Review of 2014 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans

Climate adaptation is an increasing priority within the federal government. As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, federal agencies are required to develop agency-level climate adaptation plans (CEQ 2014). Federal agencies must integrate their emerging obligations to address climate impacts with existing responsibilities. Amongst these responsibilities are the federal government’s trust responsibility towards tribes and the government’s obligation to consult with tribes. Federal agencies are obligated to protect tribal resources and tribal rights to self-governance (NCAI 2014). As part of this trust responsibility, federal agencies must engage in ongoing consultation with tribes on issues that will impact tribal rights and resources, and to ensure that tribal access to on and off-reservation resources are protected in the face of climate change (EO 13175, Whyte 2013). Federal agency adaptation plans have the potential to impact tribes in a variety of ways, whether through changes in policies pertaining to tribes, or by altering management of resources that are of importance to tribes. This report examines how federal agency climate adaptation plans are addressing tribal issues and concerns.