The vitality of indigenous knowledge in responding to climate change

Research team at the workshop on intangible cultural heritage and climate change.

The research project entitled “Exploring the heritage value of indigenous knowledge on sustainable use and management of forest resources of the Ha Nhi people in Lao Cai province, Vietnam, in the context of climate change”, led by Dr. Luu Dam Ngoc Anh (Vietnam Museum of Nature), was recently published in a new UNESCO publication entitled “Conservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Action in the Asia -Pacific Region”.

According to UNESCO, in the context of increasingly negative global climate changes causing many losses globally, many communities have rediscovered and relied on heritage knowledge and practices to apply in disaster response and mitigation solutions. This is an approach that contributes to preserving indigenous culture, ensuring continuity through many generations, and at the same time demonstrating the close connection between heritage conservation and environmental protection. Indigenous knowledge has been internationally recognized as an effective tool in enhancing the ability to respond to climate change.

The work of Dr. Luu Dam Ngoc Anh and the research team on the Ha Nhi people in Lao Cai has highlighted the values of indigenous knowledge passed down through generations in communities, the interaction between cultural heritage, ecological wisdom and current environmental challenges. This knowledge system has helped communities overcome challenges for centuries, continues to be effective in new contexts and affirms the role of traditional ecological knowledge in sustainable natural resource management.

The study received financial support from the “Research Support Program for Young Cadres” of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The research team conducted a survey in Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province (old) on the knowledge of forest resource use and management of the Black Ha Nhi people in the area. Here, the Ha Nhi people have maintained forest cover and protected the primeval forest area partly thanks to the system of customary laws, beliefs and valuable ethnobotanical knowledge. They classify forests into many groups according to their purposes, in which sacred forests play an important role in regulating water resources, preventing erosion and preserving biodiversity, and are strictly protected by village customary laws combined with State regulations on forest management and use.

This knowledge reflects the close connection between humans and nature, and demonstrates that intangible cultural heritage can become a practical solution in responding to climate change. Thanks to that, the Ha Nhi community has significantly reduced the impact of extreme events such as flash floods and landslides, while preserving water resources and climate-regulating watershed forests.

The study was selected for publication by UNESCO for its unique, interdisciplinary approach – combining botanical and anthropological research – to clarify the role of heritage as both a spiritual resource and a physical basis to help communities strengthen their resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The work appearing in UNESCO's international publication not only affirms the academic reputation of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, but also shows the importance of multidisciplinary scientific research in connecting heritage with climate action, shaping sustainable development strategies, harmonizing knowledge conservation, environmental protection and sustainable development.

Ha Linh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/suc-song-cua-tri-thuc-ban-dia-trong-ung-pho-bien-doi-khi-hau-post919201.html