Knowledge Alliances for Global Change Adaptation: A Relational Approach Based on Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Territorial Management, and Community Practices in the Chilean Context

Patricio Silva-Ávila (), Jorge Rojas Hernández and Ricardo O. Barra
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Patricio Silva-Ávila: Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile
Jorge Rojas Hernández: Water Research Center for Agriculture and Mining (CRHIAM), Concepcion 4070411, Chile
Ricardo O. Barra: Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-28

Abstract: This study explores how traditional ecological knowledge in Chile can contribute to adaptation strategies within increasingly complex socio-ecological landscapes. It addresses the need for innovative approaches to knowledge production and application in the face of climate change and related crises. Through an exploratory, multi-sited qualitative methodology—integrating ethnographic observation, participatory methods, and in-depth interviews across various regions—this research identifies patterns, contrasts, and synergies in TEK practices related to water management, agroecology, community resource governance, and cultural heritage. The results show that TEK is not a static repository but rather a set of dynamic and adaptive practices and understandings shaped over centuries of interaction with heterogeneous environments. Although pressures such as migration, industrialization, resource privatization, and climatic threats endanger its continuity, TEK demonstrates the ability to integrate with scientific and political frameworks, enabling culturally relevant adaptation driven by local communities. These findings highlight the relevance of relational and transdisciplinary approaches to reduce epistemic gaps, foster cooperation, and guide more equitable, multi-level environmental governance. In conclusion, strengthening TEK’s role—through supportive policies, collaborative research, and inclusive dialogues—can enhance resilience, guide sustainable transitions, and enrich global adaptation strategies that respect local contexts and cultural diversity, thereby advancing progress toward the SDGs.

Keywords: traditional ecological knowledge; climate change adaptation; relational approach; agroecology; resilience; community-based resource governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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