putting the human face on climate change · perspectives from inuit in canada vnbu wk1i5 scsye/sj5...

Perspectives from Inuit in CanadavNbu wk1i5 scsyE/sJ5

Pre-release English only version

Putting the human face on climate changebfQx3i6 yMs2 xy0p6X9oxixi4

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Credits:

Inuttitut Translation: Hilda LyallInuktitut Translation: John Takawgak, Martha Flaherty,Simona ArnatsiaqInuinnaqtun Translation: Allen MaghagakInuvialuktun Translation: John KomakFrench Translation: Daniel RenaudRussian Translation: Yana AmisPhotos: Scot Nickels

Chris FurgalMark BuellHeather MoquinRobert Moquin

Copy-Edit: Mary Jean McAleerDesign: Earthlore Communications

© 2005 Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nasivvik Centre for InuitHealth and Changing Environments at Université Laval andthe Ajunnginiq Centre at the National Aboriginal HealthOrganization.


Nickels, S., Furgal, C., Buell, M., Moquin, H., 2005.Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the Human Face on ClimateChange: Perspectives from Inuit in Canada. Ottawa: Jointpublication of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nasivvik Centre forInuit Health and Changing Environments at UniversitéLaval and the Ajunnginiq Centre at the National AboriginalHealth Organization.

Perspectives from Inuit in CanadavNbu wk1i5 scsyE/sJ5


Putting the human face on climate changebfQx3i6 yMs2 xy0p6X9oxixi4

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We dedicate this book to theworkshop participants whoopenly shared their experienceand knowledge on climateand environmental change.They have truly provided the human face of Arcticenvironmental change.

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List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

• Executive Summary – Inuttitut Translation . . . . .13• Executive Summary – Inuktitut Translation . . . . .20• Executive Summary – Inuinnaqtun Translation . .25• Executive Summary – Inuvialuktun Translation . .31• Executive Summary – French Translation . . . . . .37• Executive Summary – Russian Translation . . . . . .43

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50• Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53• History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53• Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53• Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Understanding Inuit Observations, Impacts and Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Observations of Environmental Change in the Arctic: General Trends Across Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60• Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60• Weather (Wind and Storms) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61• Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61• Sky (Sun, Stars and Moon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62• Precipitation (Rain and Snow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62• Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63• Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63• Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65• Vegetation and Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65• Conclusion: Patterns and Discrepancies . . . . . . .66

Impacts of Environmental Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71• Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71• Culture & Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71• Harvesting & Land-Based Activities . . . . . . . . . . .73• Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74• Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78• Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81• Vehicles & Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81• Infrastructure & Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83• Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85• Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87• Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Community Response and Adaptation to Environmental Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95• Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95• Hunting and Travelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96• Resources, Equipment and Infrastructure . . . . . .98• Communication and Information Dissemination .101• Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102• Food Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103• Traditional Skills, Education and Research . . . .104• Community Recommendations and Needs . . . . .105• Erosion and Land Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106• Continued Observation/Documentation . . . . . . .106

– Financial Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106– Taking Local Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106– Supporting International Activities . . . . . . . .107– Community-Scale Research and Information .107

• Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115• Evidence of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115• Inuit Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115• Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117• A Way Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117• Research Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117• Policy Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Raising the Voice of Inuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118Appendix 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119Appendix 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121Appendix 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

TABLE OF CONTENTS

T | PAGE 1

ATV – All Terrain Vehicle

CBC – Canadian Broadcasting Coorporation

GPS – Global Positioning System

HTO – Hunters and Trappers Organization

IISD – International Institute for Sustainable Development

IQ – Inuit Qaujimajatunqangit

IRC - Inuvialuit Regional Corporation

ISR – Inuvialuit Settlement Region

ITK – Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

NGO – Non-governmental Organization

PRA – Participatory Rural Appraisal

UV – Ultraviolet

ZOPP – Objectives Oriented Project Planning

List of Acronyms

UNIKKAAQATIGIIT | PAGE 2

First and foremost, the workshop team would like to thank all ofthe workshop participants for their participation and for sharingtheir knowledge on climate and environmental changes. A full listof participants, organized by community and region, is providedin Table 1.The team would like to also thank all Inuit in the fourregions and elsewhere for making the members feel welcomethroughout their visits.

We would like to thank the following specific individuals andorganizations for their help, participation, efforts and humourduring the workshops that were conducted and for all their workin the organization and planning of the workshops. In theInuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), thank-you to Norm Snow,Roger Connelly, Jerome Gordon, Diane Dillon, Agnes Tardiff,Robin Fonger, Barbara Armstrong, Mark Buell, Lillian Kanayok,Heather Hansen, Chris Alway, CKHI FM Radio Station, DebbieRaddi, and Eleanor Ross. Special thanks goes to Markusie Qiisiq,Betsy Etidloie, Johnny Qinuajuak, Johnny Uitangak and SarahMark-Tardif in Nunavik, K Naeme Tuglavina, Sarah Obed MaryDenniston and Frances Murphy in Nunatsiavut, ChristopherAmautinuar, Hugh Haqpi, John Ningark, Nick Amautinuar andMishak Allurut in Nunavut for acting as interpreters / translatorsfor the discussions and for helping to plan and carry-out the community aspects of the workshops.

We would also like to thank the following organizations and indi-viduals for allowing their employees to participate in the work-shops and for their interest and support in the project: InNunavut, the Hamlet Councils of Kugaaruk, Repulse Bay andArctic Bay, the HTO of Arctic Bay, Philippe Lavallee, NunavutTungavvik Incorporated and the Nunavut Research Institute aswell as the Naujat Hotel in Repulse Bay. In Nunatsiavut, theNunatsiavut Inuit Association, the Nunatsiavut Inuit HealthCommission, the Town Councils of all coastal communities andOKalaKatiget TV and Radio. In Nunavik, the Nunavik Regional

Board of Health and Social Services, the Nunavik Nutrition andHealth Committee, Kativik Regional Government, the Parks Officein Kangiqsujuaq, the Municipal Offices in Ivujivik and Puvirnituqand the Town Councils of Kangiqsujuaq, Ivujivik and Puvirnituq.In the ISR, International Institute of Sustainable Development,the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Joint Secretariat:Inuvialuit Renewable Resource Committee, the Hunters andTrappers Committee (Aklavik, Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Paulatuk),Olokhaktomiut Hunters and Trappers Committee, Aklavik HamletOffice, Holman Island Hamlet Office, Southwind Radio Station,Diane Ruben, Paulatuk Visitor Centre, Parks Canada, GilbertThrasher Sr., Heather Hansen and Chris Alway.

We would also like to thank all of the individuals who helped inthe coordination and facilitation of the community workshops.Thecomplete research teams for each community are listed in Table 2.

We would also like to acknowledge those that provided the finan-cial support for this project. First, special thanks to the NorthernEcosystem Initiative of Environment Canada for recognising thevalue of Inuit knowledge and the need for long-term resources.This program not only provided the initial funding, but alsoconsistent advice from their partners and financial supportthroughout the life of this project. We’d also like to thank HealthCanada, le Ministère des Services de Santé et Sociaux du Québecfor providing funding and the Canadian Institute for HealthResearch who contributed to the project through financing afellowship provided to Chris Furgal. Finally, we'd like to expressappreciation to Leslie Whitby and Indian and Northern AffairsCanada for financing the publication of this book.

Acknowledgements

| PAGE 3

Table 1: List of Workshop Participants

Nunavik Mattiusi Luuku, Pauloosie Qaunnaaluk, Saviarjuk Usuarjuk, Mattiusi Iyaituk, Mary Ainalik, JohnnyQinuajuak (Interpreter / Translator), Sarah Mark-Tardif (Interpreter / Translator). Nellie Nungak,Samisa Sala, Eli Kenuajuak, Tamusi Sivuarapik, Lizzie Sivuarapik, Lucassie Qumaaluk, PaulasiKanayuk, Annie Amamatuak, Putuguk Qumaaluk, Atami Putuguk, Minnie Assapak, MatiusiAmarualik, Johnny Qinuajuak (Interpreter / Translator), Johnny Uitangak (Interpreter / Translator).Aqujaq Qisiiq, Inuluk Qisiiq, Minnie Editloie, Naalak Nappalak,Tiisi Qisiq, Amamak Jaaka, OpigakIlimasaot, Jessica Arngak, Adami Alaku, Bernie Adams, Atittuq Kiatainaq, Annie Alaku, AloupaKulula, Aisik Sakiagak, Markusie Qiisiq (Interpreter / Translator), Betsy Etidloie (Interpreter /Translator).

Nunavut Kaujak Pauloosie, Joseph Kautaq, Atagutak Ipeelee, Lisha Qavavauq, Mucktar Akumalik, DanielIqaqrialu, Lisha Levi, Olayuk Kigutikakjuk, Sam Ipirq, Rhoda Tooloogak, Bertha Tatatuapik, JosephOmadlah, Leah Oqallak, Mary Tatatoapik, Mishak Allurut (Interpreter / Translator). OttoApsaktaun, Guy Kakkianiun, Gino Akkak, Barthelemy Nirlungayuk, Christian Nalungiaq, JoseAngutingunierk, Columban Pujuardjuk, Charlie Niptayuk, Makabe Nartok, John Ningark(Interpreter / Translator), Nick Amautinuar (Interpreter / Translator). Cecelia Angotialuk, DonatMilortok, David Tuktudjuk, Elizabeth Mapsalak, Sata Kridlapik, Alice Nanorak, Peter Manik, JohnIvalutanar, Honore Aglukka, Jennifer Kadjut, Joni Kringayark, David Numiqtaqtuq, ChristopherAmautinuar (Interpreter / Translator), Hugh Haqpi (Interpreter / Translator).

InuvialuitSettlementRegion (ISR)

William Vaneltsi, Lucy Adams, Ruby McLeod, Sarah Tingmiak, Johnny Banksland, Andy Tardiff, JoeTeddy, Mary Teddy, Walter Elias, Jessie Colten, Elias Aviugana, Maureen Elias, Deva Gordon,Elizabeth Firth, Albert Bernhardt, Agnes Nasogaluak, Catherine Mitchell, Mary Allen, Louie Goose,Roy Goose (observer),Lynn Lau (observer). Danny A.Gordon,Annie B.Gordon,Carol D.Arey, JacobArchie, Danny C. Gordon, Pat Kasook, Jerome Gordon, Louisa Kelanik, Jim B. Edwards, AgnesEdwards, David John, Alice Husky, Gary Montgrand, Ruth Furlong, Faye Gordon (observer).Maureen Pokiak, Agnes Felix, Noah Felix, Lena Anikina, Dennis Raddi, Bradley Voudrach, ErnestPokiak, Emmanuel Adam, Billy Jacobson, Ernest Cockney. John Alikamik, Lisa Alikamik, AnitaOliktoak, Joshua Oliktoak,Ryan Oliktoak. Connie Green, Josie Green, Peter Green,William Kuptana,Brenda Ruben, Edward Ruben Sr., Kathy Ruben, Larry Ruben, Mary Evik Ruben, Peter Ruben,Veronica Ruben, Gilbert Thrasher Sr.

Nunatsiavut Mary Dicker, Sarah Ittulak, Julius Merkuratsuk, Ronald Webb, Gus Dicker, Joe Webb, PaulineAndersen, Randy Keizer, Horace Goudie, Mary Adams, Boas Jararuse, Clara Ford, Joas Fox, SilpaEdmunds, Douglas Jacque, Kitty Jacque, Winnie Michelin, Jack Shiwak, Allan McNeil, K NaemeTuglavina (Intrepreter / Traslator), Sarah Obed (Interpreter / Translator).


Table 2: List of Research Teams for Community Workshops

Kugaaruk Scot Nickels, Chris Furgal, Andrea Carter, Heather Moquin, Mark Buell, Jamal Shirley,Tanya Nancarrow(Invited Researcher), John Ningark (Interpreter/Translator) and Nick Amautinuar (Interpreter/Translator).

Repulse Bay Scot Nickels, Andrea Carter, Heather Moquin, Mark Buell, Jamal Shirley, Christopher Amautinuar(Interpreter/Translator), Hugh Haqpi (Interpreter/Translator) and Tanya Nancarrow (Invited Researcher).

Arctic Bay Scot Nickels, Chris Furgal, Joanasie Akumalik, BJ Barnes, Mishak Alllurut (Interpreter/Translator)and James Ford (Invited Researcher).

Puvirnituq Chris Furgal, Pitsey Moss-Davies, Pierre Marchand, Daniel Martin, Johnny Qinuajuak(Interpreter/Translator) and Johnny Uitangak (Interpreter/Translator).

Ivujivik Chris Furgal, Pitsey Moss-Davies, Daniel Martin, Pierre Marchand, Johnny Qinuajuak,(Interpreter/Translator) and Sarah Mark-Tardif (Interpreter / Translator).

Kangiqsujuaq Chris Furgal,Pitsey Moss-Davies,Markusie Qiisiq (Interpreter/Translator) and Betsy Etidloie (Interpreter/Translator).

Aklavik Chris Furgal, Scot Nickels, Pitsey Moss-Davies, Jennifer Castleden, Mark Buell, Robin Fonger,Barbara Armstrong, Diane Dillon and Faye Gordon (Observer - Resource Person, Aklavik Huntersand Trappers Committee).

Inuvik Chris Furgal, Scot Nickels, Pitsey Moss-Davies, Jennifer Castleden, Mark Buell, Robin Fonger,Barbara Armstrong, Richard Binder, Roy Goose, (Observer - Inuvik, CBC) and Lynn Lau (Observer -Northern News Services Limited).

Tuktoyaktuk Chris Furgal, Scot Nickels, Pitsey Moss-Davies, Jennifer Castleden, Mark Buell, Robin Fonger andBarbara Armstrong.

Holman Island Pitsey Moss-Davies and Robin Fonger.

Paulatuk Pitsey Moss-Davies and Robin Fonger.

One workshop was held withparticipants from Rigolet,Happy Valley-Goose Bay,Nain, Northwest River,Makkovik and Postville.

Mary Denniston, Chris Furgal, Scot Nickels, Daniel Martin, Pitsey Moss-Davies Frances Murphy,Sandra Owens, K Naeme Tuglavina (Interpreter/Translator), Sarah Obed (Interpreter/Translator) andBecky Sjare (Invited Researcher).

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| PAGE 5

ForewordWhen an environmental change occurs,especially one caused in part by humanbehaviour on a global scale, it doesn’tjust affect flora and fauna, it affects allliving things including people.To addressthe impacts of change, it makes sense toconsult with those most affected.

In this case it is the Inuit, living in thevast Arctic regions, who are feeling thefirst and substantial effects of globalwarming. Forces mostly outside of theArctic have caused climate change,manifested in the Arctic by changingsea-ice, tundra, and wildlife patterns.And the traditional Inuit way of life is threatened.

Inuit must adapt, once again. Inuit aregoing to have to find new ways to makea living from the land. And whateverform that takes, it will not be what Inuitwould have wished for, it will not beideal, and it will not be an uninterruptedcontinuation of the traditional ways.We know this because the old ways arealready being changed to adapt to thechanging conditions.

I could list the already familiar symp-toms of our warming Arctic. I could givea recounting of stories Inuit elders and

hunters have been telling for years about thenew perils they face on the land. But just asthe Newfoundland fishers recounting theirplight didn’t bring the cod back to theGrand Banks, talking about the effects ofglobal warming on the Arctic isn’t going tostop the impacts from growing. Still, Inuitare taking action to ensure the world isaware of how these climactic changes arenot only threatening the survival of tradi-tional Inuit culture but the earth's survival.

At international fora such as the UnitedNations, domestically in Canada, and at specific venues around the world Inuit havespoken out to alert the planet of the criticalchanges occurring at an ever increasing rateacross the Arctic regions.

That’s what makes the book you are hold-ing so important. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatamiand Inuit across the Arctic and Canadahave made tackling climate change a priority. But Inuit don’t have the monetary,infrastructure, or human resource capacityto go it alone. Unikkaaqatigiit: Putting the Human Face on Climate Change is the result of collaboration between InuitTapiriit Kanatami, the Nasivvik Centre forInuit Health and Changing Environments at Laval University, the Ajunnginiq Centreat the National Aboriginal Health

Mr. Jose A. Kusugak,

President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami


Organization, and the regional Inuitland claim organizations.

Inuit, who are already being deeplyaffected by changes to the climate, mustplay an integral role in studying climatechange and in any efforts to curb andadapt to it. Our millennia-old traditionsare already being altered because of thewarming Arctic, and we face the possi-bility of having to completely reinventwhat it means to be Inuit.This is aprospect that we fear.

We have already undergone immensechanges as a result of colonization andmodernization. We are still struggling todeal with these changes, and having toadapt our ways completely to a differentworld is not only far from ideal, it isunacceptable. I hope processes like theone that lead to Unikkaaqatigiit, whereInuit and non-Inuit working together toface the challenges of climate change,will continue on a larger scale with ourfull participation, because our very wayof life is at stake.

It was mentioned several times that the workshop process that led toUnikkaaqatigiit: Putting the HumanFace on Climate Change, was a start,

that it just “scraped the surface” of theproblem. But we’ve all heard the ancientChinese proverb, what Lao-tzu said about ajourney of a thousand miles. Unikkaaqatigiitis that single step that will begin our journeytowards having Inuit as full partners indealing with climate and environmentalchange across the Arctic.

| PAGE 7

Executive Summary

“Our Elders tell us

that ‘in those days it

was a different time

where the ecosystem

and the land were

beautiful”

(Repulse Bay, Nunavut).

The Arctic environment is changing.In fact, a number of scientific modelssuggest that the Arctic will be one of the most severely impacted regions fromglobal climate change. As this northernregion experiences dramatic environmen-tal change, Inuit are already observingthe changes, experiencing the impactsand being forced to respond.

The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), theNasivvik Centre for Inuit Health andChanging Environments at LavalUniversity, and the Ajunnginiq Centre at the National Aboriginal HealthOrganization, in cooperation with theregional Inuit organizations and commu-nities and other partners, conducted aseries of workshops focused on environ-mental change and what it means forcommunities in the four Inuit regions ofthe Canadian Arctic.These workshopswere held from 2002 to 2005 following an International Institute for Sustainable Development researchinitiative in Sachs Harbour, NorthwestTerritories, in 2001.This book,Unikkaaqatigiit: Putting the HumanFace on Climate Change – Perspectivesfrom Inuit in Canada, presents theresults from these workshops.

In the workshops, the project team assistedcommunity members in recording observa-tions, impacts and local adaptations takingplace as a result of climate and other formsof environmental change.The observationsreported are indicative of an Inuit aware-ness that the environment is changing or has changed in specific ways. Some of thecommon observations identified include:increased frequency of storms; thinning iceand snow; increased frequency of freezingrain events; and, increased intensity of solar radiation.

Workshop participants also identified how these observed changes are having an impact on individuals and communities:unpredictable weather is resulting in morepeople being stranded on the land; changesin ice and snow conditions and weather pre-dictability has hindered access to countryfoods, which, in turn, has resulted in shifts inthe consumption patterns of other foods;thinning ice has had an impact on travelroutes, the timing of travel and the types ofvehicles used; changes to lakes and rivershave affected fresh drinking water sources;and increased UV exposure is causing moresunburns and rashes.

In many cases, individuals and communitieshave already started to adapt or react to


“Making the scientificcommunity aware ofour knowledge isimportant. We have along history of being on the land and wewant to provide localand traditional infor-mation that sciencedoes not have”(Inuvik, ISR).

these impacts in order to minimize theeffects. For example, in the InuvialuitSettlement Region (ISR), fish channelsin rivers have been dredged to respondto declining fish populations due to sig-nificantly lower water levels.

Workshop participants identified a webof complex relationships between obser-vations, environmental impacts andimpacts on the people living in the North.The increased incidence of freezing rainand thaw-freeze events serve as a perfectexample. In nearly all regions, it wasreported that increased ice cover in win-ter over lichen (as a result of thaw-freezeevents or freezing rain events) hasdecreased access to lichens, the primarysource of food for caribou. With less foodto eat, the caribou are now thinner and inpoorer health. Furthermore, these ani-mals must travel farther distances insearch of lichen, and are often found tobe travelling to new areas.They aretherefore harder to locate or access whenhunting.This in turn has an impact onthe food security of Inuit and Inuit com-munities, as both the quality and theaccessibility of caribou meat havedecreased, in some communities.Communities have recommended poten-tial adaptations to this situation: the

introduction of food exchanges, the establish-ment of community freezers where they donot already exist, and local informal educa-tion of the hunters in terms of becomingmore selective about the caribou they hunt.

Not all recorded changes in the environmentor climate reported by Inuit have a negativeimpact. For example, a changing climate hasled to the introduction of new species, someof which may be beneficial for Inuit to har-vest in the future.The introduction of sprucehens in the Inuvik, Northwest Territoriesarea, and moose along the Nunatsiavut coastbring the potential for new food sources,although restrictions on the hunting of someof these new species currently exist. Also, theshifting seasons mean that some activities,such as fishing, whaling and sealing, may beconducted later into the season than in pre-vious years. However, this book reflects theobservations and impacts as identified byInuit and, accordingly, most of the observa-tions to date are reported to have resulted innegative impacts that, in some cases, requiresignificant adaptive measures.

The evidence reported in the workshops indi-cates that Inuit are especially vulnerable tochanges in the Arctic environment. As aresult of altered migration routes and travelroutes, hunters must now travel further, or

| PAGE 9

al periods makes people more vulnerableto stress or anxiety (referred to in somecommunities as “spring fever”).

All regions reported a decrease in bothquality and quantity of fresh drinkingwater sources as a result of changes inprecipitation regimes, waterways andwater levels in their local area.Decreased availability of these sourcesincreases the chance of Inuit drinkingcontaminated water, particularly forthose who use, by choice, untreatedwater supplies. Poorer water qualityimplies a need for more or improveddrinking water infrastructure. Someregions reported that Elders are reluc-tant to drink treated water, making themparticularly vulnerability to water-bornediseases. As well, maintaining freshwaterrelated infrastructure is both difficultand expensive, especially in an environ-ment that is forecast to receive morefrequent extreme events and changing ordestabilizing permafrost conditions relat-ed to warming and melting of the struc-tural foundation.

Responses to cope with or adapt to theimpacts these changes yield in northerncommunities have taken a variety offorms, from building cabins out on theland (to reduce the need to travel backand forth from the town to harvestingsites and to provide safe shelter forthose stranded because of increasinglyunpredictable weather) to taking bottledwater on trips on the land (in reaction to

along adjusted routes, to harvest countryfoods.This has an impact on food securi-ty in a community, increased householdexpenditures to access country foods, andsafety of hunters using new and increas-ingly risky travel routes. Limited accessto country foods also leads to a greaterreliance on some expensive store-boughtfoods. No doubt this alteration in diet—from healthy, nutrient-dense countryfoods to refined store-bought foods—may significantly impact the health ofthe Inuit, which in turn has far reachingimplications in communities.

Virtually all communities identified thatpredicting the weather based on tradi-tional methods is becoming more diffi-cult.This puts Inuit at greater risk, asresidents are more likely to get strandedout on the land or caught in bad storms.Increasing frequency of extreme weath-er/unpredictable weather events, aninability to rely on traditionalweather/navigational cues, and morelandscape hazards is resulting inincreased damage to and loss of infra-structure and vehicles. In some cases, incombination with impacts to infrastruc-ture such as airstrips, these factors havemade medical evacuations more difficult.Additionally, landscape hazards andextreme or unpredictable weather pat-terns prevent individuals from getting outon the land as often as they used to andcreate longer periods of time betweenseasons.The lack of access to the landand sea during these transitional season-

the decreased availability and quality of natural sources of drinking water).

A number of reported adaptations are relat-ed to habit-changing behaviours. Some com-munities in the ISR noted that individualsare dressing more appropriately for the newconditions brought on by changes in theinsect population.They are also beginning toinstall mosquito netting on windows in theirhomes in response to the increased inci-dence of biting flies. Also in the ISR,warmer water temperatures are reported tobe causing fish caught in nets to rot morequickly. In response, fishers are checkingnets and collecting fish more often.They arealso harvesting fish earlier in the year. InNunatsiavut, geese are harvested earlier inthe year, and in Nunavut, seals are increas-ingly harvested in the summer when theyare fatter and less likely to sink when shot.

The ability to shift the time and place of har-vesting activities by a community was report-ed to support their ability to adapt to thechanges taking place. As noted above, someregions and communities have already shiftedthe times and places where they hunt certainanimals.This has occurred as a natural adap-tive response and, in most cases, it is viewedas part of being an Inuit hunter. However,there is a need for enhanced flexibility fromregulators in wildlife management regimesand regulations as well, if harvesting activi-ties must occur outside of regular or current-ly defined hunting seasons or establishedboundaries due to changes in animal move-ments or migration times. In other regions,


flexibility may be required to allow theharvest of new or invasive species to takeadvantage of the opportunity that changeprovides. For example, participants innorthern Nunatsiavut expressed concernthat although moose were now appearingin their region, they could not yet harvestthem because of hunting regulatoryrestrictions. As ecosystems change, regu-latory frameworks must adapt to reflectthe realities of the land and the needsand changing relationship of Inuit totheir surroundings.

The access to and use of various tech-nologies and new forms of infrastructurewere identified in the context of adaptivemeasures as well. In Arctic Bay,Nunavut, bigger and faster boats arebeing used in response to rougher andmore unpredictable waters, and globalpositioning system (GPS) technology isbeing used to aid navigation. Eventhough technology has played a role insome instances, communities did notunanimously advocate for western tech-nological fixes. In Kugaaruk, Nunavut,and Ivujivik, Nunavik, some participantsnoted that travel by dog team is saferthan more modern technologies, such assnowmobiles, and should therefore beused more often. Many individuals sup-port the use of a mixture of traditionaland modern measures to deal with envi-ronmental changes most effectively.

Some of the adaptive measures recom-mended by communities involved the

communication of information and strength-ening of abilities to share information amongindividuals in a community or between com-munities and regions. First, better communi-cation between communities and regionswould facilitate the sharing of informationabout successful coping and adaptive meas-ures. Second, some communities stated thatincreased communication capacity could sup-port the collection and dissemination ofupdates on local conditions by a centralsource on ice, land and weather conditions.This service would lower the risk for huntersand travellers out on the land. Althoughmany hunters already use radio to stay incontact while on the land, it was stressedthat there is increased need and support forsuch communication in an environment thatis becoming more variable. And third, partic-ipants noted that greater accessibility toregional-specific weather forecasts (similarto those available for other southernCanadian regions) would be helpful.

Many of the adaptations already in place orrecommended by community residentsrequire economic resources. However, not allhouseholds or communities have access tothese resources, and some forms of revenueare even being impacted by the changestaking place. For instance, some communi-ties, particularly in the ISR, have identi-fied that revenue from trapping and hunt-ing is already decreasing. So for some,household and community expenditureswill increase in an effort to adapt toimpacts related to climate change whiletheir income will be decreasing.

The issue of financial resources is particular-ly important because the ability of individu-als and communities to implement a numberof adaptation strategies depends on theirability to pay for them. Some communitiesidentified the need for support as a result ofincreased expenditures on fuel, on repairs tosnowmobiles, and on the acquisition of fasteror larger boats, depending on the local envi-ronmental circumstances being faced.Community freezer programs were noted asa possible adaptive measure in many com-munities where they do not already exist.However, many also reported that communi-ty freezers are expensive to operate andmanage.The construction of infrastructurefor treatment of drinking water and break-walls to prevent shoreline erosion, as well asimprovements to existing housing—theseactivities cost money. Whether it is minorinvestments for the installation of mosquitonetting for homes or a major expenditure inshoreline erosion projects or better watertreatment infrastructure, communities notedthat the costs associated with some adaptivestrategies make them prohibitive and unreal-istic to consider.

This book reveals the importance of co-operation and partnerships among variouslevels of government, among governmentdepartments, with non-governmental organi-zations, and most importantly, involvingInuit in order to develop meaningful andeffective solutions to environmental changein the Arctic.The partnerships developed inthis endeavour brought together a scientificunderstanding of environmental change with

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Inuit understandings of actual changestaking place at the local level and whatthese changes mean to Inuit.The knowl-edge gained through the exchange of dif-ferent ways of knowing helps to identifyand overcome the significant challengesInuit face today and will face in thefuture. Continued partnerships andstrong community-level involvement arecrucial in the development of policies,programs and strategies that successful-ly cope with environmental change.

Community residents involved in theseworkshops expressed appreciation thatElders, adults and youth had the opportu-nity to gather, discuss and learn from eachother on this important subject.They alsostressed the need to continue work on thisissue as the workshop format simply“scraped the surface” of the knowledgeexisting within communities. Participantssuggested that further detailed studiescould be undertaken to document the fullbreadth of Inuit knowledge.

Community participants identified avariety of groups that should receiveinformation from the workshops, rangingfrom local and regional governments andwildlife management organizations allthe way up to international bodies, suchas the Arctic Council and the UnitedNations.There was general consensusfrom all groups for the need to “get theword out”; in this context, participantsidentified a number of clear policy andservice recommendations.

Most importantly, this partnership projecthas provided a venue for Inuit to expresstheir concerns, ideas and knowledge, and hasgiven some support to the Inuit voice on anissue that affects their lives on a daily basis.The project partners hope that communityconcerns can be brought to the attention ofregional, national and international govern-ments and institutions where policy changecan be achieved. Further, the information inthis book provides a solid platform to beginthe development of tools that will allowcommunity decision-makers to includeclimate change scenarios and potentialimpacts in their everyday activities.

It is clear that Inuit have been adapting tothe effects of climate change for some time.This puts Inuit in the rare position to teachthe rest of the world about what may be tocome. Inuit ingenuity and knowledge inadapting to local-scale environmental changecan set an example for communities thatmay face these issues in the near and distantfuture. Regrettably, this ability to adapt hasnever been more important for Inuit than itis today. Environmental changes—of allkinds—are coming at a rate and to anextent that may exceed the threshold ofArctic peoples’ capacity to respond.

“The land has been

changed by machines.

We used to be able to

lie on the land and

smell its sweetness.

It used to be comfortable

with plants and flowers”

(Paulatuk, ISR).

| PAGE 13

AngajukKânguluanit Pijut(Executive Summary - Inuttitut Translation)

“It is more difficult to

predict the weather

now. It is changing”

(Arctic Bay, Nunavut).

Tamanna Arctic aujuittuk avatingaasianguvallialittuk. Allâlu, unuttumagetsunagalatuinnanik kamajingitisumaKajut tâmna Arctic ilagijaugajat-tuk sukkutaunimmut tamatsumangatsilatsuap silanga asianguvallianinganut.Sollu tamanna tachagalavut tikitauval-lialippat avatinga asiangutitaumaginim-mut, Inuit manna takuKattaligettutasianguvallianinganik, Kaujivalliadlutilluattutauninganik ammalu ajunnamatkiugutigigiaKalidlugu.

Tamakkua Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami(ITK), Nasivvik atuttauKattatuk mitsânut Inuit InosiKatsianinginnutamma Asianguvallianinginnut AvatingitIlinniavialuni Laval University, ammatâmna Ajunnginiq Centre uvani National Aboriginal HealthOrganization, ikajuttigedlutik tamâne-galattut Inuit katutjiKatigenningitammalu nunalituKait asingillu ikajutil-lugit, kamasimajut adjigengitunik workshopidlutik mitsânut avatet asian-guvallialimmata ammalu KanuktukiKanialimmangât nunalituKaujunuttamakkunani Inuit KanitagenninginniCanadamiut Aujuittoningani Arctic-mi.Tamakkua katimadlutik pigiasilauttut2002-mit 2005-tikidlugu kingunganiInternational Institute for Sustainable

Development Kimigguningit pigiasijaulaum-mat Sachs Harbour-mi, NorthwestTerritories, 2001-mi.Tâmna Kaujisautik,Unikkaaqatigiit: Putting the Human Faceon Climate Change – Perspective from Inuitin Canada (kenattâgumadlugu SilaupAsianguvallianinga – Pitillugit InuitCanadamit) sakKititsilauttuk ukuningatamakkunangat katimattunit.

Tamâni katimajuni, tamakkua suliamiksuliaKajungit ikajulauttut nunakKatigejunik alladlutik takusimajamminik,sukkutauniKagajappata ammalu nunamminiatugiaKasimajamminik pasidlugu silaksulimmangât ammalu asingit ilupsitâttujutavatinga asianguvallialimmat.TamakkuatakuKattatut alladlutik InuitKaujivalliatanginnik tamanna avatingaasianguvallilimmat ugvalu asiangusiman-ninginnik adjigengitukkut. IlangittakujauKattatut Kaujidlugit ukuangujut:silalukauvalliaKattaluanninga; sâttoluaksikunga amma Kanningalu, KuaKattaningasilannilulimmat; amma, unannisauval-lianingalu silatsuap piusinga.

Workshopimelauttut Kaujilaummijut ammaKanuk tamakkua takujangit asiangugialla-mata sukkutauniKatitsittuk kinakkunikammalu nunalituKauvinginnik: nigiugijaungi-tuk silaup ilupsinga inunnik


“Weather forecasting

is difficult now. Elders

are not predicting the

weather because they

do not feel that the

prediction will be reliable”

(Nunatsiavut).

nukKangatitsilidluni nunatsuami;asiangumat sikuit Kaniningalu silaullusunialimmangât agviaKattalittuknunatsiami niKitsasiugiamut, taimâk,pasijaunialidluni nigijauKattagianginnutniKet asingit; sâttoluadlalimmat sikuksukkutauniKatitsilittuk namogumanim-mut, sidonitinga aullagiamut ammasunamik aullautimik atunialimmangâm-mi; asiangutitauningit taset kolluimitsianguKattatunik piungilititsidlutik;amma piluadlatukut UV-Kalidluni otâtti-sisongulittuk puijuKaluaKattalidlunilu.

Unuttumagigalanni, kinakkut ammanunalituKait manna allât pigiasisimalit-tut inogiamik ugvalu atugiamiktamakkununga sukkutautitsilittuk ikajut-siutisanullu Kaujisadlutik ânnianginit-sauniannimut. Sollu ukua, taipsumaniInuvialuit Settlement Regionimi (ISR),apKutigiKattatangit ogait konni machakpejattaugiaKalidluni ogait nunguvallial-immata imanga panivallialuadlalimmalu.

