ABSTRACT

Indigenous knowledge allows people to account for and deal with a large number of variations in the biophysical environment, including recent climate change. Despite recognizing the role of Indigenous knowledge in climate change governance, less is known about how Indigenous knowledge can be incorporated in climate and environmental change research. This chapter examines this question through a case study of Kabi Kabi Traditional Owners in Australia. The case study highlights important insights for incorporating Indigenous knowledge in environmental change research, including: considering the ontological framing of Indigenous knowledge, acknowledging Indigenous knowledge as dynamic and evolving, not restricting knowledge by genetics or heritage, identifying knowledge holders, recognizing specializations and scrutinizing Indigenous knowledge with the same rigor as other sources of knowledge.