Changes in the Composition of the Harvest in Three Polar Bear Subpopulations in the Western Canadian Arctic after the U.S. Listing of the Polar Bear as a Threatened Species

The 2008 United States (U.S.) listing of the polar bear as a threatened species prohibits the importation of polar bear trophies into the U.S., significantly decreasing the number of Americans paying for guided polar bear hunts in Canada. We examined the numbers and composition of the harvest in three polar bear subpopulations, Northern Beaufort Sea, Southern Beaufort Sea, and Viscount Melville Sound, located in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the western Canadian Arctic to identify what happens when the support for guided hunting is withdrawn. We find that there was no significant change in the number of polar bears harvested or in the sex composition of the harvest in the three subpopulations after the U.S. listing. Over the twelve-year study period, harvests in each subpopulation were always within the quota. The number of guided hunts decreased after the U.S. listing and the number of subsistence hunts increased in each subpopulation during this time. The number of bears harvested as a percentage of tags used was significantly higher in the Northern Beaufort Sea after the listing. This is because a tag issued for a guided hunt is considered “used” even if the hunt is unsuccessful, which is often the case as hunters seek large male bears, whereas a tag issued for subsistence is re-issued until a successful harvest. We conclude that while the U.S. listing and rapid decline in guided hunts did not affect the number of polar bears harvested, it did disrupt the Inuit cultural economy

Estimating Future Costs for Infrastructure in the Proposed Canadian Northern Corridor at Risk From Climate Change

This paper reviews current climate change projections for northern Canada and considers what these mean for infrastructure development in the proposed Canadian Northern Corridor (CNC). We focus on chokepoints along the corridor’s notional route and estimate future costs of infrastructure along the chokepoints. We draw upon climate change projections at the end of the century (2100) using information from several climate variables sourced on the CMIP6 and CMIP5 reports. Climate variables include means and extreme values for temperature, precipitation, wind and their indirect impacts on physical features: permafrost, freezing rain and wildfires. In terms of infrastructure costs, we investigate investment costs and the useful life of nine sectors within transportation, energy and buildings infrastructures. The findings of our analysis show that mean temperatures within the CNC area could increase by 10.9oC, and precipitation by 45 per cent by 2100. Climate change could create chokepoints along the CNC route, affecting key areas essential for transportation flow. Central regions of the corridor are projected to have a higher probability of receiving concomitant impacts on several chokepoints, including combined threats from the increasing frequency of wildfires, freezing rain and permafrost thaw. Adding a climatic layer to investment costs within CNC chokepoints can increase infrastructure costs by more than 101 per cent. Transportation engineering infrastructure, electric power infrastructure and the institutional buildings sectors are most likely to be impacted. Just considering a climate layer to current infrastructure increases costs by more than $12 billion for several hazards such as freezing precipitation (especially Alberta and BC),$7 billion for wildfires (especially BC) and more than $400 million for permafrost (especially Alberta and BC). Infrastructure built along the CNC route will need to be designed to remain functional under different climatic conditions that predominate today. Chokepoints will dictate how buildings and transportation infrastructure should be planned

Inuit Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Subsistence Hunting and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic

