The contributory role of local knowledge in climate research

This paper provides a methodological argument for local knowledge inclusion within climate research, as well as highlights the unique ethical and epistemic challenges in doing so. I first discuss the limitations of “top-down” modeling methods for garnering certain kinds of local climate information, as well as the need to understand local factors that mediate climate impacts. This in turn motivates the use of “bottom-up” approaches that incorporate local knowledge and engage directly within community members. I then clarify what local knowledge is and argue that it constitutes a form of experience-based expertise that can in certain contexts become contributory expertise. In discussing what it means for local knowledge to be contributory, I show how local knowledge meets criteria for useable climate information, as well as why we should assess usefulness internal to local knowledge frameworks. I then highlight specific areas where local knowledge can play this contributory role within climate research, as well as further challenges for local knowledge inclusion.