Columbia River Basin Tribes Climate Change Capacity Assessment

The15 Tribes of the Columbia River Basin have a total membership of over 56,000. These Tribal members depend on the 15 Tribal governments for employment, education, housing, healthcare, public transportation, natural resource management, and social services. Tribal communities are also faced with challenges of high unemployment and poverty–common rural problems, but much higher than the national rates. Increasing the climate resilience of tribal communities is critical to ensuring access to resources protected by rights and vitally important to the cultural existence and economic vitality of these communities. This assesmment projects future climate change effects adn describes potential solutions considering tribal welfare.