFI), which we envision as an Indigenous-led evaluation system that can be utilized by Indigenous people around the globe to evaluate the country in which they are living in. Our vision for the IFI draws upon the articles of the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) for most of its metrics, while adding an “Indigenous Futurity Metric” that highlights the importance of including and centering the voices of Indigenous people in stories told about the present and the future. Such an Index could be used as part of statistical analysis to better assess the impact of Indigenous peoples on emissions reduction. We treat climate models as a form of “nonfiction science fiction,” and in this regard, it is vital for Indigenous voices to be heard as part of the process of creating leading climate models, and for Indigenous people to likewise be included in the models themselves. Scenarios Forum will be our last chance to have our voices heard by the climate modeling community before leading climate models are “locked in” until the early 2030s. We hope to serve as delegates at the Scenarios Gathering, both to bring Indigenous perspectives to the deliberations about what to include in the socio-economic climate models, and to advocate for Indigenous inclusion in the models themselves. Here is a bit more information about our research team: Dr. Lee Francis IV (Pueblo of Laguna), PhD Texas State University. Founder and Chief Imagination Officer of the Indigenous Imagination Workshop, Founder of the Indigenous Comic Con, Indigenous Worlds of Wonder, the Indigenous Futurisms Festival, Native Realities, and Red Planet Books and Comics in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dr. Heather Sauyaq Jean Gordon (Iñupiaq), University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She owns and is the principal consultant at Sauyaq Solutions. 13+ years of experience in participatory research, working with Indigenous Peoples/Tribes, building community capacity, and emphasizing the role of self-determination in community sustainability and wellbeing. David Michael Karabelnikoff (Dena’ina/Unangan), UC Davis Research Affiliate. Chief Steward of Project Peoples. Our ask: In order for 3 members of our research team to attend and share our research at the Scenarios Forum gathering July 16-18 in Leeds, UK, we are looking to raise $9,966. Alternatively, donations of airline miles could be accepted to mitigate the costs. The cost breakdown for the trip is below: The trip will last five days, and be for 3 people. We anticipate that transportation, including plane tickets and rail fares from the United States to the meeting location in the UK, will cost on average $1,500 round trip per person. Hotel costs are estimated at $250 a night for 4 nights ($1,000). We have also budgered in a per diem of $75 for five days ($375). Tickets to the gathering are $447. This is a total of $3,322 per person. Any remaining funds will be used to support the continuance of this work, including efforts towards developing an Indigenous-led process to better incorporate Indigenous contributions to the future climate modeling efforts. It would be an honor to have a chance to advocate for better Indigenous representation and inclusion in spaces of climate model deliberation, and to help ensure that Indigenous people are represented in all stories we tell about the future. Milestone goals: $300 - If we reach this amount, we will all be able to attend the Scenarios Forum gathering as “virtual delegates.” This is not the same as being there in person, but it’s a start! $3522 - If we reach this amount, it will cover the costs for 1 of us to attend the gathering in person, while the rest attend virtually. $6744 - If we reach this amount, it cover the costs for 2 of us to attend the gathering in person, while the other attends virtually.