Indigenous Peoples and local communities are heavily affected by climate change impacts in the atmospheric system and on biophysical elements that support their livelihood activities. Investigating local understandings of these changes, and their patterned distribution, is essential to effectively support monitoring and adaptation strategies. In this study, we aimed to understand the consistency in climate change impact reports among Indigenous Peoples and local communities and factors influencing consistency at site and individual levels. We conducted cross-cultural research among iTaukei (Fiji), Dagomba (Ghana), Fisher (Tanzania), Tsimane’ (Bolivia), Bassari (Senegal), Ribeirinhos (Brazil), Mapuche (Chile), Mongolian (China), Tibetan (China) and Daasanach (Kenya) communities using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and surveys among 1,860 individuals. We found that more than two-thirds of individual reports of climate change impacts match site-confirmed reports. Consistency in reports is higher for changes related to pastoralism than crop production and wild plant gathering and higher for changes related to temperature, seasons and precipitation than air masses. Individual nature experience, Indigenous and local knowledge and local family roots are not significantly associated with consistency in reports across sites, but site-specific associations are prevalent. These results indicate that despite high average consistency among sites, there is considerable variation caused by site-specific factors, including livelihood activities pursued, socio-cultural settings and environmental conditions. Site contexts and related consistency in climate change impact reports need to be taken into account for climate change monitoring and adaptation planning.

Description of methods used for collection-generation of data: Data was collected from individual respondents using a survey. Methods for processing the data: Data was entered by data collectors in a standardised online protocol. Quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: Data was checked for correctness, plausibility and coherence