Coeur d'Alene Tribe spokespeople: Climate change 'is happening'

Aiyana James made it clear Tuesday morning where the Coeur d’Alene Tribe stands on climate change.

“We need to get with the rest of the world acknowledging the climate crisis for what it is,” said James, the tribe’s climate resilience coordinator. “It's happening now. It’s going to keep happening unless we do something about it.” 

James was joined by Zachery Miller, the tribe’s energy coordinator, in talking about economic development, climate change and “how businesses and communities can adapt and thrive by embracing forward-thinking strategies,” before about 75 people at the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber’s Upbeat Breakfast at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. 

James said Idaho is seeing hotter, drier summers and reduced precipitation in the winter. Snowpack in recent years has been below average around the state.  

Meanwhile, she said hydropower production in the Pacific Northwest is down about 20% in the past decade. 

“We all know there’s no snow on the ground right now. That's an impact of climate change,” she said. 

James said a September fire in Plummer near tribal headquarters was a “wake-up call” to have evacuation plans and emergency shelters in place.

She said Kootenai and Benewah counties have a major risk of wildfire over the next 30 years, with 98% of properties at risk of being affected. 

James used an analogy of Earth being sick to describe climate change.

“Think of it as a blanket. When the Earth gets too hot and it can’t take the blanket off, it has to regulate itself somehow. That’s essentially what we’re seeing with climate change," she said.

The Tribe has about 10 people who have been preparing for climate change, which James said is caused by human activities, such as fossil fuel burning. That, in turn, traps greenhouse gas levels in the Earth's atmosphere and raises its average surface temperature.

“As a Tribe, everything that we do is impacted by climate change,” she said.

The Tribe is focusing on several areas. It is investing in drought resilience, studying how to maintain its water supply, creating sustainable fisheries and habitat and looking into increased use of renewable energy sources.

The Tribe has a direct relationship with the land, James said.

“Everything that happens to the Earth happens to us,” she said. 

She said Idaho benefits from having the third-lowest energy rates in the country, but with population closing in on 2 million and demand for energy rising, costs will likely go up, too.  

Miller said, “clean energy,” like wind, solar and batteries, requires financial support. 

“To make all these investments, Avista will need our help, particularly from our pocketbooks,” he said.  

James said some insurance companies are denying coverage to people who live in areas determined to be prone to fires, winds and floods “because they know” those properties will be impacted by climate disasters. 

She said that since January 2022 in Idaho, home insurance rates have risen 11%.

While some are more impacted by climate change than others, James said, “The entire world has accepted this is an issue we’re all being faced with.” 

“It's not something that’s going to happen. It is happening," she said.