The case study found that community members were learning about climate change and its effects not by watching the news, but by observing the changes occurring in their local environment. The community members noticed the timing for when to plant crops no longer aligned with their prior knowledge of the land. One community member mentioned he used to use the position of the rising and setting sun to know when to plant crops. Using this timing now, however, results in poor crop yields. It was also discovered that concern about climate change was often related to whether the community member was able to obtain food from their friends and family in times of need. Community members without access to this ‘traditional insurance policy’ indicated higher levels of climate concern.

This exploration uncovered two communities determined to overcome climate challenges related to water availability and soil erosion due to flooding. Ultimately, the Research and Conservation Foundation of Papua New Guinea found the communities were receptive to learning new skills to adapt to climate change. In fact, the community members indicated they would have appreciated follow-up training and wanted more videos to be incorporated in the training. The case study shows that illiteracy can be a significant barrier for implementing climate solutions. While these two tribal communities face different climate impacts and solutions, they share the need for solutions to be based in their community’s context and cultural relevance.