Economic OpportunityCarbon, Climate and Indian Country

Native American tribes are reaping rewards, protecting their land and mitigating the effects of climate change by participating in the carbon credit and other environmental commodities markets. The National Indian Carbon Coalition is committed to helping tribal nations and members do this through education, outreach and technical assistance.

Calculate your carbon footprint

When tribal governments, enterprises, members and employees use energy or products made with fossil fuels, they generate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to climate change. The combination of emissions containing carbon caused by work, home, transportation and daily life is called a ‘carbon footprint.’ Do you know what yours is? You can find out by using the TiCO2e Carbon Calculator. It’s quick and easy to determine how your travel affects the environment, and to do your part to help offset the impact. The calculator also generates donations that help support tribal carbon mitigation projects, protect the environment and preserve Indian land for future generations.

Video: A fresh perspective on Tribal carbon projects

Climate change offers tribes a unique opportunity to preserve tribal land ownership, protect the land for future generations and earn income for tribal communities. Watch the new National Indian Carbon Coalition video to learn more about how we are helping tribes achieve these goals. Filmed on the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota, the video offers a fresh perspective on what carbon sequestration projects can mean to tribal communities.

Climate Impact Through Nature-based Climate Solutions

The National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC) team shares projects that are leading the charge in the high-quality, high-integrity ecosystem service market. Working hand-in-hand with tribal national and indigenous communities, NICC is collaboratively developing ecosystem stewardship opportunities to preserve natural lands. There are many opportunities for communities to get involved in opportunities around reforestation, and tribes can learn more about how nature-based climate solutions can benefit their communities by using NICC's carbon co-benefits tool. Watch this video to find out more.

Climate change brings economic opportunity for tribes

Climate change presents countless challenges for tribal nations. It also offers tremendous opportunities that are enabling tribal nations and their members to generate income through sustainable management of tribal lands. In Maine, for example, the Passamaquoddy Tribe is expected to earn more than $20 million through the sale of carbon credits while protecting 90,000 acres of land. Not every carbon project is this large but it is an excellent example of how tribal nations are successfully entering the carbon credit market.

National Indian Carbon Coalition

Formed by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) and the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), the National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC) is a non-profit program that helps tribal nations and individual Indian landowners to develop carbon credits and enter environmental commodities markets through the creation of carbon sequestration projects.