1 Plenary 4: Security Human implications of climate change in the Canadian Arctic: A case study of Arctic Bay

• Main Authors: James Ford, Barry Smit
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Bay; Nunavut; Arctic bay; Climate change; inuit
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.514.8782; http://www.nrf.is/Publications/The Resilient North/Plenary 4/3rd NRF_Plenary 4_Ford and Smit_YR_paper.pdf

This paper presents a vulnerability based approach to characterize the human implications of climate change for Arctic communities. The approach explicitly incorporates the knowledge, experience, and observations of Inuit to identify current exposures and adaptive strategies, and to assess future risks and adaptation needs. The model is applied in a case study for the community of Arctic Bay, Nunavut. The interviews indicate that, in the face of changing climatic conditions, Inuit have demonstrated significant adaptability. Coping strategies involve risk minimization, risk avoidance, modification of the timing and location of harvesting activities, and sharing of loss. This adaptability is facilitated by traditional skills and local knowledge of the environment, strong social networks, flexibility in seasonal hunting cycles, and institutional support. While the community is managing changing climatic conditions, the social and cultural implications of the transition of a traditional Inuit society to a ‘dual society ’ have placed many of the coping mechanisms under stress. This context of social, economic, and political processes and conditions, will constrain or enhance the ability to manage changing climatic conditions. 1.