Arctic Science

This section provides peer-reviewed research or key news articles and content related to the science of climate change in the Arctic.

If you have additional content you would recommend for this section, send an email to learn@ilinniapaa.ca with the PDF or link to the resource.

Mallory C. et al. (2020 January). Response of barren-ground caribou to advancing spring phenology.. Oecelogia.

Phenological shifts are occurring in many ecosystems around the world. The capacity of species to adapt to changing phenology will be critical to their success under climate change scenarios. Failure to adjust migratory and reproductive timing to keep pace with the earlier onset of spring has led to negative demographic effects for populations of species across a variety of taxa. For caribou, there have been concerns that earlier spring green-up on calving areas might not be matched by earlier migration and parturition, potentially leading to a trophic mismatch with nutritional consequences for parturient and lactating caribou cows. However, there is limited evidence supporting these concerns. Here, we investigate the response of barren-ground caribou to changing spring phenology using data from telemetry and satellite imagery. From 2004 to 2016, we found that the average start of green-up on the calving area advanced by 7.25 days, while the start of migration advanced by 13.64 days, the end of migration advanced by 6.02 days, and the date of peak calving advanced by 9.42 days.

CBC News. (2019, April 2).Northern Canada warming at three times the global rate, report finds. Eye on the Arctic.

This newspaper article was authored by CBC News and has been featured in the news report published by the Eye on the Arctic. The article discusses that the government scientists from the ministries of Environment and Climate Change, Fisheries and Oceans and Natural Resources, have been keeping a close eye on the increased global warming in Canada. The reason of this climate change has been attributed to both natural variations in the climate and the anthropogenic activities causing accumulation of greenhouse gases.

Amongst the major consequences being faced by Nunavut, flooding, drought risks, and greater precipitation have been pinpointed in this article. The authors’ observations deduce that there have been increased incidences of annual precipitation across Canada since the year 1948. The areas which have been affected the most include the Northern Canada Ontario, different parts of Manitoba, Atlantic Canada, and northern Quebec.

CBC Radio. (2017, Dec 11). Viral video of emaciated polar bear may not be what it seems, Nunavut bear monitor says. CBC News.

This newspaper article revolves around the popular clip of an emaciated bear, which was shot by the National Geographic photojournalist Paul Nicklen for his conservation organization SeaLegacy. The polar bear had its bones visible through its fur which was wearing out and getting yellow. In the clip, the bear was seen struggling to walk and searching for food on Somerset Island, near Baffin Island in Nunavut. This clip was shot in July 2017, and brought international attention and sparked debate worldwide. Moreover, this video clip was also used as a reference to depict the deliterious effects of climate change. However, the polar bear might have an injury or might have a disease, which led him to facing the difficulty of hunting food and eventually starving.

BBC. (2019, April 3). Canada warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, report says. BBC news.

In this article, the author shares that Canada is one of nearly 200 countries that have signed on to the Paris Agreement. This agreement is of great significance for Nunavut due to the fact that it is a single global agreement dealing with the ongoing climate change and crisis in Nunavut. This agreement seeks to stabilize and maintain the temperatures below 2C. Talking about the endeavors by the Canadian government, the author says that the country is determined to meet the Paris target of cutting emissions to 30% by the year 2030.

Furthermore, the author also discusses that the researchers have found that reduced sea ice in the areas around Nunavut has led to increased shipping activity. This has led to an increase in Nunavut’s economic opportunities. However, different hazards and risks e.g. the risk of fuel spills and the risk of incidents that require emergency response, have to be kept in mind by the locals.

Walsh B. (2019). Arctic Meltdown. Time.

This news article discusses the crucial relationship between the global economy and the global warming. The author highlights the challenges of the abrupt shift in seasons, the increasing rate of the melting of the Arctic ice, and the ever-rising spread of different diseases in the northern Canada. The change in climate has been impacting the lifestyle and income of the Inuit people of Clyde River. The author discusses that the Inuit community consists of about 1,000 people and the area is in the north of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. This place called Inuit is present just inside the Arctic Circle.

The article also tells that the polar sea ice has melted to record lows. Furthermore, Camilla Andersen, a Norwegian documentary photographer has also witnessed this change and reinstates these facts. The author also highlights that with President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the crucial Paris climate agreement, the climate change curbing and adaptation efforts to reduce carbon emissions have reduced to an alarming degree.

Weber B. (2018, Nov 12). Unaffected by climate change, Nunavut polar bears found to exceed ‘co-existence threshold'. National Post.

The author reports that there are still many polar bears in parts of Nunavut and quite surprisingly, the climate change hasn’t yet affected them. This article discusses that a draft management plan made and issued by the territorial government says that growing bear numbers are increasingly jeopardizing the public safety and putting them under danger. The author says that the Inuit knowledge must be used to shape the management policy. This document is the result of about four years of study and public consultation.

In this article, the author emphasizes on the public safety concerns and suggests that in many Nunavut communities, the polar bear may have exceeded the co-existence threshold. Moreover, the polar bears in this area have killed quite a few people and the territory’s wildlife management board is quite perplexed on this issue.

Moreover, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a leading cause of climate change happening in Nunavut is the carbon emission into the atmosphere. The author also shares the reality that although Nunavut is a small area and is a comparatively smaller emitter of greenhouse gases, it is extremely vulnerable to the hazardous impacts of climate change.

George J. (2019, Mar 19). Arctic to face unavoidable impacts from climate change: UN report Nunatsiaq News.

In this newspaper article, the author shares different perspectives regarding the climate change occurring in Nunavut. These include permafrost thawing, which is one of the most important and evident tipping points. The author discusses that this thawing could release large amounts of climate-warming gases into the atmosphere. The estimates reported in different reports show that by 2050, about 4 million people and about 70% of Arctic infrastructure will be under the danger of hazards caused by thawing permafrost.

The author has summed up the issue of ocean acidification quite well in this article. She has shared the fact that this problem has already affected Arctic marine species to a great extent. Moreover, the melting ice also causes the acidity of ocean. Not only that, the author also reports that the warming climate of Nunavut may increase the contagious diseases in Arctic species, caused by the mosquitoes and ticks. This is evident from the fact that the reported cases of Lyme disease have increased in Canada, and this disease is transmitted by the black-legged tick.

Ranchen, Z. (2016 Dec.) Impact of climate change on flowering and fruiting times of Nunavut Arctic Plants. Arctic. Vol 69(4).

Phenology is the timing of nature's seasonal events such as the arrival of migratory birds, the emergence of insects, and my particular research interest, the timing of flowering and fruiting. Because these phenological events are seasonal, they are often influenced by temperature. This is certainly the case for many plant species in which the initiation of flowering occurs when cumulative daily temperatures reach a species-specific number of degree days above a threshold. Hence, with warmer temperatures, many plant species, including Arctic species, advance their flowering time and flower earlier.

Quinney, A. Polar Voices: Relaying the Science and Story of Polar Climate Change. Arctic. Vol 69(1).

Polar Voices is an education podcast that explores climate change in the Arctic and Antarctic. The program uses current research to explain observations made by people living and working near the poles, focusing particularly on Arctic Indigenous peoples. The podcast is free to use, available on demand and can be broadcast on radio stations in isolated communities. Polar Voices is a part of the Polar Learning and Responding (PoLAR) Climate Change Education partnership led by Columbia University.

Sokolov, A. et al. (June 2016). Emergent rainy winter warm spells may promote boreal predator expansion into the Arctic. Arctic. Vol 69(2).

Climate change has been characterized as the most serious threat to Arctic biodiversity. In addition to gradual changes such as climate warming, extreme weather events, such as melting temperatures in winter and rain on snow, can have profound consequences for ecosystems. Rain-on-snow events lead to the formation of icelayers in the snow pack, which can restrict access to forage plants and cause crashes of herbivore populations. These direct impacts can have cascading effects on other ecosystem components, often mediated by trophic interactions. Here we document how heavy rain in early winter, leading to the formation of a thick layer of ice, was associated with dramatic mortality of domestic reindeer on Yamal Peninsula, Russia. In the subsequent summer, breeding of two boreal generalist predators, red fox and Hooded Crow, was recorded for the first time in a monitoring area in the Low Arctic tundra of this region. We suggest that the resource pulse created by the abnormally high reindeer mortality and abundance of carrion may have facilitated these breeding events north of the known breeding range of the two species. Our observations provide an example of how specific emergent weather events may indirectly pave the way for more abrupt, although possibly temporary, species range changes.

Dowsley, M. et al. (2008). ‘The time of the most polar bears': a co-management
conflict in Nunavut. Arctic. Vol. 61(2).