This paper examines the role of Inuit traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in adaptation to climate change in the Canadian Arctic. It focuses on Inuit relationships with the Arctic environment, including hunting knowledge and land skills, and examines their roles in adaptation to biophysical changes that affect subsistence hunting. In several instances, TEK underpins competency in subsistence and adaptations to changing conditions, which includes flexibility with regard to seasonal cycles of hunting and resource use, hazard avoidance through detailed knowledge of the environment and understanding of ecosystem processes, and emergency preparedness, e.g., knowing what supplies to take when traveling and how to respond in emergency situations. Despite the documented importance of TEK in adaptation and in maintaining a level of competency in subsistence, the relationships between TEK and adaptation to climate change are not well defined in the scholarly literature. This paper aims to conceptualize the relationships between TEK and adaptation to climate change by drawing on case study research with Inuit in the Canadian Arctic. TEK is considered an element of adaptive capacity (or resilience) that is expressed as adaptation if TEK is drawn upon to adapt to changing conditions. This capacity depends on the development, accumulation, and transmission of TEK within and among generations.Cet article se penche sur le rôle des connaissances écologiques traditionnelles (CET) inuites en matière d’adaptation au changement climatique dans l’Arctique canadien. Il porte plus précisément sur les relations des Inuits avec l’environnement de l’Arctique, notamment en ce qui a trait à leurs connaissances de la chasse et à leurs pratiques ancestrales, puis il examine leur rôle en matière d’adaptation aux changements biophysiques qui exercent une influence sur la chasse de subsistance. Dans plusieurs cas, les CET servent de fondement aux aptitudes de survie et à l’adaptation aux conditions changeantes, ce qui implique de la souplesse vis-à-vis des cycles saisonniers de chasse et d’utilisation des ressources, l’évitement des dangers grâce à une connaissance approfondie de l’environnement et à la compréhension de la dynamique des écosystèmes et l’état de préparation en cas d’urgence, à savoir les vivres et le matériel dont ils doivent se doter lorsqu’ils sont en déplacement et la façon de réagir en situation d’urgence. Malgré l’importance documentée des CET sur l’adaptation et le maintien d’un niveau de compétence en vue de la subsistance, les liens entre les CET et l’adaptation au changement climatique ne sont pas bien définis dans les écrits érudits. Cet article cherche à conceptualiser les liens entre les CET et l’adaptation au changement climatique en s’appuyant sur une recherche d’étude de cas avec les Inuits de l’Arctique canadien. Les CET sont considérées comme un élément de la capacité adaptative (ou de la résilience) exprimée sous forme d’adaptation pourvu qu’elles soient employées pour favoriser l’adaptation aux conditions changeantes. Cette capacité dépend du développement, de l’accumulation et de la transmission des CET au sein des générations et entre elles

Inuit observations of a tunicata bloom unusual for the amundsen gulf, western Canadian arctic

© 2020, Canadian Science Publishing. All rights reserved. Inuit are at the forefront of ecosystem change in the Arctic, yet their observations and interpretations are rarely reported in the literature. Climate change impacts are rapidly unfolding in the Arctic and there is a need for monitoring and reporting unique observations. In this short communication, we draw upon observations and experiential knowledge from western Canadian Inuit (Inuvialuit) harvesters combined with a scientific assessment to describe and interpret an unusual account of gelatinous organisms at high densities during summer 2019 in eastern Amundsen Gulf, near Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. The gelatinous organisms were identified as primarily appendicularian larvaceans (Oikopleura spp., pelagic tunicates) and their gelatinous “houses”. The organisms were observed within 3–5 km of the marine coast, from ∼1–2 m below the surface and to depths of ∼30 m with an underwater camera. Pelagic tunicates have rarely been documented in the eastern Amundsen Gulf and, to our knowledge, this was the first time these organisms had been noted by the people of Ulukhaktok. The pelagic tunicates clogged subsistence fishing nets and Inuvialuit harvesters were concerned about negative impacts to marine mammals and fishes, which they depend on for food security. These interpretations highlight major knowledge gaps for appendicularians in the Arctic

Research on the Human Dimensions of Climate Change in Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut: A Literature Review and Gap Analysis

