Arctic Climate change: Inuit social justice and self determinisation

Question 1

What are the current trends and characteristics of Arctic warming and sea ice decline?

Answer 1

• Arctic warming occurs 4x faster than the global average
• Permanent populations live in the Arctic (unlike the Antarctic)
• Arctic sea ice expands in winter, shrinks in summer (September minima)
• Sea ice is declining at 12.5% per decade
• The 17 lowest September sea ice extents have all occurred in the last 17 years
• 2012 recorded the lowest sea ice extent on record

Question 2

What is permafrost thaw, and why is it significant for carbon storage and landscape changes?

Answer 2

• Permafrost = permanently frozen ground, covers 24% of Northern Hemisphere land
• Stores ~1300 Gt of carbon as peat and methane, over twice atmospheric carbon
• Thawing causes thermokarst disturbances (ground collapse due to ice melting)
• Results in features like retrogressive thaw slumps, active layer detachment slides, collapsed peatlands, ice-wedge polygons, and thermokarst lakes

Question 3

Who are the Inuit of Nunangat, and how does Arctic warming impact their homeland and traditional knowledge?

Answer 3

• Nunangat = the Inuit homeland in Canada
• Inuit have a close relationship with both land and sea
• Long history of Traditional Knowledge (TK), deeply in tune with the environment
• Warming oceans and sea ice loss in the Canadian archipelago and coastal areas severely impact their environment and lifestyle
• Climate change disrupts the environment, making it harder for Inuit to read and interpret the landscape effectively using TK

Question 4

Why is sea ice important for Inuit communities, and what are the impacts of its loss?

Answer 4

• Sea ice acts as an extension of land, enabling access for hunting and harvesting in otherwise inaccessible areas
• Traditional Knowledge (TK) is essential for navigating sea ice safely
• Sea ice is crucial for Inuit hunting practices e.g ice fishing

Impacts of loss:
- Opens new shipping routes, likely dominated by large companies, limiting Inuit access
- Changing sea ice patterns disrupt traditional travel routes and hunting practices

Question 5

How does permafrost thaw affect Arctic homes, and what adaptation is used?

Answer 5

• Thaw causes erosion, threatening home stability
• Houses built on stilts to avoid heating and thawing permafrost underneath
• Uncertain how long this adaptation will remain effective as thawing intensifies

Question 6

How have changing ground conditions affected Inuit trails to Husky Lakes, and what environmental issues are caused?

Answer 6

• Trails from Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway to Husky Lakes used for traditional fishing
• Changing ground conditions increase environmental damage from trails
• Trails cause flooding, which transfers heat more easily, accelerating permafrost thaw

Question 7

What are the social and economic disparities between Canadians generally and Inuit Nunangat communities?

Answer 7

• Inuit Nunangat faces significant social and economic disparities compared to the rest of Canada

Higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity
- 70% of inuit households are food insecure vs 8% ofCanadians
- 47% of inuit are employed vs 60% of Canadians

Limited access to healthcare, education, and infrastructure
- 30 doctors per 100,000 in Nunangat vs 119 in Canada

Question 8

How has research on Inuit and Inuit Nunangat changed over time, and what challenges and solutions exist?

Answer 8

• Research increasing:
  1997: 1 Nunangat-related publication per 7 Inuit
  2011: 1 publication per 3 Inuit
• But, most research done by Western scientists with little collaboration with Inuit communities

New legislation introduced to ensure collaborative research with Inuit:
- National Inuit Strategy on Research (NISR): promotes Inuit involvement in research
- Inuit Nunangat Policy: guides federal agencies to support Inuit self-determination
- Canada-Inuit Nunangat-UK Arctic Research Programme (CINUK): funds collaborative research with strong Inuit participation