Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Climate Change: A review

Climate change is a global issue with local, but significant, effects on ecosystems. Many local communities around the world are observing these effects and developing adaptation strategies. We conducted a literature review of the observations of and adaptations to climate change (and environmental changes recognized to be climate-driven) by traditional peoples worldwide. Observations include changes in weather or seasonality and spatio-temporal shifts in animal and plants. These changes undermine livelihood but also cultural values of communities. Long-term observations and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) affect the resilience of communities and their ability to adapt to change. While there is widespread recognition of the value of integrating TEK and western scientific knowledge in policy or conservation, there are few documented examples of successful integration. We believe that scientific and traditional ecological knowledge can be combined for a better understanding of climate change and its effects.