Research on the human dimensions of climate change (HDCC) in the Canadian Arctic has expanded so rapidly over the past decade that we do not have a clear grasp of the current state of knowledge or research gaps. This lack of clarity has implications for duplication of climate policy and research, and it has been identified as a problem by communities, scientists, policy makers, and northern organizations. Our review of current knowledge about the HDCC in Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut indicates that the effects of climate change on subsistence harvesting and other land-based activities and the determinants of vulnerability and adaptation to such changes are well understood. However, the effects of climate change on health are less known. In the nascent research on this topic, studies on food security and personal safety dominate, and little peer-reviewed scholarship focuses on the business and economic sector. Published research shows a strong bias toward case studies in smaller communities, especially communities in Nunavut. Such studies have focused primarily on negative impacts of climate change, present-day vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacity, but studies proposing opportunities for adaptation intervention are beginning to emerge. While documenting the serious risks posed by climate change, they also highlight the adaptability of northern populations and the effects of economic-political stresses on vulnerability to changing climate. We note the absence of studies that examine how Northerners can benefit from new opportunities that may arise from climate change, or assess how the interaction of future climatic and socio-economic changes (specifically, resource development and enhanced shipping) will affect their experience of and response to climate change, or discuss the broader determinants of vulnerability and adaptation.L’étude des dimensions humaines du changement climatique (DHCC) dans l’Arctique canadien a pris de l’ampleur ces dix dernières années au point où nous n’avons pas une idée claire de l’état actuel des connaissances ou des lacunes en matière de recherche. Cette absence de précision a des incidences sur le plan du dédoublement des politiques et des études sur le climat, ce qui est considéré comme problématique par les collectivités, les scientifiques, les décisionnaires et les organi­sations se trouvant dans le Nord. Nous avons passé en revue les connaissances actuelles en matière de DHCC au Nunavut, au Nunavik et au Nunatsiavut, ce qui nous a permis de constater que les effets du changement climatique sur les récoltes de subsistance et sur d’autres activités rattachées aux ressources naturelles sont bien compris, tout comme le sont les déterminants de la vulnérabilité et de l’adaptation à ces changements. Cela dit, les effets du changement climatique sur la santé sont moins bien connus. Dans le cadre des recherches à l’état naissant à ce sujet, les études portant sur l’innocuité alimentaire et la sécurité personnelle dominent, et peu d’études évaluées par les pairs sont axées sur le secteur commercial et économique. Les travaux de recherche dont les résultats ont été publiés indiquent un fort penchant pour des études de cas visant de plus petites collectivités, surtout les collectivités du Nunavut. Ces études portent principalement sur les incidences négatives du changement climatique, sur les vulnérabilités actuelles et sur la capacité d’adaptation, quoi que des études proposant des possibilités d’intervention adaptative commencent à faire surface. Bien que des études se trouvent à documenter les risques sérieux que pose le changement climatique, elles font également ressortir l’adaptabilité des populations nordiques et les effets des stress politiques et économiques sur la vulnérabilité au climat changeant. Nous avons aussi remarqué l’absence d’études qui examinent comment les gens du Nord peuvent bénéficier des retombées du changement climatique, d’études qui évaluent comment l’interaction des changements climatiques et socioéconomiques futurs (plus précisément en ce qui a trait à la mise en valeur des ressources et à l’amélioration des voies d’expédition) toucheront leur expérience du changement climatique et leur réaction à celui-ci, ou d’études qui discutent des plus grands déterminants de la vulnérabilité et de l’adaptation

Systematic review approaches for climate change adaptation research

The article presents an analysis of approaches for systematic review and research synthesis and examines their applicability in the context of research about climate change adaptation. Customized review frameworks informed by systematic approaches to research synthesis provide a conceptually appropriate and practical opportunity for increasing methodological transparency. The article highlights innovative applications of systematic approaches, with a focus on the unique challenges of integrating multiple data sources and formats in reviewing climate change adaptation policy and practice

Estimating Future Costs for Infrastructure in the Proposed Canadian Northern Corridor at Risk From Climate Change

This paper reviews current climate change projections for northern Canada and considers what these mean for infrastructure development in the proposed Canadian Northern Corridor (CNC). We focus on chokepoints along the corridor’s notional route and estimate future costs of infrastructure along the chokepoints. We draw upon climate change projections at the end of the century (2100) using information from several climate variables sourced on the CMIP6 and CMIP5 reports. Climate variables include means and extreme values for temperature, precipitation, wind and their indirect impacts on physical features: permafrost, freezing rain and wildfires. In terms of infrastructure costs, we investigate investment costs and the useful life of nine sectors within transportation, energy and buildings infrastructures. The findings of our analysis show that mean temperatures within the CNC area could increase by 10.9oC, and precipitation by 45 per cent by 2100. Climate change could create chokepoints along the CNC route, affecting key areas essential for transportation flow. Central regions of the corridor are projected to have a higher probability of receiving concomitant impacts on several chokepoints, including combined threats from the increasing frequency of wildfires, freezing rain and permafrost thaw. Adding a climatic layer to investment costs within CNC chokepoints can increase infrastructure costs by more than 101 per cent. Transportation engineering infrastructure, electric power infrastructure and the institutional buildings sectors are most likely to be impacted. Just considering a climate layer to current infrastructure increases costs by more than $12 billion for several hazards such as freezing precipitation (especially Alberta and BC),$7 billion for wildfires (especially BC) and more than $400 million for permafrost (especially Alberta and BC). Infrastructure built along the CNC route will need to be designed to remain functional under different climatic conditions that predominate today. Chokepoints will dictate how buildings and transportation infrastructure should be planned

Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change in the Arctic: The Case of Nunavut, Canada

Research conducted with the communities of Arctic Bay and Igloolik in Nunavut identified key areas where policy can help Inuit reduce their vulnerability to climate change, focusing on the renewable resource harvesting sector. The policy responses are based on an understanding of policy development and decision making and on an understanding of the processes that shape vulnerability, which in Nunavut comprise the erosion of traditional Inuit knowledge and land-based skills, the weakening of social networks, and a reduction in harvesting flexibility. Policies relating to cultural preservation, wildlife comanagement, and harvester support can serve as entry points for influencing these processes. Our recommendations fall within the mandates of the Government of Nunavut and the institutions created under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and they have been identified as policy priorities by communities and Inuit organizations.Grâce à des recherches effectuées auprès des collectivités de la baie de l’Arctique et d’Igloolik au Nunavut, on a réussi à déterminer comment la politique peut rendre les Inuits moins vulnérables au changement climatique en se concentrant sur le secteur de l’exploitation des ressources renouvelables. La compréhension de l’élaboration des politiques, de la prise de décisions et des processus qui engendrent la vulnérabilité permet d’aboutir à des réponses en vue de l’établissement de politiques. Au Nunavut, cette vulnérabilité se traduit par l’érosion des connaissances traditionnelles inuites et des habiletés d’utilisation de la terre, l’affaiblissement des réseaux sociaux et l’atténuation de la souplesse caractérisant l’exploitation. Les politiques en matière de conservation culturelle, de cogestion de la faune et de soutien à l’exploitation servent de point d’entrée pour influencer ces processus. Nos recommandations cadrent avec les mandats du gouvernement du Nunavut et des établissements créés en vertu de l’Entente de revendication territoriale du Nunavut. Les collectivités et organismes inuits les considèrent comme des priorités en matière de politique

Status of climate change adaptation in Africa and Asia

This paper documents and analyzes the current status of adaptation initiatives in 47 vulnerable ‘hotspots’ in Asia and Africa, based on a review of grey literature, peer-reviewed articles and policy documents. Adaptations are primarily being reported from African and low-income countries, particularly those receiving adaptation funds, and primarily being driven by national governments, NGOs, and international institutions, with minimal involvement of lower levels of government or collaboration across nations. Gaps are particularly notable in North Africa and Central Asia, with limited evidence of initiatives being targeted at vulnerable populations. Agriculture is the dominant focus of reported adaptation initiatives

Understanding Determinants of Hunting Trip Productivity in an Arctic Community

We examine factors underlying hunting productivity among Inuit in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada. Specifically, we focus on the role of gasoline use as the main variable of interest—commonly cited as a crucial determinant of hunting participation. Over the course of 12 months, 10 hunters recorded their on-the-land activities using a GPS tracking system, participatory mapping sessions, and bi-weekly interviews. A multivariable linear regression model (MvLRM) was applied to assess whether factors such as consumables used (i.e. heating fuel, gasoline, oil, food), distances traveled, or the number of companions on a trip were associated with the mass of edible foods returned to the community. Results indicate that, despite being positively associated with hunting trip productivity when assessed through a univariable linear regression model, gasoline is not a statistically significant determinant of standalone trip yield when adjusting for other variables in a multivariable linear regression. Instead, factors relating to seasonality, number of companions, and days on the land emerged as more significant and substantive drivers of productivity while out on the land. The findings do not suggest that access to, or the availability of, gasoline does not affect whether a hunting trip commences or is planned, nor that an increase in the amount of gasoline available to a hunter might increase the frequency of trips (and therefore annual productivity). Rather, this work demonstrates that the volume of gasoline used by harvesters on standalone hunting trips represent a poor a priori predictor of the edible weight that harvesters are likely to return to the community