Workshopimut ilaujut KaujisimajutKagitaujakkut nalunattumaginnik ilage-galannikut akungani takunnajamminik,avatingit sukkutaumoKammata ammalusujauninganut inuit inojut Tachâni.Piluadlatumik Kuannatumik silannilulim-mat ammalu aukKâdluni-Kuammat

tamanna sulimmagittuk.Tamakkunani ilonnagalanginni sanilligegalait,Kaujititsisimajut auttaililuadlaKattaninganikokiumi KoadjaKutet nigijaugunnagunnaima-ta (sollu aukKâdluni-Kuammat ugvaluKuasâdlasomik silannilummat pasijaujok)nigigunnangiKattaatut KoadjaKutinnik,nigigialinginnik tuttuit. NiKitsaKatsianginim-mut, tamakkua tuttuit salulijut ammaluinosiKatsianginitsaulittut. Ammalugiak,tamakkua omajuit ingiggagiaKalittutKaningiluamut niKitsasiujut, amma aijalid-lutillu nutânut pitaKammangâta.Taimaidlutik ajunnalualittut takugiangitugvalu pinasuagiattugiamut.Taimâk amma sukkunattuk niKinginnut Inuit Inuit nunakKatigenninginnulu,tamaita piuningit pijausonguningillututtuviniKanginitsauKattalimmat.NunalituKait pikKujaliangutitsisimajut atugajattaminik tamatsumunga;Kaujigiamut niKinnik Kanuk tautsilitsatâ-giamut, pitâttulutik nunakKatigeniKuatsevitsanik pitaKangipata, ammaluKaujimanitsaugiamut ilillutikpinasuaKattatut mitsânut nallinginnik tuttunik pinasuajutsaunimmut.

Ilonnatiungituk allatausimajut mitsanutasiangusimajut avatinginni ugvalu silak pillugu taijangit Inuit sukkutauniKangitun.Sollu, asiangumat silak atusok Kaujijaudluni

| PAGE 15

kisiani nunatsuamit niKet ammapijauluaKattalimmijut niuvifinit-pisigiattudlugit. Nalunangilak taimat-sainak nigitsianik asingumimat –inosiKatsiagutinnit, ilagiallatausimajunitnunatsuamit niKinnit pisigiattungâ-Kattaligamik niuviffimit – pisijaujunikniKinnik – sollu sakKititsimagittukattuininganik inosiKatsianinginnut Inuit,taimâk uKumailivalliatitsitillugununalituKaujunik.

Mitsâguluak ilonnatik nunalet kaujidlu-tik tamna sunialimmangât silak tungatil-lugu siagutsuanit piusiulauttumit ajun-navalliatuinnatuk. Inuit anajanavalliatu-innalittut, tamânimiut utakKituinna-Kattalimmata nunatsuamogamik ugvalusilalukammut nukKangalidlutik.Pivalliatuinnalimmat silalukaunit-sauninga/nigiugijaugani piungiliKattaninga,atugiamillu siagunitatut silak sunialim-mangât/namonialimmangâmillumaliKattalauttaminik pitaigutimmat,ammalu ilupsinganik nunamiaiviugiaKangitunik pasijaulittut piungili-vallialittut siKumitsigamik asiujigamil-lonet atuKattataminut sunanullu atugial-imminut. Ilanginnut, atangatillugillusujauninginnut sollu migvet, tamakkuaKaujijausimalittut ânniasiuvinnutaigiaKajuKalimmat uKumainnalualinninginnik.Ilagiallalugulu, nunanginni aiviugia-Kangitut ammalu pimmagittut ugvalu-lonnet nigiugijaungitut sunialimmangâtsilaup piusingit nukKangatitsiKattatutkinakkunik aullagumagaluatillugitnunannut tamât piusigilauttamitut taip-

nutanut oganut, ilangit ikajugajakKoninginnik Inuit tigullalippait sivunit-savut isumagillugit.Tamakkua kauji-jauningit agigget Inuvik-mi, NorthwestTerritorigalammi, amma tuttugait(moose) Labradorip satjugianganiisumagijaugajattut niKitsagial-launitsanginnut, taimâk maligatsa-Kagaluatillugu pinasuagiangit ilangittamakkua nutât manna tamânejut.Ammalugiak, ablasângutitsimata nalli-uninginnut sujuKalimmat ilanginnut,sollu ogannianik, apvet amma puijet,kamagijaunialittilugit siagugiak nalliu-nimmi sollu Kaujijauningit Inunnutamma, taimatsainak, ilonnagalattiktakujait mânnamut allataudlutikatungininginnik sukkutauninginnuttaimâk, ilanginni, atugiallagialet tiguan-gunialittilugit Kaujijauningitigut.

Tamanna takunnatukkut Kaujititsijukkatimajuni tamakkua Inuit piluattumikânnitaugajanningit asiangulippatArcticiup avatinga. Sollu tapsumonat-sainak ingiggagunnaimata ammaluaulalugunnaimata atuKattatamigut,pinasuattet manna ingiggagia-KalikKut Kaninginitsamut, ugvaluapKutigijaugialingitigut, Kiniliguniknunatsuamit niKitsanik.TamannasukkutauniKajuk niKet sujauttailinian-ninginnut nunalituKauvingani, akitunit-saulidlutillu illumine kenaujait atuttangitpisigiamut nunatsuamit niKinnik,ammalu Kanuingitukkut pinasuattet atu-gialinginnut nutânik ammalu anajanat-tukut ingigganimmik. Pigialimminik

sumani siagutsuami nalliunigiKattalaut-tanginni inunnik tamanna pijauni-Kalualittilugit utakKingunimmut ugvaluaullagumanimmut (atuttaugiallasongumma-ta ilanginni nunalituKaujuni sollu “upingâmiippiniagiligamiuk”).

Ilonnatik sanitaget nunait Kaujititsidlutikimiutsiagunnaininginnik nunguvallianingin-nilu imijauKattalauttut pasidlugu asiangu-vallianinga sivungani inigiKattalauttangit,imait apKutingit amma imaup ulinninga.ImaKatsiagunnaimat taimaidluni tikitauga-jattut Inuit imigusuligunik iminiallutikimilukammik, piluatillugu tamakkunungaatuKattatunut, atugumagamik, salum-matausimangitumit imittavimmit.ImittaviKatsiagunnaimat pitâgiallagia-Kasonguvuk piunitsanik imittavitsanik.Ilangit nunalet Kaujititsidlutik tamakkuaInutuKait imigumaKattangitut salum-masagiallatausimajumik imimmik, taimaid-lutik pijauluagajanialidlutik imait-Kumanginnut Kanimmasittâgiamut.Ammalugiak, pitaKatsainagiak imatsianguti-taugialimmik tamainnut uKumaittuk akitujodlunilu, piluattumi avatimmiKaujimajaujumi silanga piungilitsainanian-ninga ammalu asinguvalliajumi ugvaluaujuitosiangitumi piusilinni unatsivallialippatamma auKattalippalu inialuata tungavinga.

Kiujaummata atugiamut ugvalu pigiasigia-mut sukkutaunikkut asiangulittunittachanginni nunalituKait sakKititsijut adjigengitukkut piusilinnik, pigiasidlutikaullavingita illunginnit nunatsuami (utittatuinnaniangimata nunammagimminut


niKitsaliuvingata ininganit ammaKanuinginimut initsanginnik asiumalip-pata silalukaummat) pullaujammetumikimiKattagasuannimut nunatsuami(ikKaigiallagamik KangatuinnakimitsiaKalaunnimut ammalu piudla-Kattaninganut Kangatuinnak imigumatu-aligami imisongulaunniminik).

Unuttugalait Kaujisautet tiguangusotmitsânut ilingajut sollu ikKagijaugatik-asinguvallialimmata piusigilittangit.Ilangit nunalituKait ISR-mi malugusud-lutik kinakkutuinnait asinginnik nam-matunik annugâttusimaKattalittuttakutainnaKattaligamik asiangutigutsollu niviuvagalait unutsivallialimmata.IliukKailidlutillu kittugianut nuluangin-nik igalâmmini kejautsainaligamik kit-tugianut. Ammalugiak ISR-mi,unanniKalimmata imangit Kaujititsijutsutagga ogait sujuvallialittut tagvain-auluak nuluasimadlutik. Kiuningilli,oganniatet nulualiaKattalittut tagvain-auluak tigullagiattudlugillu tamângulu-ak. Ammalugiak katitsuiKattalittutogannik tagvaianauluak jaringaninâkKâtinnagu. Labradaorimilli,nillesiugiattuKattalittut sivunganiuluakjâringata, ammalu Nunavut, puijinni-alua-Kattalittut aujami KuittotillugitkivinginitsauKattatillugit Kukittaugamik.

Pisonguningit akKisigiamut sidontin-ganik amma ininganik tigullagumaliguninunalituKaujuk Kaujititsilauttuk ikajud-luni pisongunimminik atugiamutasinguvalliajuKalimmat. Sollu malu-

gijaukKaumat Kulliani, ilangit Kanitagetnunangit amma nunalituKait atuligettutasianut sidontinginnik ininginillu pinasuavigi-Kattatangit omajunniagumaluattaminut.Tamanna sakKisimajuk taimatsainak tiguan-guninginnut ammalu, ilonnagalanginni,takunnâdlugu Inuit pinasuattiuninganut.Taimaigalauttilugu, atugiallagumajut mit-sânut maligatsaliuttet akKisuiligunikikKaumakKulugit omajunniatinnik ammalumaligtsaliuligunillu, sollu tigullanik pigiasi-gajappat silatiani pinasuagiaKalippata nalli-uningani ugvalu akKisuttausimajut killiningitpasidlugu asiagolinningit omajuit ugvaluingiggasiasinningata sidontingani. Ininginniasingita Kanitaget nunait, pikKujaunikimmaKâ tamânegialik pikKujauninginnuttigullagiamik nutânut ugvalu tigollatauningitadjigengituit pivitsaKannisauligunik tapsumona asianguvallianimmut. Sollu,ilaujunut tachânit Labradorip oKajutisumajâgutiKanniminik tamakkua tutttuvait(moose) sakKivallialimmata nunangani,ajuttangit pinasuagiamut sutagga maligat-sani pikKujaulunginamik. Sollu iningit asian-guvallialimmata, maligtsaliuttau-Kattatutatuttausongugialet mitsânut nunanginniammalu atugiallagiamut ammalu asiangu-vallianinginnut Inuit pillugit avatânejut.

Tamakkua aiviuKattatut amma atuttau-Kattatut adjigengitut Kagitaujagalaitammalu nutât sollu illualugalaitKanuittogajammangâta mitsânut atutta-giangit amma. Arctic Bay-mi, Nunavut,anginitsanik amma sukkanitsanik umianikatuKattalittut malilualimmat nigiugijaugatil-lu sakKiKattatauni imakkoligamik, amma

silatsuak ilupsiminegiaKalimmat global system (GPS) Kagitaujatigut atuttau-Kattalittuk ingiggajunut namogiaKalimmata.Allât Kagitaujatigogaluappata ilangitigut,nunalituKait ilonnatik tukisialaungitut kan-giani Kagitaujatigut akKisuttausimajunik.Kugaaruk-mi, amma Nunavut, ammaIvujivik, Nunavik, ilangit ilaujut katimajunutmalugusulauttut KimutsikogiakKanuinginitsauninganik nutânnitatuttauKattatunit, sollu sikidokkut, ammalutaimaidlutik atuttauluaKattajutsaujut.Unuttumaget kinakkutuinnait ikajuttut atu-giamut nallinginnik siagunitanik ammamanna nutânik kamagiasigunik avatittinikasianguvallianingagut atuttausianiammata.

Ilangit tigujauningit atugumadlugitpikKujaliangutitaudlutik nunalituKaujunutukuanguvut sollu KaujimaKatigegiamutKaujijauKattatunik ammalu sunginitsautil-lugit pisongugiangit KaujimaKatigennimutakungani kinakkutuinnait nunalituKauvimmiugvalu akungani nunalitukait Kanitagellununalet. Sivullipâk, piunitsakutKaujimaKatigennik akungani nunalituKaitamma Kanitaget nunait tusattisigajattukKaujititsigiamut pillugit atuttausot ammatiguagijausot sunait. Kingullia, ilangitnunalituKait oKajut KaujimaKatigetsianikikajummagigajattuk katitsuinimmik ammalusakKijuKappat nutânik inilinni piusiujuniksollu sunamik sikummejuKalippat, nunamiamma silaup sunianninganik.Tamanna suli-ak anajanginitsautititsiluni pinasuattinutamma aullagasuajunut nunatsuamut.Taimaigalauttiluguli unuttumaget pinasuat-tet atuKattagaluappata nâlautinnik

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suliagigumallugit Kaujimappait akilega-janniminik. Ilangit nunalituKaitKaujimajut atugiallagiamut ikajunnimiksollu atuluammat kenaujanik utsualuk,akKisuigiamut siKumimmata sikidoo,amma pigumanimmut sukkanitsanikugvalu anginitsanik umiannik, isumag-illugu nunammini avatinginnutsakKiKattatunit. NunakKatigeniKuatsevet suliagijauKattatut malugijaud-lutik. Taimaigalauttilugu, unuttumagetKaujititsilauttut tâmna nunanganiKuatsevet akitujauluit aulattigiangitkamagigiangillu.Tâmnalu sanattauningaillualuk imittauKattatumut imimmutammalu pijauttailititsinimmut-Kammangit sidjami, ammalugiakakKisuigiallanimmut tamâneligettunikillunik – tamakkuagalait suliagijait atu-jut kenaujanik. Sollu mikijogalauppatasollu ilitsigiamut kittugiat nuluanganikillunut ugvalu angijogalauppat satjugia-mut pijauniangimat malinnut suliagijaitugvalu imitsianguniangugaluappata,nunalituKait malugusujut tamannaakinga ilaKatillugit tiguangujut atugian-git nukKatuinnagianginnut ammalutukiKangininga isumagidlugu.

Una allak upkuisijuk ikKanammagittumiksuliaKatigetsianimmut ammalu ikajutti-genimmut akungani sunatuinnaitisumagidlugu kavamait, akungani kava-mait suliaKavingit, pitaKatillugit kava-mamengitunik katutjiKatigettunik,amma ikKanannipâmik, ilagijau-Katautillugit Inuit Kaujigasuamut

Kaujimajauniagamik nunatsuamenningit,pimmagiuttitaulauttuk atugiallagiamutamma pitâgiallagiamut Kaujimautinnikavatittinut kamagijautsiagia-Kalualittumut. Amma pingajua, ilaujutkatimannimut malugusudlutik tamakkuaatugumadlutik nunaliniu-luak silavutsunialimmangât (sollugalautillugu atuttausonik asinginnut siKingattiniCanadaup nunanginni) tamanna ikajugajammagigajattuk.

Unuttumaget tiguagijaujut akKisut-tausimaligettut ugvalu pikKujaliang-utitausimajut nunalituKaujunutkamagijaugiaKagajattut kenaujaliugutin-nik Kaujimajunut.Taimaigalauttilugu,ilonnatiungituk angiggamejut ugvalununalituKaujuni aigunnangitut tamakku-nunga kamajinut, amma ilangit kenaujaitsuttisilittut asianguvalliajukalimmat.Sollu una, ilangit nunalituKait, piluat-tumik ISR-mi, Kaujisimajut tamakkuakenaujait pijut tarapinniaKattatunutamma pinasuattinut manna ikillisima-ligettuk.Taimaimmat sollu ilanginnut,angiggamejut ammalu nunalinni kenau-jait atuttauKattatut akillivallianialittutpigumavalliapata sujauninginnut mit-sâgut asianguvallianingit silait taimaitil-lugu kenaujattâgiKattatangit mikillival-lialittilugit.

Isumagijauninga mitsânut kenaujattâgijau-Kattatuit piluattumut ikKanammagittuksutagga pisonguningit kinakkut ammanunaliKaujut sakKititsigasuappatanallinginnik tiguagigumajamminik

pivallianimmik tukiKajunut ammaluakKisuttausianinginnut avativut asianguval-lialimmata Arctic-mi.Tamakkua ikajuttiged-lutik pivalliatitsilauttut tamatsumingasuliagijautillugu tamainnut sunatuinnaniksuliaKaKattatunut tukisiadlutik avativutasinguvallialimmat Inuit tukisiKattatillugitasiangujuKalimmat imminik nunamminiammalu sunaummangâta tamakkua asian-gujut tukiKammangâta Inunnut.TapkuaKaujijaujut atulauttut utittadlutikoKâlannimik Kaujimajamminik ikajulauttutnallinginnik ammalu ikajudlutik sunautsian-gulimmangâta salakkumautiginiattangitInuit uvlumi ammalu kamaginiattangit jariniKaijuni. NukKautinnagit ikajunnititammalu sungunimmut nunalituKaujuitoKautiKattalugit atummaginiattuk pival-lianimmut maligatsaliugiamik, sulianutamma Kanuk pinialimmangâmmik atutsia-niattunik asinguvallianinganut avativut.Nunalinni inungit ilaulauttut ukunungakatimajunut Kujannamemmagilauttuttamakkua InutuKait, inummaget ammainosuttuit pivitsaKalaummata katigiamut,oKâladlutillu ilinniaKatiKadlutillu asim-minit tamatsumunga ikKanammagittumutoKalautigijaujumut. Tamakkua ammaoKaudjilaummijut pimmagiuninganik tamanna nukKautinagu suliagijauningaisumagijauluammat katimautauninga sollupigiasituinnamata “KetsosituinnanimmikSilatianik”; Kaujimajaummalu iluaninunalituKait manna. IlaukKaujutpikKujijut kamagiallaKujidlutikKimiggugiamut allalugillu iluingaluguInuit kaujimaligettanginnut.


Nunalinnit ilaujut Kaujilauttut adjigengi-tunik katutjikatigaennik pitajutsau-Kotunik Kaujijaujunik katimammata,pidlutik amma nunalinni kavamangitamma omajunnik kamajinginnutkatutjiKatigenningit ilonnainut silatsua-mi katutjiKatigenninginnut, sollu ArcticCouncil amma United Nations. Angiuti-Kadlutillu ilonnainit atugiallagiamut“oKausik tunillugu” tamatsumunga,katimakKaujut Kaujidlutik unuttugalaittukiKatsianimmut maligait amma suliag-illugit pikKujaliangusimajunik.

IkKanammagiutillugulu, tamna ikajut-tigennikut suliak sakKititsijuk atuttau-somik Inunnut oKâlagiamut isumagilu-attaminik, isumagijamminik ammaKaujimajamminik, amma ilanginni ikajunimmut Inuit nillimata mitsânutisumagiluadlugu attuimat sunainosinginni uvlutamat. Tamatsumungasuliamut ikajuttingit gumajut tamnanunanginni isumagijauluattut tunijau-sot kamagijaukKulugit Kanituninunalinni, nunatsuami amma silatsuamikavamanginnut amma ininginnut mali-gatsaliuttet asingutitaummata kamgi-jauniattilugit. Ammalugiak, tamakkuaKaujijausimajut tamatsumunga pitaletpigiasiutigitsiagianga pivallianimmutatugialinginnut pisonguniammatanunalet kajusinimmut ilijauniammataasianguvallianinganik silak ammalusujaunnet tamakkua uvlutamat sug-alalimmata.

Nalunangilak tamakkua Inuit atuvallialittutsujaugamik silak asianguvallianinganut akuniulittuk.Tamanna ilipsijuk Inunnik iniutsiangitumut ilinniatitsigiamik ilonnâniksilatsuamik mitsânut sunait tikigajanningin-nik. Inuit pisonguningit amma Kaujimajangittiguattâgiamut imminiksanimmini avatin-ganut asiangugiasippat takutitsigajattuksollu asinginnik nunalituKaujunik taimat-sainak pijaugajappata tamakkunungaisumajâgijaulippata jarini Kaijuni.KaKianagivullu, taimâk pigiak tiguaKagiamikKangalonnet ikKanginit-saulaungitukInunnut uvanganit uvluminit. Avatittivutasianguvallianinga – ilonnatik sunatuinnait –tikivalliajut tuavi tuavi amma piluagjat-tukullu immaKâ nigiugingitattigut tamakku-nunga Arctic inunginnut angiluagâlommatkamagigianga. “There are already

a lot of established

Inuit concepts on

the weather, but

they are changing”


| PAGE 19


Executive Summary(Executive Summary - Inuktitut Translation)

“It is hard to know if

it will be good or bad

weather for hunting

and trapping. It affects

when you are able to

go out on the land”

(Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik).

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| PAGE 21

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| PAGE 23

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“When I was young the old

men used to say there will be a

time when it will be 12 months

summer per year and a time

when it will be 12 months

winter, with no freeze-up or no

thaw for 12 months. Perhaps

we will see this in the future”

(Kugaaruk, Nunavut).

| PAGE 25

Naitumik Ukautait (Executive Summary - Inuinnaqtun Translation)

“I can feel the change

in the climate… It is

obvious that global

warming is taking

place. Our wildlife is

changing too”


Ukiuktaktut hilakyuanga aalanguktilik-tuk. Ilaa, anigaitut kauyimayatukangitatuktut ukaktut ukiuktaktuk angiyumikikpinaktitauniaktuk aviaktukvianihilakyuami hilait aalanguktigutainik.Hamna ukiuktaktuk aviktugutait piniaktuk angiyumik hilakyuanga aalanguktititiluni, Inuit kungiaktaaliktaitaalangutiligutait, pilutik ikpinagutikhainikovalo pipkailuni kanuginiagutikhainik.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK),Nasivvik havakviit Inuit aniaktiliginiovalo aalanguktiligitjutait hilakyuatLaval Universitimi, ovalo Ajunnginiqhavakviit Kanatami Nunakakaakhimayutaniaktiligiyiit havakviit, ilaukatauplutikInuit aviktukhimayut havakviit ovalonunait ovalo aalat ilaukatauyut, pihi-mayut amigaitunik ayoikhaitjutainikpiyut hilakyuamik aalanguktitigutainikovalo humauyt nunani hitamaini Inuit aviktukhimayainik KanatamiUkiuktaktuini. Hapkoa ayoikhaitjuaitpihimayut 2002mit 2005mut malikhutikHilakyuami Ilihakviit TamailaitunikHanatiligiyiit ihivgiugutainik uktugutain-ut Ikaahukmi, Nunatiami 2001mi.Hamna tuhaktakhak, Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on ClimateChange – Perspectives from Inuit inCanada (Unikkaaqatigiit: Ilitjutainik

Inuit kiinainik Hilakyuat Aalangutigutait –Ihumagiyait Inunit Kanatami) tunihimayaitiniktigutainik hapkoa ayoikhaiyaiyinit.

Ayoikhaiyaiyiini, hanayakhat ilaukatauyutikayukhimayut nunanit ilaukatauyunik titigaktitlugit kungiakhimayainik,ikpinagiyauyut ovalo nunanit aalanguk-tikatigiinik piyainik pipkaiyainik hilami ovalo aalat hilakyuanik aalanguktigutainik.Kungiagutait titigakhimayut ukakhimayutInuit nalungitainik hilakyuak aalanguktitilik-tuk ovaluniit aalangukhimayut aalatkiinikmikhaanut. Ilangit aatjikiit kungiagutaitnaunaiyakhimayut ilangit: amigailiktutpikhikatainaligutait; haaktuiyaligutait hikutovalo apotit; amigailiktut hikutuinaliktuniknipalunik; ovalo amigailiktut akhuthikinikmit unakutait.

Ayoikhaktuni ilaukatauyut naunaiyakhi-mayutlu kanuk kungiagutainik aalangukti-liktut ikpinagiliktait Inuit inminik ovalonunanini: naunakhiyut hilat pipkailiktukamigaitut Inuit nutkangatitaulikpaktutnunani; aalanguliktut hikut ovalo apotitkanugitjutit ovalo hila naunakhitjuutiniknutkaktiliktait pilaaktainik nunanitnikikhainik, taimaimat, pipkailiktukaalangutiligutainik nigitjutainik aalatnikinik; haaktuiyaligutait hikutikpinakhigutigiliktait autlaagiagani


“It costs more money

to go hunting because

you have to go further

from the community

to hunt animals

like caribou”

(Tuktoyaktuk, ISR).

maligutainik, ubluit autlaagutit ovaloatuktangit nunahiutiminik; aalangligutaittahiit ovalo kuugat ikpinagiliktut imilaaktunik imainik pitkutiganit;ovalo angililigutait hikinimit unakutaituvinikmini pipkailimat utilagilaaliktunikovalo kukuuyagutinik.

Amigaituni piyainik, Inuit ovalo nunaitpilihaktut aalangulikhutik ovaluniitpiplutik tahapkoa ikpinagiliktaitpinahuakhutik mikhitinahuaklikhugitikpigutait. Ilaa; Inuvialuit NunataagutitNunini (IRS), ikaluit kuuganimayuukatagutait uyagaiyakhimayutikayuknahuakhugit ikililiktut ikaluit amigaitjutait ilaa, angiyumik imaiyalik-mata kuugait.

Ayoikhaiyut ilaukatauyut naunayakhi-mayut amigaitunik naunaktunikilaukatautjutinik kitkanit kungiagutait,hilakyuami ikpinagutait ovaloikpinagutigiliktainik Inuit inuutjutainikUkiuktaktumi. Amigailiktut pivaliktutkikitigiyut nipaluit ovalo mahaktihaktutkikihaktut pilivaliktut ilauyut aalatpikataligutait.Tamamik aviktukhimayu-ni, tuhaktitihimayut hikukataliktut ukiu-mi kaagani nunauyanik (pipkailimatamahaktihaktut kikihaktut pilivakliktuniovaluniit kikihakpaktut nipaluit) mikhiti-

liktait pilaaktainik nunauyanik, hivuliitpitkutait nigiyakhainik tuktut. Mikilikhutiknigiyakhait nikikhainut, tuktut kapaliktutovalo aniaktutut iliktut. Ovalo, tahapkoaumayut pihuliktut ungahitkiyainik kinikhi-aplutik nunauyanik ovalo nalvaaktauliktutpihukviinik aalanik nunani.Taimaimat, ayok-nakhiliktuk naniyaagani ovalo ayonakhilik-tuk umayukhiugiagani. Hamna pipkailiktaitikpinagutainik nikikhainik Inuit ovaloNunait, tamamik nakuutjutait ovalopilaakvikhait tuktut uyunik mikhilimat.Nunat pitkuhimayut pilaaktukhamikaalangutigutainik hamna pihimaliktumik:Piliktukhat nikinik himautikataliklutik,ililutik nunani kikitiivinik pikangituni ovalonunani inminik ilihagutikhainik umayukhiuk-tit pikataliktiklugit piyumayainik talvatuakmikhaanut tuktut umayukhiuktainik.

Tamamik titigakhimayut aalangugutaithilakyuami ovaluniit hilami tuhaktitauyutInunit nakuungitumik ikpinakaktut. Ilaa,aalanguligutait hilat takupkailiktuk nutaanikumayunik, ilangit ikayulaaktait Inuitumayukhiulaaktait hivunikhamini.Takukataliktait aalat akilgitut itut Inuvikmi,Nunatiak, ovalo Labradorimi tuktuvaittakuyaukataliktut, pilaaktait nutaatnikikhait, ilaa keelinikaktuugaluit tahapkoanutaat umayut, umayukhiulaaniaktait hivunikhaini. Ovalo aalanguligutait ukiut

| PAGE 27

tigutait atukhugit inuuiviniit ayonakhilik-tuk. Hamna ilipkaiyuk Inuit angiyumikayokhahaligutainut, nunakatigiit ayokha-halimata aalangayumi hilamik ovaluniitpikhiinalikataktunik nunamiititlugit.Amigailiktut aalangukpiagutait hilat, nau-nakhiliktut hilat pikataligutait, pilailik-paktait atugutikhainik inuuviviniit hilatnaunaiyautikhainik, namungaukatagiaganiovalo nunat naunaiyautait ayokhagutig-ilimagit ahigugutainik nunahiutiminut.Ilangit, ilaukatauyut ikpinaligutaithavakatigiyainut, ilangit tingmiakakviithapkoa pikataliktait atugiagani ani-akvikmungangauyukhat kilamik ayokh-agutigilimagit. Ovalo nunat ayokhaligutaitovalo akhut aalangutiligutait hilat Inunutnunamungauyaagani ubluktamaat pikata-gunaiktut naunakhiligutigigamiuk akhutaalangutiligutait nunamiitaami kitkaniitubluinit.Pilailiktait pilaakviit nunamutovalo tagiumut atukatayuktainik ubluini,pipkailiktait Inuit ayokhagutigilikhugitinminik ovaluniit ihumaaluinakatali-givlugit (taivaktuk ilangit nunaini “upingaami ihumaalugutait”).

Tamamik aviktukimayut tuhaktitiyutmikhitigutait nakuuyut ovalo amigaitju-tait imilaaktainik imanik pipkailiktutaalanguktilimat nipaluligutait, kuu-gauyait ovalo imaiktiligutait ilangitnunamni. Mikhitigutait pilaaktainik hap-koa pitkutikhait angilipkailiktait Inuitimilaalilutik imanik aninaktukaktunik,ilaa, tahapkononga atuyuktut, inminik,ihuakhakhimayunik imanik imikatalima-ta nunamini. Nakuuluangitut imait pip-

pipkailiktut ilangit umayukhiugutait,ilangit ikalukhiugutit ovalo kilalugakhi-ugutit ovalo natikhiugutit, pikatalaalik-tut ukiakhanut ukiuhaguikmat. Kihimi,hamna tuhaktakhak takupkaiyuk kun-giagutaini ovalo ikpinagutaini nau-naiyakhimayut Inunit ovalo taimailimat,amigaitut kungiagutait ublumi tuhakti-tauyut pipkailiktut ihuitumikikpinagutainik, ilangit, pipkailiktutaalanguktitiliktait umayukhiuktunut.

Takukalaiktait tuhaktakhat ayoikhaktuninaunaiyaliktuk Inuit ayohagutiliktutaalanguktiligutainik ukiuktaktumihilakyuanganik.Taimaimat aalanguliktuthavaktigutait umayut ovalo autlaagutait,umayukiuktut autlaakataliktut ungahiktu-mut ovaluniit aalanut atukpaktainikumayukhiuviik nikikhakhiugutait nunamit. Hamna ikpinagiyauliktuknikikhainik piyumayainik nunaminut,angilipkailikhugit iklumini akiligutikhaitpiyaagani nikikhainik nunanit ovalo ani-naktiligutait umayukhiuktut autlaagia-gani. Keelininingit pilaaktainik nunanitnikikhait pipkaiyut angiyumikatugutikhait ilangit akituyut niuvikhi-mayut nikikhat niuvikvinit. Ilaa, hamnaaalangutiligutait nigiyainik – anianaitunik,nakuuyunik pikaktut nunanit nikikhainiknaunaiyakhimayunik niuvikpaktutnikikhainut – pilaaktut ikpinagutainikaniaktiligutainik Inuit, pivamat ungahiktu-mut pipkailaaliniaktait nunaini.

Tamakmivyak nunait naunaiyakhimayutnaunaiyanahuagiagani hilat aalanguk-

kailiktuk pikataliktainik ovaluniit naku-utkiyanik imanik havagutainik atulinialik-tainik. Ilangit aviktukhimayut tuhaktitiyutInutukait imilimaimata hanayauhimayunikimanik, akyaktauvaktut akhaluutikut, aniak-tilaaligimagit imigaagamigit. Ovalo pihi-manahuagiagani munagitjutait ayonaktutovalo akituyut, ilaa, hilakyuamik hivunikhap-tini pikataliktait akhut aalanguktiligutainikhilainik ovalo aalanguktiligutait nunatataani kikumayut mikhhaanut unakatalimatovalo makhaktilimata tungavingit.

Kiunahuagiagani atugutikhait,aalangutiligutait atugutait ikpinagiliktaitnunait ukiuktaktumi aalatkiinik, hanalutikiklukhanik nunanit (mikhitigiagani aut-laagutikait ayokhahakumik nunani ilaa nau-nakhilimat hilait) nakhakatalikhutik imik-takhainik nunamiiligaagamik (pipkaiyutmikhitilimat pilaaktainik ovalo nakuuyunikimikvikhaink).

Amigaitut tuhaktakhat aalanguligutaitmikhaani pikatayuktainik. Ilangit nunatISRmi tahakpaliktut Inunit anugaalikpa-likhutik nutaanik pipkailimata aalangu-tigutait kiuyaukatalimata niviuvanit amigali-mata. Ilikatalikhutik kiktugialigutinikigalaamini ikluminut amigailimatakiuyaukatagutait. Ovalo ISRmi unaliktutimat tuhaktitiyut, pipkailiktut ikalukhiugutitpivaktut kuvyanit nakuuhiukataliktut kilamik.Taimaimat, ikalukhiuktitihivgiukatainaliktait kuvyaminik kilamikamigaitkiyainut. Ikalukhiukatalikhutik ukiuni hivunikhaaganit aipaagani ukiunit.Labradorimi, kangukhiukataliktut hivu-


nikhaaganit ukiuni aipaaganianit ovaloNunavumi, natikhiuktut amigailiktutumayukhiuktait auyami, ilaa kivihalaiti-tlugit, kapakhimaititlugit.

Pilaaktainik aalangutiligutainik ubluitovalo nani umayukhiukviit nunani tuhak-titiyut ikayuktauyut aalangutiligutainikpiliktut.Titigakimayuk hamani, ilangitaviktukhimayut ovalo nunait nuutitihak-tut ubluinik ovalo nani umayukhiuliktutilangit umayut. Hamna pikatainagamigitaalangugutait, ilaa Inuinaugamikumayukhiuktit. Kihimi, piyukhauliktutaalangulaalugit atanguyait umayukhiuk-tiligiyinit munagiyunitlu ovalo maligali-ugutainik, umayukhiugutait pikatalimatahilataanit umayukhiuvaktainit, nunatatukatagaluaktainitlu aalangulimataumayut nuutitigutainik, ubluitlu. Ilangitaviktukhimayut aalat, aalangutigutihaitmaligaliugutait nutaat ovaluniit taku-laikataktut umayut ilangit, piyaaganinutaat ovaluniit aalanguligutaittakuyaukatagutainik pilaaliktukhataalanguligutainik munagiyinit. Ilaa,ilaukatauyut Labradorimi ukakhimayut,tuktuvait takukaliktuugaluit nunamini,umayukhiulaitait ilaa, maligali-ugutainamik pitkuhimaimata. Nunatatugutait aalanguligutainik, maligaliutitatuktainik, aalanguktiyukhatlumunagiyaagani hamna aalangulik-tigutainut nunani ovalo ilaukatautjutainikInuit nunaminut munagiyauyaagani.Pilaaktakhainik ovalo atugutait ami-gaitut atugutainik naunaiyakhimayutmikhaanut aalangutiligutainiklu.

Ikpiajuqmi, Nunavut, angitkiyait ovalo kayumitkiyait kayat atuktauliktut kiu-nahuakhugit malikhiukpialigutait ovalonalunakhiliktut imait ovalo GPSnikatuligutainik naunaiyagiagani naniitut.Atugutait ilaukatalimata taimakataliktuni,nunat tamamik ikaungitut pitkuyainiknutaat atugutait ihuakhagiagani. Kugaaruk,Nunavut ovalo Ivujivik, Nunavik, ilangitilaukatauyut ukaktut kingmiktugutit ihu-atkiyauliktut nutaanit atugutainik ilangit,nunahiugutit ovalo atukataliktait. AmigaitutInuit ikayuktut atugutaikhainik aalatkiiniknunamiitjutikhanik ovalo nutaanikmaligutikainik aalangulimata hilait nakuutkiyamik.

