Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska
This paper explores the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about emerging hazards, environmental change, and relocation among community groups in Utqiaġvik (Barrow) of the North Slope Borough (NSB), Alaska. This region has been experiencing accelerating erosion and warmer temperatures, permafrost t...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ac8ecb092ec44693b2ac9b6e3022706e 2023-05-15T15:39:43+02:00 Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska Anne Garland Anamaria Bukvic Anuszka Maton-Mosurska 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2022.100460 https://doaj.org/article/ac8ecb092ec44693b2ac9b6e3022706e EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212096322000675 https://doaj.org/toc/2212-0963 2212-0963 doi:10.1016/j.crm.2022.100460 https://doaj.org/article/ac8ecb092ec44693b2ac9b6e3022706e Climate Risk Management, Vol 38, Iss , Pp 100460- (2022) Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2022.100460 2022-12-30T20:58:44Z This paper explores the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about emerging hazards, environmental change, and relocation among community groups in Utqiaġvik (Barrow) of the North Slope Borough (NSB), Alaska. This region has been experiencing accelerating erosion and warmer temperatures, permafrost thawing, more frequent and intense storm surges, and increased maritime traffic and extractive industries with ice loss, with direct or cascading effects on the mixed ethnic and indigenous communities. This paper used engagement activities (Participatory Applied Theater) and qualitative approaches (focus groups) during three consecutive summers 2016–2018 to evaluate the risk perceptions and interpretations towards coastal changes and relocation as an adaptive response in this U.S. strategic yet remote location. Each focus group session started with risk ranking activities about regional hazards to assess knowledge and perceptions of risk, followed by an interactive script reading of an Iñupiat disaster legend to facilitate discussion about risk reduction options and engagement with the survey questions. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software Nvivo and a hybrid coding strategy. Results indicate that relocation is considered by some participants but is not planned for nor implemented by community groups, families, or the local government to reduce the hazard risks. However, widespread recognition of accelerated hazards and environmental changes, and the need for adaptation could lead to consideration of relocation in the future. This study provides a case of disaster risk reduction in a remote place with unique place-specific characteristics (e.g., particular forms of subsistence, corporate monopolies, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and social organizations), but also shaped by significant external influences, accompanied by a changing landscape of risk from the slow and rapid onset of environmental changes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Barrow Ice north slope permafrost Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Climate Risk Management 38 100460 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 Anne Garland Anamaria Bukvic Anuszka Maton-Mosurska Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska |
topic_facet |
Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
description |
This paper explores the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about emerging hazards, environmental change, and relocation among community groups in Utqiaġvik (Barrow) of the North Slope Borough (NSB), Alaska. This region has been experiencing accelerating erosion and warmer temperatures, permafrost thawing, more frequent and intense storm surges, and increased maritime traffic and extractive industries with ice loss, with direct or cascading effects on the mixed ethnic and indigenous communities. This paper used engagement activities (Participatory Applied Theater) and qualitative approaches (focus groups) during three consecutive summers 2016–2018 to evaluate the risk perceptions and interpretations towards coastal changes and relocation as an adaptive response in this U.S. strategic yet remote location. Each focus group session started with risk ranking activities about regional hazards to assess knowledge and perceptions of risk, followed by an interactive script reading of an Iñupiat disaster legend to facilitate discussion about risk reduction options and engagement with the survey questions. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software Nvivo and a hybrid coding strategy. Results indicate that relocation is considered by some participants but is not planned for nor implemented by community groups, families, or the local government to reduce the hazard risks. However, widespread recognition of accelerated hazards and environmental changes, and the need for adaptation could lead to consideration of relocation in the future. This study provides a case of disaster risk reduction in a remote place with unique place-specific characteristics (e.g., particular forms of subsistence, corporate monopolies, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and social organizations), but also shaped by significant external influences, accompanied by a changing landscape of risk from the slow and rapid onset of environmental changes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Anne Garland Anamaria Bukvic Anuszka Maton-Mosurska |
author_facet |
Anne Garland Anamaria Bukvic Anuszka Maton-Mosurska |
author_sort |
Anne Garland |
title |
Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska |
title_short |
Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska |
title_full |
Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska |
title_fullStr |
Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska |
title_full_unstemmed |
Capturing complexity: Environmental change and relocation in the North Slope Borough, Alaska |
title_sort |
capturing complexity: environmental change and relocation in the north slope borough, alaska |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2022.100460 https://doaj.org/article/ac8ecb092ec44693b2ac9b6e3022706e |
genre |
Barrow Ice north slope permafrost Alaska |
genre_facet |
Barrow Ice north slope permafrost Alaska |
op_source |
Climate Risk Management, Vol 38, Iss , Pp 100460- (2022) |
op_relation |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212096322000675 https://doaj.org/toc/2212-0963 2212-0963 doi:10.1016/j.crm.2022.100460 https://doaj.org/article/ac8ecb092ec44693b2ac9b6e3022706e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2022.100460 |
container_title |
Climate Risk Management |
container_volume |
38 |
container_start_page |
100460 |
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1766371765600124928 |