Multilingualism in Climate Change Resilience: Translational Strategies for Indigenous and Marginalized Communities

This article sheds light on the neglected place of multilingualism in defining, producing and maintaining climate change resilience. Critically examines translation strategies and multilingual practices in meeting the specific needs of indigenous peoples and other vulnerable populations threatened by climate change. Native barriers to counteracting climate change are also highlighted—in particular, the lack of standardization of terms, high levels of illiteracy, and significant differences in epistemologies related to language. Our article ultimately highlights the importance of leveraging linguistic diversity in national adaptation planning and calls for attention to the cultural impacts of climate change resilience. We believe that participatory communication that is flexible and inclusive must include elements of designing a truly supportive environment for multilingualism. The proposal critically illustrates the inadequacy of the current approach of insisting on urgent—and increasingly critical—adaptation measures.