Incorporation of science into Inuit understandings of the relationship between wildlife populations and hunting was highly variable among individuals in this study. A co-management conflict has arisen from an increase of hunting quotas in January 2005 for Inuit living in the Baffin Bay and Western Hudson Bay polar bear population areas. The quotas were based on Inuit observations and their conclusion that these polar bear populations had increased. However, scientific information suggests that climate change has concentrated polar bears in areas where humans are more likely to encounter them, but that the populations are in decline as a result of overhunting and climate-change effects on demographic rates.

Direct observations of the environment by both Inuit and scientists need to be synthesized. Inuit conceptualizations of human-animal relationships need to incorporate of scientific studies and management into that relationship/knowledgebase. These gaps reveal that differences between Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and scientific knowledge are not fully understood and accounted for within the co-management system and that the system does not effectively integrate Inuit cultural views into management.

Bourke, I. (2018 April). The Fraught Politics of the Polar Bear. New Statesman.

When sea ice is in short supply, bears have been forced to scavenge for food in towns. A disparity exists between the bear’s role as an idealised Arctic icon, and the reality of its warming world. Bear populations are estimated to fall by one-third by 2050. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recommended that traditional, local knowledge about polar bears should inform conservation only if it could be backed up by science. This fueled tensions over the indigenous hunting quotas that are exempt from the ban on hunting.

Samuel, D. (2016 September). Caribou and Moose on the Decline. Bowhunter. Vol. 46.

From Newfoundland to Alaksa the numbers of Caribou are dwindling. Habitat fragmentation and climate change are listed as causes, and some steps have been taken to limit logging. Most experts feel that more needs to be done relative to protecting habitats. The moose situation isn't easy to unravel, because in some regions of the country moose are down, while in other areas they are doing well. The number of deer in an area also affects tick numbers for moose. Deer carrying brainworms can pass it to moose who die from brainworms. Some areas have fewer ticks, but also show increased moose mortality from higher deer numbers and higher incidence of brainworm.

For both moose and caribou, warmer weather and predation seem to be problems not seen in the past. However, with changes in caribou and moose numbers, we are seeing unprecedented cooperative state wildlife agency research projects being initiated, and this can only mean that brighter days are ahead for these great animals.

Sexton, B. (2006). Arctic Discord. Outdoor Canada. Vol 34.

A petition to list polar bear as a threatened species may be harmful to Canuck outfitters. The point of this petition is to raise awareness regarding the situation of polar bears. Due to melting ice, polar bears are drowning due to having to swim greater distances. This is an anti-global warming campaign.

However, this may harm the hunting outfitters/hunting industry of Canada. This is because less Americans will come to hunt for polar bears. One counterpoint is that if polar bears become extinct, the industry itself will cease to exist. A sustainable hunting program should be advocated so that the polar bear generated income also remains but overexploitation of polar bears does not occur.

Hartter J, et al. (2012) Patterns and Perceptions of Climate Change in a Biodiversity Conservation Hotspot. PLoS ONE. Vol. 7(2).

The Albertine Rift region in East Africa is one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots due to dense smallholder agriculture, high levels of land and resource pressures, and habitat loss and conversion. Results of three separate household surveys, conducted in the vicinity of Kibale National Park during the late 2000s, indicate that farmers are concerned with variable precipitation. Many survey respondents reported that conditions are drier and rainfall timing is becoming less predictable.

Analysis of daily rainfall data for the climate normal period 1981 to 2010 indicates that total rainfall both within and across seasons has not changed significantly, although the timing and transitions of seasons has been highly variable. Results of rainfall data analysis also indicate significant changes in the intra-seasonal rainfall distribution, including longer dry periods within rainy seasons, which may contribute to the perceived decrease in rainfall and can compromise food security. Our results highlight the need for fine-scale climate information to assist agro-ecological communities in developing effective adaptive management.

Laidler, G. et al. (2008). Human geographies of sea ice: Freeze/thaw processes around Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Canada. Polar Record. Vol. 44.

Researchers worked collaboratively with the community of Cape Dorset since October, 2003, to present the results of 30 semi-directed interviews, 5 sea ice trips, and 2 focus groups to provide a baseline understanding of local freezing processes (near-shore, open water, sea ice thickening, landfast ice, floe edge, and tidal cracks), melting processes (snow melt, water accumulation and drainage, break-up, and cracks/leads), wind influences on sea ice (wind direction and strength affecting sea ice formation, and movement), and current influences on sea ice (tidal variations and current strength affecting sea ice formation, movement, and polynya size/location). Strong emphasis is placed on Inuktitut terminology and spatial delineations of localised ice conditions and features.

Therefore, this paper provides insights into local scale ice conditions and dynamics around Cape Dorset that are not captured in regional scale studies of Hudson Bay and/or Hudson Strait. Results have the potential to inform future research efforts on local/regional sea ice monitoring, the relationship between Inuit knowledge, language, and the environment, and addressing community interests through targeted studies.

Geographical. (2010). Canadian Ice Mass Shrinking.

The Devon Island ice cap is one of the largest ice-masses in the Canadian high Arctic and it is shrinking according to a study which has analyzed 50 years of data. The report states that as of 1985, a steady decline began to occur. This is due to warmer summer. The decline in ice exposes dark soil which in causes an even greater decline in ice-mass. There has also been an increased rate of calving of the icebergs from outlet glaciers flowing into the ocean.

Ford, J. (2005 September). Living with Climate Change in the Arctic. World Watch.

In this article, James Ford highlights his experience of interviewing various members of Inuit communities. He explains how many Inuit who partake in this crucial cultural tradition of hunting are starting to meet unexpected difficulties due to climate change. Ice breaking/detaching, decline in hunting mammals especially seals, ice-thinning and ice-shrinking are all becoming common issues.

However, Inuit are doing their best to cope in innovative and effective ways i.e. technology such as GPS (Global Positioning System) to detect ice-movement. Unfortunately, the younger generation is not partaking in the learning experience that is associated with Inuit hunting. If they did, the young generation would observe and learn through the Elders’ trial and error. Also the skills associated with hunting cannot be developed if the younger generation does not participate in this activity. Many skills are being lost instead of being handed down from father to son. Natural climate change changes will be very unpredictable and many Inuit advocacy groups are trying to raise the alarm regarding climate change. In Igloolik, land camps exist. These are camps where elders take young Inuit onto the land for some weeks to learn hunting, safety and survival skills. Coping mechanisms should be incorporated into the budgeting, planning and decision making processes. Inuit communities can also act to hedge against future potential challenges.

Laird, G. (2003). On Thin Ice. This Magazine.

The pace of climate change is accelerating. Simultaneously, the North is taking on profound commercial, environmental and geopolitical significance. Once polar ice is weakened or melted, it has the potential to cause radical alterations in global climatic systems. The Northwest Passage is taking on significance as it could be a major prize in terms of global transport. Ice is starting to set in later and later and break up earlier and earlier as noted by Nunavut Elders. Ehoing these concerns and observations, scientists have predicted accelerated summer ice-melts. A new conundrum is likely to appear concerning the Arctic in terms of multilateral disputes. Russia and Canada claim sovereignty over their northern sea-routes while the U.S. claims them as international waters. Canadian dominion in the Arctic is a point of dispute. However, Canada has launched a $66M project for a research program in the Arctic in an attempt to understand the interconnected dynamics of climate change.

Kurlantzick, J. (2006). What Lies Beneath. The American Prospect. Vol 17(11).

Many oil companies claim a commitment to conserve the environment and fight global warming. However, as the Arctic is heating up, companies are racing to drill in the newly melted waters and exploit the melting ice-caps. Even the United States has an objective on how to use the Arctic Ocean changes for its benefits. Denmark, Russia and Canada are not far behind in the race to exploit the potential resources of the Arctic.

Consequently, greater north exploration will lead to an increased chance of oil spills as well as contribute to global warming. The activity itself of drilling for oil and gas is a major source of methane (a potent GHG) emissions. The more they explore, the more global warming occurs which leads to a further melting of ice-caps and this further opens up opportunities for more exploration.

Champalle, C. et al. (2015). Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptations in Canadian Arctic Communities. Sustainability. Vol 7.

This paper builds upon existing tools and proposes a framework for prioritizing adaptation options and guiding decision-making for implementation in Arctic regions. Using four adaptation performance criteria (timescale, equity, sustainability and total costs) to evaluate options through a multi-criteria decision analysis coupled with a network centric approach, the Adaptation Prioritization Framework promotes a participatory approach for adaptation prioritization and planning. The application of the framework is illustrated using a hypothetical example from the territory of Nunavut in the Canadian Arctic.

