Water Vulnerability in Arctic Households: A Literature-based Analysis

There is an urgent need to understand the contextual factors that influence water vulnerability of households in the Arctic. To evaluate the existing knowledge of Arctic household water vulnerability, this paper presents the results of a narrative review with a systematic search. The review identifi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ARCTIC
Main Authors: Sohns, Antonia, Ford, James, Riva, Mylene, Robinson, Brian, Adamowski, Jan
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/68884
Description
Summary:There is an urgent need to understand the contextual factors that influence water vulnerability of households in the Arctic. To evaluate the existing knowledge of Arctic household water vulnerability, this paper presents the results of a narrative review with a systematic search. The review identified 112 documents, including peer-reviewed articles, reviews, book chapters, proceedings papers, and meeting abstracts. The documents were analyzed for the main factors affecting water vulnerability in Arctic households, which fell into two categories: biophysical factors and anthropogenic factors. Within the biophysical category, the majority of documents noted climate change impacts on freshwater supplies and water systems, followed by attention to extreme weather and the seasonality of water supplies. Within the anthropogenic category, the vast majority highlighted infrastructure as the primary issue affecting water access, followed by economic, governance, socio-cultural, and demographic factors. Through these diverse influencing factors, this review situates the discussion of household water vulnerability in the Arctic in a more nuanced light. The categories illuminate patterns between factors, which can worsen, assuage, or mitigate water vulnerability. The complex relationships between these factors influence the degree and nature of water vulnerability in Arctic households. In order to successfully address household water vulnerability in the Arctic, these factors and their dynamic relationships must be considered in freshwater policy and management frameworks. Il existe un besoin urgent de comprendre les facteurs contextuels qui exercent une influence sur la vulnérabilité de l’eau des ménages de l’Arctique. Afin d’évaluer les connaissances déjà acquises en matière de vulnérabilité de l’eau des ménages de l’Arctique, nous présentons les résultats d’un dépouillement de textes effectué par le biais d’une recherche systématique. Ce dépouillement a permis de repérer 112 documents, comprenant des articles révisés ...