Ilangit aalanguligutainik atugutaini pitkuhi-mayut nunanit ilauyut tuhaktituitjutainikovalo hakugikhilugit pilaaktakhainutilaukatigilugit inunut nunaini ovalo avik-tukhimayaini munagiyaagani ilangit tuh-agutikhait nakuutkiyamik ayokhagutainikatuliktainik ublumi. Aipaa, ilangit nunatukaktut amigailigutainik tuhaktitjutikhainikikagiagani katitigutainik ovaloilauakatigiyaagani tuhakataktahainikkanugitjutaini nunamini hikuit, nunait ovalohilainik. Hamna ikayugutikhak mikhitilaak-tait aninagutikhait ovalo ayokhagutikhaitumayukhiuktunut ovalo autlaaktunutnunamini. Ilaa, amigaitut umayukhiuktutatuliktuugaluit naalautinik nunamiili-gaagamik, akhuutut piyukhat ovlao ikayuk-taulutik tuhaktituitjutikhat hilaminikatukataliktakhait amigaitkiyanik. Ovalo pin-gahuanut, ilaukatauut tuhaktitiyut, pilaak-takhainik tuhaktitiliktukhat aviktukhi-

mayainik, naalautikut kitkani pikaliktukhattuhaktitaukatagiagani kanugitaakhait hilanunaminit (aatjikutaatut nigiaganiKanatami) ikayugutigilaamata.

Amigaitut aalanguligutait ovaluniit pitkuhi-mayut nunanit pihimayukhat kinauyakhainikhanatiligiyiini. Kihimi, iklut ovalo nunatilaukatailaimata hapkoa pitkutikhainikovalo ilangit kinauyakhainik ikpinagiyauli-mata aalanguligutainik pikatagutainut. Ilaa,ilangit nunat ilaa, ISRmi naunaiyakhimayutkinauyaliugutait nanigiakhiuktuni ovalouyagkahiuktuni mikhiliktut.Taimaimat, iklutovalo nunat ilangit akiliktuutjutait angilinia-liktut aalanguligutainik nunaini kihimi kinauyaliuktait mikhitiligalualutik.

Ihumagiyait kinauyanut mikhaanut ilaaikpinaktut ilaa, pilaaktainik Inuit ovlaonunait iniktiktakhalimagit amigaitutuktugutikhait akikamata ovalo kitkutakiliniamagit. Ilangit nunat naunaiyakhi-mayut piyumayainik ikayugutikhait pipkai-liktut akiliktugutikhainik ilangit, ukhuhaitovalo ihuakhagutikhainik atugutainik nunhiutinik ovalo niuvigutikhainik kayu-mitkiyanik ovalo angitkiyanik kayanik,kanugitaakhainut nunamini hilait pivaktain-ut. Nunat kikitiiviit pilihimayut naunaiyakhi-mayut pilaaktut munagiyaagani amigaitutnunat pikangitunut. Kihimi amigaitut tuhak-tititaaktut nunani kikitiviit akituyut atugia-gani ovalo munagiyaagani. Hanatjutikhaithavagutaikhainik ihuakhagutikhait imanikniukagiagani ovalo nungutigutait hinaatimanit ovalo ihuakhagutikhainik ikluminiknunani – hapkoa piyumayait akikamata

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katimakataumata, ukakatigiimata ovaloayoikatigiimata ilakatigiiminit hamnaikpinaktuk ihumagiyainik. Ukaktutluakhut piyumayainik havakatigiilutikhamna ihumakatigiigutainut ayoikhaktu-ni ukaktait “kaaganiikafumata” nalungi-tait pihiayainik iluani nunamini.Ilaukatauyut ukaktut ihivgiufaalugithamna iluaniit makpigaani piyukhatnaluhuigiagani kanuk angiyut Inuit kauyimayatukangit.

Nunanit ilaukatauyut naunaiyakhimayutamigaivyaktunik ilaukatauyukhattunilugit tuhagutikhainik hamanitayoikhakvimit, ilangit, nunanit ovaloaviktukhimayut kavamatkut ovaloumayuligiyit havakviit, tatpaungahilakyuami havakviinut, ilangitUkiuktaktumi Katimayiit ovalo UnitedNationmut. Angikatigiiktut tamakminit,piyumayut “ukakatigilugit tamaat tuhak-takhainik” hamani ukakhimayainik,ilaukatauyut naunaiyakhimayut amigaitunik pikuyakhainik ovalo ikayu-laaktut pitkutikhainik.

Ikpinatkiyainut, hamna ilaukatautjutaithanayakhat tunihimayut atulaaktainikInuit ukagiagani ihumaalugiyainik,ihumagiyainik ovalo nalungitainik ovalotunihimayut ikayugutikhainik Inuittuhaktiyumayainut ihumagiyaunikikpinagiliktait inuuhiminik ubluk tamaat.Hanayakhat ilaukatauyut piyumayutnunat ihumagiyait tuhaktitaulutik aviktukhimayunut, Kanatamut ovaloHilakyuamut kavamatkuit ovalo

ihuakhagiagani. Mikiyuugalualutiktutkuktuitjutikhait ilitigumagumik kik-tugiiyagutit ikluni ovaluniit angiyut aki-liktugutikhait hinaanik nungutigutainuthanayakhat ovaluniit ihuakhagutikhaitimatiligiyinik, nunat tuhaktitiyut akiitmikhaanut ilangit aalanguligutaituktugutikhainik ilaani pilaitut ovalopitkuhimaitut ihumagiyaagani.

Hamna ukaktait makpigaat takupkaiyukikpinagutainik ilaukatautjutikhainik ilan-git amigaitut kavamatkuni, ilangini kava-matkut munagiyiini, kavamatkuugituthavakviini ovalo ilaa, ilanginik Inuithanayaagani nakuuyunik ovalo ihuaktu-nik ihuakhagutihait hilakyuaptinik ukiuk-taktumi. Ilaukatautjutikhait hanayakhathamani katitihimaliktut kauyimay-atukaniit nalungitainik hilakyuat aalan-guligutainik Inuit nalungitainik pikatal-igutianik aalanguligutait nunamini ovalohapkoa kanuginiagutikhainik Inuit.Naluhuigutait tuhaliktait mikhaanutilaukatauyunut aalatkiit ikayulaamatanaunaiyagiagani ovalo munagiyaaganiangiyut akhuugutigiyait Inuit ublumiovalo akhuugutigiyakhait hivunikhaini.Ilaukataugumik ovalo hakugiktut nunaniilaukataugumik ikpinaktuk akhuthanatiligiyaagani pikuyakhainik, pilihi-mayukhainik ovalo uktugutikhainik nakuuyumik piyaagani hilakyuat aalan-guligutainut ikayulaamata.

Nunanit nunakatigiiktut ilauyut hamaniayoikhaktuni ukakhimayut koyagivlugitInutukait, Inikniit ovalo Inuulgamiit

havakviit pikuyakhait aalanguktiyaaganipiyumayainik. Ovalo, tuhagutikhiat hamnatuhaktakhat tunihimaliktuk hakugiktumikatulaaktainik piligiagani hanatiligiyukhatatugutikhainik pipkaiyaagnai nunatangigutikhainik ilaulutik aalanguligutaitpiliktut ovalo pilaaktut ikpinagutait ubluktamaat inuuhiini.

Nalunaituk Inuit aalanguktiliktut munaginahuakhugit ikpinagutait hilataalangutiligutainut kangagaaluk.Pipkaliktait Inuit avaliitumik ilihalaaktainikilangit hilakyuakatigiinut hunat kainialiktuthamunga ihumaalugiyainut. Inuit nalungi-tainik ovalo ayongitainik aalangulik-tigutainik nunamini hilainut atuktaulaaktuknunani pivaktainik ihumagiyainik ublumiovalo hivunikhaini. Mamiana kihimi, hamnapilaaktait aalanguligutainut ikpinagiliktaitInuit ublumi. Hilakyuat aalanguligutait –tamamik aalatkiit – kailiktut kilamik ovlaonaunaktut kanuginiagiakhait nalungitainikUkiuktaktumi Inuit pilaaktainik kiunahua-giagani kilamiilimat.

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Havakhat Naitoliogat(Executive Summary - Inuvialuktun Translation)

“There are so many

changes the older

generations are not

able to teach our chil-

dren about these

things anymore”

(Puvirnituq, Nunavik).

Okoa Okioktaktomi nunat allangoliktot.Imaililiktot, kaffin ayoitot nunalikotit elihimayaoliktot okaotigiyait onagokOkioktaktok aghot hilap kanogilipkak-nialikta nuna hila nunalo allangolikmatonnaktitlikhoni. Okoa hamani nunanitonongani nuna elihimaliktot hilagokallangoktok, Inuit elihimaliktat taotokhogo, holijutiliktot nunamot ovalo kanok okaotigivaliktat.

Okoa Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK),okoa Nasivvik Centre okoalo InuitAnniaktailitait ovalo Hilalo Allangoliktokovani Laval University, ova okoaloAjunnginiq Centre ovaniitok NationalAboriginal Health Organization, tabkoapikatigivlogit nunani Inuit katimayiitokoalo nunaliit ovalo allat pannatik,ehivgiokhikatigiiktot meetikhotik okao-hikaktot nunap hilanga allangoliktokovalo kanogilitjutiliktok inukakninotovani hitamani Inuit nunaitni ovaniKanatap Okioktaktongani. Okoa meeti-otigiyait ovani 2002-mit 2005-motokaotigivlogit okoat InternationalInstitute havaktot Angoyakhanot Hogaat ehivigogakhat ovani Ekaahokmi,Nunatiami, ovani 2001. Ona onipkak,Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the HumanFace on Climate Change – Perspectivesfrom Inuit in Canada (Unipkaakatigiit:

Inuit okaotait Inuknot AkoliatotOnipkagiyait Hila Allangolitok–Inuit elihimayatik Okaotigiyait Kanatamiot),okaotigiyait okoat meetiotigivlogit.

Hamani meetikmata elihakhotik, onahavakhanik ehoakhaiyut pikatigiiktotekayukpaktot nunani meetiktit titigakhotiktaotokhimayamingnik, kanogilitjutionik ovalo nunamiot kanok naonaikhimaliktaithila nunalo allangokmat ovalo kanogitotallangoktot. Okoa taotoktatik onipkaktaitInuingok elihimaliktait hila allangoktiliktoknaliak nunalo allangokhoni. Elait taotoktottakovagait okoat: hilalokatainalikhoni; hikkohaalivloni ovalo apotikkokhivloni; nippaloitlohikkotikatainalikhotik; ovalo hikkinikhakogikhoni.

Meetiktot ayoikhaotita elaoyut elihimaliktotkanok taotoktatik hila nunalo allangoktotkanogilitjutiot inuknot ova inukakninotlo:hila naonakhivloni aolagiami inuit nak-tikataliktot aolaktot nunami; hikkolo allangohoni ovalo apotit naonakhivlotikovalo hilalo naonakhivloni angoniagaminikikhakhiogomayuni, ematot, inuit kablon-aktakloani niggilihotik angoniaknik ayok-nakhikmat; hikko haalivlon hokot aolagiaminaonakhivloni, kakogolo aolagomatitlonkovalo kanogitonik aolagotikakloni; tattitkukkat allangokhotik emgiami hivog-


“Older people are not

teaching younger ones

the same information they

were taught about the

land, and people are taking

for granted how they think

the conditions are”

(Nunatsiavut).

nakhivlotik emakligamik; ovalo ami-gaiyumiktot UV aolagiami ottik-nakhivloni ovalo kommingnakhivlotik.

Hamani amigaitoni, kinat okoaloinukaknitlo hila aolavigiliktat allangok-tok naliak kanok aolavigiliktait allan-goktot. Imatot, okoa InuvialuitNunataakviani Nunami (ISR), ikaluitmayoakvikhait etihiliktoktaovaliktotematot ikaluit ikalgomi piomangitmataekililikhotiklo ema emakakniit emailik-mata mayaokvitik.

Meetitait okoat meetiktit elihimaliktaotkanogilitjutiot inuit taotoktait nunathilal0, nunat kanogilitjutiot inuknot inuhi-inik hamani Okioktaktomi. Onalo nip-paloit nippalokalikmata hikkotikhi-makhotik nunamot ehoigotiot. Hominunani tamaini, onipkaktait hikkotigotiotnaovaktonot nunami(aomaktot-hikkoyutnipaloit), ayoknakhiot tuktunot nikigiva-gait. Nikikokhikmat tuktut kapaagoliktotannialikhotiklo Hamalo tuktut ahinotonggahiktonot kenikhiavaktotnikikakninot nunanot. Emailivaliavutokoat tuktut ongahikhiliktot nunanot nuulikhotik nikikaknint angoniagiamiTaimailikmata tuktut angoniagiami ayok-nakhivyaktot Inukni ovalo Inuit inukaknit,angoniakpalagoiktot ongahiktomot

tuktuhiogiami. Inukakniit pitkoyut atoliklotiktaimatot: okoa nikkitik allangoliktotnikkainaohoikhotik: ona eligoaktat nunanikikitteeviit nikikakloagoiktot, ovalo nunamiinuit angoniaktingit angoniakloagoikhotikkanogitonik tuktunik angoniagahoat.

Tamaita honat hilap allangoktait nunat naliak hilalo onipkaktat Inuit ehoigiliktaitallangoktot. Imatot, hila allangoliktoknoivaliatutiot nutaanik hogaanik, elaitemakak nakooyunakhiot inuknot angonia-gakhat kakogomot. Okoa nutat hogat akilgit takokhaoliktot Inuvikmi, Nunatiami,okoalo Tuktuvait ovani Labrador taggiothinaani nutat nikikhat angoniagakhattikikataliktot, elait angonialaitot hajjahamani nutangokmata. Hamalo, hila allan-goliktok elait holilokagiami, ikalukhioknik,kilalogakhioknik ovalo nattikhioknik, kakogoangoniakniakait kangaogitomit. Kihime, onaonipkak taotoktonit ovalo kanogilitjutionikelihimaliktait Inuit, ovalo, taotoktaoyut hajjaonipkaktait ehiotot kihime, elaini emaitot,nutaanik aolavikhanik piagianiktot.

Hapkoa takokhaoliktot onipkagiyaolikhotikmeetiktoni okoa Inuingok ehomaloknakhiotallangoliktomik hilami Okioktaktominunamilo. Imatot ahikot inuit aolakpa-likhotik, angoniagiaktokhotik ahinot, ovaloonggahiktomot aolakpalikhotik angoy-

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Tamaita nunat onipkaktaovaliktot emmat emakligamik emigiami kovianaik-tot ovalo emmat emagiktot ekililikhotikhila allangokmat, kukat, tattit nunaniemakokhivlotik aoyami. Emmatekililigamik hapkoa emmikhat Inuithalummaitonik emikpaligonakhiotemmaknik, inuit atokpaktot, emmaknik,emmainaknik. Emmat pineegamikemagiktot emmat nongolikmata emmik-taotit ehoakhilakiyukhat. Elait nunatokakpaliktot Eniknigit hivogaliktotemmiknik emigiamingni, emmat halum-maitonikmatalo. Hamalo, emmathalumapkagiami ayoknakhivlotik akitotit-logit hikko atani nunap mahaktilikhonilo.

Keoyait inuit hila allangoktikmat kanog-itlitjutiot inuknot okioktaktoni nunaniallatkiinik takokhaotjutiliktot, nappakti-giot iglokpaknik nannigiaktokvikhanik(aolakatagiigianganik nunamotinukaknimit ovalo iglot hilalokmihilakikheevigiyangitni hila naonai-hyikatalikmat) ovalo emmaknik kat-takyuknik aolagotikalikhotik nunaliaktot( ematot emmat hilainakmi nunaniemmaklikmata emmigiami nunainani).

Kaffit onipkaktait inuit atoliktaitloallangoktot aolayami-holioni allangok-mata. Elait nunat inukaknit ovani ISRelihimaliktot inuit kinat annogaktiakpa-likhotik hila naonakhikmat nunat hilan-ga naonakhikmat ovalo aoyami kegto-gianikpalakmat. Ovalo kegtogeelitaniktupikni iglonilo eliogaivalikhotikegalaamingni ema hila aoyakokto-

akhakhioktot. Hamna taimailitjutioknikikhakhiogiami noatkatinot, nikitsetoamiotat akittoligaloaktitlogit, ovalonutat aolagiat hivoganakhivlotik. Nikitamigalikhotiklo ema setoamiotat nikitakittoligaloaktitlogit. Hamna nikinikmotallangotilikhoni -- inuit emakak nikiging-gitamingnik niggivaligamik annialakilik-tot--nikkainaktogoknaigamik annialaki-valiktot--nikkainait niggiyami anniak-naitkiyaotitlogit.

Tamaita inukaniit nunat elihimaliktothila atolikpagagaloangat taimani angoni-agiami kihime allangokmat hajja naon-akhiok inukni. Hamna naonakhigamiklhivoganakhitiok aolaagiami, ovalo inuitaolaagangamik naktilakivaktotnunainakmi naliak hilalokmi naktitpa-likhotik. Hila hilalokatainaligamilo/naon-akhiok hila kanogiliokpaligami, ema inuitelihimayagaloangat taimani hila naon-akhiok hajja, ovalo nunat hivoganakhiotpiktomik hilalokmi naonakhikataligamikovalo tamanatnik aghalutiniahigoinakhitigami. Hamani elaini, tamay-at kanogilitpaliktot milveet, anniaktonotkimamioknaktot nakoongiotivaliktot.Hamalo,nunat elait hivoganakhiot ovalohilalo naonakhigami kanogilioknia aolaa-giami homit nunani ovalo tikinnahak-nakhivloni hila hilaloktitlogo. Nunat tikihaktaknaigamik aolakviovaktot taggiotlo emak naonaikhivloni ema inuitehomalolakivaktot naliak ehoigoho-lakivlotik(inuit onipkangat “opingagi-nagoktok”).

higamik kegtogianikpalakhonilo. Hamalookoa hamani ISR, emmatlo onnakiyao-likhotik hajja aoyagangat emalo ikaluitikaluktalgamiit ootkangamik mamaikpalik-mata Hamani atoliktat, ikalukhioktotkuvyaktoktot ikalukhiokatalikhotikikalukhamingnik. Ikalukhioknagikpalikhotikloopingami. Ovani Labradormi, oloagoleetangoyaovaktot angoyanagikpalikhogitopingami, ovalo ovani Nunavutmi, natteetnattiktaokatalikhogit aoyami ema povvalati-tlogit ovalo kevioknaimata povvalayut.

Hamani aolanik allangokhonik hilamotmaligiami ovalo homi angoniakpalikhotikinuit nunani onipkaktait ekayukhogit kanokangoniagiamilo allangoktitlogo holilokaknik.Hamani okaotaoyuk, elait nunat okoaloinukaknit inuhitik allangoktait hilamalikhogo ova homi angoniakvinikhotikkangogitonik. Hamna naonaiktok kanokinuit maliliktat aolanik hilakot allangoga-loaktitlogo, elaini, ehomayaovaliktot Inuitangoniaktot angoniagotait allangokhotik.Kihime, elaini allakot angoniaknakhiokmalikoiyut angohikiit hogaanot ovalo malik-takhat allangoyoititlogit, inuit angoniakataahiani maliganik nlaiak homongagangatangoniagakhat naliak kiglinggit hogaat ahi-noktiliktitlogit naliak homot aolavaliktitlog-it. Elait allani homi nunani, ehoaktonik ato-gianiktot angoniagomayut nutaakot naliakallat hogat atoliktait nunat. Imatot, elaoyuttonongani Labradormiot okaktot ehoma-lokhotik tuktuvait takokhaovaliktot nunam-ingni, kihime angonialimaitait angoni-agotikhait alaokmata. Hamani nuna allan-goktomi, maligakhat atogianiktot nutanik


nunami ehoakhiokhaniktok angoniago-tinik ovalo Inuit atogomakmatanutaanik angoniagotinik.

Hamani atoktakhat ovalo piokhat nutaatangoniagotit ovalo nutaat iglokpaitnaonaiktot ema allangoktot atoligiangit-ni. ovani Ikpiakyukmi, Nunavutmi,angitkiat kayumiktot kayat atoktaovalik-tot taggiok maliktoknikhikmat ovalo tag-giok maliktoknikhikmat, ovalo nunahiotitatoktaovalikhotik (GPS) ematot homotnaonaitkotit aolagiami. Kihime okoaatoktaogaloaktitlogit elaini angoniak-toni, inukakniit pinahoangitugaloatnutaanik atoktakhanik. Ovani Kugaaruk,Nunavut,ovanilo Ivujivik, Nunavik, elaitmeetiktot elihimaliktot aolaagiami ken-mikot hivoganaitkiyaoliktok sekiitonit,ovalo atokoyaoloaliktot. Amigaitkiatinuit kinat ekayuktait atokoyait inuitelitkohiit ovalo nutat atoklotik hilanunalo allangoktomi.

Elait inuit allangoliktomot hilamot maliotiliktot pitkoyait inuit tohaajutikotnaonaikhimalikhotik ovalo ehoakhiliktokinuit tohakataotiligamik naon-aikhimaplotik inuit ovani inukaknini.Hivolikpak, inuit tohaajutinkkamikinukaknitlo naonaikhimakatigiiliamikhonanik allangoktoni nunanik. Aipalo,elait inukaknit okakhimalitktottohaakatigiikpalikhogik ekayukniaktotkatitigilotik ovalo nalonaiyaklotik nunaniinukaknit hilanga kanogilittok, hikko,nunalo onalo hila kanogiliok. Hamnatohakatigiiknik hivoganaitkotaolikmat

angoniaktonot oingaikhimagangamik angoniaktot hivoganaitokot angoniakpaktotaolalokaktot nunami. Kihime amigaitotangoniaktot atoliktot naalaotinik inuittohakvigikatalikhogit homeetot, ema inuitnaalaotinik ehagiativaktot naalaotinikamikhomaahoiktok nuna hilalo allangoliktitlogo.Ovalo pinggahoat, elaoyut meetiktoni okak-tot tohakatagomaliktot hilalikionit (ajiko-tainik atokpagainik aosaimiot Kanatami)ehoakniagaloaktok.

Amigaitot atogianiktot ayoknagaloakhotikhomi nunani naliak pitkoyaoyutinukanikmiot inuit manikhainik piyangitnikehagianaktot. Kihime, inuit homi inukakninitamakmik hapkoninga atolimainmata, ovaloelait maniit kanogilitjutiokhat hila allango-liktitlogo. Imaitput elait, inukaknit elait,okoat nunami Oaliniikmioni ISR, elittogiotmanikhainik nannitiaktoknimit ovalo angoni-aknimit ekilivaliayut. Elait inuit, kinat ovainukaknini akiliktogatik akitokniaktot nunamaligahoaklogo allangoktiktok ema manilio-gotitik ekilivaliatitlogit.

Okoat okaotaoyut maniktutikhanikokaotigiyait hivitotitlogit ema inuit kinatovalo inukakniit eliogaiyumatitlgoit kaffinikatolikpaliayakhanik oktutinik akiliktogian-gitni atogomayatik. Elait inukaknit naon-aikhiyut ehagiagiyatik atogakhat akittolikti-tlogit oghot kasileet, hanayami sikeetot,ovalo neovigomatitlogit kayumiktonik naliakangitkianik kayaknik, kanok hila nunalokanogititlogo hila atoliktaktik. Inuit akon-gani koakakviit atogiakaktot amigaitoninunani ema koakhiiveetitlogit. Kihme,

amigaitot okaktot koakhiiveet akitoyutovalo hanigait eokagalaiyagiakaktotlo ovalo monagiyamilo. Ona hanayami iglonikhonanik emmiktaotinik halummayukhanikovalo taggioplo hinaa nongotilaiyaklogomalikmit, inuitlo igloit atoktait hanaya-gianiktitlogit – holiyamik hapkoatigutmaniktoknakhoni. Kanoklikiak mikkaoga-loat neovikhimayut eliogagiami kegtogeeli-taat iglono naliak akitoyut taggiot hinaitnongotilaiyagiami malikmit naliakemmaknik halumayutinik, akiit akitoyutelait havagiami ayoknakhotik.

Hamani makpigami naonaiktot hivitonigitpikatigiiklotik ovalo pannagiiklotik inuitlokavamatlo piagiakaktot, kavamaongitotloinuit katimayiit, ovalo hivitoyuk, elaologitInuinait ehoaktomik aolakatigiiktokhatovalo ehoaktonik aolatjutikhainik piyangitnihila nunalo allangoliktitlogo Okioktaktomi.Okoa pannagiit hanalotik naonaktogaliknikelihimayakhanik kanok hila allangoktokInuit elihimaliktat nunani tamaini. Ona elihimayaoyuk inuit tohakatigiikomik ovaloehoakhitiokhat hivonik kanogilinialikmat.Pikatigiikhimaklotik pannagiit inuit-nunanielaologit maligakhanik, atoktakhanik oktu-tikhanik ehoaktokot aolaligiangitni hilaallangoliktomi.

Inukaktonik inuit elaogomik meetikataklotikokakhimaktokhat koyagiyait Eniknigit,enikneet okoalo inulgamiit meetikataokmatahapkononga, okaktot ovalo elittogikatigiiktothaffominga. Okaktot havakhimaklotik haf-fominga elitamingnik“kangina noikafoktok”hamna elihimayaoyuk inuknit. Meetiktot

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okalaktot allaniklo titiganik noit-tiomayut Inuit kaoyimayatokainik.

Nunani meetikataoyut inuit elittokhiotallatkiinik okaotainik taotokhimayait-niklo naonaiktamingnik meetiktonihamani, okoa nunani ovalo ahini nunani-lo kavamat okoalo hogaalikiot katimayi-it okoalo ahinikyoakmiot pikatigilogitmeetiktit, okoa Arctic Council okoaloUnited Nations. Hamani inuit angikhi-maliktokhat tamainit inuknit pitkoyaitematot “inuit tohaktitaklogit”;hamaniokaohimi, meetiktot naonaitatik kaffitmaligakhat ovalo atoktakhat pitkoliktait.

Okoa hivitonigit, ona pannagiiknikhavakhanot ekayutaonahoaliktok Inuitehomaalotigilikmagit, ehomagiyaitloovalo elihimayait, ovalo ekayugahoaklog-it okaktot inuhitik allangoliktot hilamit.Ona havakhak pannagiiktoni ehomayutinuit ehomaalogiyait tohakhaoligomikhomiotanit ekayuktaovalianiaktotnunanit, kanatamit ovalo ahinikyoak-mionit ovalo havakviit maligakhanikhavaktaoyangitni. Hamalo, ona naon-aitkot onipkaktaoyuk atoliktaoniaktokpivaliatjutikhanik aolayutinik nunaliitehomalioktot-havaktot havaktokhat hilaallangoliktomi ovalo inuheenot hilakanogilitjutilikmat oblotoak inuheenot.

Hamai naonaittiaktok okoa Inuit inuhi-tik aolaliktait hila allangoliktitlogo kan-gangoktomi. Hamna Inuknot kanogilitju-tiliktok nunani aolanigitni nunakyoatahinikmiot elittogipkaliktait. Inuit

elihimattiakmata ovalo kaoyimatiakhotiknunamingni maliktat hila nunalo allangolik-tok ovalo atoliktot hila allangoktot honatlokakogomot kanogilitjutiniakliktotlo.Ayoknaktok, maligiami honat hivitovlotikInuknot oblomi. Hila nuna allangoktomi –tamaita honat – tikihimaliktot ayoknakhotikkayumikhiot ovalo kanogilitjutinialiktotOkioktaktomionot inuknot.

“People have lost

boats and equipment

because of quickly

shifting winds”


| PAGE 37

Sommaire (Executive Summary - French Translation)

“Plants used to be

healthier. Plants

don’t bloom the way

they used to”


Le milieu arctique est présentement enévolution. En fait, nombre de modèlesscientifiques donnent à penser quel’Arctique sera l’une des régions les plussévèrement touchées par le changementdu climat mondial. Alors même que desérieux changements environnementauxs’opèrent dans cette région du Nord, lesInuits en sont d’ores et déjà témoin, ensubissent les répercussions et se voientcontraints d’agir.

En collaboration avec les collectivités etorganismes inuits régionaux et d’autrespartenaires, l’Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami(ITK), le Centre Nasivvik pour la santédes Inuits et les changements environ-nementaux dont l’Université Laval estl’hôte et le Centre Ajunnginiq del’Organisation nationale de la santéautochtone (ONSA) ont réalisé une séried'ateliers axés sur les changements envi-ronnementaux et sur l’incidence de ceuxci sur les collectivités dans les quatrerégions inuites de l'Arctique canadien.Les ateliers, réalisés de 2002 à 2005,s’inscrivent dans le sillon d’une initiativede recherche réalisée en 2001 parl’Institut international du développementdurable à Sachs Harbour, dans lesTerritoires du Nord Ouest. Le présentrapport, intitulé Unikkaaqatigiit:

Putting the Human Face on Climate Change – Perspectives from Inuit inCanada, présente le fruit de ces ateliers.

Dans le cadre des ateliers, l’équipe de projeta aidé les membres des collectivités à con-signer leurs observations et à recenser lesrépercussions et les adaptations localesattribuables au changement climatique et àd’autres transformations environnementales.Selon les observations recueillies, les Inuitssont conscients de l’évolution présente deleur environnement et des transformationsparticulières qui se sont déjà opérées dansleur milieu. À noter parmi les observationsles plus fréquentes, l’augmentation du nom-bre de tempêtes, la réduction de la couver-ture de glace et de neige, la fréquenceaccrue de pluies verglaçantes et la progres-sion de l’intensité du rayonnement solaire.

Les participants aux ateliers ont égalementsignalé la manière par laquelle les change-ments observés influent sur les personnes etles collectivités. En raison de l’imprévisibil-ité des conditions météorologiques, de plusen plus de personnes se retrouvent prises audépourvu alors qu’elles parcourent le terri-toire. Le changement de l’état des glaces etde la neige et l’imprévisibilité des conditionsclimatiques compliquent l’accès à la nourrit-ure locale, ce qui, par conséquent, boule-


“Increased unpre-

dictability in the weather

has made it more

difficult to go hunting

now. We have to con-

sider this more now”

(Ivujivik, Nunavik).

verse les habitudes alimentaires deshabitants. L’amincissement de la glace aune incidence non seulement sur le choixdes routes empruntées lors de déplace-ments, mais également le moment retenupour effectuer ces déplacements et lesvéhicules utilisés. Les sources d’approvi-sionnement en eau potable se retrouventdiminuées en raison de la qualité moin-dre de l’eau des lacs et des rivières.Enfin, l’exposition accrue aux rayons UV provoque des coups de soleil et l’apparition d’éruptions cutanées.

Dans nombre de cas, les individus et les collectivités ont déjà commencé às’adapter à ces changements ou à pren-dre les mesures nécessaires dans le butd'en minimiser les effets. Par exemple,des chenaux ont été dragués dans les rivières dans la région désignée desInuvialuits afin de contrer la diminutiondes populations de poisson, imputable àla baisse importante du niveau des eaux.

Les participants aux ateliers ont établides liens complexes entre leurs observa-tions, les répercussions sur l’environ-nement et les incidences sur les popula-tions du Nord. La fréquence accrue depluies verglaçantes et des cycles de gel-dégel en est un bon exemple.

Dans presque toutes les régions, l’épaississe-ment de la glace recouvrant le lichen enhiver (résultat des cycles de gel-dégel ou despluies verglaçantes) entrave l’accès à cetteplante, principale source d’alimentation descaribous. Comme la nourriture se fait rare,les caribous sont désormais plus petits et enmoins bonne santé. Ces derniers doiventalors parcourir de plus grandes distances àla recherche de lichen et sont souvent oblig-és de se déplacer vers de nouveaux secteurs.Il est donc plus difficile pour les chasseursde suivre les bêtes et de repérer les tracesde celles ci. La qualité moindre de la viandede caribou et la taille réduite des prisesaffecte la sécurité alimentaire des Inuits etcelle des collectivités inuites. Afin deremédier à cette situation, les collectivitésinuites ont proposé diverses solutions,notamment la substitution d’aliments,l’achat de congélateurs communautaires làoù il n’y en a pas et des mesures de sensibil-isation à l’intention des chasseurs, visant àinciter ces derniers à choisir leur cible defaçon plus judicieuse.

Toutefois, les changements climatiques ouenvironnementaux observés par les Inuits nesont pas tous néfastes. L'évolution du climata, par exemple, favorisé l’implantation denouvelles espèces, qui, si certaines d’entreelles étaient éventuellement récoltées, pour-

| PAGE 39

aliments locaux et menace la sécuritédes chasseurs, car ceux ci doiventemprunter des parcours différents,lesquels s’avèrent beaucoup plus risqués.L’accès limité à la nourriture tradition-nelle entraîne également une dépendanceaccrue à l’égard de certains alimentsvendus à fort prix dans les marchés d’al-imentation. Ainsi les aliments tradition-nels sains et nutritifs qui composaientauparavant le régime alimentaire desInuits font de plus en plus place à desproduits raffinés d’épicerie, ce qui, sansaucun doute, risque d’avoir un impactimportant sur la santé des Inuits et parconséquent, des incidences importantesdans les collectivités.

Selon la presque totalité des collectiv-ités, il est de plus en plus difficile deprévoir les conditions météorologiques à l’aide de méthodes traditionnelles.Cette situation menace encore davantagela sécurité des Inuits, car ces derniersrisquent vraisemblablement d’être sur-pris par de violentes tempêtes ou pris audépourvu alors qu’ils parcourent le terri-toire. La fréquence accrue des conditionsmétéorologiques exceptionnelles ouimprévisibles, l’impossibilité de se fieraux indicateurs traditionnels de tempéra-ture ou de navigation et les risquesaccrus que représente le paysagechangeant entraînent l’augmentation desdommages causés aux infrastructures etaux véhicules voire la destruction mêmede ceux ci. Combinés à la dégradation de certaines infrastructures comme les

raient revêtir un intérêt pour les Inuits.L’introduction de spruce hens dans lazone d’Inuvik, dans les Territoires duNord Ouest, et d’orignaux le long de lacôte du Labrador représente possible-ment une nouvelle source de nourriture,bien que la chasse de certaines de cesespèces soit présentement assujettie àdes restrictions. De plus, certaines activ-ités, telles la chasse à la baleine et auphoque et la pêche peuvent être pra-tiquées pendant une période plus longue,compte tenu de l’évolution de la duréedes saisons d’année en année. Ceci étantdit, comme ce rapport fait état desobservations des Inuits et des incidencesque ces derniers ont observées, ilimporte de souligner que la plupart desobservations recueillies jusqu’à main-tenant sont plutôt négatives et, dans certains cas, entraînent le recours àd’importantes mesures d’adaptation.

