Thawing Permafrost in Arctic Coastal Communities: A Framework for Studying Risks from Climate Change

• Published in: Sustainability
• Main Authors: Larsen, Joan Nymand, Schweitzer, Peter, Abass, Khaled, Doloisio, Natalia, Gartler, Susanna, Ingeman-Nielsen, Thomas, Ingimundarson, Jón Haukur, Jungsberg, Leneisja, Meyer, Alexandra, Rautio, Arja, Scheer, Johanna, Timlin, Ulla, Vanderlinden, Jean-Paul, Vullierme, Magali
• Other Authors: Cultures, Environnements, Arctique, Représentations, Climat (CEARC), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: [SDE]Environmental Sciences; [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences; Arctic; Climate change; permafrost
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04345142; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052651

International audience Thawing permafrost creates risks to the environment, economy and culture in Arctic coastal communities. Identification of these risks and the inclusion of the societal context and the relevant stakeholder involvement is crucial in risk management and for future sustainability, yet the dual dimensions of risk and risk perception is often ignored in conceptual risk frameworks. In this paper we present a risk framework for Arctic coastal communities. Our framework builds on the notion of the dual dimensions of risk, as both physically and socially constructed, and it places risk perception and the coproduction of risk management with local stakeholders as central components into the model. Central to our framework is the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. A conceptual model and processual framework with a description of successive steps is developed to facilitate the identification of risks of thawing permafrost in a collaboration between local communities and scientists. Our conceptual framework motivates coproduction of risk management with locals in the identification of these risks from permafrost thaw and the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies.