The Miccosukee Tribe and the Battle to Save the Everglades: A Miami Climate Action Story

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 324-002. "Miccosukee" explores the challenges of coordinating actions to solve a complex systems problem—from individuals, small organizations, and coalitions of multiple organizations. The case discusses the impact of climate change and sea level rise, traces Native American values and outward-facing advocacy, and dissects the roles and interests of the public sector, community activists, and private businesses. The case protagonist, Curtis Osceola, Chief of Staff of the Miccosukee Indian Tribe, ponders his tribe’s next steps in early 2023 as climate conditions continue to worsen the ecosystems of the Florida Everglades. Human actions such as oil drilling, pollution, and commercial development are threatening the waterflows of the Everglade region, presenting risks to southern Florida’s coastal cities. With an understanding of their ancestral land and a commitment to protecting nature, Osceola and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians took steps across public engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and formal lobbying efforts in order to drive progress on project initiatives, lead change for a coalition of actors, and create solutions to rehydrate the endangered Everglades.