The results of the hypothetical study demonstrate that in order to plan for adaptation interventions, the potential adaptation performance of each adaptation option needs to be examined alongside the multiple interactions between and among options. The adaptation prioritization framework developed here has the potential to address some of the existing gaps in the literature. However, the application of this proposed framework in an empirical case study will be an important next step to ensure that adaptation options move from “wishlists” of adaptation options to adaptation action that is implemented in a participatory and timely manner.

Pennesi, K. et al. (2012). Integrating local and scientific weather knowledge as a strategy for adaptation to climate change in the Arctic. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change. Vol 17.

This paper argues that weather-related risk assessment can be improved by integrating local and scientific weather knowledge and making this information accessible to residents through the creation of weather hazards impact advisory groups. A qualitative case study of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, is presented; using data from participant observation and semi-structured interviews conducted with indigenous and non-indigenous long-term residents in summer 2009. Long-term residents of Iqaluit are examined in terms of how they acquire, perceive, and use both local and scientific weather knowledge.

It is found that various barriers, such as a lack of land-based experience, cultural and linguistic differences, and an absence of social networks, prevent most people from obtaining all the information required to make fully informed decisions about the risks associated with land-based activities at different locations. It is indicated that both indigenous and non-indigenous people need access to both local and scientific knowledge in order to be best prepared for going out on the land, even for short trips.

Pearce, T et al. (2012). Climate change adaptation planning in remote, resource-dependent communities: an Arctic example. Reg Environ Change. Vol 12.

This paper develops a methodology for climate change adaptation planning in remote, resource-dependent communities. The methods are structured using a vulnerability framework, and community members, local stakeholders and researchers are engaged in an iterative planning process to identify, describe, prioritize and pilot adaptation actions. The methods include: (1) analysis of secondary sources of information, (2) community collaboration and partnership building, (3) adaptation planning workshops, (4) adaptation plan development, (5) key informant and community review and (6) pilot adaptation actions. Vulnerability to climate change is assessed in the context of other non-climatic factors—social, political, economic and environmental, already being experienced in communities and which influence how climate change is experienced and responded to.

Key exposure-sensitivities and related adaptation options are identified in five sectors of a community: business and economy, culture and learning, health and well-being, subsistence harvesting, and transportation and infrastructure. This organization allows for focused discussions and the involvement of relevant stakeholders and experts from each sector. The methodology is applied in Paulatuk, an Inuit community located in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, and key findings are highlighted. The methods developed have important lessons for adaptation planning in remote, resource-dependent communities generally and contributes to a small but growing scholarship on methodology in the human dimensions of climate change.

Rosol, R. et al. (2016). Impacts of decline harvest of country food on nutrient intake among Inuit in Arctic Canada: Impact of climate change and possible adaptation plan. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. Vol 75.

The objective of this study was to estimate the impact on nutrient intake using hypothetical scenarios that current commonly harvested country foods were reduced by 50%, and were replaced with alternate or new species. Methods: Data collected during the 2007-2008 Inuit Health Survey from 36 Canadian Arctic communities spanning Nunavut, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and Nunatsiavut were used. Results: A 50% decline in consumption of fish, whale, ringed seals and birds (the food that was reported to be in decline) resulted in a significant decrease in essential nutrient intake.

Possible substitute foods were identified but some nutrients such as zinc and especially Vitamin D were most often found lacking in the alternative diet. In conclusion, if alternative species are unavailable or not feasible, expensive and less nutritionally dense store-bought foods can be consumed. Due to the superior quality of country foods and their association with food security, and Inuit cultural health and personal identity, developing skills and awareness for adaptation, promoting regional sharing networks, forming a co-management agency and continuing nutritional monitoring may potentially preserve the nutritional integrity of Inuit diet, and in turn their health and cultural survival.

Jessica A. et al. (2009) Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change, Environment. Science and Policy for Sustainable Development. Vol 51(4).

Climate Change mitigation in terms of carbon sequestration and GHG emission reductions are not slowing the rate of Global Warming. Therefore adaptation to climate change needs to be focused on, especially amongst the most vulnerable countries with least capacity to cope. We need to adapt to likely climate risks whilst knowing how social and economic trends make people vulnerable, or what their needs are. Development objectives also need to incorporate projections about how climate will change. In effect, these requirements imply that climate change impacts can be relevant to community based adaptation, as long as it remains first and foremost a community-driven process.