Les constatations présentées lors desateliers indiquent que les Inuits sont par-ticulièrement vulnérables aux change-ments qui s’opèrent dans le milieu arc-tique. En raison de la mutation des voiesde migration et des sentiers empruntéslors de déplacements, le chasseur doit,maintenant parcourir de plus longuesdistances et modifier en conséquence leparcours qu’il emprunte afin de récolterles aliments traditionnels. Cette situationa des incidences non seulement sur lasécurité alimentaire de la collectivité,mais elle nécessite que les ménagesdépensent davantage afin d’obtenir des

pistes d'atterrissage pour ne nommer quecelles là, ces facteurs ont, à l’occasion,compliqué les évacuations sanitaires. Enoutre, les risques que représente le paysagechangeant et les situations météorologiquesextrêmes ou imprévisibles empêchent leshabitants du Nord de parcourir le territoireaussi souvent qu’ils en ont l’habitude et prolongent les périodes entre les saisons.Les difficultés d’accès aux terres et à la merdurant ces périodes saisonnières transitoiressont telles que les personnes deviennent plus vulnérables au stress et à l’anxiété(phénomène qualifié de « fièvre du print-emps » dans certaines collectivités inuites).

Toutes les régions ont signalé une réductionde la qualité de l’eau potable et du nombrede sources d’approvisionnement à la suitedes changements qui ont influés sur lesrégimes de précipitations, les voies naviga-bles et les niveaux d’eau de leurs régions.En raison des difficultés croissantes enmatière d’approvisionnement, les Inuits sontplus susceptibles de consommer de l’eaucontaminée, particulièrement ceux qui, parchoix, boivent de l’eau non traitée. Étantdonné la mauvaise qualité de l’eau, les infra-structures existantes d’approvisionnement eneau potable doivent être mises à jour ou de nouvelles infrastructures doivent être amé-nagées. Dans certaines régions, les aînéssont particulièrement vulnérables aux mal-adies hydriques car ils hésitent à boire del’eau traitée. De plus, l’entretien des infra-structures d’eau potable est à la fois partic-ulièrement difficile et coûteux dans unmilieu où, en raison du réchauffement et


de la fonte de la structure fondamentaledu pergélisol, des conditions changeantesou déstabilisantes et des phénomènesextrêmes sont plus souvent observés.

Les habitants des collectivités du Nordont recours à des solutions variées afinde composer avec les changements ou des’y adapter. Certains ont construit depetites cabanes sur le territoire afin deminimiser les allers-retours entre la villeet les territoires de chasse et pêche, etde, par surcroît, servir d’abris sécuri-taires lors d’intempéries. D’autres ontchoisi d’apporter avec eux de l’eauembouteillée lorsqu’ils parcourent le territoire, compte tenu de la diminutiondes sources naturelles d’eau potable etde leur qualité moindre.

Un certain nombre de mesures d’adapta-tion retenues ont entraîné des change-ments de comportement de la par desInuits. Certaines collectivités dans larégion désignée des Inuvialuits ont faitsavoir que les personnes s'habillentmaintenant en conséquence, compte tenudes nouvelles conditions provoquées parles changements dans la population d’in-sectes. Ainsi, en raison du nombre accrude mouches piqueuses, ces personnescommencent à installer des mousti-quaires aux fenêtres de leur maison.De plus, comme l’élévation de la tem-pérature de l’eau favorise la pourrituredes poissons attrapés dans des filets,les pêcheurs de la région désignée desInuvialuits vérifient plus souvent leurs

filets afin d’en retirer les poissons. La saisonde pêche commence d’ailleurs plus tôt, toutcomme c’est le cas au Labrador pour lachasse aux oies. Au Nunavut, le phoque estde plus en plus chassé pendant la périodeestivale, alors qu’il est bien gras et moinssusceptible de couler lorsqu’il est abattu.

La capacité de déplacer le moment et lelieu des activités liées à la récolte menéespar une collectivité a été signalée afind’étayer l’adaptation de celle ci auxchangements qui s’opèrent. Tel qu’il a éténoté précédemment, certaines collectivitésont d’ores et déjà déplacé le moment et lelieu où elles chassent certaines bêtes.Cette adaptation se veut une réactionnaturelle et elle est, dans la plupart descas, perçue comme faisant partie du com-portement instinctif du chasseur inuit.Cependant, les responsables de l’exécutionde la loi en matière de gestion de la faunedoivent faire preuve de souplesse dansl’exercice de leurs fonctions et dans l’ap-plication de la réglementation, car il estpossible que les activités de récolte et dechasse doivent être réalisées pendant despériodes autres que celles qui sont nor-malement observées ou prescrites, ouencore, à l’extérieur des territoires dechasse établis soit en raison des change-ments dans les déplacements des animauxsoit d’un décalage dans la période demigration de ceux ci. Dans d’autresrégions, une certaine souplesse sera néces-saire afin de permettre la récolte de nou-velles espèces ou d’espèces envahissantesalors qu’il est possible de profiter de l’oc-

casion présentée par le changement.Par exemple, les participants du Nord duLabrador se sont dits préoccupés que, mal-gré l’apparition récente d’orignaux dansleur région, la réglementation pertinenteleur interdit toujours d’en faire la chasse.Au fur et à mesure d’évoluent les écosys-tèmes, le cadre réglementaire doit êtremodifié afin de refléter les réalités con-statées sur le territoire et les besoins desInuits compte tenu de la relation en évolu-tion qu’ils entretiennent avec leur milieu.

L’accès et le recours aux diverses tech-niques et aux nouvelles infrastructures ontété également signalés dans le cadre del’examen des mesures d’adaptationexploitées. À Arctic Bay, au Nunavut, desbateaux plus imposants et plus rapides sontutilisés afin de composer en eaux davan-tage agitées et imprévisibles. Le systèmemondial de localisation (GPS) est mis àprofit afin de faciliter la navigation. Mêmesi la technologie moderne a, à l’occasion,joué un certain rôle, les collectivités n’ontpas unanimement réclamé le recours à dessolutions modernes axées sur la technolo-gie. À Kugaaruk, au Nunavut, et à Ivujivik,au Nunavik, certains participants ont faitremarquer qu’il fallait privilégier l’attelagede chiens à d’autres technologies mod-ernes, comme la motoneige, compte tenuqu’il s’agit d’un moyen de déplacementplus sécuritaire. Nombre de personnes sonten faveur du recours à une combinaisondes moyens traditionnels et modernes afinde composer le plus efficacement possibleavec les changements environnementaux.

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Nombre des moyens d’adaptation déjàexploités ou proposés par les habitantsdes collectivités exigent des ressourcesfinancières. Cependant, plus d’un ménageet plus d’une collectivité ne disposentpas des ressources financières néces-saires. Qui plus est, certaines sources derevenus sont affectées par les change-ments même qui s’opèrent. Par exemple,certaines collectivités, notamment dansla région désignée des Inuvialuits, ontsignalé que les recettes du trappage etde la chasse ont déjà diminué. Pour cer-tains les dépenses des ménages et descollectivités augmenteront en raison desefforts d’adaptation qui devront êtredéployés afin de composer avec leschangements climatiques au momentmême où leurs revenus diminueront.

La question des ressources financièresest singulièrement importante, car lacapacité qu’ont les personnes et les col-lectivités de mettre en œuvre un nombrede stratégies d’adaptation dépend deleur capacité à en défrayer les coûts.Certaines collectivités ont manifesté lebesoin d’un soutien financier accru enraison de l’accroissement des dépensesliées à l’approvisionnement en essence,aux défraiement des réparations àeffectuer sur des motoneiges et à l’achatde bateaux plus imposants ou plus rapi-des, toujours en fonction des change-ments environnementaux locaux auxquels elles sont confrontées. Les programmes d’achat de congélateurscommunautaires ont été signalés comme

Certaines des mesures d’adaptation proposées par les collectivités pré-conisent la communication de renseigne-ments et le renforcement de la capacitéen matière de partage de renseigne-ments entre les habitants d’une collec-tivité ainsi qu’entre les collectivités etles régions. Dans un premier temps, unemeilleure communication entre les col-lectivités et les régions permettrait defaciliter le partage des renseignementspertinents au sujet des mesures d’a-justement et d’adaptation qui ont portéfruit. Dans un deuxième temps, cer-taines collectivités ont indiqué qu’unecapacité accrue en matière de communi-cation pourrait appuyer la collecte et ladiffusion par un guichet central de bul-letins sur les conditions locales, notam-ment en ce qui a trait à l’état des glaceset du territoire et aux conditions clima-tiques. Ce service permettrait de réduireles risques auxquels seraient exposés leschasseurs et les autres personnes par-courant le territoire. Même si déjà nom-bre de chasseurs restent en communica-tion au moyen de la radio lorsqu’ils par-tent à la chasse, la nécessité accrued’appuyer de telles communicationsdans un milieu de plus en plus variable aété soulignée. Enfin, les participants ontsignalé qu’il serait bénéfique d’avoirdavantage accès à des bulletins deprévisions météorologiques adaptés auxrégions (comme les bulletins auxquelsont accès les résidents des régions dusud du Canada).

une mesure d’adaptation possible dans nombre de collectivités où il n’y en a pas.Toutefois, nombre de participants ont faitremarquer que les congélateurs communau-taires sont coûteux à exploiter et à gérer. Laconstruction des infrastructures nécessairesau traitement de l’eau potable et des mursde soutènement afin de prévenir l’érosiondes berges, ainsi que les améliorations qu’ils’impose d’apporter aux habitations exis-tantes sont toutes des activités qui exigentdes sommes d’argent. Peu importe qu’ils’agisse d’une dépense mineure comme lapose de moustiquaires sur les fenêtres desmaisons ou d’un investissement importantcomme la construction de murs de soutène-ment visant à prévenir l’érosion ou encorede l’amélioration de l’infrastructure néces-saire au traitement de l’eau, les collectivitésont reconnu que les coûts entraînés par certaines stratégies d’adaptation sont prohibitifs de sorte que ces stratégiess’avèrent en soit irréalistes et inconcevables.

Le présent livre révèle l’importance querevêtent la coopération et les partenariatsentre les différents paliers de gouvernement,entre les différents ministères, avec lesorganismes non gouvernementaux, et plusparticulièrement, avec les Inuits dans le butd’élaborer des solutions concrètes et effi-caces face aux changements environnemen-taux qui s’opèrent dans le milieu arctique.Les partenariats élaborés dans le cadre dela présente initiative ont permis de réunir lesavoir scientifique en matière de change-ments environnementaux et les constata-tions faites par les Inuits des changements


qui s’opèrent présentement au niveaulocal ainsi que d’en dégager les inci-dences pour les Inuits et leurs collectiv-ités. Les connaissances partagées grâceà différents modes de savoir ont permisd’identifier les défis auxquels les Inuitssont aujourd’hui et seront demain con-frontés, et ce, dans le but de tenter desurmonter ces défis. La collaborationcontinue et la participation importantedes collectivités sont essentielles àl’élaboration de politiques, de pro-grammes et de stratégies qui saurontfavorablement composer avec leschangements environnementaux.

Les habitants des collectivités ayantparticipé aux ateliers se sont dits recon-naissants que les aînés, les adultes et lesjeunes ont eu l’occasion de se réunir, dediscuter entre eux et de partager leursavoir au sujet de cet important enjeu.Ils ont également affirmé la nécessitéde continuer le travail entrepris, comptetenu de l’abondance du savoir qui existeau sein de la collectivité et du fait queles ateliers n’ont constitué qu’une entréeen matière. Les participants ont proposéla tenue d’études approfondies afin dedégager la pleine étendue du savoir inuit.

Les participants des collectivités ontidentifié divers groupes auxquels les ren-seignements recueillis lors des ateliersdevraient être communiqués, allant desadministrations locales et régionales auxresponsables de la gestion de la fauneaux organismes internationaux comme le

Conseil de l’Arctique et les Nations Unies.De l’avis général de tous les participants,« le message se doit d’être diffusé »; danscette veine, les participants ont élaboré unnombre de recommandations claires enmatière de politique et de service.

Plus que toute autre chose, le présent projet de partenariat a fourni un forum oùles Inuits ont pu partager leurs préoccupa-tions, leurs idées et leur savoir, et cefaisant, a apporté un certain soutien à lavoix des Inuits sur une question qui toucheleur quotidien. Les partenaires de ce projet espèrent que les préoccupations des collectivités pourront être portées àl’attention des administrations régionales,des gouvernements provinciaux et fédéral,et des corps et organismes internationauxhabiletés à entreprendre des mesuresfructueuses en matière de politiques.En outre, les renseignements présentésdans le présent rapport serviront d’assisessolides sur lesquelles lancer l’élaborationde mesures qui sauront permettre auxdécisionnaires des collectivités de tenircompte de solutions en matière de change-ment climatique et de garder quotidien-nement à l’esprit cette préoccupation.

Il est donc clair que les Inuits s’adaptentdepuis un certain moment au changementclimatique. Ainsi, les Inuits sont bien placéspour partager avec le reste de la collectivitémondiale leur perspective sur le changementclimatique qui risque de s’opérer. L’ingéniositéet le savoir inuit en ce qui a trait auxmesures locales d’adaptation au change-

ment environnemental peuvent servir d’ex-emple aux collectivités qui, à moyen ou àlong terme, seront confrontées à de pareilsenjeux. Malheureusement, cette capacitéd’adaptation n’a jamais autant revêtu une sigrande importante qu’elle ne revêt aujour-d’hui. La fréquence à laquelle s’opèrent leschangements environnementaux, quels qu’ilssoient, et l’étendue de ceux ci risquent fortd’excéder la capacité d’adaptation des peuples de l’Arctique.

| PAGE 43

Executive Summary(Executive Summary - Russian Translation)

“We don’t see the old

plants anymore.

The plants we see

have changed”


Окружающая среда Арктики меняется.Определённое количество научных моделейуказывают на то, что Арктика будет одним изрегионов, на котором наиболее сильно отразитсяимпакт глобальной перемены климата.В то время как в северном регионе уже проходитдраматическая перемена окружающей среды,Инуиты также наблюдают этот импакт изамечают перемены, заставляющие ихреагировать, на себе.

Инуит Тапириит Канатами (ИТК), Насивикцентр по инуитскому здоровью и переменеклимата при Лавальском университете, и ЦентрАджуннгиник при Национальной организации по аборигенному здоровью, совместно срегиональными инуитскими организациями иобщинами, и другими партнёрами, провели сериисеминаров фокусирующимися на изменениях вокружающей среде, и что это означает дляобщин, и для Инуитских регионов КанадскойАрктики. Эти семинары проводились с 2002-годо 2005-го года, следуя исследовательскойинициативе Международного института поустойчивому развитию в Сакс Харборе в Северо- Западных территориях в 2001 г. Этот отчёт:Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the Human Face on Climate Change – Perspectives from Inuit in Canada«Униккаакатигиит: Придавая человеческое лицоклиматическим изменениям – взгляд ИнуитовКанады», представляет результаты работы этихсеминаров.

Во время семинаров, коллектив проекта помогалчленам общины вести записи наблюдений, надимпактами и местными изменениями, которыепроизошли в результате перемены климата и другихформ изменений в окружающей среде. Отмеченныенаблюдения указывают на то, что Инуиты сознают,что окружающая среда меняется или измениласьспецифическим образом. Некоторые общие,отмеченные наблюдения включают: увеличениечастоты штормов, утончение льда и снега,повышение частоты выпадения ледяных дождей,изморосей и увеличенная интенсивность солнечнойрадиации.

Участники семинаров также выявили, как этиотмеченные изменения отражаются на человеке и наобщинах: всё чаще, в результате непредсказуемойпогоды люди застревают на открытых землях.Изменения состояния льда и снега, непредсказуемостьпогоды задерживают доступ к традиционной пище,которая в свою очередь вызвала перемены в нормахупотребления другой пищи. Утончение льда нанеслоимпакт на маршруты передвижения, времяпутешествий, и виды используемого транспорта.

Перемены в озёрах и реках отразились на источникахпресной воды, и увеличили действие ультра -фиолетовых лучей, в результате чего участилисьсолнечные ожоги и сыпь.

Во многих случаях человек и общины, началиприспосабливаться или реагировать, для снижения


“The weather is more

unpredictable these

days. Elders don’t give

predictions anymore

because of this”


эффектов импакта. Например, в РегионеИнувилуитских Поселений, (РИП), рыбныеканалы были драгированы в результате снижениярыбной популяции, произошедшей от сильногопонижения уровня вод.

Участники семинаров определили комплекснуювзаимосвязь между наблюдениями за импактами наокружающую среду и импактами на людей,живущих на Севере. Всё более учащающиесяледяные дожди, оттаивания после ледяных дождей иледяных изморосей - отличный пример. Почти вовсех регионах было отмечено, что увеличенноеледяное покрытие (в результате оттаивания -замерзания или ледяных дождей), уменьшилодоступ к лишайнику – основному источникупитания карибу. С уменьшением количества пищи,карибу становятся тоньше и их здоровьеухудшается. Далее: эти животные должныпередвигаться на более длительные расстояния впоисках лишайника, и их часто можно найтипутешествующими в новые районы. Таким образом,их гораздо сложнее обнаружить или подступиться кним во время охоты. Это в свою очередь несётимпакт на запас пищи Инуитов и инуитских общин,так как и качество мяса и доступность к карибууменьшились. Общины рекомендовалипотенциальную адаптацию к этой ситуации:знакомство с обменом пищи, установка общинныххолодильников, где их пока не существует, иместное, информативное образование охотников вплане разборчивости во время охоты на карибу.

Не все перемены в окружающей среде или климате,отмеченные Инуитами, несут негативный импакт.Перемена климата привела к знакомству с новымивидами, которые могут быть полезными для Инуитовв будущем. Например, появление таёжных куропатокв Инувике и в районе Северо - Западных Территорий,также лосей вдоль побережья Лабрадора,предоставляют потенциал для новых источниковпищи, хотя ограничения на охоту этих некоторыхновых видов, существуют в настоящее время. Также,перемещение сезонов, означает, что некотораядеятельность, такая как, рыболовная, охота на кита икотика, может проходить позже в сезоне, чем впредыдущие годы. Однако этот отчёт отражаетнаблюдения и импакт, опознанные Инуитами, исоответственно, большинство отмеченных данных донастоящего времени, привели к негативному импакту, где в некоторых случаях требуются значительныеадаптационные меры.

Случаи, отмеченные на семинарах, указывают на то,что Инуиты являются особенно уязвимыми вАрктической окружающей среде. В результатеизменения миграционных маршрутов и маршрутовпередвижения, охотники должны путешествоватьгораздо дальше, или вдоль изменённых маршрутов,для сбора традиционной пищи. Это несёт импакт нагарантированный запас пищи в общине, увеличениезатрат для доступа к традиционной пище иотражается на безопасности охотников,использующих новые, всё более опасные маршрутыпередвижения. Ограниченный доступ к традиционной

| PAGE 45

Во всех регионах отметили уменьшение качестваи количества источников пресной воды, врезультате изменений в режиме выпаденияосадков, водных путей и также уровня воды в ихрайонах. Снижение наличия таких источниковповышает возможность употребления Инуитамизагрязнённой воды, особенно теми, кто пособственному выбору использует неочищенныеводные запасы. Бедное качество воды налагаетнеобходимость в улучшенной водянойинфраструктуре.

Некоторые регионы отметили, что старейшинынеохотно относятся к употреблению очищеннойводы, что в свою очередь делает их болеенезащищёнными от водных заболеваний. Также,содержать инфраструктуры пресной воды исложно, и дорого, особенно в окружающей среде,в которой предполагается более частыепроявления экстремальных погодных условий иперемена или дестабилизация состояния вечноймерзлоты, в связи с потеплением и таяниемструктурного фундамента.

Реакция на управление или привыкание кимпактам, вызванным этими переменами, всеверных общинах, приняли различные формы,начиная от строительства кабин в открытыхземлях ( для снижения необходимостипутешествовать туда и обратно из города кместам добычи, и для того, чтобы обеспечитьбезопасное убежище для тех, кто в результатевсё более непредсказуемой погоды, тамоказывается), также в ходу использованиебутылочной воды во время поездок на открытыеземли (реакция на уменьшение наличия иснижение качества питьевой воды изнатуральных источников).

пище также ведёт к зависимости отприобретения дорогой еды из магазинов. Безсомнения это изменение в диете – от здоровойвысоко - питательной пищи к рафинированнымпродуктам из магазина, может существенноотразиться на здоровье Инуитов, а это в своюочередь несёт далеко идущие непредвиденныепоследствия для общин.

Практически все общины указали на то, что предсказание погоды, основанное натрадиционных методах, становится болеесложным. Это в свою очередь подвергаетИнуитов ещё большему риску, поскольку они более часто будут находить себязаблудившимися вдали от дома или будутпопадать в жестокие штормы.Учащающаяся экстремальная погода,непредсказуемые погодные события, иневозможность полагаться на традиционные,навигационные, погодные знаки, представляютбольшую опасность на земле, всё чаще приводя кповреждениям инфраструктуры и транспорта. Внекоторых случаях, наряду с импактом наинфраструктуры такие как, посадочные полосы,эти факторы усложнили медицинские эвакуации.В дополнение, опасность на земле иэкстремальные, непредсказуемые погодныеусловия, препятствуют людям выходить на землитак же часто, как они выходили, и создают болеепродолжительные промежутки времени междусезонами. Невозможность доступа к землям иморю во время переходных сезонных периодов,делает людей более незащищёнными от стресса иволнений (в некоторых общинах, называемые«весенней лихорадкой»).

Определённое количество отмеченных адаптацийимеют отношение к изменению в привычномповедении. В общинах (РИП), например, былоотмечено, что некоторые люди одеваются в болееподходящую одежду для новых условий,произошедших в результате изменений в популяциинасекомых. Они также начинают вставлятьмоскитные сетки в дома в ответ на учащающиесяслучаи укусов комаров, мух. Также в РИП, врезультате более тёплой температуры воды, рыба,пойманная сетями, загнивает гораздо быстрей. Вответ рыбаки чаще проверяют сети, и собирают рыбугораздо чаще. Они также ловят рыбу в более раннеевремя года. В Лабрадоре охота на гусей происходитраньше, и в Нунавуте охота на морских котиков всёчаще происходит летом, когда котики жирнее и,скорее всего, не пойдут на дно при выстреле.Способность перемещать время и место деятельностисбора добычи общиной, было отмечено в поддержкуспособностей, адаптироваться в результатепроисходящих перемен. Как было отмечено выше,некоторые регионы и общины уже перенесли время иместо, где они охотятся на определённых животных.Это произошло, как естественный способ адаптациии в большинстве случаев рассматривается, как одиниз аспектов быть инуитским охотником. Однакосуществует необходимость в повышенной гибкостисо стороны регуляторов в управлении режимамидиких животных, и также в самих установках, еслидеятельность по сбору добычи должна происходитьвне регулярных, или в рамках определённых, внастоящее время, охотничьих сезонов иустановленных границ, из-за изменений впередвижении животных и миграционного времени. Вдругих регионах такая гибкость нужна для того,чтобы позволить добычу новых, вторгающихся видов,для того, чтобы использовать возможности, которыеприходят с переменами. Например, участники


северного Лабрадора выразили беспокойство,что, несмотря на появление лосей в их регионе,они не могут на них охотиться из-за ограниченияв охотничьих регулировках. С переменамиэкосистем, регулирующие сети должныадаптироваться и отражать реалии земли, нуждыи перемены в отношениях между Инуитами и ихокружением.

Доступ и использование различных технологийи новых форм инфраструктур были такжеопознаны в контексте адаптационных мер. ВАрктическом Бэе, Нунавуте, используются более быстрые и крупные суда, как реакция навсё более непредсказуемые воды. Глобальнаяпозиционная система (ГПС) используется вцелях оказания помощи навигации. Хотятехнологии играют роль в некоторых моментах,общины в большинстве своём, не выступают за западные технологические «поправки». В Кугааруке, Нунавуте, Ивуеивике, Нунавике,некоторые участники заметили, что езда насобачьих упряжках более безопасна, чемсовременные технологии, такие как, снегоходы, и таким образом должна чаще употребляться.Многие поддерживают смешанную эксплуатацию,традиционных и более современных средств для того, чтобы более эффективно справляться с переменами в окружающей среде.

Некоторые из адаптационных мер,рекомендованных общинами, включаютукрепление информативных коммуникаций испособностей разделять информацию наиндивидуальной основе в общинах, междуобщинами, и между регионами. Прежде всего,улучшенные коммуникации между общинами ирегионами будут способствовать обмену

информацией об успешных адаптационных мерах иуправлении. Во-вторых: некоторые общины заявили,что улучшенный коммуникационный потенциалможет поддерживать сбор и распределение самыхпоследних данных о местных условиях, о состояниильда, земли и воды, центральным источником. Такие услуги снизят риск для охотников ипутешественников в открытом пространстве. Хотя многие охотники уже используют радио дляконтакта пока они на открытой территории. Было отмечено, что существует сильнаянеобходимость и поддержка для такого родакоммуникаций в окружающей среде, котораястановится всё более переменчивой. И, в-третьих:участники отметили, что расширенный доступ крегионально-специфическим погодным прогнозам(таким же, которые доступны для канадских южныхрегионов) будет полезным.

Многие адаптации уже имеют место илирекомендованы жителями общин и нуждаются вэкономических ресурсах. Однако не все хозяйстваили общины имеют доступ к ресурсам, а нанекоторых формах дохода импакт происходящихперемен уже отразился. В частности, некоторыеобщины, особенно в РИП определили, что доход откапканной и охотничьей деятельности уменьшается.Так что, для некоторых хозяйств и общин расходыбудут повышаться, в попытке адаптироваться кимпакту, связанному с климатическими изменениямив то время, как их доход будет уменьшаться.

Вопрос финансовых ресурсов особенно важен,потому, что способность отдельных лиц и общинвнедрять определённое количество адаптационныхстратегий, зависит от способности нести расходы.Некоторые общины выразили необходимость вподдержке, в результате повышающихся расходов

на топливо, починку снегоходов, и приобретениеболее быстрых и крупных лодок, как результатзависимости от вынужденных обстоятельств, вкоторых они себя обнаружили. Программы общинныххолодильников, как одна из адаптационных мер, былиотмечены в большинстве общин, где их пока нет.Однако многие также отметили, что содержание иуправление холодильниками накладно. Строительствоинфраструктуры для очищения питьевой воды и «остановки водяной стены», в плане предупрежденияэрозий береговой полосы, вместе с улучшениемсуществующей жилплощади – все эти мероприятиястоят деньги. Либо это малая инвестиция, такая, какустановление москитной сетки в домах, либо большойрасход, как в проектах предупреждения эрозийбереговой полосы, или улучшение воднойинфраструктуры, в любом случае, общины отметили,что высокий расход, связанный с некоторымиадаптационными стратегиями, делает дажерассмотрение этих вопросов невозможным.

Эта книга раскрывает важность сотрудничества ипартнёрства между различными правительственнымидепартаментами, на различных уровнях, междунеправительственными организациями, и указывает на важность включения Инуитов для обеспечениязначимого и эффективного разрешения измененийокружающей среды Арктики. Партнёрство, развитое в этой попытке, соединило научное пониманиеизменений окружающей среды с инуитскимпониманием тех перемен, которые происходят наместном уровне, и что эти перемены означают дляИнуитов. Знания, полученные посредством обменаразличных источников, помогают определить ипобороть те серьёзные вызовы, которые стоят передИнуитами как сегодня, так и в будущем. Продолжаемое партнёрство и сильное на уровне общин участие – очень важно в развитие

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где может быть достигнуто изменение курса.Далее: информация в этом отчёте обеспечиваеткрепкую платформу для начала развитияинструментов, которые позволят лицам,принимающим решения в общинах, включатьсценарии климатических изменений и ихпотенциальный импакт в повседневную жизнь.

Совершенно ясно, что Инуиты подстраиваются к эффектам климатических изменений уженекоторое время. Это ставит Инуитов в редкоеположение: рассказать всему миру о том, чтоможет произойти. Инуитская смекалка и знанияв адаптации к климатическим изменениям наместном уровне, может являться примером длядругих общин, перед которыми могут возникнутьэти вопросы в близком, или далёком будущем. Ксожалению, это качество адаптироваться никогдане было таким важным для Инуитов, каксегодня. Перемены окружающей среды, любыеперемены, наступают с такой скоростью, котораяможет превзойти предел терпения народовАрктики и их потенциал ответить должнымобразом.

направлений, программ, стратегий, которыебудут успешно справляться с переменами вокружающей среде.

Жители общин, принимавшие участие в этойработе, высоко оценили тот факт, чтостарейшины, взрослое население и молодёжь,получили возможность вместе собраться дляобсуждений, и также получить друг от другазнания в этом важном вопросе. Они такжеподчеркнули необходимость продолжения работыв этой области, так как, семинар просто«приоткрыл завесу» над уже существующимизнаниями в общинах. Участники предложили, чтоможно будет предпринять дальнейшее детальноеизучение для документирования полного спектраИнуитских знаний.

Участники общин определили различные группы,которые должны получить информацию изсеминаров, начиная от местных и региональныхправительственных организаций по управлениюдикими животными, до международныхорганизаций, таких как, Арктический Совет иОрганизация Объединённых Наций. Участникисогласились в необходимости «дать широкуюогласку». В этом контексте они определилиясный план действий и рекомендаций.

Самое главное, этот проект предоставил способдля Инуитов выразить их беспокойство,высказать идеи и поделиться знаниями. Такжепредоставил возможность поддержать голосИнуитов в вопросах, которые ежедневно влияютна их жизнь. Партнёры проекта надеются, чтобеспокойство, выраженное общинами, привлечётвнимание региональных, национальных имеждународных правительств и институтов,

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Inuit living in Canada have growing concerns about the impacts to their environment, health and culturestemming from various forms of environmental change,particularly climate change.To date, the focus on thissubject has been primarily oriented towards understand-ing the biophysical changes and their impacts on theenvironment, with little attention given to the potentialimpacts on communities and the health of individuals living in the North. Consequently, insufficient work has been conducted on identifying and discussing howcommunities are currently adapting or may adapt tothese environmental changes in the future. Similarly,little attention has been given to Inuit needs with regardto supporting the development and maintenance of successful adaptation strategies to minimize negativeimpacts and take advantage of any opportunities these changes may create. In response to interest byInuit communities and organizations in Canada, a project involving a series of community workshops was initiated to investigate environmental change,its potential impacts at the community level and strategies for adaptation.

This project, called Unikkaaqatigiit: Putting the Human Face on Climate Change, is a partnership between InuitTapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the Nasivvik Centre for InuitHealth and Changing Environments at Laval University,and the Ajunnginiq Centre at the National AboriginalHealth Organization, with participation of Inuit landclaim organizations. Residents from 17 communitiesacross all four Inuit regions in the Canadian North (see Figure 1 and Table 3) attended these workshops.For a list of the research teams who facilitated the community workshops, see Table 2 (page 4).

These workshops provided a forum in which Arctic com-munity residents—those closest to and most affected bythese changes—could relay their experiences, expresstheir concern and transfer their incredible knowledge ofthe land, sea, sky, and wildlife. All dialogue was recordedas a way of documenting the observations, understand-ings and effects of climate-related changes in partici-pants’ local areas, and identifying existing or potentialstrategies to cope with and adapt to these impacts.


Introduction

Table 3. Communities Involved in Workshops

Inuvialuit Settlement Nunavut Nunavik (Northern NunatsiavutRegion (ISR) Quebec) (Labrador)

Tuktoyaktuk Arctic Bay Kangiqsujuaq Nain

Aklavik Kugaaruk Ivujivik Northwest River

Inuvik Repulse Bay Puvirnituq Happy Valley–Goose Bay

Holman Island Rigolet

Paulatuk Makkovik

Postville

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It is important to note that the workshops focused onInuit-observed changes in the Arctic environment, andthus changes of all types in local environments wererecorded.This book, as a result, presents the breadth ofchanges workshop participants have observed. However,where possible, the sections highlight the reported envi-ronmental changes and impacts most associated with climate change in the Arctic regions.

In addition to collecting these data, the purpose of theseworkshops was to share community perspectives on thechanges taking place and to influence local, regional,national and international processes on environmentalchange, especially in the area of responses to theseimpacts—both existing and potential.The workshops alsoserved to bring a “human face” to the issue of climatechange in the Arctic.The perspectives of community

residents and their unique observations, based on rich andvaluable local knowledge, have been documented in a seriesof community and regional reports.These have formed thefoundation of the development of this national Inuit synthe-sis report, Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the Human Face onClimate Change – Perspectives from Inuit in Canadawhich is comprised of the following sections:

• “Observations” provides a brief overview of the changes observed by Inuit to set the context for the following section.

• “Impacts” contains a discussion of the effects the Inuit are experiencing, as reported from an Inuit perspective.The effects have been grouped according to human dimensions.

• “Adaptations” presents Inuit-identified existing or potential coping and adaptation strategies as

Figure 1: Communities involved in Workshops


discussed during workshops with members of communities from across the Arctic.

• “Conclusions” highlights a number of recommendations for both policy and further research that were identified by workshop participants and the research team. Implementing these would represent a move forward in addressing the issues raised in this book.

This book does not focus solely on Inuit observations,as they appear in detail in the community reports andwill be the exclusive subject of one of a series of reportsemerging from this project. Rather, the intent here is topresent how climate change is linked to Inuit communi-ties and lives, how these changes are affecting Inuit andhow they are already coping with these changes today.

Although there is great interest in environmental change inthe Arctic from governments and scientists alike, there hasbeen little interest in engaging the people of the Arctic inmeaningful discussions about environmental change and itsimpacts on the people who live in the circumpolar regionsof the world. Learning about changes in the Arctic environ-ment from the long-time residents of this region—thosewho actually experience the changes—contributes to thebroader body of knowledge about environmental change inthe North. It improves our understandings of how thesechanges translate into real impacts in the lives of Arcticpeoples and communities.

There is no doubt that the Arctic is changing. How dothese changes in the land affect Inuit, and what can bedone to minimize the impacts of these changes and takeadvantage of opportunities they may create? It is thesegaps in information that we have attempted to fillthrough the writing of this book.

Furthermore, this book emphasizes the need to conductclimate change research at the local and regional levels.Observations and impacts vary across the North, andeven within localized geographic regions, as shown in thefollowing sections. Only by listening to the people wholive in these communities, separated by distance and biophysical and social differences, can this level of cross-scale detail be accomplished.

