Decades of research on global climate change shows that human activities are adversely affecting our ecosystem and the stability of our climate. Native American communities are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change and it is important that through mitigating climate change that their cultural integrity be respected and they can succeed in a globalized society. We recognize the western scientific perspective on climate change is evolving to move more towards an understanding that affirms the global significance of indigenous knowledge systems. The principles of Agenda 21 reveal that sustainable development requires a conceptual differentiation that is able to meaningfully articulate scientific and indigenous forms of knowledge (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 1992). Team Maryland believes that Native Americans can contribute valuably to more sustainable interactions with the natural world (Chhetri & Chhetri, 2015). -- Source: reACT Native American Client Research Report
