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Arctic Resilience: Inuit Communities at the Forefront of Climate Change Adaptation

The Canadian Arctic is experiencing climate change at a rate two to three times faster than the global average. For Inuit communities who have thrived in this challenging environment for millennia, this rapid transformation presents unprecedented challenges. Yet, drawing on their deep connection to the land, traditional knowledge, and innovative spirit, Inuit are leading the way in climate change adaptation, offering lessons of resilience that resonate far beyond the Arctic Circle.

The Changing Face of the North

The impacts of climate change in the Arctic are stark and far-reaching. Melting sea ice, thawing permafrost, and changing wildlife patterns are not just environmental concerns – they strike at the heart of Inuit culture, livelihoods, and well-being.

Indigenous leaders from northern regions emphasize that Arctic environmental changes have global implications. Northern environmental challenges often forecast broader global impacts. The preservation of Arctic communities and their ways of life represents a crucial indicator for global environmental health.

Sheila Watt-Cloutier, renowned Inuit activist and author, puts it powerfully: “Think about the interconnectedness of the arctic ice. What happens in the arctic doesn’t stay in the arctic. It’s impacting the rest of the planet. The arctic is the air conditioner for the world, and it’s breaking down.“

Traditional Knowledge: The Bedrock of Adaptation

At the core of Inuit resilience is Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) – traditional knowledge passed down through generations. This holistic understanding of the environment is proving invaluable in navigating the challenges of a changing climate.

Adaptive Hunting and Travel

As sea ice becomes less predictable, Inuit hunters are adapting their practices, combining traditional knowledge with modern technology. In Nunavut, hunters use GPS and satellite imagery alongside traditional navigation methods to safely traverse changing ice conditions.

Inuit knowledge holders in northern communities emphasize how Elders pass down traditional skills for understanding the ice, wind, and currents. Contemporary education combines youth in both these traditional skills and new technologies. This approach represents the evolution of traditions rather than their displacement.

Changing Food Systems

Leopard Seal 

(Image Credit: Getty Images, Licensed from Unsplash)

Climate change is altering the availability of traditional food sources. In response, many communities are revitalizing traditional food preservation techniques while exploring new food sources.

In Nunavik, northern Quebec, community freezers stocked with country food (traditional game and fish) are helping to ensure food security as hunting conditions become more unpredictable. Simultaneously, some communities are experimenting with greenhouse agriculture, adapting southern growing techniques to the Arctic environment.

Community-Led Initiatives

(Image Credit – Dion Tavenier, Unsplash)

Across the Canadian Arctic, Inuit communities are taking the lead in developing and implementing adaptation strategies.

The Nunavut Climate Change Centre

Developed by the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Environment, the Nunavut Climate Change Centre (NC3) serves as an online hub connecting Nunavummiut with vital information about climate change impacts and adaptation. Working alongside Natural Resources Canada, the Nunavut Research Institute, and various Inuit organizations, the centre implements the territory’s Upagiaqtavut: Setting the Course climate change framework document objectives while making climate knowledge more accessible to communities. Through its web-based platform, NC3 helps residents understand, engage with, and adapt to the changing environmental conditions affecting their land.

SmartICE: Bridging Traditional Knowledge and Technology

Blending traditional Inuit knowledge with innovative technology, SmartICE (Sea-ice Monitoring and Real-Time Information for Coastal Environments) enhances Arctic communities’ understanding of changing sea-ice conditions. Led by Memorial University of Newfoundland through a collaborative partnership, this system uses mobile sensors and satellite imagery to complement generations of Inuit expertise in ice safety. Rather than replacing traditional knowledge, SmartICE’s real-time monitoring tools support Inuit decision-making about safe travel routes across sea ice, while ensuring Inuit leadership remains central in the program’s operations and development.

According to Dr. Trevor Bell, SmartICE Founding Director, “By augmenting Indigenous knowledge and supporting ice use, SmartICE is also helping strengthen Indigenous culture and supporting intergenerational teaching and community building.”

Health and Well-being in a Changing North

Climate change poses significant challenges to Inuit health and well-being, from increased risk of accidents on unstable ice to impacts on mental health as traditional ways of life are disrupted.

Mental Health Initiatives

Many communities are developing mental health programs that incorporate traditional Inuit values and practices. For example, the Tungasuvvingat Inuit Ilagiiqatigiitsiarniq Program (formerly Family Well-Being Program) is a community-led, prevention-focused program rooted in Inuit cultural values. The program empowers communities to nurture the health and well-being of their families through preventative care. This initiative delivers culturally grounded, holistic support services that strengthen bonds between children, youth, and families while honouring traditional Inuit approaches to wellness.

Revitalizing Traditional Medicine

As the Arctic ecosystem changes, some traditional medicinal plants are becoming scarcer. In response, initiatives like the Nunavik Inuit Research Centre are working to document traditional medicinal knowledge and explore ways to cultivate important plants locally.

