Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation
We identify and examine how policy intervention can help Canada's Inuit population adapt to climate change. The policy responses are based on an understanding of the determinants of vulnerability identified in research conducted with 15 Inuit communities. A consistent approach was used in each...
Published in: | Global Environmental Change |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.10.008 |
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ftunivscoast:usc:8657 2023-05-15T16:54:48+02:00 Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation Ford, J D Pearce, T Duerden, F Furgal, C Smit, B 2010 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.10.008 eng eng Pergamon usc:8657 URN:ISSN: 0959-3780 FoR 0502 (Environmental Science and Management) Inuit climate change vulnerability adaptation Canada Indigenous peoples Aboriginal peoples climate policy Journal Article 2010 ftunivscoast https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.10.008 2019-06-17T22:27:51Z We identify and examine how policy intervention can help Canada's Inuit population adapt to climate change. The policy responses are based on an understanding of the determinants of vulnerability identified in research conducted with 15 Inuit communities. A consistent approach was used in each case study where vulnerability is conceptualized as a function of exposure-sensitivity to climatic risks and adaptive capacity to deal with those risks. This conceptualization focuses on the biophysical and human determinants of vulnerability and how they are influenced by processes and conditions operating at multiple spatial-temporal scales. Case studies involved close collaboration with community members and policy makers to identify conditions to which each community is currently vulnerable, characterize the factors that shape vulnerability and how they have changed over time, identify opportunities for adaptation policy, and examine how adaptation can be mainstreamed. Fieldwork, conducted between 2006 and 2009, included 443 semi-structured interviews, 20 focus groups/community workshops, and 65 interviews with policy makers at local, regional, and national levels. Synthesizing findings consistent across the case studies we document significant vulnerabilities, a function of socio-economic stresses and change, continuing and pervasive inequality, and magnitude of climate change. Nevertheless, adaptations are available, feasible, and Inuit have considerable adaptive capacity. Realizing this adaptive capacity and overcoming adaptation barriers requires policy intervention to: (i) support the teaching and transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills, (ii) enhance and review emergency management capability, (iii) ensure the flexibility of resource management regimes, (iv) provide economic support to facilitate adaptation for groups with limited household income, (v) increase research effort to identify short and long term risk factors and adaptive response options, (vi) protect key infrastructure, and (vii) promote awareness of climate change impacts and adaptation among policy makers. Article in Journal/Newspaper inuit University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia: COAST Research Database Canada Global Environmental Change 20 1 177 191 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia: COAST Research Database |
op_collection_id |
ftunivscoast |
language |
English |
topic |
FoR 0502 (Environmental Science and Management) Inuit climate change vulnerability adaptation Canada Indigenous peoples Aboriginal peoples climate policy |
spellingShingle |
FoR 0502 (Environmental Science and Management) Inuit climate change vulnerability adaptation Canada Indigenous peoples Aboriginal peoples climate policy Ford, J D Pearce, T Duerden, F Furgal, C Smit, B Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
topic_facet |
FoR 0502 (Environmental Science and Management) Inuit climate change vulnerability adaptation Canada Indigenous peoples Aboriginal peoples climate policy |
description |
We identify and examine how policy intervention can help Canada's Inuit population adapt to climate change. The policy responses are based on an understanding of the determinants of vulnerability identified in research conducted with 15 Inuit communities. A consistent approach was used in each case study where vulnerability is conceptualized as a function of exposure-sensitivity to climatic risks and adaptive capacity to deal with those risks. This conceptualization focuses on the biophysical and human determinants of vulnerability and how they are influenced by processes and conditions operating at multiple spatial-temporal scales. Case studies involved close collaboration with community members and policy makers to identify conditions to which each community is currently vulnerable, characterize the factors that shape vulnerability and how they have changed over time, identify opportunities for adaptation policy, and examine how adaptation can be mainstreamed. Fieldwork, conducted between 2006 and 2009, included 443 semi-structured interviews, 20 focus groups/community workshops, and 65 interviews with policy makers at local, regional, and national levels. Synthesizing findings consistent across the case studies we document significant vulnerabilities, a function of socio-economic stresses and change, continuing and pervasive inequality, and magnitude of climate change. Nevertheless, adaptations are available, feasible, and Inuit have considerable adaptive capacity. Realizing this adaptive capacity and overcoming adaptation barriers requires policy intervention to: (i) support the teaching and transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills, (ii) enhance and review emergency management capability, (iii) ensure the flexibility of resource management regimes, (iv) provide economic support to facilitate adaptation for groups with limited household income, (v) increase research effort to identify short and long term risk factors and adaptive response options, (vi) protect key infrastructure, and (vii) promote awareness of climate change impacts and adaptation among policy makers. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ford, J D Pearce, T Duerden, F Furgal, C Smit, B |
author_facet |
Ford, J D Pearce, T Duerden, F Furgal, C Smit, B |
author_sort |
Ford, J D |
title |
Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
title_short |
Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
title_full |
Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
title_fullStr |
Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
title_sort |
climate change policy responses for canada's inuit population: the importance of and opportunities for adaptation |
publisher |
Pergamon |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.10.008 |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
inuit |
genre_facet |
inuit |
op_relation |
usc:8657 URN:ISSN: 0959-3780 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2009.10.008 |
container_title |
Global Environmental Change |
container_volume |
20 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
177 |
op_container_end_page |
191 |
_version_ |
1766045648470147072 |