With thousands of years of traditional knowledge and a deep connection to nature, native Americans are important eyewitnesses to our changing planet.  We believe native people can play a significant role by giving voice to the threats and by helping us to combat climate change with wind energy development on tribal lands.

The Cocopah Indian Tribe and National Wildlife Federation partnered to host a Tribal Lands Climate Conference-the first event of its kind-on the Cocopah Reservation in Somerton, Arizona, December 5-6. The NWF Tribal Lands Conservation Program reached out to Native Americans to provide a venue to relate their first-hand, on-the-ground accounts about the natural resources that have sustained changes due to carbon emissions and climate change related events. The conference gathered more than 150 representatives from over 55 tribes from throughout the U.S. to exchange ideas on proactively addressing climate change.

In addition to NWF and the Cocopah Tribe, the conference was co-sponsored fwith nine organizations, including Arizona Wildlife Federation, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Indigenous Environmental Network, Intertribal Council of Arizona, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, National Tribal Environmental Council, Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, Native Energy and Native Movement.

The Tribal Lands Climate Conference laid the foundation to develop an intertribal climate coalition for tribes to spread the word about climate impacts to Native people, educate the American public and advocate action on climate change. We believe that Native Americans can be a significant force in changing the course on climate change and welcome our partnership on climate change.

Working together to find and advance green energy solutions, we can stop global warming.