Scientific assessments of likely changes in climate need to be open to community-based adaptation as a means of integrating concerns about social vulnerability and development with climate change policy. Policy dialogue under the UNFCCC needs to be open to a new range of expertise informed by insights from vulnerable communities, generated by local stakeholders and development and disaster risk–reduction practitioners, rather than restricted to impacts-based scientific inputs arising from global or national models alone.

Hudson, J. et al. (2018). High Arctic plant community resists 15 years of experimental warming. Journal of Ecology. Vol 98.

The aim was to identify plants communities resistant to climate change. Most northern plant communities, especially tundra, have shown strong responses to experimental and observed warming. Open-top chambers were used to passively warm an evergreen-shrub heath by 1.0–1.3 °C for 15 years at Alexandra Fiord, Nunavut, Canada (79 °N). In 1996, 2000 and 2007. The height, plant composition and abundance was measured using a point-intercept method. Experimental warming did not strongly affect vascular plant cover, canopy height or species diversity, but it did increase bryophyte cover by 6.3% and decrease lichen cover by 3.5%. Temporal changes in plant cover were more frequent and of greater magnitude than changes due to experimental warming. This evergreen-shrub heath continues to exhibit community-level resistance to long-term experimental warming, in contrast to most Arctic plant communities.

Eight Arctic plant communities were identified that were quite resistant to climate change and they all had one thing in common: they are all relatively unproductive and dominated by stress-tolerant, long-lived species capable of withstanding strong inter-annual environmental variation. Findings support the view that only substantial climatic changes will alter unproductive ecosystems. They are able to withstand minor climatic shifts i.e. temperature.

Doiron, M. et al. (2010). Effects of experimental warming on nitrogen concentration and biomass of forage plants for an arctic herbivore. Journal of Ecology. Vol 102.

This study examines the impact of experimental warming on the main food plants of an arctic herbivore, the greater snow goose (Chen caerulescens atlantica L.) breeding on Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada. During summers 2007-2009, temperature was increased using small greenhouses (open-top chambers, OTC) in two habitats, wetlands and mesic tundra. Every 10 days, specific factors were measures—above-ground plant biomass and a proxy of nutritive quality, nitrogen concentration, of graminoid plants in warmed and control plots from snow-melt in June until late July. OTCs increased mean maximum temperature by up to 2.0°C in wetlands and 4.6°C in mesic tundra. Annual warming significantly increased biomass of graminoids by up to 29% in wetlands and 20% in mesic tundra.

There was no difference in nitrogen concentration of the four plant species sampled (Dupontia fisheri, Eriophorum scheuchzeri, Arctagrostis latifolia and Luzula spp.) early in the season, but the seasonal decline in nitrogen occurred more rapidly in warmed than in control plots (10% to 14% less nitrogen in warmed plots in July). This effect was consistent across the three years of the experiment and independent of annual variation in plant phenology. There was either a weak positive effect or no effect of the warming treatment on the nitrogen biomass of plants depending on species or period of the season. Results show that warming speeds up plant phenology and the seasonal decline in nutritive quality for arctic herbivores. Because young herbivores like geese are highly sensitive to the nitrogen concentration of their food, a warmer climate will likely reduce their growth.

Sanders, SA. (2015). “Slow Violence Fast Forwarded Inuit and Climate Change.” Humanist Perspectives.

Recent scientific findings, such as those presented in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) in 2004, provide evidence that the reality of climate change has already manifested itself in the Arctic region. In the course of time, both the contamination of their food and the erosion of their land will undoubtedly lead to what Rob Nixon has termed “displacement without moving,” which occurs when one’s native place loses its life-sustaining attributes. displacement causes bewilderment and a sense of alienation that is brought about by the reality that one is no longer in one’s native place, or home. In due course, the physical or cultural displacement of the Inuit is likely to result in a collective experience of exile that frequently results in the fragmentation of one’s sense of self, due to the fact that one has been detached from one’s cultural origin.

