Archaeology in a time of climate change

This paper presents an introduction to the special issue from the point of view of a nonexpert on climate change and its impacts on archaeology. I review the history of these effects on Southeastern archaeology and show how different disasters, including hurricanes and sea level rise, have resulted in increased monitoring, the creation of mitigation measures and disaster preparedness plans, and, also, an increase in archaeological knowledge. The effects of climate change on field safety and its adverse effects on cultural resources on tribal lands, among descendant communities, and in economically depressed areas are also discussed. Finally, recent guidelines from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on addressing climate change in historic preservation are discussed.