Extending the boundaries to include discussion of adapta-tion strategies, both existing and potential will help Inuitcope with the effects of change. Although it is the north-ern regions that will feel the impacts of climate changethe earliest and perhaps the greatest, it is these regionsthat have the least capacity to deal with this change. Webelieve that the information in this book will help bring ahuman face to the issue of environmental change in thecircumpolar Arctic regions, and will enhance a North-to-South and North-to-North dialogue on issues dealingwith climate and environmental change.

The workshops and their findings represent an importantinitial stage in the development of regional and localunderstanding and the development of processes to addressthe concerns and questions raised by participants. For eachworkshop, a community report has been completed andpresented to the residents, and regional summaries havebeen developed to communicate these concerns and issuesto a larger audience. As stated, this national synthesisreport purports to take the documented statements a stepfurther by bringing the impacts and resulting adaptationsto the forefront of policy level discussions—essentially giving a voice to Inuit communities in this process.

The information gathered through the workshops alsolays the foundation for more in-depth research to be

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conducted on key issues raised in this book. In fact,this research partnership process has provided theimpetus to engage in further community and regionalwork on several subjects in more detail related toobservations, impacts and adaptations. Further, throughthis project, the need for the development of local monitoring programs and community adaptation strategies have been identified, in fact some of whichare being pursued already.

MethodsIn approaching each workshop, the research teambegan by conducting training sessions with representa-tives from the regional Inuit organizations so thatregional representatives were engaged in leading theprocess as much as possible. By building capacity at thecommunity and regional levels, the project team hopesto eventually transfer the research process to theregional organizations.

The workshops made use of a range of participatoryexercises that had been utilized and tested during a similar International Institute for SustainableDevelopment (IISD) climate change study conducted inSachs Harbour in 1999–2000.These exercises drew onparticipatory planning and analysis techniques includingParticipatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and ObjectivesOriented Project Planning (ZOPP).

Each workshop was separated into a series of discus-sions and documentation exercises on each of the follow-ing topics: goals and expectations of the workshop;observations of environmental change in the local area;impacts of these changes; current changes taking placein the community in reaction to these changes and theirimpacts; identification of potential strategies that could

be used to adapt to changes and minimize negativeimpacts in the future; identification of organizations andindividuals that should be made aware of these commu-nity concerns; and actions at the community, regional,national and international levels on climate change.

HistoryThe key to the success of this project has been in thefact that more than one individual or organization wasinvolved in conducting it. The Unikkaaqatigiit—Puttingthe Human Face on Climate Change project was set inmotion back in 1998 when the International Institutefor Sustainable Development (IISD) began a two-yearproject with the community of Sachs Harbour to document and share local observations of climate change through the production of a professional videoand a series of scientific papers.The subsequent findings generated considerable interest with scientists and policymakers, while the video received international attentionand has become an important resource for educationalcurricula on climate change in the Arctic.

The success of the Sachs Harbour work led ITK and itsgrowing partnership to adapt the workshop methods. Inpartnership with researchers from the Nasivvik Centrewho are conducting a project in the Eastern Arctic, ITKand its partners conducted the workshops for this project.

PartnershipsThe three consistent partners in this project—ITK,Nasivvik, and the Ajunnginiq Centre—each brought adifferent perspective and skill set to the workshop team.The partnership was successful in bringing together sci-entists, community development experts and local resi-dents.This helped to ensure that broad perspectives,experiences and knowledge came together to push the


boundaries of our understanding of these issues in Inuitcommunities.

Perhaps the most important partnerships establishedwere those made at the regional and local Inuit-organi-zation levels. Without the support and interest of thecommunities to engage in this process, a project of thissize and scope would not have been possible. As part ofthe research process, regional and community represen-tatives were trained to conduct this research, and in theInuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), the subsequentworkshops in Holman Island and Paulatuk were initiatedand led solely by regional representatives.

ContextTo understand the impacts that environmental change ishaving on Inuit in Canada, it is important to recognizethe unique geographical, cultural and historical environ-ment in which Inuit live.

Inuit are a circumpolar people, inhabiting regions inRussia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland, united by a common culture and language.There are approximately45,000 Inuit living in Canada spread across 53 commu-nities. Four Inuit regions in Canada encompass morethan 40 per cent of the entire landmass of the country:Nunatsiavut (Labrador), Nunavik (northern Quebec),Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR)(northern Northwest Territories). Such a small popula-tion spread across such a large region makes theCanadian Arctic a remote and sparsely populated area.

Many of the world’s leading scientists agree that it is thepolar regions—the home of the Inuit and other indigenouspeoples—that will be the first and most severely affectedby climate change. Information gathered about what is

happening in these areas in the global context may wellshed light on what is to come in other parts of the world.Carrying out this research on the Arctic is especially criti-cal, as the environment is sensitive and the relationshipbetween Inuit and the land is inseparable. Inuit cultureand daily life are therefore greatly affected by any changes that take place in their local surroundings.

The environment affects every aspect of Inuit life.Theland provides sustenance and shelter, and is the founda-tion of culture and knowledge. Such a close relationshipwith the land has yielded and necessitated a verydetailed knowledge about the local environment, and hasmade Inuit especially sensitive and attuned to recogniz-ing environmental change. Although most have nowadopted a more southern style of life, a significant pro-portion of Inuit still hunt and fish for part of their diet.Inuit have valuable knowledge that can help researchersand policy makers to understand and address environ-mental change issues in the North. Clearly, the mostimportant and reliable source of information in theArctic is Inuit themselves.

Climate change may be a major threat to the Inuit wayof life, however as a people, they have lived through peri-ods of major change. Some of these changes have beenmeasured over geological time, and some have beenmeasured over decades—such as contact with Europeanculture.Throughout, Inuit have adapted and survived asthey must continue to do now.

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Inuit observations of environmental change are not discussed as distinct, unique changes unto themselves.Rather, they are viewed and reported as changes in theweather and environment that are linked to otherchanges, and in some cases, one is viewed as havingcaused the other.The interrelated nature of thesechanges in environment and weather conditions are thenoften reported to have resulted in impacts to Inuit in avariety of ways. Presented in this way, it is difficult todistinguish between an observation and an impact asdescribed by Inuit.

For example, one such chain was presented by a hunterin the workshops. It involved changes in the environmentthat affected the diet of caribou, which in turn affectedthe traditional food security of Inuit. As explained by thehunter, ice layers formed by mid-winter thawing or rarewinter freezing rain events—now becoming more com-mon— make it very difficult for caribou to access lichengrowing beneath the snow and ice. As a result, caribouare broadening their diet and feeding on a new variety ofitems in new places, including the community garbagedump. Caribou are reported to be skinnier and lesshealthy in all regions, and the quality of meat is said tobe lower than in the past. Inuit are experiencing moredifficulties in accessing the animals as a result of alteredmigration patterns and travel routes. In this one exam-ple, there are several issues: the changes in weather;inability of caribou to find lichen; caribou feeding ingarbage dumps; less healthy caribou; poorer quality ofmeat; difficulty accessing animals; altered travel routes.This example illustrates the complexity of the relation-ship between two changes in environmental conditions(increased freeze–thaw events and the frequency of

Understanding Inuit Observations, Impacts and Adaptations

“The entire ecosystem in

the North is changing”


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Figure 2: Observation, Impact and Adaptation Diagram for All Regions.

Environment andweather have becomemore unpredictable.

Elders and others are no longer predicting

weather as often.

Travel routes havechanged and travel

routes are often longer.

Increased cost forfuel because oflonger travel.

Loss of physical,emotional and mental

well-being benefitsfrom time on land.

Increase in cases of“Spring Fever” from

being stuck incommunities.

Travel has becomemore dangerous and

more uncertain.

Fewer huntingopportunities

Increased reliance onstore-bought foods.

Increased cost tobuy those foods.

Health impacts

Decrease in revenuefrom loss of hunting

opportunities.

Less availablecountry foods.

There are more cases of people beingstranded on land and

more casualties.

Knowledge on weatherprediction is no longershared as frequentlybetween generations.

Youth no longer havingtraditional weather

knowledge.

Over-reliance onmodern technologieswithout pairing it withtraditional knowledge.

Need to alsomaintain reliance

on traditional weatherprediction skills.

Need to create venuefor Elders to advise/

teach youth.

Generational exchangeof information regarding

the environment

Use of GPS andsatellite imagery.

People are bringingextra supplies for

these cases.

Use of science forecastingand need for mainstream

weather forecast inclusion.

Increased communicationwithin and between

communities.

Country food exchangesbetween communities

and within communities.

People are travelling on land less.

: Key Concern : Observation of environmental change : Impacts other environmental component

: Impact on humans : Adaptation/Need for adaptation to occur/Recommendation

OBSERVATION, IMPACT & ADAPTATION DIAGRAM FOR ALL REGIONS - UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER


freezing rain during winter months) and several changesin habitat and behaviour for one species, and a keyimpact on Inuit food security.

The complexity continues in that, for example, anotherparticipant might start off his or her observation with anissue already mentioned in the previous list, but it wouldhave its own set of cause-and-effect impacts: difficultyaccessing animals due to inaccessible food (mentionedabove) leads to altered travel routes, making for moredangerous travel, which causes residents to purchasemore store-bought items and to purchase ATVs, butthese vehicles damage the terrain; it also causes huntersto stay off the land for longer periods of time, whichitself leads to “spring fever” and feelings of isolation.

The definitions of an observation and an impact dependupon the end point being discussed. A change in an envi-ronmental condition may have an impact on caribou,which in turn has an impact on Inuit. For the purposesof our discussion, the ultimate interest is the impact toInuit and aspects of Inuit livelihoods, traditions, culture,general health and well-being. However, as these relation-ships are usually not simple and linear in nature, and thefirst order impacts of climate and environmental changeto animals and other organisms in the environment arequite often indirectly important to Inuit, some of thechanges discussed as observations in the next sectionsare expanded upon as they relate to impacts and adapta-tions reported by Inuit in workshops.

This complex nature of relationships between environ-mental changes and impacts to Inuit demonstrates therichness of Inuit knowledge and observations of theArctic environment.The linked nature of changes andimpacts was frequently reported in workshops. Figures 2,

5, 6, 7 and 8 provide examples of these relationships andhave been inserted into the chapter entitled Impacts ofEnvironmental Change. Please see Figure 2 as an exam-ple. Each of these diagrams shows how Inuit relate onekey environmental change with one or many interrelatedchanges and impacts in the environment, which are theneventually associated with one or more interconnectedimpacts on Inuit. Clearly, impacts to Inuit are the resultof many indirect relationships and the combination of anumber of changes in the environment, wildlife andplants, and not a simple, single order, linear cause andeffect relation.

Similarly, one can see in these figures that there is a lotof overlap. For example, one observation may relate tomany impacts and then to one or more adaptationstrategies, and the same pattern in reverse from adapta-tion to observation.This means that any one adaptivestrategy developed to respond to a change is the samestrategy employed to adapt to many impacts. Some over-lap or repetition is therefore necessary when presentingobservations, impacts and adaptations in the followingsections in a categorical fashion.

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Northwest

Territories

Yukon

Alaska

USA

“Caribou are a lot skinnier.

We have also noticed big differences

in things such as the meat; and the caribou

don’t look as healthy as they used to”


“There is concern about erosion.

We are losing land in region”

(Inuvik, ISR).

“In general, we get less

snow than we used to”


“Storms are getting worse

along the coast”

(Nunatsiavut).


IntroductionBefore we can understand how environmental changesare affecting Inuit in the Canadian North and how theycan respond accordingly, we must first know what thosechanges are.This chapter presents an overview of someof the changes Inuit have reported in their local environ-ment. In the interest of brevity, only the most commonobservations made by Inuit living in communities acrossthe Canadian Arctic appear here.They also have beengrouped by category: wind and storms, temperature,sky (sun, stars and moon), precipitation (rain and snow),ice, land, water, and vegetation and wildlife.

Please see Figure 3 which depicts observations of environmental change by region and Table 4 at the endof this chapter for a summary of these observations.

Often, workshop participant knowledge was reported in the form of cause-and-effect chains that linked observations to impacts to adaptations.The diagramspresented throughout the book illustrate these complexrelationships between key changes and the adaptationsor responses taking place in communities as a result(Figures 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8).

Observations of Environmental Change inthe Arctic: General Trends Across Regions

Figure 3 – Observations of Environmental Change

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It is important to note that not all observations ofchanges in the environment were reported uniformlyacross the North. In fact, differences among regions andeven among communities in the same region were oftenreported. Regardless, based on the discussions with themany residents throughout the North, it is clear thatInuit are observing unprecedented changes in the Arctic environment.

Weather (Wind and Storms)All communities reported that the weather is changing,although the types of changes observed varied amongcommunities and regions.The weather in all four regionswas consistently reported as becoming more unstable,and all communities independently spoke of the weatherbeing much more unpredictable today than ever before.This has resulted in difficulties for Inuit to predict theweather using traditional methods, such as reliableweather cues that have been passed down from genera-tion to generation. For example, in Arctic Bay, residentsused to observe a relationship between the pattern of themoon and the wind: a half-moon indicated the start of aperiod of three days of wind.This relationship is said tono longer exist today.These changes to weather cueswere mentioned regularly in Nunavik, Nunavut andNunatsiavut communities and in more general terms in Inuvialuit communities.

Stronger winds were reported to be occurring in certainareas, while a change in the prevailing wind direction isoccurring in others. Residents of communities in Nunavikand Nunatsiavut, and in Repulse Bay, Nunavut, reportedthat they are experiencing changes in the strength andpatterns of winds, including more windy days throughoutthe year. In Puvirnituq, Nunavik, winds gusting to 100km/h have been experienced, and winds strong enough

to break trees were reported as being not uncommon by one Nunatsiavut resident. In the eastern communitiesof the ISR, winds were reported as being more unpre-dictable. In the western ISR, seasonal shifts in wind havebeen observed—communities have experienced less windin winter and more in summer. In fact, during the sum-mer before the workshop was conducted in Aklavik, arare funnel cloud was observed and captured on film bya local resident (see photo of whirlwind). Residents hadnever heard of such a funnel cloud occurring in theregion before—at any time of year.

A general shift in the prevailing wind direction has been experienced in several communities throughout the Canadian Arctic, including Arctic Bay, Kugaaruk,Holman Island, Aklavik, and in communities along the north coast of Nunatsiavut.

Some communities are experiencing more frequent thun-derstorms while a number of others have observed fewerof these events. Still others have witnessed changes inthe severity and timing of thunderstorms. In Nunavik,thunderstorms are occurring generally during spring butalso later than usual in the fall. In Nunatsiavut, thunderand lightning were reported to occur less in summer nowthan before and more often over the winter period—a very rare event for these communities in the past.

TemperatureIn the Arctic, ice and snow are critical to Inuit traditionand culture, as well as to individual and community well-being. Workshop participants from across the Northreported a seasonal shift in average temperature—eitherwarmer or cooler, depending on the location of the community.


In discussion with Inuit about changes related to tem-perature, workshop residents often linked their observa-tions to the seasons. For example, the winter season onaverage has been observed as being warmer than in thepast in all four regions. In Nunavut and Nunatsiavut,however, there was some disagreement as to whether the winter, on average, is getting warmer or cooler.Observations of more temperature fluctuations, both day-to-day and even within a few hours’ time, were observedto be occurring quite consistently across Nunavut, whichmay have influenced the observations regarding seasonalvariability of temperature in this region.

The autumn season, on average, has been observed asbecoming warmer and longer in Nunavut, Nunavik andNunatsiavut. Nunatsiavut and the western communitiesof the ISR have observed that the summers, for the most part, are getting warmer. Nunavik and the easterncommunities of the ISR reported that the summers are generally getting cooler.

On review of residents’ observations, patterns of changesin extreme warm temperatures vary across the North.Many Inuit say that specific summer days have recordedunusually high temperatures in recent years, much higherthan ever before. In all regions, with the exception of theeastern ISR, residents are commonly experiencing sum-mer heat that is much more intense than what theyremember from summers gone by. As well, residents in all four regions have observed that extreme cold daysin the winter are occurring less frequently.

Sky (Sun, Stars and Moon)Not only have Inuit noticed changes in the intensity of the sun’s heat over the past few decades—inTuktoyaktuk, for example, Inuit are experiencing

sunburns for the first time in their cultural history—but a variety of other changes in the sun and the sky are being seen as well.

Interestingly, in two Nunavik communities and one com-munity in each of Nunavut and the ISR, residents sug-gested that the Earth’s position has shifted or tilted onits axis, or that the rotation of the Earth is slowingdown. In both Nunavut and Nunavik, Inuit have noticeda slight shift in the location of the sun, stars and moonin the sky. According to some residents of Nunavut com-munities, the moon is now said to travel higher in thesky, while Inuit in both Nunavik and Nunavut reportedthat the sun travels higher in the sky and sets in a slight-ly different location on the horizon than it used to.

In Kugaaruk, Nunavut, people have observed a “brightersky and environment” and reported that the sun setsfaster in the evening than it used to. Inuit also suggestthat the colour of the Arctic sky is different today thanin the past—hazier and less often the dark blue that theyremember. Participants used adjectives like “dirtier,”“whiter” and “less clear” to describe these changes inthe Arctic sky.

Precipitation (Rain and Snow) Inuit have noticed profound changes in some fundamen-tal components of the weather. Communities reportedchanges in the quality and quantity of rain and snow,and the timing of precipitation throughout the year.

Changes to the amount of rainfall across the North varyfrom region to region. More rain has been observedfalling in some Nunavut, Nunatsiavut and ISR communi-ties, while less rain has been seen in one ISR communityand throughout the three Nunavik communities partici-

| PAGE 63

pating in workshops. More forceful rainfall has beenexperienced in Ivujivik, Repulse Bay, Holman Island,and Aklavik and more frequent freezing rain events were reported to be occurring only in three communitiesin the ISR.These were not mentioned in any other region.

All four regions have observed decreased amounts ofsnow; however, residents in one community, Kugaaruk,Nunavut, noted that the amount has actually increasedin recent years. Several communities have observed thatthe snow is arriving later in the fall and melting earlierin spring.This was not mentioned in the ISR, nor inKugaaruk, where snow is reported to arrive earlier in thefall—even before the time when ice forms in the area ofthis community.

Hunters, Elders and community residents alike havenoticed a change in the quality and type of snow thatfalls in their regions. Residents in Nunatsiavut andNunavut today more frequently see snow that has a top layer of ice— commonly referred to as “glitter” byNunatsiavumiut—as a result of freeze-thaw events in thewinter. Other communities have started to notice thatsnow has become drier, more grainy and of a differentconsistency. While snow seems to be getting drier andless sticky in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut, it is gettingharder around Repulse Bay and heavier in Inuvik.

IceFor much of the year, Inuit life is directly tied to the iceon the lakes and sea around communities. Ice and snowprovide easy access to many inland and offshore areasfor hunting and fishing. Knowledge of ice and ice condi-tions are critical for Inuit survival.

All of the communities that participated in workshopsover the past four years observed significant changes inthe lake and sea ice in their region. Ice is much thinner

today than it used to be, forms later in the fall andbreaks up earlier in the spring. In the past, in the com-munity of Repulse Bay, Nunavut, ice was normally safeto travel on by the first week of June; in 2004, becauseof an uncommonly early break-up, it was not safe totravel by ice at that time of the year.The timing offreeze-up and break-up is reported to have shifted up to one month in some communities.

Later fall freeze-ups are also causing difficulties withtravel. For example, in the Nunavik region, the communi-ties of Kangiqsujuaq and Ivujivik have found that thetiming of ice formation has moved from November toDecember. Residents in Puvirnituq, in this same region,expressed concern that freeze-up is sometimes not com-pleted until early January. In the ISR community ofAklavik, residents reported that they used to gather atthe river’s edge as a community during the height of thespring ice break-up to watch and listen to this remark-able spectacle. For several years now, because the break-up has been less dramatic, community members nolonger observe this ritual.

Ice has been reported to be changing in other waysthroughout the Arctic, although not consistently acrossregions and communities. A number of communities haveobserved that in addition to the ice becoming thinner,it has also become rougher to travel over.

Land Inuit reported that the humidity of the soil, the stabilityof permafrost and the security of shorelines are allbeginning to change.The land is becoming drier inNunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut. Nunavut residentsand residents of the community of Aklavik have observedlandslides and mudslides recently and attribute it towarmer temperatures, melting permafrost and heavy rain events.


In Kugaaruk, the ground is said to be both “dropping” inareas, caused by a melting of the ground below, as wellas rising in areas where it is “forced up from under-neath.” In Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk, the ground was alsosaid to be dropping. In one community in each ofNunavik and Nunavut, it is said to be growing, expandingand rising in areas. As a result, Inuit described largerand even new islands in Nunavik, Nunavut and the ISR.

In all regions, residents spoke of melting permafrost orpermafrost becoming thinner and more active. InKugaaruk, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk, people have noticedan increase in the amount of exposed or visible per-mafrost.They made connections between melting per-mafrost and the sinking of the grounds’ surface; someAklavik residents were particularly focused on ShinglePoint, an important cultural area of the ISR, which issaid to be dropping due to permafrost melt. While thisarea is said to be decreasing in terms of relief, residentssay that increased siltation and deposition are causingthe point to grow, and at a rapid rate—approximatelyfour feet per year since 1990.

In the communities of Kugaaruk and Repulse Bay, Inuithave observed that along with a drop in sea level, thecoastlines seem to be rising, which has resulted in theexposure of new rocks and shallower beaches and har-bours. Scientists have also observed this phenomenonand call it “isostatic rebound.”

Erosion is a major concern in the Inuvialuit region. Allcommunities but one are preoccupied with what this lossof soil and earth means for their coastline and river-banks. A number of homes and buildings have alreadybeen moved because of shoreline erosion. In fact, resi-dents of Tuktoyaktuk and Aklavik are concerned that

“We need ideas for

erosion in the com-

munity because it is

happening now”

(Tuktoyaktuk, ISR).

| PAGE 65

these communities may have to be moved due to collaps-ing infrastructure and a shrinking municipal land area.Residents of Nunatsiavut share these sorts of concernsas they have observed significant erosion in the Webb’sBay area north of the community of Nain.

Water Changes in the quality and quantity of freshwater havebeen observed in all four regions. It was also observedthat the level of the ocean has changed in a number ofregions. In some Nunavut communities, Inuit haveobserved a drop in sea levels; residents in Kugaaruk arealso observing land rise, which, together with water-leveldrop, exacerbates the impact for this community. In contrast, in the communities of Arctic Bay, Paulatuk and Holman Island, the sea and the tides are reported to be higher than ever before.

Freshwater levels across the North were reported to be lower than in years past. For example, residents ofHolman Island said that after the initial rise in waterlevels that accompanies the spring thaw each year, levelsthen quickly fall and have in fact become noticeablylower in some rivers and ponds in the area than what isregarded as normal for this location. Shallower rivers,lakes, creeks and ponds have been observed and somecommunities expressed concern that many bodies ofwater have dried up altogether.

Higher rates of sedimentation and changes in theappearance or size of some sandbars are having furtherimpacts on these reported falling water levels. Increasedsedimentation has also changed the water’s quality.According to some Inuit, it has negatively affected thetaste of fresh water. Increased freshwater temperature,algal growth and increased salinity were also reportedand were said to be negatively affecting the water’s quality and taste.

Vegetation and WildlifeWorkshop participants from all regions reported that the general condition of vegetation appears to be poorertoday than in the past. Vegetation species common to the Arctic have been observed growing in new locationswhile new species of vegetation have also being observedmoving into local areas. In some areas, residents believethat plants are growing taller and more abundantly thanbefore.

Commonly, discussions about vegetation in the regionsfocused on reports that the growth of berries has beenimpacted negatively by environmental change. Factorsnegatively affecting the condition and growth of berriesvaried across regions but included changes in rainfalllevels, more intense heat from the sun, colder summerconditions, drier land conditions and increased erosion.In Nunavik and Nunavut, berry-producing plants werediscussed in conversations about vegetation, although itwas also mentioned that the overall appearance of thehealth of other plants has decreased. In the majority ofcases in the four regions, it was reported that berries are less plentiful and less healthy now. For example,in Nunatsiavut, the hot sun causes bakeapples (or cloudberries) to ripen earlier and spoil faster.

Some of the same factors affecting berries also affectother vegetation and have caused the range, number andsize of plants in the ISR to expand and increase. Morespecifically, willows, spruce and grasses have been observedto be more numerous, and their range has expanded considerably, according to residents in this region.

In all communities, changes to moss and lichen werementioned but usually only in relation to their availabili-ty and to the health of caribou. In areas where increasedfreezing rain events have been reported, caribou haveless access to lichen and moss, which has an impact on


the health of the animals. In several communities ofNunatsiavut, residents wondered whether the lichen andmoss had been affected by contaminants from theexhaust of low-level military flights in that region.

Discussions regarding wildlife brought forth a greatnumber of specific observations of changes in the health,behaviour and distribution of animals in the Arctic.Changes have been noticed with marine wildlife, terres-trial wildlife, birds, fish and insects. General observa-tions/trends common to all regions include: an increasednumber of abnormalities and decreased level of healthamong marine and terrestrial wildlife as well as variousspecies of fish; changes in the migration and distributionpatterns of marine and terrestrial wildlife and birds; andthe appearance of new species of marine and terrestrialwildlife, birds, fish and insects, as well as the movementof certain species further north than ever before.

Conclusion: Patterns and Discrepancies A large number of observed environmental changes were documented from the community-based knowledgediscussed over the course of the workshops. Analysis ofthese observations shows great scope of local Inuitknowledge of the environment (see Table 4). Residentsfrom many communities, living in different regions, pos-sess a depth of locally specific knowledge that is difficultto convey in a written format. It is for this reason thatFigures 2-6 have been included to highlight the complex-ity and richness that can be behind one single observa-tion of environmental change. It is a challenging task,at best, to relate the rich, local observational details thataccompanied each community-specific observation ofenvironmental change.This level of contextual detail willbecome more evident as we move through the next twochapters and begin to relate how these observations

affect local residents and, finally, how communities andindividuals are already starting to adapt to these impacts.

From reading these observations, we can see basic simi-larities and differences existing between communitieswithin a region, and between regions.They also demon-strate the value of local knowledge as a source of datafor environmental change, and thus confirm the need toinvolve local people in future research and monitoringprocesses. Indeed, current scientific climate model sce-narios that attempt to illustrate or project environmentalchange do not account for the fine-tuned inter- and intra-regional differences that are outlined in the accountspresented by community residents here.

The observations presented during the workshops andappearing in this book attest to the abundance of localexpertise in relating both historical and current observa-tions. Residents were often able to identify when many ofthe changes related to various environmental components(e.g., weather, seasons, erosion, permafrost, sea and lakeice, etc.) first began occurring in their region and torecall the number, extent, frequency and types of changesthat were occurring with each passing year.

This chapter illustrates how closely Inuit knowledge is tied to the history of land use, occupancy and dailyactivities.The environmental changes Inuit speak of are inextricably linked to their daily lives, and so theymust change accordingly.These impacts and resultingadaptations form the subject of the next chapter.

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Table 4. Summary of Observations of Environmental Change in the Canadian Arctic(as discussed in community workshops)

Region Inuvialuit Settlement Region Nunavut Nunavik Nunatsiavut

Community Paulatuk Holman Island Aklavik Tuktoyaktuk Inuvik Repulse Bay Kugaaruk Arctic Bay Puvirnituq Kangiqsujuaq Ivujivik Nunatsiavut

OBSERVATIONSWEATHER

Weather is increasingly variable and unpredictable.

Winds not as strong / it is not as windy. Winter Winter

Winds are stronger / windy days occur more often. Summer Summer

Prevailing windshave shifted.

More “whirlwinds”in summer.

STORMS

Thunderstorms / lightning events are less frequent.

Thunderstorms more frequent / more extreme.

Thunderstorms / lightning occurring at different times of year.

TEMPERATURE

Winters are warmer.

Fewer winter extremecold temperatures.

Summers are cooler.

Summers are warmer.

More summer extreme warm temperatures.




OBSERVATIONSTEMPERATURE

Warmer and longer autumns.

Increase in temperature fluctuations.

SKY / SUN

Sky is less clear / more hazy.

Sun’s heat is more intense today.

Stars have shifted in the sky.

Moon seems higher in sky.

Sun seems higher in the sky.

PRECIPITATION

Increase in rainfall.

Decrease in rainfall.

Force of rain has increased.

Increase in freezing rain.

Decrease in snowfall / snow on land.

Changes in snow type / characteristics.

| PAGE 69



OBSERVATIONSICE

Ice is thinner now.

Earlier break up of ice.

Later freeze up of ice.

Permanent snowpacks/ icepacks are melting / glaciers are melting.

LAND

Permafrost is melting / thinner permafrost / less of it.

Ground is dropping.

Land is growing / expanding / rising.

Land is drier.

Increased erosion.

Landslides / mudslides.

Islands are bigger / new islands.

WATER

Freshwater levels are lower.

Sea level is higher.

Sea level is lower.

Sedimentation in water bodies has increased.

Sandbars are larger / higher.

VEGETATION & WILDLIFENew species of wildlife or insects or fish or birds or vegetation.

Decrease in health among marine or terrestrial wildlife or fish.

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IntroductionThe reported impacts of the changes observed to dateare far reaching, affecting everything from aspects ofInuit culture and knowledge to local economies andhealth. Additionally, in their reports of impacts of cli-mate and environmental change on their daily lives, somecommunities expressed their concerns with regard to theimpacts of development and pollution in the North.Although Inuit see these issues all as part of change andthe impacts of change on communities, we present hereonly a summary of the impacts reported by Inuit inworkshops that can be attributed to the climate and

environmental changes discussed in the earlier section.Please see Figure 4 for a depiction of impacts of envi-ronmental change by region and Table 5 at the end ofthis chapter for a summary of impacts of environmentalchange by region.

Culture & KnowledgeEnvironmental changes have had a direct impact onaspects of Inuit knowledge and culture. Impacts to intergeneration knowledge sharing, the role of knowledgeholders in the community, and concern over the loss ofknowledge that was based on traditional land activities

Impacts of Environmental Change

Northwest

Territories

Yukon

Quebec

Alaska

USA

“There are many caribou with white spots

in the meat. Even the taste of the meat is

different. They are not the same anymore”


“Long spits and points around the community are gone

and it is predicted that the Hamlet office we are

in now will be an island in 40 years”

(Tuktoyaktuk, ISR ).

“We get less snow now and less snow means poorer

quality water in lakes and streams and the water

has not as good a taste for drinking”


“Some people get stranded when

they are traveling and there is an

unexpected storm. This is happening

more often today”

(Nunatsiavut).

Figure 4 – Impacts of Environmental Change


that can no longer be practiced were discussed (Table 5).For example, the ability to predict fluctuations in theenvironment is a skill passed between generations in Inuitfamilies.This knowledge was critical when Inuit livedsolely on the land and day-to day survival depended onthe ability to predict safe travel routes and good huntingconditions.Though many Inuit have now permanently set-tled in communities, the ability to read the weather is stillimportant, as individuals still live on the land for periodsthroughout the year, and in some cases, permanently.

This close relationship with the land is reported to pro-mote physical and emotional well-being. A diet thatincludes country food is an important part of this rela-tionship. Hunting and harvesting practices are, in part,dependent on one’s abilities to predict and read theweather. However, the increasingly variable environmentalconditions in all Canadian Arctic regions have made itmuch more difficult for Inuit to do so. Elders, in particu-lar, feel much more hesitant to provide weather predic-tions to others, for fear of providing inaccurate informa-tion.The lack of confidence in weather prediction abilitieshas meant that knowledge sharing among generationsregarding weather and the environment has decreased.Inuit in all regions are concerned for their youth who theyfeel are particularly disadvantaged by this loss of tradi-tional sharing of cultural knowledge (Figure 2).

As presented in Figure 2, the inability of Elders to pre-dict the weather for others degrades the social conditionsfor passing on knowledge of this type to youth, who findthemselves stuck out on the land in dangerous conditionswithout the required knowledge and skills. Weatherunpredictability and other changes in environmental con-ditions have affected the generational exchange of otherforms of Inuit knowledge. Hunters in all regions say theyare no longer hunting as much or spending as much time

on the land. In Nunavik, the decreased time spent on the land was reported to be limiting the time that youthcould spend learning about the environment and theInuit way of life. Decreases in some species, such ascapelin in Nunatsiavut, have led to reduced harvests ofthis fish species and increased concern that these skillscould be lost in future generations. Similarly, Inuit areconcerned that the skills and knowledge required to buildan igloo will be lost as fewer and fewer are being builttoday because of a lack of snow or changes in the typeof snow falling in recent years. Finally, in the ISR, resi-dents are afraid for the loss of culturally important sites,such as graveyards, old whaling beaches and lookoutsthat are already threatened by melting permafrost,increased erosion and loss of land in the region (Table 5).

“We need to inform

people about the changes

that are going on and the

impacts these changes

have and could have”

(Nunatsiavut).

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Harvesting & Land-Based ActivitiesRestrictions or challenges to travel, changes in animalhealth and distribution, and timing of migrations havenegatively influenced Inuit hunting, fishing and activitiessuch as berry collecting (Table 5).

In all Arctic regions, travel and hunting conditions havebecome more difficult and unpredictable throughout theyear, with the spring season being particularly affected.Earlier spring break-up and later fall freeze-up, thinnerice conditions and increasing unpredictability have madeit more difficult to predict when ice is safe for travel.Higher winds and more numerous sudden changes toweather systems have made travel, especially by boat,increasingly dangerous. Earlier melting of snow, and lesssnow in general have made travel by snowmobile moredifficult in all regions. As a result of these manychanges, hunting and travel have become more risky and consequently less frequent in many communities.

Travel distances have become longer as some traditionalroutes are no longer accessible, and some northern resi-dents reported not wanting to travel as far away fromthe community for fear of getting stranded in unpre-dictable or dangerous conditions. In Nunavik communi-ties, these changes have meant that many residents areless active on the land than they used to be and arechanging their harvesting behaviours.This decreasedhunter mobility often results in higher concentrations ofhunters and fishers using a smaller area. Residents inNunatsiavut fear that this concentration will place undopressure on local animal and fish populations (Figure 5).

Changes in animal populations, such as shifts in distri-bution and migration patterns, have also influenced har-vesting practices. Changes in geese migration have ledto changes in hunting times in all regions, though thespecific impacts vary. In Nunatsiavut, geese now arrivein April, where they used to arrive in May, and nowleave earlier in the fall. Earlier arrival has made huntingof this animal easier because it is now safer to travel onice in April than in May when conditions have becomemore unpredictable. In some cases, methods to huntspecies have required modification because of changesin animal numbers and their distribution. In RepulseBay, for example, decreases in the beluga populationhave required hunters to use greater effort and fasterboats and to involve more people to acquire the samenumber of animals.