Policy and Advocacy: Inuit Voices on the Global Stage

Inuit leaders are ensuring that Arctic voices are heard in national and international climate policy discussions.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami’s National Inuit Climate Change Strategy

The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national representational organization for Inuit in Canada, has developed a comprehensive National Inuit Climate Change Strategy. This strategy outlines Inuit-led approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation, emphasizing the importance of Inuit knowledge in policymaking.

The ITK website, states, “Our climate strategy advances Inuit determined actions to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of our communities in the face of a rapidly changing climate and landscape.“

International Advocacy

Inuit leaders are also active on the international stage, bringing Arctic perspectives to global climate negotiations. Their advocacy emphasizes the interconnectedness of Arctic climate change with global systems and the importance of Indigenous leadership in climate solutions.

Challenges and Opportunities

While Inuit communities are demonstrating remarkable resilience, significant challenges remain. Limited infrastructure, high costs of living, and the rapid pace of change all complicate adaptation efforts. However, these challenges are also driving innovation and strengthening community bonds.

The Arctic’s changing climate also presents new economic opportunities, from increased shipping to tourism. However, Inuit leaders stress the importance of approaching these opportunities sustainably and in ways that benefit local communities.

Lessons for the World

The Inuit experience of climate change adaptation offers valuable lessons for communities worldwide. It demonstrates the importance of local knowledge in developing effective adaptation strategies, the power of community-led initiatives, and the need for holistic approaches that consider environmental, cultural, and social factors.

Inuit Leadership in a Changing World

As the Arctic continues to warm, Inuit communities stand as global leaders in climate change adaptation. Their approaches, rooted in traditional knowledge yet open to innovation, offer a model of resilience in the face of unprecedented change.

The story of Arctic adaptation is one of challenge and hope — of a people drawing on ancient wisdom to face a rapidly changing future. As the world grapples with the global impacts of climate change, we would do well to look to the North, where Inuit communities are lighting the way towards a resilient, adaptive future.

Sheila Watt-Cloutier, a prominent Inuit activist, emphasizes that Indigenous Peoples should not be viewed merely as victims of climate change. Instead, she highlights their profound understanding of their environment and their remarkable resilience. Watt-Cloutier argues that the Indigenous experience of thriving in challenging environments has equipped them with unique insights and abilities. These skills and knowledge, she suggests, position Indigenous Peoples to take a leading role in global efforts to address and adapt to climate change.

As we face a future of increasing climate uncertainty, the resilience, knowledge, and leadership of Inuit communities offer not just inspiration but practical lessons in how to adapt, survive, and thrive in a changing world.

 

Blog by Rye Karonhiowanen Barberstock

 

(Header Image Credit: Unsplash Community, Licensed by Unsplash)

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Connecting Climate Justice and Social Justice

Climate justice and social justice are inextricably linked. Climate justice recognizes how climate change has impacts on communities already made vulnerable by social, economic, health and other impacts, and who have contributed the least to climate change. In turn, climate change worsens existing social injustices. The connections between climate justice and social justice are drawn more clearly by those working on gender-based and youth-based climate justice initiatives and through projects that also shed light on the impacts of climate change on low-income countries.

Climate justice advocates call for a “gender transformative approach” when undertaking initiatives that address the impacts of climate change. For example, according to CARE International, climate justice initiatives should put effort into addressing  gender and power differences and vulnerabilities that emerge in efforts, including:

  • projects aimed at increasing climate resilience.
  • efforts that enhance men and women’s engagement in household practices of nutrition and health care.
  • conversations with traditional, religious, and elected leaders regarding the impacts of climate change.

Weather shocks, such as floods, droughts and historical fluctuations in temperature, heighten climate injustices when also considering age and gender. A recent study shows “[g]irls and women are particularly vulnerable to the social responses triggered by weather shocks, especially in places where they face restrictive gender norms.” Young boys in agriculture-based economies may be taken out of school to work, and adult males may be forced to choose to leave their households to migrate to places where they can find alternative sources of income due to the impacts of weather shocks.

According to UNICEF, youth define climate justice relationally. That is, youth consider climate actions to be intricately associated with other actions, including human rights, sustainable development, and addressing numerous injustices, such as social injustice, gender injustice, economic injustice, intergenerational injustice and environmental injustice. In order to address climate injustices, youth call for  “people-centered” efforts that address climate change, knowing that “not everyone has contributed to climate change in the same way.” To facilitate climate justice, youth call for:

  • skills development to enable youth and children to contribute to decision making.
  • consistent and reliable financing for youth activists to undertake projects and actions that enable them to implement their collective vision to address climate justice.
  • non-monetary forms of support in the form of partnerships to assist with climate justice action initiatives.

According to the World Climate Risk Index 2020, between 1999 to 2018, among the top countries most affected by extreme weather events, “seven were developing countries in the low income or lower-middle income country group, two were classified as upper-middle income countries (Thailand and Dominica) and one was an advanced economy generating high income (Puerto Rico).” Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti ranked highest among the countries most affected by extreme weather events. Poor families are paying the most when it comes to the effects of climate change.