However, Inuit of Nunavut have succeeded at becoming representatives and spokespeople of the ongoing climate crisis within which they exist. By means of sharing their environmental knowledge and first-hand experiences of the afflicted Arctic environment with the documentary’s international audience, the Inuit elders are able to win the attention of the general public and therefore actively fight against what Alberto Saldamando, General Counsel of the International Indian Treaty Council, refers to as the seemingly never-ending “racial discrimination and cultural denigration,” which seems to be “engraved in the mentality of mainstream people and continues to perpetuate the rationale for racial discrimination against indigenous peoples.”

Edmond, J. (2010). “Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World.” Feature Report on Environmental Law. Vol. 35 (1)

This work is the published version of the 2009 Massey lectures, the annual CBC

Radio Ideas series presented by noted scholars. Wayfinders are less navigators than

leaders able to find their way – literally or figuratively – by reading clues whose meaning is ancient cultural lore. “Primitive” is not in Davis’ vocabulary. All cultures share essentially the same mental acuity. David says that climate change is the main reason ancient wisdom matters in the modern world.

Closer to home, Canada’s First Nations and Inuit are by no means left out of

Davis’ account of cultures and places on the threshold of change. Davis is an

admirer of Nunavut. He says its existence is a powerful statement to the world that Canada recognizes that unique ethnicities, indigenous peoples, First Nations, do not stand in the way of a country’s destiny; rather they contribute to it, if given a chance. Davis also talks about other resource policies in British Columbia and encourages the West to reduce consumption of goods in industries like mining, logging or gas production.

Easterbrook, G. (2007 April). Global warming: who loses--and who wins? The Atlantic.

Climate change means sweeping economic and social changes. Housing trends may change. Regions preferred for settlement may also change. Commercial shipping through previously ice-bound seas may be viable later. Shifts in values of places and resources have often led to wars. Canada might become more valuable in a warming world. Investors are looking for land to buy and hold for when the world warms further. It is advised to sell coastal properties at the first sign of an increased global warming rate. Ocean currents might also be altered unpredictably. Purchase opportunities should be explored near the Arctic Circle. However, nations should try to control the causes of global warming (i.e. GHG emissions) as it is more cost effective than trying to rebuild a world in turmoil.

Young, H. (2010). The Arctic: The New Eldorado. Americas Quarterly. Vol 4(3).

Fifty years ago, the Arctic was one of the world’s most remote and inhospitable regions, largely populated by indigenous peoples. Climate change has transformed this timeless landscape of snow and ice into the hub of a geopolitical struggle over sovereignty and resource exploitation. Competing claims of sovereignty, resource rights and commercial interests have become embroiled with the changing lifestyles of Canada’s northern indigenous peoples.

Now, more than ever, all the players in the region, ranging from the indigenous peoples to nation-states and multinationals, will have to find a way to share responsibility for managing climate change. In the Arctic, the effects of that change are likely irreversible.

Laird, G. (2002). Losing the Cool. Mother Jones. Vol 27(2)

Climatic trends playing throughout the Arctic are directly impacting the ways of life for its residents. The sport of ice hockey is suffering, hunting patterns are changing and even polar bears have started to wander inland. Elders are warning that climate change is posing one of the most serious threats to Inuit tradition.

It is hard to ascertain the exact effects of climate change. However, many scientists warn that, as the Arctic is the source of Northern Hemisphere’s weather, any drastic changes in the Arctic will directly impact the entire Northern Hemisphere. The effects could potentially be disastrous.

Brigham, L (2011). Thinking about the Arctic's Future: Scenarios for 2040. The Futurist Vol 41(5).

The warming of the Arctic could mean more circumpolar transportation and access for the rest of the world—but also an increased likelihood of overexploited natural resources and surges of environmental refugees. The Arctic is a complex but relatively small region of Planet Earth. Impacted heavily by global climate change and being viewed by many as a region of vast and now accessible natural resources, there can be little doubt that extraordinary change is coming to the entire region and its people.

Sandberg, T. (2009) Divided We Stand, United We Fall: Disrupting Environmental Education’s Grand Messages. ProQuest Central. Vol 19(1).

This article summarizes various important writings and articles of people well-versed in education sector. The observations advocate various environment and social issues i.e. education programs should emulate social justice and sustainability in post-secondary schools. Another writer points out that Inuit are denied the right to protect and promote their language education in schools. This writer also points out the Canada has exploited the Inuit as well as the land which belongs to them.

Important questions are asked such as who should be included in in environmental education curriculum and how should environmental issues be taught. The authors all have a similar consensus which revolves around the idea that differences and divisions must be acknowledged.