Changes in the health and condition of animals relatedto changes in climate and other environmental factorshave similarly affected harvesting practices. In RepulseBay and Holman Island, seals now tend to be thinner.Hunting practices have therefore been altered in both of these communities to increase the success of the hunt

“We need to be more care-

ful when pursuing animals

because of thinner ice and

changing ice conditions”



and retrieval of animals. In Repulse Bay, for example,seals are sinking faster after being shot (as a result ofhaving less fat), so hunters need to drive their boatsfaster, which increases fuel consumption in order tocatch the seals before they sink. Also hunters have shift-ed the times they go seal hunting in an attempt to avoidperiods when seals are thinnest. Similar changes to hunt-ing practices have been made in Holman Island in theISR, where residents reported that thinner sea ice hasled to a shorter nursing period for seal pups, which iscontributing to a decrease in the amount of fat seen onseals. Also in this region, Inuit state that the priming ofthe fur of most land mammals has been negativelyaffected by warming temperatures. Fur quality hasdecreased because of the lack of extreme cold tempera-tures, resulting in a drop in fur prices and a decrease inincome generated by hunting and trapping activities.

A reduction in the overall condition and numbers ofberries in all four regions has meant that the activity ofberry picking has decreased. In Inuvik, an increase inthe number of insects and community residents’ reluc-tance to deal with them has also contributed to thistrend. Similar reports were mentioned in Nunatsiavut,with increases in sandfly and mosquito populationsbelieved to be associated with warmer temperatures.A decrease in snow in this region was reported to benegatively impacting opportunities for snow shoeing,resulting in a reduction in participation in this outdoorwinter livelihood activity.

The combination of these impacts has led to reportedchanges or challenges to aspects of Inuit traditional food security, local economies, traditional and culturalpractices and general well-being.

In a few cases, environmental changes were reported to represent positive changes. In Nunavik, for example,residents mentioned that the earlier ice break-up andlater fall freeze-up has lengthened the boating season;a positive for those that have boats and enjoy huntingduring the open water season. Earlier ice break-up inTuktoyaktuk, coupled with warmer temperatures, haspermitted swimming earlier in the summer (Table 5).

TravelInuit are a highly mobile people who view travel as beingextremely important for hunting and fishing, recreationand visiting relatives in neighbouring communities. Assuch, it is a significant feature of Inuit health and well-being. Changes in the northern environment have influ-enced how and when Inuit can travel today as neverbefore (Table 5). Some traditional travel routes are nolonger as accessible as they once were; in a number ofcommunities, some travel routes have had to change com-pletely. As a result, travel distances often increase, addingto the probability of being out on the land in risky condi-

“Our lifestyle has changed

because we are not out on

the land as much anymore”


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Figure 5: Observation, Impact and Adaptation Diagram - Nunatsiavut

Warmer andLonger Falls

Thinner ice

Back Bay doesnot completely freeze up now.

Increased cases ofSkidoos/dog teamsfalling through ice.

Increased need to rescue people from

falls into ice.

More dangerousfor travel.

Focuses huntingactivity on smaller

land area.

Prolongs travelby boat

(instead of Skidoo).

Minimizes travelopportunities in fall

because fall is stormyand it’s dangerous to

travel by boat at this time.

Concern overimpact onanimals.

Ice remainssoft.

Snow oftenfalls on ice after

it freezes.

Ice arrives later(now arrives in late December).

Watertemperatureis warmer.

Storms breakup sea-ice.

Storms are worse(especially in fall).

Increase inopen water areas.

Mark ice areasthat are dangerous.

Need to shortentime span for

missing parties.

Need for searchand rescue operationsin every community.

Need to travel longer routes over land.

Ice becomesrougher.

Increase ingas expenditures

: Key Concern

: Observation of environmental change

: Impacts other environmental component

: Impact on humans

: Adaptation/Need for adaptation to occur/Recommendation

OBSERVATION, IMPACT & ADAPTATION

DIAGRAM FOR LABRADOR


tions. Increased unpredictability of weather and travelconditions have made it more difficult for Inuit to pre-pare and plan for travel and hunting trips. In some com-munities, residents reported that travel has decreased ingeneral—people are less willing to face risks associatedwith unsafe conditions on the land and sea.

Also due to changes in the land and sea, certain locationsmust now be avoided when travelling and certain travelequipment has required adjustment in the way it is used.In Kugaaruk, residents discussed how an increased num-ber of mudslides coupled with changes in the condition ofthe land (melting permafrost and lack of stability) haveled to unsafe travel conditions for ATVs. Decreasedamounts of snow have had an impact on the ability totravel by snow machine in all regions. As a result of lowerwater levels in Aklavik, residents have begun to uselighter and more shallow draft boats to access traditional waterways.

Some routes used for travel have changed. Residents ofRepulse Bay discussed the inaccessibility of the tradi-tional travel route to Igloolik due to changes in the snowand ice conditions.This has resulted in a decrease in theamount of travel between these two communities (nowconsidered long-distance travel). Similarly, in Paulatukand Tuktoyaktuk, the duration of trips on the land hastended to be shortened over the years due to safety.However, in response to changes in animal distributionsand migration routes, distances travelled to hunt keyspecies has had to increase. In many cases, the need totravel longer distances has meant an increase in expendi-tures for gasoline, the need for better equipment andincreased wear on vehicles (see Figure 6).

The increasingly unpredictable conditions discussed earlier have made travel much more difficult and are

complicating the use of traditional landforms as naviga-tional markers. In Kugaaruk, travellers in the dark wintermonths often used snow drifts and banks (indicating thedirection of prevailing winds) as navigational markers.However, in Nunatsiavut, Nunavut and the ISR, whereprevailing wind directions were reported to have shiftedin recent years, the orientation of snowdrifts and bankshas changed so they are no longer useful as navigationalaids. Similarly, as a result of changes in the land, pingos,traditionally used as navigational markers on the landand from the sea in the Inuvialuit region, were reportedto be disappearing and therefore no longer valuable inthis respect.

Overall, the combination of changes—such as decreasedamounts of snow around Arctic Bay, stronger winds androugher ice conditions near Paulatuk, and earlier break-up and later freeze-up in all regions—has meant thattravel has become more dangerous, less predictable andconsequently less frequent. Spring travel, in particular,has become much more risky than ever before (Table 5).Despite these reports, some individuals reported positivechanges with regard to travel in their region.In Kangiqsujuaq, for example, weaker water currentshave made crossing rivers by boat easier. Similarly,in Nunatsiavut, lower levels of snow have made it easier to walk around communities in the winter.

| PAGE 77

Figure 6: Observation, Impact and Adaptation Diagram - Arctic Bay, Nunavut

Communicate more with hunters within community before travelling to know

conditions on land.

Shift in use of travelequipment (using ATVs

more now).

Using tents more oftenbecause igloos difficult

to build.

Communicate more with other communities to knowconditions on land/weather

in nearby communities.

Less snow on ground.

Damage and wear toqamuti and snow-machines.

Can no longermake igloos.

Some routes can nolonger be travelled.

More difficult to get on landand hunt/get country foods.

Rely more on store for food.

Purchasing moreATVs.

Higher costs to add new vehicle and to buy new

equipment (tents).

Health andeconomic impacts.

Snowfalllater in year.

: Key Concern



: Impact on humans



DIAGRAM FOR ARCTIC BAY, NUNAVUT

Decreasedsnowfall.


FoodMuch of the Inuit diet still comes from the land, sea andrivers.These traditional or country foods provide signifi-cant amounts of protein and nutrients, and strengthensocial connections between family and community mem-bers via sharing practices.They are an important part ofInuit identity and culture, and the activities used to col-lect them represent important forms of physical activityamong northern residents. In the last 20 years, there havebeen observed declines in the overall amount of countryfood consumed in communities.This trend has both eco-nomic and health implications. Workshop participantsexpressed concern about increased food spoilage, changesto berries and other edible plants, increased contamina-tion levels in meat, and decreases in the health of animalsand humans related to the suite of environmental changesreported to be taking place (Table 5).

Communities reported a general decrease in access tocountry foods. Changes in weather, snow, ice and waterconditions, access to traditional hunting areas and shiftsin some animal migration routes and timing have all negatively affected Inuit access to some country foodspecies. However, in some workshops, residents also spokeof increased access in some locations; in those cases,however, the health or quality of the animal was still areported concern. As discussed in Paulatuk, when thepopulation of caribou moves far away from the communi-ty, residents rely more on other animals that are moreimmediately (locally) accessible. Several communities inthe ISR have made the switch from caribou to musk ox,which for most residents is considered a downgrade.

All regions expressed concerns about the consumption ofcaribou.The diet of caribou has been affected by changesin the quality of snow cover and increased icing eventsthat restrict winter access to lichen, the primary food for

this species.This has led to more unhealthy and thin ani-mals being taken by Inuit hunters. In addition to changesin the diet of caribou, other factors—the increased num-ber of abnormalities reported in the meat, the increasednumber of flies around the herds and the concern thatsome caribou may be infected by parasites—contribute to an increased vigilance and concern about consumptionof this country food item. As a result of changes in thecondition of animals and meat, more care is being takenwhen selecting animals to consume. All regions alsoreported that much more meat is being thrown out.

Vegetation and berries have also been affected by envi-ronmental change. Due to the decrease in size, numberand condition of berries, they are not as available andare therefore not eaten as much. Despite the slowdecline in the quality of edible berries reported bymany communities, some Inuit reported that there is

“We can’t make dry fish as the

heat spoils it. The sun makes

it too hot and we need to put

a tarp over top now to protect

the fish from the sun”

(Inuvik, ISR).

| PAGE 79

annual variation such that some years still providegood berries.They are enjoyed by themselves, made into jams or are made into a type of “ice cream”when mixed with brain from caribou. Since there arenot very many sweet tastes in the country food diet,a decline in berries represents a significant change.

Changes in temperature have influenced country foodpreparation processes, such as the drying of meat andfish. Ivujivik residents claimed that the hotter sun is burning meat when it’s left out to dry (see Figure 7). InKangiqsujuaq, cooler summer temperatures are resultingin slower drying of meat. In Inuvik, more caution is takentoday when muktuk is left out to dry. Residents said thatit used to take one to two days to dry, but today the meatdries between morning and afternoon of the same day.Not only have food preparation times changed, but alsothe condition or quality of the food in some cases.Warmer temperatures and lower water levels reported inNunatsiavut and the ISR, for example, were linked tochanges in the texture of fish flesh, rendering it “softer”or “more gelatinous.”The difference in texture has led tosubsequent difficulties with drying the fish, as reported by Inuvik residents.

Related to observed increases in summer temperatures,country food meats are seen to be spoiling faster whileout on the land, and fish are observed to be dying andspoiling quicker in nets than ever before as a result ofincreased water temperatures.The storage of meat is alsomore challenging, and participants reported that moremeat is spoiling.The combined impacts on storage, prepa-ration, access and availability have caused communitiesthat do have community freezer programs to depend onthese systems more and more today. However, theseobservations and reports were not ubiquitous.

Communities such as Kangiqsujuaq reported cooler temperatures and didn’t express issues with spoilage and storage of traditional foods.

The combination of observed decreases in the health ofsome animal species, changes in distribution of animalsand vegetation, and the challenges in accessing qualityfood items throughout the year culminated in residentsexpressing concern that there will be a significant loss ofcountry foods for future generations. Most residents feelstore-bought food is inferior in nutritive value than coun-try food and an over-reliance on store-bought food willlead to decreases in human health. Further, if a depend-ency on store-bought food is created, there is a worrythat less country food will be sought altogether.

Simlarly, access to and consumption of store foods havebeen affected as well. Warmer temperatures in the ISRhave caused ice roads to close for longer periods through-out the winter, and less snow and thinner ice conditionshave made the roads more dangerous. Residents havecome to depend on fresh food, such as milk, eggs, fruitand vegetables that arrive to the community via ice roadsin the winter. With the decrease in the reliability of theroads, fresh food must be brought in by plane or seabarge, which increases both the delivery time and theprice of items. As a result, these food items are higherpriced, of lower quality, or, in times of poor weather,not available.


Figure 7: Observation, Impact and Adaptation Diagram - Ivujivik, Nunavik

Skin sunburns occurmuch faster and are worse.

: Key Concern

Education about the needwear sunblock is required.

Wearing sunblock now.

Exchange of country foodsbetween communities.

Need better storagefacilities (community

freezer).

More vigilance and attention/time is needed

in preparation of dry meat.

Increased selection of animalshunted/More animals by-passedbecause of change in quality/Increase in abnormalities.

More hunters wear scarves,masks out on land.

Food (moss/lichens) ofCaribou is drier. Qaulity ofmoss/lichen is questioned.

Caribou are skinnier andare in poorer health.

Poorer quality offood for Inuit.

Food spoils fasterout in camps.

Food preparation:Meat gets dried out/burned

when it’s left out in the sun to dry.

More foodis thrown away.

Fewer animalstaken/Decrease innumber of animals

harvested.

Less countryfood available.

SUN IS WARMER(Heat from the sun is

more intense).


DIAGRAM FOR IVUJIVIK, NUNAVIK



: Impact on humans


| PAGE 81

WaterDrinking water is a tenuous resource in northern commu-nities. Despite infrastructure to capture, treat and distrib-ute clean water, many individual still prefer to use naturalsources around their community. Access to and availabili-ty of good, clean and safe water is said to be poorer in allregions due to the environmental changes reported byInuit (Table 5).

Lower water levels in freshwater bodies were reported inevery region and in almost every community. Many of theexplanations for this change were linked to declines in theamounts of snow and rain, increased sedimentation inwaterways, and warmer average air and water tempera-tures.These variations have also led to increased algae,and plant growth in fresh waters. Lower water levels inrivers have also been linked to more sedimentation andthe appearance of larger sandbars, particularly in theISR where this change was related to increased erosion.Natural source drinking water was reported to have a different/worse taste and smell than in the past inNunatsiavut, Nunavik and the ISR. In Nunavut, however,changes to water quality were reported in connectionwith the decreased clarity of water that is used whenpreparing tea.

In Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and the ISR, residents wereworried not only about their natural sources of water but also about the water supplied by the municipality.Increased algae and sedimentation linked to low waterlevels have resulted in increased costs to the maintenanceof the water treatment system in Aklavik, as the systemhas become clogged more frequently. In both Nunatsiavutand Nunavik, there has been an increase in warnings fromauthorities to boil water, and in some Nunatsiavut com-munities, water from town supplies was said to tasterustier than before, staining kettles and giving eggs a rust colour.

General changes in municipal water supplies were perceived as being linked to an increase in some illnesses in Nunatsiavut. As Elders are not used to boiling water for safety, and do not like the taste of the municipal chlorinated water, they are still taking most of their water from natural sources.They do not always comply with boil-water advisories and,as a result, are suffering increasing health impacts.

Changes to freshwater quantity and quality have also had a reported effect on the migration routes of fish andother animals, and on the quality of fish consumed. Lowerwater levels have been reported to impact fish migrationup many streams and rivers, which leads to harvestingdifficulties and less fish brought back to communities.

Vehicles & EquipmentTravel today in the Arctic is typically done by snowmo-bile, boat or all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Environmentalchanges have reportedly disrupted these means of travel.Higher winds, rougher ice conditions and more numerousstorms have damaged or destroyed vehicles. In someareas, the traditional means and equipment for travelhave been adapted to meet the changes in environmentalconditions (Table 5).

“The water from some rivers and pondssmells and tastes bad, particularly when it does not rain for quite some time. We do not want to drink this water”(Nunatsiavut).

In the ISR, for example, ice roads connect communitiesand allow for travel by truck or car during the winter.However, less snow is making the roads more slippery,which is resulting in an increased number of vehicleaccidents. Warmer temperatures have made road main-tenance more difficult, and trucks, especially heavy con-struction trucks, have fallen through or been damagedon the thin ice. As the ice is freezing later in the falland breaking up earlier in the spring, the ice road sea-son has shortened. As a result, residents must use othermeans of transportation to bring goods into the commu-nity during these months.This factor influences deci-sions regarding the purchase, timing and use of vehiclessuited for the snow and ice (snowmobile versus ATV)and water (outboard motors). Understandably, not allhouseholds have the economic means to purchase therequired equipment (see “Adaptations” chapter for further discussion on this topic).

With increasingly unpredictable weather systems reported in all regions, travel has become more danger-ous.The length of the boating season is longer in allregions because the ice break-up is occurring earlier andthe freeze-up is typically occurring much later in the fall.In Nunatsiavut, residents spoke of how a later freeze-up,coupled with increasingly unpredictable weather, makestravel by speedboat more difficult at that time of the year(Figure 2). Ivujvik hunters spoke of the lengthened boat-ing season as a positive change as it was good for somehunting and fishing activities dependent upon open water.Damage to boats was a concern in Repulse Bay, as lowerwater levels and higher winds have led to increasinglylarger amounts of floating seaweed getting caught in theoutboard propellers. Similarly, high winds, not experiencedbefore in the past, are causing damage or loss of equip-ment (e.g., boats) in Arctic Bay.

Less snow has resulted in damage to snowmobiles andother equipment. In Nunavik, more hunters are reportingwear on the runners of their snowmobiles and expressedconcern about the costs for repairs. Also, an earlier springsnowmelt has triggered a shorter season in which snow-mobiles are useful. When out on the land for springhunts, hunters must return home by snowmobile beforesnow has melted or risk being stranded. In addition,Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and Nunavut have experiencedquick melt–freeze events that leave a new ice-layer on thesurface of the snow, making snowmobiling more difficultdue to reduced traction. An observed change in the con-sistency of snow in Nunatsiavut and Nunavut has causedsnow machines to sink in the snow, leaving hunters stuckout on the land more often. Changing ice conditions arereported to make travel by snowmobile more difficultthan before.Thinner and more unpredictable and strangeice conditions have resulted in a reported increase in thenumber of cases of snowmobiles falling through the ice.

As a result of many changes in snow conditions, ATV usehas increased in a number of communities. In Kugaaruk,the type of vehicle used for travel changed because theland has become softer and more difficult to pass in someareas. Residents of Holman Island discussed this problem,as well as the fact that an increased number of ATVs getstuck because of soft and unstable trail conditions. As aresult, more ATV riders have had to be rescued.

In general, search and rescue operations have been moreactive across the North as more people are gettingstranded when travelling, regardless of their mode oftransportation.

Because of the changes taking place with land and seatravel routes, air travel in the North is reported to have


| PAGE 83

increased. However, residents expressed concern aboutrelying on this mode of transportation as it is heavilydependent upon good weather. In Nunatsiavut, residentswere concerned about medivac planes or planes carryingsupplies having difficulties getting into communities during an increasingly stormy fall season. Air travel was also seen as potentially becoming more and moreexpensive because of environmental changes.

Infrastructure & HousingThe construction of stable and long-lasting infrastructurein Arctic communities is a challenging task. It must bebased on a solid understanding of permafrost dynamics,weather extremes and average Arctic temperatures. Inuitreported many ways in which environmental change hascome to affect community and outpost camp infrastruc-ture to date (Table 5).

Some observed environmental changes were reported tohave had positive impacts, particularly related to housingand infrastructure. Residents of Tuktoyaktuk, for example,discussed the fact that with warmer winters, less fuel isrequired for heating homes. However, despite some posi-tive changes, most residents spoke of how changes in theenvironment have caused an increase in damage to homes and increased the costs of living.

Ivujivik residents reported that increased high winds andmore frequent storms throughout the year are causingmore power outages in that community. In Nunatsiavut,less snow has meant that houses are not as well insulatedin the winter and, as a result, more heating is required.Some residents made the connection between this and anincrease in the incidents of freezing and breaking pipesduring the winter months. Additionally, stronger winds inNunatsiavut were reported to be damaging housing andraising concerns in Repulse Bay for the need to anchorhouses to the ground.

Erosion and melting permafrost are reported to alreadybe having significant impacts on Inuit communities,particularly in the western Arctic (Figure 8).The locations of houses and buildings in both the ISR andNunatsiavut have been threatened by increased shorelineerosion and melting permafrost. In Nunatsiavut, concernwas expressed for buildings in Webb’s Bay, and residentsdiscussed how they have tried to slow erosion by puttingdown wood and boards along the shore, with little suc-cess. In the ISR, four of the five communities reportedconcern that the coasts and riverbanks in this region havebeen falling into the water at an alarming rate. Homesand buildings in Tuktoyaktuk and Aklavik have alreadybeen relocated as a result, and the communities are concerned about the possibility of the need for completecommunity relocation in the future. Additionally, trans-portation infrastructures (e.g., newly constructed roads)are of further concern in Tuktoyaktuk because of meltingpermafrost. In general, residents felt that with a lack of outside interest or even acknowledgement of theseproblems, they would unable to secure the required funds to combat the problems.They are worried thatthese changes will continue to impact their communitiesin the future.

“The land is dropping at Shingle

Point. We may have to move the

houses and it could be expensive”

(Aklavik, ISR).


Figure 8: Observation, Impact and Adaptation Diagram - Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Eroding banksand Coastlines.

Islands aredisappearing.

Loss of long sand spits,peninsulas and points.

Less ice andmore open water.

Exposed Permafrost.

Lower water levels.

Lower levels of snow.

Permafrost is melting.

Land erosion.

Land is dropping(4 or 5 inches lower)Foundations of houses/ buildings

impacted. Concern for road construction, trails and travel routes, gravesites are

eroding and are being lost.

Loss of campsites and protection of coastlines.

Houses/buildingsare collapsing.

Loss of culturallyimportant sites.

Relocation ofhouses/buildings.

Need to documentsites.

Increased community planning anddiscussion to include the possible need

for relocation of community.

Relocation/reinforcementstudies done by Inuvialuit

Regional Corporation (IRC).

Create a heritagesite of entire area.

Funding isrequired

Putting rocks alongshorelines.

Erosioncontrol

More severe weather events, including storm surges.

: Key Concern



: Impact on humans



DIAGRAM FOR TUKTOYAKTUK, INUVIALUIT

SETTLEMENT REGION (ISR)

| PAGE 85

Economy Impacts of environmental change on local and regionaleconomies were reported by Inuit in all four regions, butnowhere more frequently than in the ISR. Residents ofNunatsiavut, Nunavut and Nunavik focused their discus-sions primarily on the economic impacts of changes relat-ed to travel and travel equipment. Residents of the ISR,although experiencing similar types of difficulties, sharedtheir perspectives about the economic impacts of shifts inlivelihoods, changes to the tourism industry and increasedcosts associated with infrastructure damage in their com-munities. In some cases, economic impacts discussed wereassociated with the costs of responding to changes andimpacts.The costs of these responses have been includedhere as they were viewed as a necessity, rather than as anoption for adaptation by communities (Table 5).

The changes to travel conditions discussed earlier (e.g.,thinner ice and more dangerous conditions) that haveresulted in lengthening of routes or the selection of othertravel paths have increased the costs of travel, as report-ed in Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the ISR. Residents in theISR, Nunavut and Nunatsiavut discussed how air travel isbeing considered more often for long trips (e.g., betweencommunities) because of these increased costs and thegrowing danger associated with land and sea travel.

In Nunavik and Nunavut communities, residents suspectthat there are direct links between environmental changes(e.g., increased and more unpredictable winds and loweramounts of snow) and damage or increased wear totransportation equipment. Nunavimmiut participants, forexample, reported damaged travel and hunting equipmentas a result of increased summer whirlwinds.This hasincreased repair, maintenance or in some cases replace-ment costs of critical equipment for Inuit households.

In addition, the need to purchase new equipment not previously needed was expressed in some regions. Withthe prevalence of new and different types of insects in theArctic, residents, particularly in the ISR, reported thatprotective clothing and insect repellents are now requiredmore than ever before. Residents are installing screens inhouse windows and doors to increase ventilation duringthe hotter summer months while keeping out these bitinginsects. Inuit across the North discussed the need to buyand wear protective sunscreen lotion more often becauseof the increased incidence of more frequent and harshsunburns, blisters and rashes (see Health section, below).

The drop in freshwater levels in all regions and its impacton the quality and quantity of drinking water availablefrom area creeks, ponds, lakes and rivers, together withthe fact that many residents dislike the taste of treatedwater, has resulted in some Inuit now taking store-bought

“For hunters it costs in gasoline

too because places we could

reach before cannot be reached

because of melting snow and

thinning ice in the winter with

this warm weather”



bottled water with them when travelling on the land.Residents of the ISR, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut reportedthese increased costs as being associated with environ-mental changes.

The impacts to food availability, accessibility and qualityrelated to increasing accounts of wildlife abnormalities,changes in migration and distribution patterns of animalsand weather and other challenges to access were reportedas resulting in an increase in consumption of some store-bought foods as replacements.This shift is economicallysignificant, as a resident from Nunatsiavut stated thatone caribou is worth the equivalent of $600–$800 instore-bought foods. Communities identified the need formaintenance and better upkeep of community freezerfacilities and programs to ensure a more secure and consistent supply of country foods throughout the year.However, the operation and maintenance of communityfreezers is quite costly, being reported in Inuvik asbetween $10,000 and $12,000 per month.

However, some changes may create economic opportuni-ties for Inuit. In the ISR, an increase in the musk ox pop-ulation over the past 25 years has meant new and differ-ent opportunities in the sport-hunting industry as well asin the sale of musk ox meat and hair. Musk ox hair, orqiviut, is used to make mitts and sweaters, and someskins are bought for use in arts and crafts.

Aside from the above potential gain, Inuit have experi-enced a number of negative impacts to the fur industryfrom reported environmental changes. Residents of theISR communities explained that warmer temperaturesoccurring later in the fall have decreased the quality ofthe fur of terrestrial mammals (rabbits, hares, foxes,wolves and wolverines), as they are not priming as theyused to. Fur is now shorter, thinner, with less guard hair

and of lower overall quality. Inuvik residents reportedthat wolf, fox and rabbit fur that used to change colourand turn white in the fall, now looks more yellow at thistime.These changes have impacted the selling price offurs. Residents also reported that many people are nottrapping as much as they used to as a result and need tofind ways to replace this income. Seamstresses who typi-cally used furs from trappers for making clothing nowhave to buy them from the stores at a higher price. Oneresident from Inuvik said that the trim for parkas cannow cost upwards of $400–$500.00 per fur.

The seal pelt industry in the ISR has also been affectedby environmental changes, according to residents ofHolman Island. In this community, fewer seal pelts areharvested now because the animals tend to be thinner.Also, less fat on these animals means they are lesshealthy, and therefore yield poorer quality pelts. InRepulse Bay, similar reports emerged, as did those con-cerning changes in ice conditions affecting the opportuni-ties for seal hunting, further decreasing the potential revenue gained from the sale of seal pelts. However, anincrease of harp seals reported in Nunatsiavut representsa potentially positive economic change, as the market forthese pelts has returned despite the fact that there is ageneral decrease in the number of seal products worn inthe community.

Tourism is a very important economic activity in manyArctic regions. Environmental change in the ISR isreported to have had an effect on this industry. InTuktoyaktuk, residents are concerned that a lack of goodsnow to make igloos may negatively affect the flow oftourists, particularly from Europe. However, in the samecommunity, an increase in tourism was thought to be pos-sible if the trend towards a decrease in the number andseverity of winter storms continues. Inuvik residents fore-

| PAGE 87

see positive impacts on tourism as well: an increase in thenumber of bald eagles seen today could increase the num-ber of people interested in bird-watching in this northerncommunity.

Finally, some environmental changes represent economicimpacts to important community infrastructure.Residents of Aklavik reported a trend of increasingexpenses for general maintenance and upkeep of the com-munity water plant related to decreased water qualityaround the community. In Nunatsiavut, a decrease insnow has driven up heating costs because there is lesssnow on the ground to insulate houses during the winter.Meanwhile, in the west, less heat is required because ofwinter warming. It is clear that costs of energy are deter-mined by a number of factors so the net energy costsvary and can be difficult to foresee and therefore plan for.

HealthInuit across the Canadian Arctic reported that changesthey observe in the environment are directly and indirect-ly affecting their health. Many of the impacts reportedearlier all come to affect health in one way or another.Whether concerns about increased heat from the sun,more extreme hot days, the presence of new and differentinsects in their region or changes in the quality of drink-ing water, it is clear that changes in the environment areinfluencing aspects of Inuit health today (Table 5).

Inuit in many communities across the North reported anincrease in both the number and the severity of sunburnsdue to the increased heat and intensity of the sun’s rays.In Repulse Bay, residents are concerned about the ozonelayer causing an increase in UV exposure and how thismay be related to an increased incidence in cancers intheir community. Nunatsiavut and Inuvik residents areexperiencing more headaches and cases of dehydration,respectively, as a result of reported increased heat andhot days during summertime in their regions.

Increases in existing and new insect populations arebeing observed in the ISR. Residents in many of thecommunities in that region discussed the need for betterprotection against insects, including mosquito screens forwindows and the need to wear insect repellents. Insectbite infections are a growing concern across the Arctic,but unease was especially evident in Nunavik and theISR. Fear exists regarding possible diseases that newinsects may carry (e.g., West Nile).

Warming water temperatures and increased algaegrowth, a decrease in quality freshwater sources, andpast events related to some chemical spills in water(e.g., chlorine in Nunatsiavut) were reported as concernswith both drinking water from municipal and naturalsources that may be negatively influencing Inuit health.

“The sun gives us a tan and it

goes deeper in children now.

We are getting sunburns, and

our lips get cracked. We have to

go to the health centre to get

treatment for these burns”



Concerns expressed by community residents were partic-ularly focused on the impacts that these changes towater quality are having on the health of Elders in theircommunities (because Elders access much of their drink-ing water from natural sources because they are notused to boiling water for safety and do not like the tasteof chlorinated water).

Environmental changes leading to shifts in animal num-bers, health, availability and accessibility were reportedto be associated with the shift in diet away from country foods and towards store-bought foods in many communities. Decreased accessibility to the landbecause of weather unpredictability, changes in ice andsnow regimes, changes in migration and distributionroutes of animals, as well as apprehension regardingthe increasingly poor health of animals and increasedcontamination levels and the number of abnormalitiesin wild meat were all reported as impacts of environ-mental change on animals that, in turn, impact Inuitfood security and health. It was believed that this shifthas led to a decrease in the overall health status ofInuit, potentially leading to increased cases of disease,such as heart disease and diabetes.

In Puvirnituq, concern for the health of youth focusedon the fact that this younger cohort is moving awayfrom a country food diet and relying more on store-bought foods. Although people are aware that not allcontamination issues mean that country food is not safefor consumption, fears arise when new abnormalitiesare observed or when allergic reactions to some foods are reported. For example, some residents inNunatsiavut and Repulse Bay are concerned as to whysome individuals are now showing an allergic reaction to the consumption of Arctic char for the first time.

Changes in regular seasonal behaviour of people in communities, other than diet, were also reported as having negative impacts on people’s health. For example,Nunatsiavut residents highlighted cases of “spring fever”or anxiety from waiting to get out on the land and feel-ing “trapped” in the community more often since an ear-lier spring causes unstable travel conditions (i.e., peopleare having to wait longer to travel out on the land).The mental and physical well-being gained from being onthe land has been limited and it is apparent—there areincreased cases of people feeling frustrated and anxious.In Tuktoyaktuk, residents also identified this problem,explaining that there is a sense of physical, mental andcultural loss when a season on the land is missed orshortened.

“People are healthier out on the land”

(Nunatsiavut).

| PAGE 89

Finally, general concerns about the impacts of environ-mental pollution on health were expressed, often withaccompanying questions about what may be causingthese changes. For example, residents in Nunatsiavutworry about levels of air pollution in their communities.The links between pollution in the environment andhuman health has been a concern in Inuit communitiesfor some time. Worry was expressed about how uses ofmodern technologies are affecting Inuit health. Peoplediscussed this in terms of living in closer proximity tosources of pollution, such as the increased use of travelequipment operating on fossil fuels. As well, pollutionwas discussed in a global sense—Arctic residentsexpressed concern about pollution from other locationsaround the world, with a particular emphasis placed onthe impacts this pollution may be having on their health.

ConclusionAs reported, the changes taking place in the Arctic envi-ronment have far-reaching impacts on many aspects ofInuit life. Key changes in the environment, such as anincrease in the unpredictability of weather and weathersystems, is seen as influencing such diverse componentsof daily life as travel, the generation and exchange ofknowledge, human safety and security, food security,local economies, and individual health (Figure 2).Similarly, warmer and longer fall seasons in Nunatsiavutwere reported as impacting aspects of travel, huntingbehaviour, human safety, wildlife populations, and individ-ual economic resources (Figure 5).The interconnectednature of Inuit and their environment implies indirectand cumulative impacts of many changes in weather andthe environment on the people.The diverse impacts havebeen reported here.

Of the changes that are negatively affecting Inuit acrossall regions, some are more significant in one region orcommunity than others. In the ISR, residents placedparticular significance on the economic impacts of envi-ronmental change whereas this same focus was not asevident in the other three regions. To some degree, eachregion or community is experiencing unique impacts aseach community’s perspective is based on their own par-ticular history, social economy and relationship to theland. Please see Table 5 for a summary of impacts ofenvironmental change.

It is important to note that not all environmentalchanges were reported to be affecting communities andindividuals negatively. In fact, some opportunities havebeen associated with changes, such as the increase inmusk ox and the opportunities for sport hunting and saleof skins and musk ox hair products. Additionally, inNunavik, earlier ice break-up and later fall freeze-up wasseen to represent a positive lengthening of the boatingseason. However, as generally reported by Inuit, themajority of changes are currently seen to be affectingcommunities and individuals negatively and in ways thatrequire significant efforts, and in some cases, invest-ments, to respond.These responses are presented anddiscussed in the following section.


Table 5. Impacts of Environmental Change in the Canadian Arctic (as reported during the community workshops)

Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) Nunavut Nunavik Nunatsiavut

CULTURE & KNOWLEDGE

HARVESTING & LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES

TRAVEL

• Impacts to the trapping / hunting lifestylehave led to concern over the potential lossof cultural knowledge on ways of huntingand way of life on the land.

• Potential loss of culturally important sites (e.g., graveyards) due to erosion.

• Elders feel hesitant providingweather predictions and are makingfewer predictions.

• Knowledge of weather prediction is no longer shared as frequentlybetween generations.

• Elders feel hesitant providing weather predictions and are makingfewer predictions.


• Because people are travelling onland less, there is concern overpotential loss of cultural knowledgeon ways of hunting and way of lifeon the land.

• Elders feel hesitant providing weather predictions and are makingfewer predictions.


• With the decrease in number of cer-tain species (e.g., capelin, cod), resi-dents are concerned about potentialloss of cultural knowledge on ways ofhunting and way of life on land.

• Change in quality of fur of land mammals — trapping and hunting lifestyle/ revenue impacted.

• Activities on land (e.g., berry-picking;picnics) affected by the increase in numberof insects.