Achieving climate justice requires ensuring the protection of human rights and inclusion in decision making by those made most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

 

By Leela Viswanathan

 

(Image Credit: Chela B., Unsplash)

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Gardens and Climate Change – How Growing a Resilient Garden Helps Fight Global Warming

It’s the time of year when people across Turtle Island are turning to their gardens for food and for enjoyment. Fresh food from the garden supports health and wellness which improves our resilience as human beings. Growing a resilient garden also supports Mother Earth as the climate changes.

A garden (or a person) is resilient when it’s able to bounce back after facing extreme conditions. By learning different resilient gardening techniques, we can help our gardens withstand extreme weather caused by climate change. Practices that make gardens more resilient include, minimizing digging and ploughing (often called tilling), avoiding artificial fertilizers and chemical pesticides, and including native plants. Planting perennials, the kinds of plants that aren’t weeds, but that, like weeds, come back every year without much maintenance, also contribute to making gardens more resilient to climate change in every season.

Indigenous gardens can play a key role in promoting intergenerational cooperation and sharing Traditional Knowledge about food and the environment. For example the Winyan Toka Win Garden a program of the Cheyenne River Youth Project has met the needs of elders who want traditional foods, and Lakota youth who can learn to better reconnect with the land and with each other. These gardens help build resilient communities and serve as community spaces for hands-on learning. Gardens become outdoor classrooms and contribute to Indigenous land-based learning and Indigenous food sovereignty to fight climate change.

With global warming, the growing season across Turtle Island has become longer. Learning to grow a garden that can adapt to a wide variety of growing conditions is an important factor in adapting to global warming and climate change. So, maybe the next time you admire your Three Sisters Garden grow, or the purple-stemmed asters or another native wildflowers where you live, remember that these plants help build the resilience of all of us, and Mother Earth, to climate change.

 

By Leela Viswanathan

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Climate Change Adaptation in Kanaka Bar

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At Kanaka Bar, preparing for climate change is seen as an important milestone towards the achievement of community’s vision of self-sufficiency.  It is being incorporated in everything that is being done by the community on a day to day basis.  The Traditional Territory of Kanaka Bar is located 14 kilometers south of Lytton, B.C., in the Fraser Canyon. Water plays a critical role in the health of the community. Kanaka Bar has five watersheds: Kwoiek Creek, Morneylun Creek, Nekliptum Creek, Siwash Creek and Four Barrel Creek, all of which support traditional food sources, wildlife and agricultural activities, provide drinking water to the community and hydroelectric power to BC Hydro’s grid.

Over the recent years, many changes have been observed throughout the Traditional Territory. Community members have noticed that wildlife is moving away from the community and travelling further up-mountain, salmon numbers are decreasing and are swimming deeper in the Fraser River in search of cooler temperatures and vegetation growth is changing. As well, consistent rainfall has been replaced by long periods of dry weather and unpredictable storms. These local observations are consistent with scientific predictions of how climate change is likely to affect the region. Although drought has not yet affected the community’s water resources, there is substantial concern that they may be threatened as climate change impacts intensify.

In response to these concerning changes within their Territory, Kanaka Bar has undertaken a Community Vulnerability Assessment to better understand how their environment may continue to change, and how these changes may impact key community values and areas of concern.

Understanding Kanaka Bar’s concerns and priorities was the first step in the Vulnerability Assessment process. Together with environmental professionals from Urban Systems, community members gathered at engagement events to ask questions, and express their concerns about climate change and how it would impact community life and well-being.

After priorities were identified, current and future effects of climate change on these areas were studied. Some anticipated changes that emerged from this research were warmer temperatures year-round; less precipitation in the summer but more in the fall, winter, and spring; less snow; more frequent and intense storms events; changes in water resources; continued stress on the salmon population; changes in the availability of traditional foods; and increased risk of forest fire.

Understanding the ways in which Kanaka Bar was vulnerable to climate change has allowed the community to take meaningful steps towards reducing their risks and becoming more resilient by developing an adaptation strategy. Kanaka Bar’s Adaptation Strategy supports their goal of self-sufficiency while increasing their resilience. It maps out short and long term adaptation actions in six priority areas: Water Resources, Forest Fires, Traditional Foods, Access Roads, Supporting Self-Sufficiency and Youth and Community Engagement and Education. These actions range from installing weather monitoring stations in the community, to expanding food production initiatives, to hosting annual workshops on climate change. Together they represent a “Made at Kanaka, by Kanaka for Kanaka” adaption plan that will benefit the community in a holistic way that goes far beyond coping with climate change.

To learn more about Kanaka Bar and the great strides they’re making towards climate resilience and self-sufficiency, visit their website.

Figure 1Kanaka Youth at Morneylun Water Gauging Station

 

Author: Kanaka Bar

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