Volume 42, October 2014, Pages 101–122
Climate change perception, observation and policy support in rural Nevada: A comparative analysis of Native Americans, non-native ranchers and farmers and mainstream America
- Under a Creative Commons license
Open Access
Highlights
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- Women ranchers and farmers show greater concern and more scientifically accurate knowledge about climate change than men.
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- Nearly 3/4 of ranchers/farmers believe that climate change impacts will “never happen” or are “not sure,” and this is correlated to partisan affiliation.
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- Native American observations match biophysical models remarkably well, with 86% observation of a decrease in snow packs, 79% earlier runoff, and 75% increased temperatures.
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- Religion helps tribes support climate change policy, but obviates rancher farmer support and action.
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- Tribes are ready for capacity building, while ranchers and farmers are not ready and bridge building is required, with women needing to be the leaders.
Abstract
As
climate change research burgeons at a remarkable pace, it is
intersecting with research regarding indigenous and rural people in
fascinating ways. Yet, there remains a significant gap in integrated
quantitative and qualitative methods for studying rural climate change
perception and policy support, especially with regard to Native
Americans. The objectives of this paper are to utilize our multi-method
approach of integrating surveys, interviews, video, literature and
fieldwork in innovative ways to: (1) address the aforementioned gap in
rural studies, while advancing knowledge regarding effective
methodologies for investigation of linkages between socio-political
variables and climate change perceptions; and (2) perform comparative
primary research regarding the climate change assumptions, risk
perceptions, policy preferences, observations and knowledge among rural
Nevada's tribes and tribal environmental leaders, non-native ranchers
and farmers, and America's general public. The results of this study
have ramifications for similar populations in arid and semi-arid lands,
particularly in the U.S. Southwest.
Keywords
- Climate change perception;
- Climate change policy;
- Native Americans;
- Ranchers and farmers;
- Nevada
1. Introduction
Major climate change perception surveys have been conducted in the U.S. within the last 20 years (Bord et al., 1998, O’Connor et al., 1999, Krosnick et al., 2000, Leiserowitz, 2005, Leiserowitz, 2006, Kellstedt et al., 2008, Brody et al., 2008, Leiserowitz et al., 2009, Malka et al., 2009, McCright, 2010, McCright and Dunlap, 2011a and McCright and Dunlap, 2011b). Pew Research Center (2010)
polls found that 57% (2009) and 59% (2010) of Americans believed that
global warming was occurring. From 2006 to 2008 Pew reported 70–79%.
Meanwhile, survey data from Borick and Rabe (2010)
varied from 69% to 75%. Related surveys have also been conducted on a
state-scale, for example, concerning Michigan and Virginia (Dietz et al., 2007, Shwom et al., 2008 and Shwom et al., 2010), New Hampshire (Hamilton, 2010), and Virginia, California, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania (Borick and Rabe, 2010).
Fewer studies have focused on rural American climate change perceptions. Hamilton and Keim (2009) surveyed nineteen rural counties in nine states and noted a significant perception-temperature influence. Coles and Scott (2009)
conducted seventeen interviews in Arizona, and found that the major
perceived climatic risks were drought, floods, and frosts, and that
farmers and ranchers continued to rely on past experiences and
short-range forecasts as adaptive strategies. While Arbuckle et al. (2013) studied farmers’ beliefs in climate change in the Midwest.
2. Methods
In
this paper we explore perceptions, knowledge and preferences regarding
climate change with less-powerful actors who have an intimate connection
to their local, and sometimes extreme, Nevada environment. Supporting
their voices is important, as Sachs (1993)
and others have indicated that the way potential “multifaceted dangers
to mankind” are often wrapped-up in high level discourse may bring the
major players at the table (i.e. UN mega-conferences), but the result
can be a merging of views that can mute the smaller actor and calls for
necessary radical change. A mixed-method approach can capture the views
of these actors (Supplemental detailed discussion of our study
communities and regional climate change predictions are located in Appendix A).