• Stronger winds have decreased the opportunity for travelling andhunting during summer months.

• Certain hunting methods have hadto change because of changes innumber / distribution of certainspecies of animals (e.g., beluga,seals).

• Changes in timing of ice break-upand ice freeze-up have made it moredifficult to travel to islands (nearKangiqsujuaq) to collect eggs beforeembryos develop.

• Due to changes in timing of icebreak-up and freeze-up, the periodfor travel by snow machine is shorterand residents are less active on land.

• Stronger winds are causing morehunters to stay home more often.

• Concentration of hunters in smaller area when waiting for ice to freeze-up in the fall to travel out furtherfrom communities.

• Changes in water clarity (linked to lower water levels) have made swim-ming in certain rivers less safe.

• Activities on land impacted by theincrease in number of insects.

• People are snowshoeing less because there is less snow.

• Decreases in certain species (e.g., capelin, cod) have reduced harvesting opportunities.

• Increased cost of gasoline for travellinglonger distances (Aklavik).

• Unpredictable weather / rougher ice /stronger winds all increase the danger oftravel.

• Earlier break-up of ice in the spring andlater freeze-up of ice in the fall increases the unpredictability of travel.

• Earlier break-up of ice in the spring and later freeze-up in the fall affects the predictability of travel.

• Unpredictable weather increasesthe danger of travel.

• Less snow has made travel by snow machine more difficult.

• Unpredictable weather increases the danger of travel.

• Earlier break-up of ice in the spring and later freeze-up in the fall makes the timing of travel more unpredictable.

• Unpredictable weather increases the danger of travel.

• Earlier break-up of ice in the spring and later freeze-up in the fall makes the timing of travel more unpredictable.

• Changes in prevailing wind direction preclude the use of snowdrifts asnavigational markers.

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FOOD

WATER

• Changes in prevailing wind direction cause the loss of snowdrifts as navigational markers.

• Changes in prevailing wind direction preclude the use of snowdrifts as navigational markers.

• Stronger winds have reduced the opportunities for travelling andhunting during summer months.

• Increase in seaweed growth / floating seaweed affects boat travel in Repulse Bay.

• Mudslides have led to unsafe travel by ATV in Kugaaruk.

• Changes in timing of ice break-upand ice freeze-up have shortened thetime available for travelling by snowmachine.

• Changes in the placement of stars inthe sky have caused people to stopusing stars as navigational markers.

• Changes in the quantity of perma-nent snow means this navigationalmarker can no longer be used.

• Less snow has made travel by snow machine more difficult.

• Warmer temperatures coupled with lower water levels change the texture of fish flesh /quality of this food.

• Ice road is open for shorter time period;impacts the availability / price of fresh food.

• Warmer temperatures shorten drying times of meat.

• Changes in migration / distribution of wildlife cause people to rely more on store-bought food.

• Access to caribou has decreased,which has led to more residents huntingmuskox (less preferred meat).

• People are more selective of meat and more meat is discarded.

• Fewer berries means there are less to goaround; Elders especially used to enjoy them as a delicacy.

• People are more selective of meat and more meat is discarded.

• Since travel by snow machine ismore difficult, people are relyingmore on store-bought food.

• Drying times for meat have beenaffected by warmer and cooler temperatures occurring in areas.

• People are more selective of meatand more meat is discarded.

• Berries do not taste as good and arenot eaten as much as in the past.

• Since hunters are travelling lessoften on land, there is less countryfood available and people are relyingmore on store-bought food.

• Warmer temperatures coupled withlower water levels change the textureof fish flesh / quality of this food.

• Due to changes in quality and quantity of country food, people arerelying more on store-bought food.


• There are fewer berries to eat anduse in traditional foods.

• Increase in algae growth impacts water quality.

• Fewer useable sources of water on land.

• Need to take bottled water more oftenwhen travelling on land.

• Water plant needs maintenance moreoften because of increase in algae growth (Aklavik).

• Lower freshwater levels coupledwith stronger winds cause damageto boats / boat motors.

• Changes to the quality of freshwa-ter (dust in water) were observed inKugaaruk.

• There are fewer useable sources of water on land.

• Less snow impacts the quality and quantity of freshwater in lakes andrivers.

• There are fewer useable sources of water on land.

• Need to take bottled water moreoften when travelling on land.

• Increased costs associated withwater treatment.

• Concern, in particular for Elders,who are not used to practices of boiling water for safety.



FOOD

VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE & HOUSING

• Warmer temperatures coupled with lower water levels change the texture of fishflesh / quality of this food.

• Ice road is open for shorter time period;impacts the availability / price of freshfood.

• Warmer temperatures shorten drying times of meat.

• Changes in migration / distribution ofwildlife cause people to rely more onstore-bought food.

• Access to caribou has decreased,which has led to more residents huntingmuskox (less preferred meat).

• People are more selective of meat andmore meat is discarded.

• Fewer berries means there are less to goaround; Elders especially used to enjoythem as a delicacy.


• Since travel by snow machine ismore difficult, people are relyingmore on store-bought food.

• Drying times for meat have beenaffected by warmer and cooler temperatures occurring in areas.


• Berries do not taste as good and arenot eaten as much as in the past.

• Since hunters are travelling lessoften on land, there is less countryfood available and people are relyingmore on store-bought food.

• Warmer temperatures coupled withlower water levels change the textureof fish flesh / quality of this food.

• Due to changes in quality and quantity of country food, people arerelying more on store-bought food.


• There are fewer berries to eat anduse in traditional foods.

• Need new equipment (e.g., screens,bug sprays) to protect against increasednumber of insects.

• Due to changes in water level, lighter andshallow draft boats are being used (Aklavik).

• Changes to ice quality have led to cases of heavy construction trucks falling through on ice road.

• Lower freshwater levels coupledwith stronger winds cause damageto boats / boat motors.

• Less snow has made travel by snowmobile more difficult.

• Lower water levels have led to damage of ice augers.

• Less snow has caused more wear to runners of snow machines.

• Less snow has made travel by snow-mobile more difficult.

• Less snow has made travel by snowmobile more difficult.

• Cabins, houses, buildings, perhaps evencommunities (Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk)need to be relocated.

• Potential loss of culturally important sites(e.g., graveyards).

• Igloos are no longer built.

• Igloos are no longer built (tents are used instead).

• May need to chain houses to ground in Repulse Bay because of high winds.


• More storms and high winds cause an increased number of power outages.


• Houses are not well insulated leadingto higher heating bill costs and morepipes freezing in winter.

• Possibility that buildings in Webb’sBay would need to be moved due toerosion.

• Stronger winds have increased theincidence of damage to residentialroofs.

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ECONOMY

HEALTH

• Cost of using bottled water more often thannatural-sourced water.

• Thinner ice has forced residents to find newand longer travel routes, which has resultedin increased amounts of money spent on fuelfor travel.

• Cost of buying equipment to protect againstinsects (sprays, screens, clothing).

• Loss of potential tourist economy withchanges in migration / distribution of certainwildlife and decrease in opportunities to buildigloos (less snow).

• More money being spent on store-boughtfood.

• Change in quality of fur of land mammals –trapping and hunting lifestyle / revenueimpacted.

• Potential economic gain from new opportunities in muskox sport hunting / sale ofmuskox meat and hair.

• Increase in money spent on store-bought food.

• Thinner ice has forced residents tofind new and longer travel routes,which has resulted in increasedamounts of money spent on fuel for travel.

• More money is required for damage/ wear to equipment caused by lesssnow.

• More money being spent on store-bought food.

• Cost of using bottled water moreoften than natural-sourced water.

• Cost of using bottled water moreoften than natural-sourced water.

• Changes in migration and distribu-tion of animals have forced residentsto travel new and longer routes,resulting in an increased amount ofmoney spent on fuel for travel.

• Increase in money spent on store-bought food.

• More sunburns and skin rashes fromincreased heat from the sun.

• Increase in number of insect bites andconcern about diseases insects may be carrying.

• A sense of physical, mental and culturalloss when a season is missed or shortened,especially as it relates to spending time out on the land.

• More sunburns and cracked lipsfrom increased heat from the sun.

• Concern about cancer from UV rays.

• Increase in number of insect bitesand concern about diseases insectsmay be carrying.

• Sunburns are occurring more often.

• Increased fear and uncertaintyregarding allergic reaction to Arctic char.

• More sunburns and skin rashes.

• Increased fear and uncertaintyregarding allergic reaction to Arctic char.

• A sense of physical, mental and cultural loss when a season is missedor shortened, especially as it relatesto spending time out on the land.

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IntroductionIncreasingly unpredictable weather and changes in theenvironment have had a significant impact on Inuit com-munities and individuals. Responses to environmentalchange have been as various as the changes observedand the impacts experienced. In some cases, residentsemphasized that all that is needed is a change in attitudetowards the weather or even increased patience. Forexample, in Kangiqsujuaq where water levels in somerivers have lowered to the point of having an impact onchar migration routes and water quality, one residentstressed that a response is simply to wait for more rain:

“It is just a matter of not getting enough rain.You haveto wait for more rain, I guess.” (Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik).Nunatsiavut residents expressed similar sentiments, stat-ing that a more flexible position is needed when facedwith unpredictable weather conditions—one simply needsto “be more flexible,” and people have to “take moretime when planning” or just learn to cope with thechanges (Nunatsiavut).

In most cases, however, environmental change hasrequired shifts or adjustments in common activities andbehaviours and certain adaptations. It is recognized that

Community Response and Adaptation to Environmental Change

Northwest

Territories

Yukon

Quebec

Alaska

USA

“We are discarding some animals and

being selective of things consumed more

than ever before”


“People watch for erosion and have to

move their cabins back from the river”

(Aklavik, ISR ).

“Freshwater drinking sources are not as good anymore

when we are out on the land, so we use more snow than

lake water now for drinking”

(Puvirnituq, Nunavik).

“Our youth need to be taught how to live

on the land, to be prepared and to learn.

For example, we have to know what to do if

equipment/technology breaks down or malfunctions…

This is more important today with all of these

changes taking place”

(Nunatsiavut).

Figure 9 – Adaptations to Environmental Change


dealing with some changes and their associated impactsrequire more than a fatalistic attitude; they require clearsolutions and action. Many of these adaptations requiremodifications in the use of equipment and technologies,while others encompass smaller details such as shifts inthe use of supplies taken on trips or slight behaviouralshifts in the timing of a hunt. Some proposed adapta-tions involve action at the community level, such as edu-cating residents and distributing information about thechanges taking place. Other ideas for adaptation focusedon the need for regional or national level strategies, suchas increasing the capacity in research and traditionalweather-predicting abilities.

Many of the responses recommended by Inuit, and identified here, are already being used while othersremain to be implemented. Some residents see a clearneed for outside help to better understand environmentalchange and to help cope with the impacts. Requests forincreased information or assistance were often directedat researchers and policy-makers. Discussions aroundadaptive measures elicited community recommendationsor suggestions for future action at the local, national and international levels. Activities and adaptive measuresrecommended by Inuit, and those already taking place intheir community, are included in this section. Please seeTable 6 at the end of this chapter for a summary ofadaptations and recommendations.The following figure(Figure 9) highlights regional adaptations to environ-mental change.

Hunting and TravellingAn increase in unpredictable weather has made it diffi-cult to plan trips and has made travel more dangerous inArctic communities. Residents across the North strive tomake travel safer. Search and rescue operations aremore active than ever before, and the need for improve-

ment of these services was discussed in three regions:There is a need to “open [the] lines [of communication]between the Coast Guard and communities to find thebest alternatives to make travel safe for Northerners”(ISR, Nunatsiavut and Nunavut). According to Inuit, ina search for travellers in trouble, each passing hourdecreases the chances of making a successful rescue.The normal procedure for police and Coast Guard searchand rescue operations is to wait a 24- to 48-hour periodbefore commencing the search. Inuit feel that this is apractice that may be appropriate in southern Canada,but is one that needs adjustment in the Arctic. Waitingthis length of time before beginning a rescue can “determine life or death” (Aklavik, ISR).

The construction of cabins out on the land along com-mon travel routes and near population hunting and fish-ing areas is another way that Inuit are dealing with envi-ronmental changes that make travel unsafe.This providessafe shelter for people who get caught outside when sudden bad weather comes. “[We] build cabins around

“We need to find a way to

live comfortably with these

changes because we can’t

change the weather”

(Nunatsiavut)

| PAGE 97

hunting areas now because of unpredictable weather andmachines that break down, leaving people stranded”(Ivujivik, Nunavik).

Residents in some communities have even gone so far asto change traditional times of the year for certain tripsand activities to better accommodate increasingly unpre-dictable weather.Today, Nunatsiavut residents find them-selves travelling to collect their winter wood supply moreoften in the spring, when they used to do this activity in the fall exclusively. Why? An increasingly later fallfreeze-up creates more dangerous travel conditions.The decreased number of trips possible for wood collec-tion in the fall has made it more difficult to secure suffi-cient supplies of wood for the oncoming winter.Today,therefore, many people try to collect enough wood in thespring for the full year.This represents a significantchange in their traditional schedule of activities.

Decreased accessibility to the land or irregular and moredangerous land conditions have led, in some cases, todirect adaptive responses through adjustments in travel.In some regions, residents are cutting travel short toavoid being on the land during periods of the year whenconditions are most dangerous. “Some places where weused to travel are now too dangerous in the spring.Sometimes we have to return back home because travelis too dangerous” (Kugaaruk, Nunavut).There is also agrowing need for residents in many communities to trav-el longer distances in order to avoid dangerous spots,and to find new travel routes because the old ones are nolonger accessible. “Access to some hunting areas is moredifficult. We are now travelling further to get somespecies” (Puvirnituq, Nunavik).

Lower water levels, increased seaweed growth and higherwinds have all combined to make travel by boat moredifficult around the community of Repulse Bay. Floatingseaweed creates hazardous and time-consuming condi-tions for boat travel because the vegetation gets caughtin the propeller of the boats, which causes damageand/or the need for frequent stops to clear them.Residents have responded by simply adjusting boat travelroutes, where possible, to avoid locations with growingamounts of floating seaweed.

Similarly, in Inuvik, residents have found new travelroutes to avoid the dangerous ice conditions (thin ice)that now exist on previously safe, traditional routes travelled in the winter. Residents say they are now morecareful when travelling because they feel less confidentwith the safety of all travel routes. [We] have to be morecareful because of thin ice; [we have to] change travelroutes” (Inuvik, ISR).

Further, increased sedimentation has affected the settingof nets to catch fish in the community of Repulse Bay and

“People are getting faster

boats to help cope with

difficulties brought on by

unpredictable travel”



nets now have to be set in new locations where sedimenta-tion levels do not impede the success of this activity.

Adjustments in hunting timing, methods and manage-ment regimes have been used to help adapt to environ-mental impacts that cause changes in country foodaccessibility. For example, adjustments to the timing ofhunting seasons have been made in Kugaaruk.There, dur-ing the months that residents traditionally hunted sealsout on the ice, they now fish for char on the shores ofthe rivers. Why? Dangerous ice conditions now preventresidents from seal hunting during the traditional timesthat they used to.

In Repulse Bay, adjustments have been made in themethods of hunting for beluga whale and fish. Adecrease in the beluga population near this communityhas meant that hunters must expend more time andeffort on the water and use larger and faster boats tobetter the chances of success. Increased sedimentationhas affected the setting of nets to catch fish, so nets nowhave to be set in new locations where higher levels ofsedimentation are not a problem. In Inuvik, residentshave adjusted their method of net fishing.They now pulltheir nets out at night, otherwise fish may die by morningbecause of a warmer sea surface temperature. Five to 10years ago, nets could be left overnight and the fishcaught in the nets would still be alive in the morning.

In Nunatsiavut, the quota of fish caught per family is not always sufficient anymore, so some residents aremore conscious of sharing and giving portions of theirfish quota to those that are lacking fresh country foods,such as Elders and disabled people.

In some regions, the management strategy for a resourcehas been adjusted in response to shifting environmental

conditions. In Arctic Bay, for example, the narwhal is acritical species, providing traditionally, culturally andnutritionally valuable mattaaq (whale fat) and whalemeat along with economically valuable ivory tusks. Eachspring, herds of narwhal migrate into Admiralty Inlet atthe north end of Baffin Island as the ice breaks up, andhunters spend days on the ice hunting whales along theopening leads.The portion of the total community quotaof this species not taken during this spring hunt is thenhunted in the open water during the summer months.Although it does not control the total number of whalesthat can be taken each year, the community does controlin which season it would like to allocate portions of itstotal quota. Recently, however, the community has chosento “shift some narwhal numbers from [the] spring tosummer hunt quota to adapt to worsening ice conditionsin spring [that make for] more difficult conditions for[a] successful hunt” (Arctic Bay, Nunavut).

Resources, Equipment and InfrastructureMany communities have shifted and made adjustmentsin their use of different types of travel equipment,machinery, technologies, supplies and infrastructure.Some of these forms of responses have already takenplace at the local level, while some communities identi-fied the need for increased resources, equipment or sup-port to respond to certain changes they are experiencing.

Many communities discussed at length adaptationsinvolving vehicles used for travel. Kangiqsujuaq residentsmentioned how ATV use is damaging vegetation on theland, and that some areas on the land are becoming toodangerous to use as a result of erosion. Individuals inthis community suggested erecting signs to warn peoplethat areas may be sensitive to or too dangerous for ATVuse. “We have to make sure no one drives through vege-tation with Hondas as this damages plants and vegeta-

| PAGE 99

tion. Perhaps we could put up some signs so people knowwhere these areas are, as they don’t grow back afterbeing driven over” (Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik).

In the communities of Arctic Bay and Repulse Bay, wherewinds are now stronger and tend to be more unpre-dictable than in the past, residents are buying larger andmore powerful boats to compensate for changing condi-tions.This adaptation has required investment in equip-ment in some cases, which has potentially significant eco-nomic ramifications for households and communities rely-ing on traditional activities for much of their livelihood.

Residents in Arctic Bay have also adjusted the time ofyear when using certain types of equipment, buying moreATVs and using them throughout the year now ratherthan just in the summer and fall months. However, inNunatsiavut, residents expressed the financial challengesof adapting or responding in this way. Due to economicrealities, communities might not always be able to pur-chase and maintain the most appropriate equipment forchanging environmental conditions.

Concerns about unreliable travel equipment and theincreased costs associated with travelling longer dis-tances initiated discussion in communities about the pos-sibility of bringing back more traditional methods oftravel. Some Inuit in Ivujivik and Kugaaruk consider dogteams to be a far more reliable form of travel. Other res-idents in this and other communities emphasized hownew technologies are useful in facilitating safer travel.For example, personal GPS units can be used to ensureyou are travelling the best route and to find your coordi-nates when lost or stranded in bad weather. Similarly, theInternet provides access to satellite imagery, which canbe useful before going out on the ice.These technologieswere discussed in Nunavut as possible responses thatwould reduce the risks for hunters and travellers and,therefore, the need for search and rescue efforts.However, in Repulse Bay, it was mentioned that risk intravel is not completely eliminated through the use ofthese technologies so people must rely on more tradition-al tools and skills for travel on the land. “Satellitephones and GPS receivers are useful tools for hunters.They can help reduce risk for searchers and lost people.This reduces [the] need for search and rescue, but tech-nology doesn’t completely eliminate risk” (Repulse Bay,Nunavut).

Some communities focused on the need for responsesinvolving better planning and provisioning of safety sup-plies, specifically for trips on the land and protectionfrom the elements. Residents in Repulse Bay discussed atlength the need today for better preparation prior totrips going out on the land and sea, as well as the needto bring ample safety supplies and equipment to cover alarger scope of potential conditions. Being prepared forall conditions is crucial; instances of being stranded outon the land for prolonged periods of time are occurringmore frequently.


Nunatsiavut and Nunavik residents focused on the needto protect people against the sun, as its intensity isreported to be much stronger today than ever before.Residents in these regions highlighted the increased needto wear hats, sunscreen and proper eye protection. InIvujivik, hunters are now wearing masks more often inthe spring when travelling on the land to protect them-selves from the sun. Residents in Repulse Bay also men-tioned that they have built boxes on their kamotik(sleds) to help protect children, especially from increasedheat from the sun and also from high winds. In ArcticBay, as with most communities in Nunavut, homemadewooden cabins are being built on the majority of boatsto protect and shelter people from high winds and thesun when travelling.

With changing environmental conditions, animal distribu-tion and in some cases human–animal contact hasincreased. For example, workshop participants in the ISRand Nunatsiavut reported increased numbers of bearsand more bear–human interactions.The use of fencing toprotect individuals from a growing bear population hasbeen implemented in both Aklavik and Nunatsiavut. InAklavik, residents have erected electric fencing aroundcabins on the land because of increasing problems causedby bears. Residents discussed the fact that this is a costlyadaptation measure, and that fencing is not a permanentsolution nor is it foolproof; in fact, the bears often gainaccess to the camps if the fencing is not tended.The lossof equipment and repairs to camps are all costly to resi-dents, as is the danger created by increasing human–bearencounters.To avoid these problems altogether, attemptsare being made to keep camps cleaner and to solve thegarbage problem around the camps.

All four regions reported that changes in housing andother community infrastructure were taking place in

response to climate and other environmental changes.Overall, igloos are no longer built as often when out onthe land because of decreased snowfall and changingsnow consistency. Inuit in Arctic Bay now use tents asan alternative when staying out on the land. OtherNunavut residents and Inuit in Nunavik mentioned thatcabins on the land offer much needed shelter. However,it was stressed in the ISR region that residents have tobe careful to avoid locations where erosion is becominga problem along shorelines. In this region, some cabinshave had to be moved because the land has slumped orbeen heavily eroded. “[We] have to move cabins becauseof erosion” (Inuvik, ISR). Attempts to control the prob-lem along shorelines have been made in Nunatsiavutand the ISR. Nunatsiavut residents have put down woodand boards to try and limit erosion, but this solutiondoes not last for long. In Tuktoyaktuk, residents statedthat erosion has slowed because the community has con-structed a rock barrier along the point—a significantcost for the community.

In Repulse Bay, low water levels, coupled with strongerwinds, have caused an increase in boat and dock damagein the harbour. A suggestion from this community wasthat docking facilities should be improved or moved toavoid this damage, which is having economic impacts onindividuals as well as negatively impacting their ability toget out and hunt and fish in the places they frequent.

Lower water levels in Kangiqsujuaq and in Nunatsiavutcommunities pose a concern for char/fish migration. Insome cases, fisheries staff are already working on thisproblem, dredging and diverting rivers and removinglarge rocks from shallow riverbeds to increase waterdepth and allow for better channels. However, not allcommunities have the capacity to make these changes.The community of Kangiqsujuaq, for example, has

| PAGE 101

requested more resources and equipment to help withthis problem in their area.

Communication and Information DisseminationWith changing and more unpredictable weather condi-tions, communicating information about weather andtravel conditions is occurring more often within andbetween communities across the Arctic. Arctic Bayhunters share information about conditions on the landand sea, and have found that this is particularly impor-tant for travel near the floe edge, where conditions areoften unpredictable—and becoming more so. In a number of communities, residents stressed the need tomaintain this type of information sharing, within andbetween communities, to ensure safer travel for all. InKangiqsujuaq, it was stressed that whenever people goout hunting or fishing, they should always share theirplans with another member of the community in casethat they run into travel difficulties. “Whenever someoneis going hunting, fishing, etc. they should always tell theirmother, father, an Elder where and when they are travel-ling” (Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik). In this community, wheremore and more dangerous travel conditions were beingnoted, it was suggested that a program be started toplace signs on the land to identify hazards and preventtravel over dangerous areas.

Communication about weather within communities isalso already well served in many regions through the useof community radios, satellite phones, geographical infor-mation systems and other communication technologies.Nunatsiavut and Arctic Bay residents reported that call-ing ahead when travelling to other communities (to findout about the existing snow and ice conditions there)helps provide vital information upon which to make bet-ter travel decisions. Community radios are often used tofacilitate the transfer of knowledge community-wide. InIvujivik and Kangiqsujuaq, residents use the FM radio

network to exchange information about dangerous condi-tions on the land.The community radio program is alsowell used in Inuvik, as residents in this community findthat other communications technologies are somewhatinadequate. For example, cell-phones work only in cer-tain areas and are very expensive. Repulse Bay huntersuse radio communications to help warn other huntersabout bad weather and to communicate with other com-munities. Satellite phones are another method of com-munication used in this community; however, not manycan afford these technologies. Residents in Repulse Bayemphasized that even with the use of communicationtechnologies, it is often difficult to respond in timebecause the weather can change so quickly now.

“We should add Nunavik to weather systems news andmake forecasts available to the community”(Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik). Other communities echoed thissentiment, requesting that Arctic regions be added tomainstream local weather forecasting so that Inuit com-munities could benefit from local scientific forecasts. It isnot helpful to residents to see the weather conditions inall parts of Canada. Individuals in the ISR discussed theneed for better access to local weather forecasts in gener-al. “If we had access to weather information from weath-er stations (from Herschel Island,Yukon government,Inuvik) we would know if a storm was coming and bebetter able to predict weather for travel” (Aklavik, ISR).

It should be noted that some Arctic residents expressedconcern about placing too much weight on scientific fore-casts.Though Repulse Bay participants highlighted theimportance of new technologies for weather predictionand safe travel, they were also quick to point out that itis easy to rely too much on scientific weather forecasts,and that there should be an equal emphasis placed onlearning more traditional weather prediction skills thathave been used for generations. Similar sentiments were


expressed in Nunatsiavut with regard to the need forlocal forecasts in combination with a strengthening oftraditional survival and other skills.This region went fur-ther to propose that traditional prediction skills could beused in television and radio forecasts to add depth andlocal information to existing weather programs.

Individuals in Aklavik expressed concern about commu-nications between the Coast Guard and communities.They felt that improved communications were imperativebecause of the often-critical nature of the situationsinvolved: travellers are missing or are stranded out onthe land.

In Kugaaruk, residents recommended that increasedcommunication with the scientific community wouldaddress a number of their climate change–related con-cerns. It was suggested that a central office be createdto facilitate this communication for the North as well asto collect community concerns in one central location.“If we had a central office to report to, if we can have adialogue with those who know… if we can have a dia-logue with [the] scientific community, we would be morethan willing to help” (Kugaaruk, Nunavut).

HealthSome communities discussed adaptation measures orchanges in personal behaviours that have been adoptedin the face of environmental change in their area.

In many communities of all four regions, lower waterlevels have had an impact on the quality of drinkingwater. In Puvirnituq, for example, residents haveresponded recently by melting snow more often insteadof using lake water for drinking water. Changes in thequality of freshwater in the community of Aklavik arereported to have altered the effectiveness of the water

treatment system there, which has made some residentsso concerned they have suggested that people stop drink-ing municipally supplied water altogether. “Town water isan issue. [We] should stop drinking town water”(Aklavik, ISR). In Nunatsiavut, residents responded tosimilar changes in the quality of freshwater by havingboth water from the municipality and water from naturalsources tested more often. Use of bottled water as analternative to both natural and municipally suppliedwater was reported in Nunatsiavut and other regions.Inuit now have water filters in their home, and somereport bringing bottled water on trips on the landbecause they are not assured that they will always findgood sources of fresh water along certain travel routes.This has never been done before. Although effective,these adaptations represent an expense to the household.

Discussions occurred in Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and theISR about the need to protect against insect bites asa result of the increasing numbers of insects and theappearance of new insect species in the region. InIvujivik, people have found that mosquito repellantsdo not always work well, and they are now buying bugnets to better protect themselves. Residents of theISR mentioned the need for all houses in the commu-nities to have insect screens installed in windows (notpreviously existing) to keep insects out when it iswarm enough to open windows, and for mosquitorepellants to be used more often. Previously, whenaverage summer temperatures were not as warm asthey are today, this was not an issue, as many resi-dents did not feel the need to open their windows.However, today, with warmer summer temperaturesand new insects appearing in the community, the needfor screens in all windows is crucial. Many residentssuggested that the municipal councils should furnishhouses with them.

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Inuit in the community of Tuktoyaktuk also stressed thatElders need housing with cool areas and a better flow offresh air in the building. Some Elders have experienceddifficulties with the heat now seen in this region duringthe summer months, so residents reported the need toconsider such things as cool areas in the construction ofthe new Elders’ Centre in the community.

Food SecurityChanges in the health of animals and hence in the poten-tial quality and safety of meat, changes in migration anddistribution patterns of animals, as well as decreasedaccessibility to the land at certain times of the year havemeant that several communities no longer have safe andconsistent access to preferred country foods for periodsthroughout the year. Different adaptations have beenmade in the face of these challenges.

Food exchanges between communities and across regionsensure communities have sufficient quantities and selec-tion of country foods throughout the year. In Ivujivik,where a system of community food exchange has alreadybeen established, residents stressed that the need for thistype of program is growing every year.

Based on several observations, climate-related changesin most regions of the Arctic are affecting the number ofwildlife and their general health. Residents state thatchanges in the environment have led to an increase inthe number of abnormalities and unhealthy conditions inwildlife.There has been a steady decrease in residents’confidence levels about the quality and safety of wildmeat, and this has raised concern about the potentialimpact it may have on human health. Because Inuitdepend significantly on certain wildlife species as a maincomponent of their diet, the effects of climate change inthis regard have impacted these people greatly. Residents

have responded directly by being increasingly selective asto which animals they kill, which meat they consume andwhich cuts of meat they discard. Animals that look sickare commonly avoided.This raised level of doubt in allregions has led to fewer animals being hunted and moremeat being discarded.

The coordination of community freezer programs was dis-cussed in many regions as a potential or existing adapta-tion to an increasingly unpredictable country food supply.In Nunavik, Ivujivik residents discussed the importance oftheir community freezer program—ensuring country foodavailability to the community. In Tuktoyaktuk, use of thecommunity freezer is already helping alleviate some ofthe food security issues being reported there. InNunatsiavut, residents use personal freezers to stock tra-ditional foods; these are being relied on more and moreas the distribution of wildlife and access to them change.“[We are] stocking more traditional foods in personalfreezers because they [the animals] are hard to get atsome times of the year” (Nunatsiavut).

Similarly, in both Inuvik and Aklavik of the Inuvialuitregion, the need for freezers in order to adapt to a short-age of fresh country foods at some times of the year wasclearly stated. Recently, however, some freezers in thisregion had been shut down due to the high maintenancecosts. Further, it was emphasized that one freezer percommunity is often not enough, especially in summerwhen country foods are most plentiful and freezersbecome overfull, leading to inefficient functioning.

The use of freezers means that hunters must travelback and forth from the land to the community quicklyto ensure that the meat is refrigerated or frozen as rapidly as possible to preserve its quality. Such travelrequires faster vehicles, which consume more gas andresult in higher costs to the hunter. Residents suggested


two ways to deal with this: keep freezers out at distanthunting camps, where meat can be kept frozen beforethe long journey to the community; and dig ice housesinto the ground and permafrost layer to store meat.Unfortunately, the success of this latter alternative isbecoming less feasible as warmer temperatures contin-ually melt permafrost layers in the Inuvialuit regionand residents report the decreased effectiveness oftheir ice houses.

Traditional Skills, Education and ResearchThe changes in their local environments threaten notonly Inuit access to good, safe and nutritious foods fromthe land and sea, but also those things that hunters andcommunity members learn while being out on the land—their traditional knowledge and skills, which have beencultivated over long periods of time spent on the landand passed from generation to generation. Many commu-nities emphasized how environmental changes areimpacting aspects of Inuit culture and lifestyle, whichare based on subsistence hunting and life on the land.Commonly, these discussions focused on the loss ofweather prediction abilities and the overall decrease inthe confidence in weather interpretation by people thatwere previously experts in this ability.This loss, coupledwith a strong sense of loss associated with a decrease inthe time spent on the land and a shift away from thesubsistence lifestyle and livelihood, has been a recognizedresult of the suite of environmental changes being expe-rienced by Arctic communities today. Inuit suggestedways that culture and Inuit knowledge could be betterpreserved in these circumstances.

When discussing the need for more education about thechanging conditions, many communities focused on theincreasingly dangerous nature of travel because of thedecrease in abilities to read the land and judge weather

conditions among residents today. A number of commu-nities discussed how a return to the use of more tradi-tional skills could help alleviate some of these dangers aswell as regain the skills being lost to an over-reliance onscientific weather-forecasting methods. Ivujivik andKugaaruk residents, for example, both mentioned howdog teams are actually safer and often more reliablethan vehicular travel. Furthermore, individuals fromRepulse Bay discussed the value of Inuit knowledge asan adaptive strategy, emphasizing the importance ofusing Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) more often and in amore consistent manner to reduce hunters’ vulnerabilityto sudden weather changes.

Reports of the potential future loss of Inuit culture relat-ed to environmental change focus on how this change willimpact Inuit youth. “Parents don’t always show kids thetraditional ways/knowledge as much as before.This needsto be done, especially now with all these changes”

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(Nunatsiavut). Residents in Nunatsiavut felt that educat-ing youth about weather forecasting knowledge and abili-ties to understand the land could help decrease the num-ber of people being stranded and injured while away fromthe community. Ways to help youth learn more aboutInuit culture and to better understand environmentalchanges that are occurring were proposed.The communityof Ivujivik discussed how, with increased settlement intocommunities, children are now in school for much of theyear, leaving little time to learn about life on the land andthe environment.They suggested that spending more timein cabins out on the land could better facilitate youtheducation about the environment and how it is changing,and about newly developed indicators for better weatherprediction. Aklavik,Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik residents sug-gested that the schools could help facilitate this educationof youth by getting them involved in appropriate projects,research and employment that deal with the environment.It was further suggested in Inuvik that a video be createddepicting environmental change at the community level asa tool to show in schools. Strong emphasis was alsoplaced on the importance of youth involvement in Aklavikas well so that young Inuit have direct experiences allow-ing them to make more informed choices in the future.

Basic community and individual capacity was raised asan issue when discussing shifts away from subsistence-based livelihoods because of changes in the environmentand in relation to the long-standing history of researchbeing conducted in the Arctic. Inuit expressed the needto reinforce the value and importance of local knowledgein all aspects of daily life, and in particular in all learn-ing that was taking place with regard to the challengesthey face today.

Participants stressed the fundamental need for inclusionof Inuit and Inuit knowledge in all research and action.They emphasized the need for community involvement in

future research opportunities on this and other topics,and a number of suggestions for beneficial partnershipswere provided. In Nunatsiavut, residents suggested thatlocal people could keep weather diaries to contribute tothe overall knowledge about changes in weather and theenvironment. Aklavik residents stated that all researchprojects should be done with community involvement andshould occur at an appropriate time for the communityto ensure their ability to participate.This communityoffered its involvement as a way to thoroughly assesswhat has to be done. Residents of Inuvik concurred withthis method, suggesting that researchers should involvecommunity members by “get[ting] locals to recordobservations” (Inuvik, ISR). Paulatuk residents dis-cussed the hope that the documentation of environmentalchanges started at this workshop could be maintained atthe community level afterwards.

