The British Council has released two significant outputs focusing on the critical, yet often overlooked, role of culture and diverse knowledge systems in addressing the climate crisis.

The British Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture UAE, has co-commissioned and released a first-of-its-kind baseline analysis titled ‘Rooted in Resilience – How Culture Shapes Climate Resilience in the UAE.’

The research employed a deeply participatory and place-based approach to map and analyse culture-based climate action across the Emirates. It captures diverse perspectives from almost 50 cultural organisations, alongside cultural and environmental practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders, providing a comprehensive overview of how cultural practices and institutions are contributing to the nation’s climate resilience efforts.

A related piece of research explores the crucial concept of integrating different knowledge systems, specifically focusing on the valuable connection between indigenous and scientific wisdom for effective climate action.

The article, ‘Bridging Knowledge Systems: Indigenous and scientific wisdom for climate resilience,’ highlights the growing recognition of indigenous knowledge systems within the climate resilience field. It examines how finding connections between these distinct yet complementary forms of knowledge can lead to more holistic and locally appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies.