Southeast Climate Change

The current fast-paced climate change is caused by the accumulation of Greenhouse Gasses (GHG), primarily carbon dioxide from industry and transportation, which intensifies the Greenhouse Effect. The US cut the Southeast into chunks of land and put governments there that vary on their position as to whether climate change is occurring and if it is a threat: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North CarolinaVirginia, Tennessee, AlabamaMississippi, Louisiana
Indigenous Peoples know that climate change is occurring because we observe less water in the rivers and ground, more water and warmer water in the ocean and air, weather extremes and unpredictability, seasonal anomalies, greater storm impacts, and changes in flora and fauna. Scientists agree with us that climate change is occurring. Indigenous Peoples recognize our dependence on healthy ecosystems for survival and therefore recognize that climate change is a threat to our survival in a Southeast already weakened by deforestation, nutrient-depletion, erosion, pollution, re-shaping, dams, salty and dry aquifers.  US aggression deprives us of the ability to move around or access all the resources of our waters, winds, and lands, so know we will have to adapt with fewer options and opportunities than our ancestors had. 
Southeast Indigenous Peoples are looking ahead to relocate away from rising sea levels while looking for fresh water and ways to effectively mitigate climate change. How can we use our People's traditions to help us adapt to climate changes? 
First Nations of Canada have support from the Canadian government in adapting to climate change. The international community helps African Indigenous Peoples use traditional methods to adapt to drought, floods, and weather extremes.  Indigenous Peoples worldwide adapt to climate change through a network of NGOs. Community based adaptation measures are promoted by the United Nations.
How do southeast Indigenous Peoples adapt to climate change? This question is hard to answer because southeast Indigenous Peoples have adapted to living with the US to the degree that the US continues to advertise the notion that there are few Indigenous Peoples in the Southeast.  The world doesn't know much about southeast Indigenous  Peoples because the world has heard little from the busy world leaders in adaptation, southeast Indigenous Peoples. Some southeast Indigenous Peoples adapted to captivity and Oklahoma in the 1830s. Some southeast Indigenous Peoples adapted to living on shrinking southeast reservations transformed into small allotments alongside neighbors who continued to fight the "Indian Wars."  Some Indigenous Peoples adapted to the US by resisting and/or hiding in the Southeast.  We all adapted to Europe's decision to disempower our governments because they feared our traditional American democracy.  We survived collosal changes that would have destroyed Peoples and countries with weaker cultures and governments. 

Today Indigenous Peoples in the Southeast adapt to having minimal access to the benefits of our winds, waters, and lands, degraded as they are by pollution and carbon.  Southeast Indigenous Peoples have contributed little to GHG emissions and other pollution while disproportionately suffering from the effects because of our dependence on our ecosystems.  Now we must adapt to climate change while coping with persistent hunger, homelessness, exploitation, assault, other attacks, and colonial governments that use our resources to promote the idea that climate change is not occurring and if it is, mitigation is unnecessary. Southeast Indigenous Peoples will mitigate and adapt to climate change as we have mitigated and adapted to so many changes through the millennia: with collective scientific observation, prayer, creativity, and diligence.

 If you would like to view the data citations or make your own graphs please go to



Almost 100 million persons living in the Southeast contribute to more than three and a half percent of the total world GHG emissions. The North American Southeast is the 6th largest emitter of GHG  globally because southeast Indigenous Peoples are prevented from governing human interaction with our winds, waters, and lands as we did prior to the European invasion.  Compare the per capita GHG emissions globally--the Southeast ranks 11th. It appears the per capita GHG emissions are highest where the US imposed government thinks climate change is not occurring or is not a threat. 
How do southeast Indigenous Peoples work with the existing political situation to promote the good American governance that protected our ecosystems for so many millennia?  We pray, talk with our neighbors on the human level, enforce laws, and work whereever possible to mitigate and adapt to climate change.