Nunatsiavut participants raised the issue of the need forincreased public education on search and rescue opera-tions. Residents across the North discussed the need formore public education from medical and health staff onwater quality and safety issues. Ivujivik residentsstressed that there is a need for public education on theimportance of wearing sunblock.

Community Recommendations and NeedsIn the final stages of the community workshops, theresearch team discussed the link between these work-shops and processes taking place at the regional,national and international scales on climate change,with particular emphasis on those processes focusingon the circumpolar North. The project team felt it wasimportant to inform participants that by taking part intheir local workshop, they were involved in these largerprocesses addressing climate change. The researchteam wanted to assure participants that the communi-ty workshops, in fact, added to the “process” of


responding to climate change at various levels—thatthey were about more than just collecting information.

At the local level, participants identified several commu-nity and regional organizations and groups that shouldbe made aware of the discussions and concerns raisedthrough the workshops, as they felt these individuals andorganizations had a role to play in helping the communi-ty address their concerns. Making these identified linksthrough discussion with community participants was thefirst step in enhancing the links within and between com-munities on climate and environmental change.The fol-low-up and response by these organizations will be criti-cal in ensuring community input and mobilization in theregion in the future.

Erosion and Land Protection A number of groups recommended changes at the com-munity level that need to occur in order to help residentsbetter cope with the impacts of environmental change.For example,Tuktoyaktuk residents would like to seelarge areas around this community made into heritagesites so that the Hamlet Council can provide appropriateprotection (in the form of fortification) against futureerosion. Many residents fear that without the heritagedesignation, insufficient motivation and legislated fund-ing will result in irreparable erosion along the coastline,which protects the community and these sacred sites.

Continued Observation/DocumentationAll communities felt that communicating the informationgathered during the workshops to all members of thecommunity would promote a sense of caring for thecommunity and the land. Paulatuk residents stressed theneed for community members to continue discussions onthe subject of environmental change.They suggested acommittee be formed to continue documentation of envi-

ronmental changes in their area. Residents of Kugaarukproposed the formation of a central coordinating officeto act as the official communication body with the scien-tific community.

Financial Support To successfully conduct local initiatives, communitiesrequire various forms of support and the involvement ofgovernment at many levels. Holman Island residentsexpressed frustration at how funds are often not avail-able when required to respond to issues such as this.They suggested that residents work effectively to securefunds for future research and action. Inuit in Paulatukdiscussed how funds would need to be accessed for theformation of a committee dedicated to documentingenvironmental changes while, in Tuktoyaktuk, a numberof residents discussed how funding is required for annualerosion control. One resident in that community statedthat funding for erosion control is currently inadequate.The issue is becoming increasingly important in thiscommunity because of the amount of land lost already.

Representatives from the communities of Kangiqsujuaq,Tuktoyaktuk and Happy Valley–Goose Bay expressedconcern and a need to investigate the effectiveness oftheir water and sewage treatment systems, while thecommunity of Inuvik requested better waste disposal.

Taking Local ResponsibilityKugaaruk residents also suggested the need to acknowl-edge the role that Arctic communities play in the globalenvironment. “Today, most of us want to help the envi-ronment, but convenience and comfort always comesfirst. Sometimes we blame other cultures for pollution.But we have to take responsibility. We, living in a smallcommunity, have to take responsibility” (Kugaaruk,Nunavut). Some Kugaaruk residents suggested that the

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use of harmful technologies such as local diesel genera-tors, two-stroke engines in snowmobiles and the idling ofvehicles for long periods in the winter should be reducedand alternatives should be found.

Supporting International ActivitiesA number of communities discussed the importance ofraising national and international awareness of climatechange in the Arctic and requested help in minimizingpotential impacts. Individuals from Kugaaruk empha-sized the importance of national and international envi-ronmental strategies and action for Arctic communities.Tuktoyaktuk residents stressed how raising public aware-ness at the local level right up to the international levelcan lead to action. Individuals in Paulatuk emphasizedthat there is a need to maintain international awarenessof climate and environmental change issues because oneday, similar changes will be occurring worldwide. “[Weshould] help create awareness internationally becauseone day we all will be affected” (Paulatuk, ISR).

Community-Scale Research and InformationCommunities identified a series of research and informa-tion needs to help them understand and respond to thechanges. Some of the research requests made by com-munities were related to climate-specific changes andimpacts, while many were related to other environmentalconcerns in their area. In many cases, they do not differ-entiate between these types of information needs; rather,they bring forward a number of environmental issuesthey would like investigated based on their concern orneed for information to make daily decisions regardingwhat to eat, what is safe, etc.The community reportsinclude a detailed listing of all requests from each spe-cific community (see Appendix 1). We have listed hereonly those research recommendations most related toclimate change issues, which are the following:

• Kangiqsujuaq residents would like a study conductedto check the depth of lakes and rivers and to betterunderstand the impacts of changes in water depth onkey species and water quality.

• Nunatsiavut would like research conducted on theincreasingly extreme tidal levels. “We need science totell us why these things are happening” (Nunatsiavut).

• People in the ISR, particularly in Tuktoyaktuk andAklavik, requested studies on erosion taking place inall communities in the region. A relocation/reinforce-ment study has already been done in Tuktoyaktuk bythe Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) and resi-dents in this community discussed the importance ofdocumenting cultural sites along the shore that aredisappearing as a result of erosion. In Aklavik, anopportunity for a researcher to spend a season atShingle Point to assess changes in gravel and per-mafrost melt and to aid in better understanding thetimeline of land degradation was suggested.


• The recent sighting of a tornado during the summerprior to the workshop in Aklavik instigated interest inresearch on summer weather patterns and the torna-do’s potential impacts on wildlife.

• Aklavik residents also expressed interest in having aresearcher conduct a study of Running River to betterunderstand why flow has decreased and if the forma-tion of a glacier or a beaver dam may be the cause.

• Aklavik residents also suggested that there is a needfor research on new insects and how this may belinked to warming temperatures.

• Residents from Aklavik felt that it would be interest-ing to also study why cougars are now being seen asfar north as their community.

ConclusionClimate change is and has been a reality in theCanadian Arctic for a number of years. Althoughnational and international governments have been slowto develop adaptive responses to address the impacts,Inuit do not have the luxury of being able to wait.Indeed, this book identifies a number of adaptivemeasures that have already been implemented by Inuit communities out of necessity.

The adaptive measures currently in place in the CanadianArctic reflect the cultural, social, political and economicrealities of Inuit communities. Although there have beenrelatively few outside investments in Inuit-driven adapta-tions research or in adaptive measures, Inuit communitieshave initiated responses that take advantage of theadvanced body of Inuit knowledge on the relationships inthe environment and on the Inuit relationship to the landand sea. Many strategies currently employed reflect

changes in behaviour or modifications in the relationshipsbetween Inuit and the land (for example, shifting huntingseasons to match changes in animal migrations). Otheradaptive measures involve the introduction of technologi-cal solutions, such as using community freezers to allevi-ate concerns of food security (due to decreased availabili-ty and access to some wildlife species).

A number of communities identified recommendationsfor regional and national policy makers.There is clearlya need for investment and increased Inuit involvementin emergency response infrastructure and planning.Communities also made recommendations on increasedsharing of scientific and traditional knowledge relatedto climate change, in general, and adaptive measures,specifically.

What can be learned from the Inuit experience inadapting to date is that adaptive measures are notsolely financial or technological in nature; rather, thereare clear social and cultural components to consider.Successfully adapting to climate change will require a blend of cultural, technological, social and economicactions in ways that meet the specificities and needs ofeach individual, community, region and national circum-stance.The experiences of Inuit in the Canadian Arcticdemonstrate that this is not only possible, but it is theonly effective means to address the impacts of climatechange at the local scale. Finally, we have learned thatsuccessful strategies are those in which local communi-ties and regions are heavily involved.

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Table 6. Summary of Adaptations and Recommendations to Environmental Change in the Canadian Arctic(as reported during the workshops)

Concern Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) Nunavut Nunavik Nunatsiavut

HUNTING & TRAVELLING

Unpredictable Weather &Increasingly DangerousTravel Conditions.

• Need to improve effectiveness ofSearch and Rescue Operations andcommunication between CoastGuard and communities.

• Use of community radios,cellphones and two-way radios tofacilitate transfer of knowledgecommunity-wide.

• Need better access to ocean andweather forecasts.

• Build more permanent shelters on land.

• Satellite imagery should be madeavailable to more communities.

• Need to mark unsafe areas andsafe routes with high-qualitybuoys.

• Have to be more careful withtravel routes and use new routes.

• Use of search and rescueoperations.

• Calling ahead to other com-munities to find out condi-tions so as to reduce risk ofdangerous travel.

• Use of community radios tofacilitate transfer of knowl-edge community-wide.

• Need to use both scientificand traditional weather pre-dicting skills.

• Taking shorter trips andreturning home early.

• Using camps as shelters andwaiting out storms.

• Being more selective ofhunting locations.

• Bringing ample supplies andequipment.

• Use of bigger and fasterboats.

• Use of GPS and satelliteimages as well as tradition-al tools and skills.

• Increasing the number ofcabins on the land.

• Sharing info about danger-ous places on the land.

• Sharing travel plans withothers in communities toensure safety.

• Use of community radios tofacilitate transfer of knowl-edge community-wide.

• Northern regions should beadded to mainstreamweather forecasts.

• Increase the number of search and rescue operations in region andeducation by search and rescue teams.

• Calling ahead to other communities to find outconditions so as to reducechance of dangerous travel.

• Use of scientific forecasts as well as a strengthening of traditional skills.

• Finding different travelroutes to get to the samelocation.

• Educate youth on weatherforecasting.

• Changing the traditionaltimes of trips and activitiesso that travel occurs duringsafer times throughout theyear.

• Marking dangerous areason travel routes.



RESOURCES,EQUIPMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE

Potential loss of houses,buildings, culturally impor-tant sites due to erosion.

• Communities have put rock along coastlines.

• Protect the entire area as a heritage site.

• Funding for erosion control isneeded.

• Document cultural sites that maybe disappearing.

• Have put down wood andboards to attempt to slowerosion, but it doesn’t workfor long.

Changes in weather / environment necessitatingchanges to use of equipment.

• Use of fencing to protect residentsfrom growing bear populations.

• Buying larger and morepowerful boats to maketravel easier in difficultweather.

• Adjust the use of differenttypes of travel equipmentthroughout the year.

• Use of GPS and satelliteimages as well as tradition-al tools, means of travel andskills.

• Bringing ample supplies andequipment for trips.

• Building boxes on kamotiksand boats to protect againstelements.

• Use of tents more often asigloos cannot be built asoften now.

• Use ATVs less often; ATVuse is damaging vegetationon the land in certain areas.

• Possiblyl return to more traditional means of travel.

• Increased need for hats,sunscreens and eye wear toprotect against increasedheat from the sun.

• Increased need for hats,sunscreen and eye wear toprotect against increasedheat from the sun.

• Use of fencing to protectresidents from growing bearpopulations.

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COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

HEALTH

Need for increased communication within and between communitiesdue to the reduced predictability of weather.

• Use of community radio to facilitate information sharing.

• Need for better access to weatherforecasts.

• Communications between CoastGuard and communities should be improved.

• Sharing of informationabout conditions on landand sea within and betweencommunities.

• Calling ahead to other communities when travelling on land.

• Use of community radio andsatellite phones to facilitateinformation sharing.

• Equal emphasis should beplaced on traditional andscientific weather forecasts.

• A central office in commu-nities would help facilitatecommunication between scientists and communities.

• Sharing of informationabout conditions on landand sea within communities.

• Letting someone in commu-nity know about plans fortravel on land in case youget stranded.

• Use of community radio to facilitate informationsharing.

• Local scientific forecastsshould be made available to communities.

• Sharing of informationabout conditions on landand sea within and betweencommunities.

• Calling ahead to other communities when travellingon land.

• Equal emphasis should beplaced on traditional andscientific weather forecasts.

• Traditional weather prediction skills could beused in radio and televisionforecasts.

• Improve communicationsbetween Coast Guard andcommunities and shortendelays before beginningsearch.

Increased heat from the sun.

• Houses for Elders should be built so that there are cool areasfor relief from increased warmtemperatures in summer.

• Use of sunscreens for protection against harmfulUV rays.

• Wear more sun block.

• Wear masks when out on the land.

• Turn meat more often whenit’s left out to dry.

• Protect food undergroundor in freezers at home.

• Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses are used more often for protectionagainst the sun.

Increased number of insects.

• Use of mosquito repellents.

• Screens should be installed in houses.

• Use of bug nets more now.



FOOD SECURITY

TRADITIONAL SKILLS,EDUCATION & RESEARCH

Changes to migration patterns / accessibility of wildlife.

• Travelling farther to access animals.

• Use of some animal species toreplace others that are not asavailable now (e.g., muskoxreplace caribou).

• Community freezers are used, butmaintenance costs are high.

• Communities should request sup-port to fix and maintain freezers.

• Adjusting hunting times andmethods to better match thedistribution patterns of animals and to account for fewer numbers of someanimals.

• Using faster boats to adaptto changes with harvestingseals and beluga.

• Adjusting yearly quotas to better match annual patterns of animals.

• Use of community freezersfor access to country foodsyear-round.

• Travelling farther to accessanimals.

• Use of some animal speciesto replace others no longeravailable (e.;g., rock cod toreplace cod).

• Sharing family quotas toensure all people haveenough to eat.

• Use of community freezersensures traditional foods areavailable year-round.

Increased number ofunhealthy animals and animals with abnormalitiesfound.

• Be more selective about whichanimals to consume.

• Suspect meat should be tested.

• Promote food exchanges betweencommunities.

• Be more selective aboutwhich animals to consume.

• Exchange food betweencommunities.





Preservation of Inuit culturalskills and knowledge.

• Need to maintain the practice ofpassing cultural skills and knowl-edge to youth and children.

• Spending more time on the landcould better facilitate knowledgesharing about the environment.

• Schools should be involved to helpfacilitate youth learning about theenvironment.

• Use of traditional weatherpredicting skills in conjunc-tion with scientific forecasts/ technologies.

• Use of IQ more often and ina more consistent manner.

• Possibly return to more traditional means of travel.

• Possibly return to more traditional means of travel.

• Maintain the practice ofpassing cultural skills andknowledge to youth andchildren.

• Maintain the practice ofpassing cultural skills andknowledge to youth andchildren.

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COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS & NEEDS

Inclusion of Inuit and Inuitknowledge in research.

• Communities would like to bemore involved in research oppor-tunities, and particularly should beconsulted to select appropriatetiming for research.

• Locals can record observations of the environment.

• A central office in commu-nities would help facilitatecommunication between scientists and communities.

• Weather diaries were pro-posed as a method to shareInuit knowledge about theenvironment with scientists.

Public education neededon certain aspects of environmental change.

• Educate youth on environmentalissues through school programs.

• Increase the amount ofinformation on animalhealth, potential impactsand indicators disseminatedto communities.

• Education is needed aboutthe need to wear sunblock.

• Residents would like moreinformation on water safety,and would like to hear moreabout this issue from healthexperts.

• Need education aboutsearch and rescue operations.

Community-identified recommendations andneeds.

• Large areas should be made into heritage sites.

• Relocation / reinforcement studieshave been done.

• Residents need to work effectivelyto secure funds to successfullyconduct local initiatives.

• Investigate effectiveness of waterand sewage treatment.

• Better waste disposal is needed in Inuvik.

• Form community committees on environmental change.

• Create international awarenessbecause one day everyone will be affected by climate change.

• Request studies on permafrostmelt, impacts of tornados onwildlife, flow of Running River and new insect species.

• Create central offices tocoordinate efforts and concerns at the communitylevel.

• Reduce the use of harmfultechnologies and look to use convenient technologiesthat are not harmful toenvironment.

• Take responsibility for therole local communities playin the global environment.

• Implement national andinternational environmentalstrategies.

• A study should be done toassess depth of area lakesand rivers and fish migration.

• Investigate effectiveness of water and sewage treatment.

• Weather diaries were proposed as a method to share Inuit knowledge about the environment with scientists.

• Studies should be done onhigh / low tidal extremes.

• Effectiveness of water and sewage treatment needs to be investigated.

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Evidence of ChangeThe information presented in Unikkaaqatigiit—Putting theHuman Face on Climate Change is the result of workshopsheld from 2002 to 2005, involving 17 Inuit communities.The depth of knowledge about the local Arctic environ-ment expressed in these workshops stands on its own.Thisbook presents only the highlights of these workshops, withan emphasis on impacts and adaptations.The communityand regional workshop reports contain all of the informa-tion shared at the workshops; please consult these docu-ments for more information about any of the issues orobservations presented here (see Appendix 1).

Inuit living in Arctic communities hold a wealth of knowl-edge on the ways their environment is changing. In thecommunity workshops, Inuit clearly stated their observa-tions that support the claim that the Arctic environmentis changing.They reported a broad scope of changesencompassing biophysical, socio-economic and humanhealth aspects.

The preceding chapters have clearly shown that docu-menting observations of environmental change alone isnot sufficient to reach a full understanding of how com-munities can adapt to the impacts they experience fromenvironmental change. It is for this reason that theUnikkaaqatigiit—Putting the Human Face on ClimateChange research project was initiated, with the intent tohelp communities document observations, understandingsand effects of climate-related change and to identify anddevelop strategies to cope and adapt to these changes.

Inuit reported that environmental changes are happeningat an alarming rate in the Arctic and are creating manychallenges for them. Participants in the community-

based workshops identified a number of ways in whichenvironmental changes affect them which go beyond thebiophysical realm. Impacts extend to the individual,household and community levels. Mental, physical, spiri-tual and cultural well-being, and the economic health ofthe community are all identified as being impacted bythe changes currently taking place. It is evident that forInuit, the effects of change are experienced throughoutthe ecosystem, of which they are an integral part.

Clearly, not all of the changes occurring in the North are affecting communities in the same way. Observedchanges differed among communities and regions.Similarly, a particular change in the environment mayaffect communities or individuals differently in variouslocations, depending on many factors, including geogra-phy, local environment, socio-economic opportunities andcommunity priorities, to name a few.This suggests thatany measures taken to respond to these impacts musttake into account community residents’ needs, abilitiesand desires, as well as differences in the regional andlocal context. Occupying the top level of the Arctic foodchain, Inuit are already adapting to the impacts of envi-ronmental change and are eager to find solutions to thechallenges they still face.

Inuit UnderstandingEach of the workshops held in communities across theCanadian North began with a discussion about observa-tions of change in the local environment. Most striking inthis study were the expressions of relational chains thatlinked environmental observations to impacts to adapta-tions as reported by residents (see Figure 2, 5, 6, 7 and8). For example, in the ISR, changes in temperaturewere reported that were causing changes in the timing

Conclusions


of freeze-up and melting of ice, which affected the areawhere seals were regularly found in the spring; in somecases, these areas were becoming more difficult toaccess, resulting in a lack of fresh country foods duringthis critical time of year.The depth, richness, and inter-connected nature of Inuit knowledge of the Arctic envi-ronment and Inuit’s relationship with the environmentare evident in these statements.

Emerging here is a picture of the nature of Inuit knowl-edge, which reveals complex webs of relationships.Theinvestigation of these relational chains helps to exposethe similarities–and differences—of observations,impacts and adaptations from one community to anoth-er and from one region to the next.The examinationhighlights the critical components to monitor in thefuture that may help develop a better understanding ofadaptation in Inuit communities. It also exposes thesimilarities and differences from one region to the nextin the priority communities place on specific aspects ofexisting relational chains.

Exploring the relationships between observations,impacts and adaptations provides researchers a moresubstantial foundation upon which to base furtherdetailed investigations on the most critical aspects ofenvironmental change influencing communities today.Examining change in this way also makes it easier toshed some light on the vulnerability and resilience ofindividual Inuit communities and regions in the face of environmental change.

Working TogetherTo better understand the complexity of the issue of envi-ronmental change in the Arctic, it was imperative that a

working partnership, involving a number of organiza-tions, conduct this research. As well, cooperation andpartnerships among various levels of government, acrossdepartments, involving non-governmental organizations(NGOs) and, most importantly, involving Inuit wasrequired to develop meaningful and effective solutions.The partnerships facilitated the uniting of a scientificunderstanding of climate and its potential impacts in theNorth and the Inuit observations and understanding ofactual changes taking place in the local environment andtheir meaning to Inuit.The recognition that no one con-tributor could comprehend and solve these problemsalone allowed for the mutual exchange and learningamong the communities and researchers involved.

Continued partnerships of this nature and, most impor-tantly, strong community level involvement will be criti-cal in the development of policies, programs and strate-gies to successfully cope with the changes identified inthis book.The local context and knowledge that existsamong the residents of these communities is critical tounderstanding what these changes mean for residents of each region.

The Unikkaaqatigiit–Putting the Human Face onClimate Change project has allowed Inuit knowledge onclimate change to feed into the larger scientific pool ofknowledge, while at the same time allowing that knowl-edge to remain in the community.The forging of newpartnerships through involvement in this project—suchas those developing between communities, Inuit regionalorganizations and new Arctic climate change researchers— and the strengthening of existing ones has been key tothe sustainability of this project and gaining supportfrom the communities studied.

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A Way ForwardWhile residents expressed appreciation for the opportu-nity to gather and discuss among Elders and youth andlearn from each other, they also stressed the need to con-tinue work on this subject, as the workshop format hadsimply “scraped the surface” of the community’s knowl-edge. Participants suggested further studies to discussthese issues, in detail, with certain Elders and youth tounderstand and document the breadth of their knowl-edge. As well, they suggested methods that would bemost appropriate to conduct this work, including house-hold visits with maps to encourage discussion and one-on-one interviews to document detailed information.

Going beyond simply documenting the various environ-mental changes and their effects on communities andindividuals, the partnerships forged through this studyare interested in supporting communities to developresponses to change wherever possible.This action wouldrequire a variety of approaches to enhance communitycapacity to respond to, cope with and ultimately adapt to the changes.Taking advantage of opportunities andminimizing adverse effects would be key.

Because these changes and their impacts are not occur-ring in isolation of other forms of change in the communi-ties (e.g., political, social, economic, other forces inducingenvironmental change), we must be able to more accurate-ly define the changes that are taking place, to what theyare attributed, and their relationship with the other driversof change at the community and individual levels.

To understand these relationships and the trends in thesechanges, some form of organized “monitoring” or obser-vation needs to take place. In many ways, for example

through individuals’ time on the land and discussionsamong each other, this monitoring and oral record hasalready been, and continues to be, developed. However, toensure the recording and sharing of this knowledge in anorganized and easily accessible way for community deci-sion-making purposes, some formalization of this processwould be helpful. It would also facilitate collectiveunderstanding and action.

For these reasons, an approach of identifying and select-ing community indicators for environmental change andcommunity impacts is gaining attention across theCanadian North. It is argued that some form of organ-ized knowledge or database will enhance communitycapacity to identify changes and effects and, thus, tounderstand the phenomenon better in order to developresponse strategies where required.

Research Recommendations This project provides the impetus for further, more in-depth research on a number of topics that were identi-fied in the workshops. Without this further work, thedevelopment of effective response and adaptation strate-gies would be incomplete. Some suggestions for data and research appear in Table 7 in Appendix 2.

Policy Recommendations In many of the workshops, participants were asked whoshould receive this information. Responses varied fromlocal and regional governments and wildlife managementorganizations to international bodies, such as the ArcticCouncil. Generally, consensus from all of the workshopswas simply to “get the word out.” Some suggestions ofpolicy and service recommendations that stem from thisproject are presented in Table 8 in Appendix 3.

Recommendations


Most importantly, this project has provided a forum forknowledge exchange and given Inuit residents a voice onan issue that affects their lives and communities on adaily basis. It is hoped that not only will their concerns be brought to the attention of national and internationalgovernments and NGOs through existing structures andnew partnerships, but also that Inuit can take ownershipof the issue and, in turn, feel empowered to act at variouslevels. When Inuit residents themselves are involved indefining the coping strategies to environmental change,the resulting methods are often better suited to, and morelikely to be adopted by, communities.The information inthis book provides background from which Inuit as wellas other researchers and decision-makers in the Northcan begin to develop tools that will allow communitycounsellors and planners to include climate change in all areas of their work and decision-making activities.

Unfortunately, once again, Inuit are the proverbial“canary in the coal mine” for the rest of the world. Notonly are Inuit experiencing the affects of climate changefirst and are therefore in a position to warn the rest ofthe world about what is perhaps to come, but Inuit arealso leading the world in ingenuity and knowledge toadapt to these changes at the local scale. Key to the cultural identity of Inuit is the ability to adapt. It hasallowed them to survive for thousands of years in one ofthe harshest and most sensitive environments on Earth.Southern regions may very well benefit from the lessonsbeing learned in the Arctic today.

This ability to adapt has never been more important forInuit than it is now.Their world is changing at a pacethat they have never experienced or heard of in the oralhistory passed down for generations. From the informa-

tion shared in the workshops and presented in this book,there is no doubt that communities will continue to tryto adapt to the changes they are experiencing today.But many of the changes are coming at a rate, and to an extent that may exceed the threshold of currentcapacities of northern communities.

There is a great injustice in the fact that a relativelysmall group of people, who have lived for thousands ofyears in harmony with their environment, are now beingthe hardest hit by the impact of development—primarilybased outside their regions—on the global environment.

Raising the Voice of Inuit

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Environments at Université Laval andthe Ajunnginiq Centre at the NationalAboriginal Health Organization.

Nunatsiavut:Communities of Labrador, Furgal, C.,Denniston, M., Murphy, F., Martin, D.,Owens, S., Nickels, S., Moss-Davies, P.2005. Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting theHuman Face on Climate Change:Perspectives from Labrador. Ottawa:Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for InuitHealth and Changing Environments atUniversité Laval and the AjunnginiqCentre at the National Aboriginal HealthOrganization.

Community ReportsCommunity of Aklavik. Nickels, S.,Furgal, C., Castleden, J., Armstrong, B.,Buell M., Dillion, D., Fonger, R., Moss-Davies, P. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit – Puttingthe Human Face on Climate Change –Perspectives from Aklavik, InuvialuitSettlement Region. Ottawa: Joint publica-tion of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, NasivvikCentre for Inuit Health and ChangingEnvironments at Université Laval and theAjunnginiq Centre at the NationalAboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Arctic Bay. Nickels, S.,Furgal, C., Akumalik, J., Barnes, B.J.2005. Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting theHuman Face on Climate Change –Perspectives from Arctic Bay, Nunavut.Ottawa: Joint publication of Inuit Tapiriit

Regional ReportsInuvialuit Settlement Region:Communities of Aklavik, Inuvik, HolmanIsland, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk,Nickels, S., Buell, M., Furgal, C.,Moquin, H. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on ClimateChange: Perspectives from the InuvialuitSettlement Region. Ottawa: Joint publica-tion of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, NasivvikCentre for Inuit Health and ChangingEnvironments at Université Laval andthe Ajunnginiq Centre at the NationalAboriginal Health Organization.

Nunavut:Communities of Arctic Bay, Kugaarukand Repulse Bay, Nickels, S., Furgal, C.,Mark Buell, Moquin, H. 2005.Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the HumanFace on Climate Change: Perspectivesfrom Nunavut. Ottawa: Joint publicationof Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, NasivvikCentre for Inuit Health and ChangingEnvironments at Université Laval andthe Ajunnginiq Centre at the NationalAboriginal Health Organization.

Nunavik:Communities of Ivujivik, Puvirnituq and Kangiqsujuaq, Furgal, C., Nickels, S.,Kativik Regional Government –Environment Department. 2005.Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the HumanFace on Climate Change: Perspectivesfrom Nunavik. Ottawa: Joint publicationof Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, NasivvikCentre for Inuit Health and Changing

Kanatami, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Healthand Changing Environments at UniversitéLaval and the Ajunnginiq Centre at theNational Aboriginal Health Organization.Community of Holman Island. Fonger, R.,Moss-Davies, P. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on Climate Change– Perspectives from Holman Island,Inuvialuit Settlement Region. Ottawa: Jointpublication of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami,Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health andChanging Environments at Université Lavaland the Ajunnginiq Centre at the NationalAboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Inuvik. Nickels, S., Castleden,J., Armstrong, B., Binder, R., Buell M.,Dillion, D., Fonger, R., Moss-Davies, P. 2005.Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the Human Faceon Climate Change – Perspectives fromInuvik, Inuvialuit Settlement Region.Ottawa: Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Healthand Changing Environments at UniversitéLaval and the Ajunnginiq Centre at theNational Aboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Ivujivik. Furgal, C.,Qinuajuak, J., Martin, D., Marchand, P.,Moss-Davies, P. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on Climate Change– Perspectives from Ivujivik, Nunavik.Ottawa: Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Healthand Changing Environments at UniversitéLaval and the Ajunnginiq Centre at theNational Aboriginal Health Organization.

Appendix 1


Community of Kangiqsujuaq. Furgal, C.,Qinuajuak, J., Moss-Davies, P. 2005.Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the Human Face on Climate Change – Perspectives from Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik. Ottawa:Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for InuitHealth and Changing Environments atUniversité Laval and the AjunnginiqCentre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Kugaaruk. Nickels, S.,Furgal, C., Buell, M., Moquin, H., Shirley,J., Carter, A. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on ClimateChange – Perspectives from Kugaaruk,Nunavut. Ottawa: Joint publication ofInuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nasivvik Centrefor Inuit Health and ChangingEnvironments at Université Laval andthe Ajunnginiq Centre at the NationalAboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Paulatuk. Fonger, R.,Moss-Davies, P. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on ClimateChange – Perspectives from Paulatuk,Inuvialuit Settlement Region. Ottawa:Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for InuitHealth and Changing Environments at Université Laval and the AjunnginiqCentre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Puvirnituq. Furgal, C.,Qinuajuak, J., Martin, D., Marchand, P.,Moss-Davies, P. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on Climate Change– Perspectives from Puvirnituq, Nunavik.Ottawa: Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Healthand Changing Environments at UniversitéLaval and the Ajunnginiq Centre at theNational Aboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Repulse Bay. Nickels, S.,Furgal, C., Buell, M., Moquin, H., Shirley, J.,Carter, A. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit – Puttingthe Human Face on Climate Change –Perspectives from Repulse Bay, Nunavut.Ottawa: Joint publication of Inuit TapiriitKanatami, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Healthand Changing Environments at UniversitéLaval and the Ajunnginiq Centre at theNational Aboriginal Health Organization.

Community of Tuktoyaktuk. Nickels, S.,Furgal, C., Castleden, J., Armstrong, B.,Binder, R., Buell M., Dillion, D., Fonger, R.,Moss-Davies, P. 2005. Unikkaaqatigiit –Putting the Human Face on Climate Change– Perspectives from Tuktoyaktuk, InuvialuitSettlement Region. Ottawa: Joint publicationof Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nasivvik Centrefor Inuit Health and Changing Environmentsat Université Laval and the AjunnginiqCentre at the National Aboriginal HealthOrganization.

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Table 7. Research Recommendations

• Collect quality baseline Inuit health data to assess the impact of climate change on human health.

• Gather fine-scale meteorological data from many northern regions and collect it in a way that can be linked to existing and future community health datasets.

• Employ local scale standardized monitoring of observations of change and their related impacts.

• Conduct community-based assessments and systematic research on the issues of climate change impacts on all northern sectors.

• Document and make accessible community observation–based data on environmental change and impacts at the regional, community, household and individual scales.

• Examine potential and existing human health impacts of public safety issues (e.g., increased danger while travelling due to changing and unpredictable ice conditions).

• Understand the local, regional and national scales that are interconnected in supporting and facilitating action on climate change.

• Develop models of change and impacts that use/consider local observational data (using cross-scale analysis at local and regional levels).

• Create innovative approaches to climate impact assessment in order to obtain qualitative and quantitative data, andto collect long-term data on standard health and other community outcomes (e.g., economic) at comparable tempo-ral and spatial scales.These data should include local observations collected via reliable and standardized methods.

• Perform climate impact assessments that take a multidisciplinary approach (i.e., those that bring together health scientists, climatologists, biologists, ecologists, social and behavioural scientists, policy researchers and local experts).

• Improve scenarios specific to regions projected to experience significant impacts, such as the North.

• Better understand the key factors, including cultural, that influence individual and community level capacity to adapt and respond to climate changes and impacts.

• Conduct work in a way that recognizes and continues to support or develop local capacities.

• Conduct research and monitoring to identify new species bringing in new diseases and abnormalities.

Appendix 2


Table 8. Policy Recommendations

• Make available financial and other support, including more effective management, for measures to ensure an adequate and quality food supply in Arctic communities.These measures include community freezers, subsidized shipping costs to support food sharing, and shifting of regulated harvesting times to facilitate Inuit access wherespecies are more difficult to access at certain times of the year.

• Support communities in reinforcing or moving infrastructure, such as houses, roads and commercial buildings,as a result of erosion and permafrost melt.

• Facilitate more and better culturally appropriate communications about climate change and its impacts.There is also a need to facilitate North-to-North sharing of adaptations strategies. Some workshop participants recommended the development of a central coordination and information centre for climate change and adaptations.

• Create better weather prediction/reporting/networks.

• Improve or develop access to better and more up to date weather information, which will aid in avoiding difficulties and dangers when travelling. In the ISR, it was recommended that weather information from Alaska be made available, necessitating multi-country cooperation to address the impacts of climate change.

• Educate Inuit in order to alleviate fear of climate change affecting contaminant cycling, which will affect animal health.

• Provide support for communications materials that would assist Inuit in identifying dangerous foods.This would help to ensure a safe food supply and optimum utilization of country foods.

• Provide financial support for a transition in transportation in areas where changing environmental conditions have necessitated the use of different modes of transport.

• Enhance capacity at all levels in the North to cope with the impacts of climate change.These regions have the least capacity to deal with it.

• Support improvements to water treatment centres in communities to ensure a safe, adequate supply of drinking water for Inuit communities.

• Instruct hamlets and municipalities to include climate change in their community planning.

• Develop innovative and useful tools for hamlet and municipal councils and decision makers to use in the planning process.

Appendix 3

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Newfoundland

& Labrador

Quebec

Northwest Territories

Yukon

Alaska

USA

This book, a synopsis of observations, findings,and perspectives from a series of workshops held inInuit communities across the Canadian North,provides an overview of environmental changestaking place from the perspectives of communityresidents. The workshop findings represent animportant first step in the development of inter-national, national, regional, and local understand-ings of environmental change. As Inuit have beensaying for many years, and as climate assessmentsand global models predict, the polar regions will befirst and most affected by climate change. It isimportant to learn with communities about thenature and extent of local impacts and how Inuitcan adapt to a changing Arctic.

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