Open AccessThe effect of cultural practices and perceptions on global climate change response among Indigenous peoples: a case study on the Tayal people in northern Taiwan
Author(s) -
Mucahid Mustafa Bayrak,
Li San Hung,
Yi-Ya Hsu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
environmental research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.37
H-Index - 124
ISSN - 1748-9326
DOI - 10.1088/1748-9326/abcd5c
Subject(s) - typology , indigenous , climate change , livelihood , preparedness , psychological resilience , traditional knowledge , geography , political science , environmental resource management , environmental planning , socioeconomics , economic growth , development economics , sociology , psychology , social psychology , ecology , agriculture , economics , biology , archaeology , law
Many Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by global climate change. Current research is focused on how Indigenous adaptation and mitigation strategies can be integrated into mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Through a mixed-methods approach, this study explored the effects of culture and local perceptions on coping strategies and adaptations to climate change among Indigenous communities, of which knowledge is inadequate, with a specific focus on two Indigenous Tayal communities in northern Taiwan ( N = 101). From our findings, we developed a typology based on a polychoric factor analysis, which includes four key aspects: commercialized response; experience and anticipation; culture, preparedness and recovery; and external support and institutions. The typology shows that cultural practices and perceptions profoundly shape how Indigenous households respond to climate-related disasters and should therefore be incorporated more comprehensively into climate change adaptation and mitigation policy. Our findings reflect a nuanced understanding of Indigenous peoples’ complicated relationship with global climate change. The proposed typology could be used as a theoretical and/or policy-oriented framework to advance an agenda for strengthening Indigenous livelihood resilience to global climate change.