Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions (PTCS) is a program of Global Ocean Health. This program exists thanks to the vision of the late Terry Williams, who helped conceive and create this team and co-convened our first intertribal meeting. Terry was a revered natural resource manager at the Tulalip Tribes and an internationally known leader in environmental problem-solving. He established the EPA’s Indian Office under President Clinton, contributed to significant U.S. and regional climate change policies, and shaped UN policies on Indigenous rights. Terry's foresight into the critical role of Tribes in the emerging field of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) continues to guide our mission.

Following a landmark 2018 IPCC report, Terry recognized that CDR was poised for rapid growth that could either damage or benefit Indian Country— and the world. Terry's philosophy was clear and bold: despite the risks, inaction was not an option. As he put it, “There’s certainly risk, but I don’t think we have any choice now but to take the risk. It’s just going to get worse if we don’t.” Terry believed that Tribes hold a vital role in guiding a field that must quickly grow to shoulder its enormous responsibilities.

Guided by Terry's vision, we are committed to accelerating Tribal leadership in carbon and greenhouse gas removal. We do not merely seek to advance a development trajectory that strengthens tribes instead of harming them. Expanding capacity of Tribes to evaluate, develop, and govern climate repair initiatives is, as Terry pointed out, a strategy to ensure that this crucial field “grows up right.”

Indigenous leaders, with their multi-generational commitment to stewardship of the Earth, are integral to addressing the carbon crisis. They have been pivotal in ecosystem restoration, expertly integrating traditional knowledge with modern science, and fostering partnerships that establish essential legal and financial frameworks to combat climate change. In Washington State, for example, Tribes played a key role in crafting the Climate Commitment Act, which many consider the world's most robust carbon price-and-invest law.

Our senior advisor, Fawn Sharp, former president of the National Congress of American Indians and the Quinault Indian Nation, has been instrumental in advocating for Tribal sovereignty and environmental leadership. Her efforts leading Tribes to foster climate solutions were crucial in designing and passing the Climate Commitment Act.

We continue to explore new and traditional methods for carbon removal, evaluating their potential benefits and risks. Our work underscores the indispensable role of Indigenous leaders in safeguarding and restoring our shared environment.

PTCS operates nationwide with three core goals: engaging Tribes in assessing carbon removal opportunities and risks, supporting Tribes to develop leadership in carbon removal development and governance, and assisting Tribes in leveraging carbon removal to meet climate targets and advance community objectives for environmental health and stewardship. Some of our current activities:

• Specialized Convenings: Since the program launch in 2022, we’ve hosted over 20 specialized convenings that have engaged roughly 100 individual Tribes and numerous industry experts. We continue to facilitate opportunities for Tribes to engage in dialogue directly with expert researchers, scholars, and industry practitioners in this field, fostering learning and collaboration on themes such as revenue models, kelp-focused carbon removal, community benefits, and responsible deployment.

• Educational Webinar & Video Series: We will collaboratively produce pre-recorded webinars with expert partners to provide Tribal leaders and staff with important knowledge and tools to assess and implement GGR projects effectively. Spanning topics such as revenue models, marine CDR, community benefit plans, and responsible deployment.

• Site Visits & Tours: We work with established companies and researchers to provide Tribal representatives with firsthand insights into CDR & GGR technologies and their potential impacts and benefits.

• Roster of Tribal & Industry Experts: Central to our work is the extensive network of Tribal and industry experts we've cultivated since the program's inception. Continuously expanding and maintaining this network enables us to deliver reliable and current information to Tribes. Our ongoing efforts in this area bolster our network development infrastructure, facilitating streamlined data management and enhancing our internal capabilities for outreach.

• As-Requested Presentations: In selected cases, we customize presentations for Tribes and other engaged actors.

Through these initiatives, we are committed to fostering collaboration, facilitating knowledge exchange, and driving innovation crucial for the success of Tribal-led endeavors in this field.