Tribes across the country, including many in Alaska, are working to eliminate their carbon footprints while bolstering climate resiliency.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy provides technical assistance and resources to help Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages implement sustainable energy strategies to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change. These resources support various federal directives and policies connected to climate actions and resiliency.
Technical Assistance
Federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native villages, tribal energy resource development organizations, and other organized tribal groups and communities, can apply to receive technical assistance to advance projects that address climate-related challenges. In addition, find information about climate-related technical assistance programs available from more than 10 federal agencies in the Energy Development Assistance tool by searching for the keyword “climate.”
Funding Opportunities
The Office of Indian Energy provides funding to support Indian tribes and Alaska Native communities and organizations with evaluating, developing, and deploying climate-related energy projects.
View a complete list of current funding opportunities.
Training and Education
Webinars, training curriculum, and workshops offered by the Office of Indian Energy help educate tribal leaders and staff about increasing climate preparedness and resiliency through energy project development:
The Office of Indian Energy also offers energy tracks and training at various regional events. See our upcoming events.
Featured Websites, Tools, and Publications
Federal agencies, including the Office of Indian Energy, provide various websites, online tools, and publications to support tribal communities with climate resiliency planning and projects, including:
- Climate Adaptation: The State of Practice in U.S. Communities—This Kresge Foundation study examines in-depth actions multiple municipalities are taking to address climate-change-fueled events, such as flooding, heat waves, wildfires, and intense storms.
- Climate Change and the U.S. Energy Sector: Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Solutions—This DOE report helps infrastructure owners and utility planners access region-specific energy vulnerabilities to climate change and current resilience solutions.
- Climate Change Indicators—This Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website provides information on key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change, including greenhouse gases and weather and oceanic changes.
- Climate.data.gov—This website features climate change data, including information and resources related to coastal flooding, food resilience, water, ecosystem vulnerability, human health, energy infrastructure, transportation and the Arctic region, to help inform and prepare America’s communities, businesses, and citizens.
- Final Guidance on the Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in NEPA Reviews—This White House report assists federal agencies in their consideration of the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change when evaluating proposed federal actions in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
- Green Infrastructure and Climate Change: Collaborating to Improve Community Resiliency—This EPA report summarizes different issues from four cities based on the most pressing climate change impacts they were facing and their current level of green infrastructure implementation, and the recommendations developed.
- How Climate Change Threatens America’s Energy Infrastructure in Every Region—This interactive map from DOE illustrates how climate change has the potential to disrupt our nation’s energy systems.
- The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment—EPA has developed eight communication kits that summarize key points from these impacts for the different populations disproportionately affected by climate change impacts. Access these kits.
- National Climate Assessment—Produced by a team of more than 300 experts guided by a 60-member federal advisory committee, this report summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future, including 12 overarching findings, regional impacts, and response strategies.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Centers for Environmental Information—This merger of NOAA’s former three data centers, including the National Climatic Data Center, the National Geophysical Data Center, and the National Oceanographic Data Center, is responsible for hosting and providing access to a comprehensive archive of oceanic, atmospheric, and geophysical data.
- Policy and Program Impact Estimator—This EPA calculator is designed to help estimate lifecycle greenhouse gas reductions from implementing new or expanded materials recovery policies and programs.
- Rebuilding Healthy Homes Guide to Post-Disaster Restoration for a Safe and Healthy Home—This guide created by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes provides essential information to homeowners as well as volunteers and workers who restore homes damaged by disasters.
- State Climate Impacts Fact Sheets—These EPA fact sheets provide an overview of climate impacts by U.S. state and territory.
- Tribal Climate and Energy Information—This EPA website is designed to assist tribal communities interested in implementing climate change mitigation and energy management projects that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to slow the rate of climate change and its impacts on economic and cultural sustainability.
- Tribal Energy System Vulnerabilities to Climate Change and Extreme Weather—This DOE report helps tribes understand their climate change and extreme weather risks, which is a critical step toward effective planning and management of energy systems.
- Tribal Greenhouse Gas Inventory Toolkit—This EPA tool was developed to help tribes across the United States to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions. It can be used to compile a greenhouse gas inventory for an entire tribe or for tribal government operations in particular.
- U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit—This NOAA toolkit provides users with tools, information, and subject-matter expertise for building climate resilience.
Access the Energy Resource Library for additional tools and resources.
