Community Vulnerability Community Vulnerability to Climate Change in the to Climate Change in the

ArcticArcticJames Ford1

Mishak Allurut2, Frank Duerden3, Harry Ittusujurat4, Gita Laidler5, Tristan Pearce1, Kevin Qrunnut4, Barry Smit1, Kik Shappa2, Jen Turner1, Johann Wandel1

1Dept of Geography, University of Guelph, 2Hamlet of Arctic Bay, Nunavut3Dept of Geography, Ryerson University, 4Hamlet of Igloolik, Nunavut

5Dept of Geography, University of Toronto

4.2: Human Vulnerability

Human vulnerability to environmental Human vulnerability to environmental change in the Canadian Arcticchange in the Canadian Arctic

Project 4.2Project 4.2

•• Who is vulnerable?Who is vulnerable?•• In what way? In what way? •• To what stresses?To what stresses?•• Why?Why?•• Coping capacity?Coping capacity?

The Vulnerability ApproachThe Vulnerability Approach

Ford and Smit (2004), Ford and Smit (2004), DuerdenDuerden (2004), Ford (2005), Ford (In Press), Ford et al. (2006)(2004), Ford (2005), Ford (In Press), Ford et al. (2006)

Vist = f (Eist , Aist)

Vist = Vulnerability of the community ito stimulus s in time t

Eist = Exposure/Sensitivity of i to s in tAist = Adaptive capacity of i to deal with

s in t

• Significant conditions inc. climate• Community coping mechanisms• Determinants of adaptive capacity

Current VulnerabilityCurrent Vulnerability

Future VulnerabilityFuture Vulnerability

• Environmental change, other• Future adaptive capacity

NunavutInuvialuit

U.S.A.

Kinngait

Igloolik

Arctic BayUlukhaktok

Tuktoyaktuk

Pangnirtung

Arctic BayArctic BayActivity Exposure Adaptive Strategies

Summer boatingSummer boating Waves / StormyWaves / Stormyweatherweather

•• Avoid traveling at certainAvoid traveling at certaintimestimes

•• Take extra hunting suppliesTake extra hunting supplies

FloeFloe--edge narwhaledge narwhalhuntinghunting

South wind /South wind /sudden windsudden windchangeschanges

•• Avoid south windAvoid south wind•• Row boats on sledsRow boats on sleds•• Vigilance while huntingVigilance while hunting

Summer caribouSummer caribouhuntinghunting

Muddy trailsMuddy trails •• Develop new routes / accessDevelop new routes / access by boat by boat

Fall seaFall sea--ice travelice travel Thin ice / snowThin ice / snowcovered thin icecovered thin ice

•• Avoid snow covered areasAvoid snow covered areas•• VigilanceVigilance –– use of harpoon use of harpoon

to test ice thicknessto test ice thickness

Spring huntingSpring hunting Rain followedRain followedby coldby coldtemperaturestemperatures

•• Extra supplies and clothingExtra supplies and clothingcarried on hunting tripscarried on hunting trips

Adapted from Ford et al. (2006)Adapted from Ford et al. (2006)

Arctic BayArctic BayActivity Exposure Adaptive Strategies

Summer boatingSummer boating Waves / StormyWaves / Stormyweatherweather

•• Avoid traveling at certainAvoid traveling at certaintimestimes

•• Take extra hunting suppliesTake extra hunting supplies

FloeFloe--edgeedgenarwhal hunting narwhal hunting

South wind South wind / sudden/ suddenwindwindchangeschanges

•• Avoid south wind Avoid south wind •• Row boats on sledsRow boats on sleds•• Vigilance whileVigilance while

huntinghuntingSummer caribouSummer caribouhuntinghunting

Muddy trailsMuddy trails •• Develop new routes / accessDevelop new routes / access by boat by boat

Fall seaFall sea--ice travelice travel Thin ice / snowThin ice / snowcovered thin icecovered thin ice

•• Avoid snow covered areasAvoid snow covered areas•• VigilanceVigilance –– use of harpoon use of harpoon

to test ice thicknessto test ice thickness

Spring huntingSpring hunting Rain followedRain followedby coldby coldtemperaturestemperatures

•• Extra supplies and clothingExtra supplies and clothingcarried on hunting tripscarried on hunting trips

Adapted from Ford et al. (2006)Adapted from Ford et al. (2006)

Exposure and Adaptive Exposure and Adaptive CapacityCapacity

Harry Ittusujurat

Exposure and Adaptive Exposure and Adaptive CapacityCapacity

• Environmental change–– WindWind–– IceIce

Changing ExposureChanging Exposure

Changing ExposureChanging Exposure

• Environmental change– Wind– Ice

• Harvesting behavior– Southern market for tusk (economy)– Quotas (policy)– Snowmobiles (technology, economy)

Future ExposureFuture Exposure

• Wind• Narwhal migration

Adaptive CapacityAdaptive Capacity

Theo Ikkumaq

Insights From the Insights From the Vulnerability Approach Vulnerability Approach

•• Conditions important to peopleConditions important to people•• Multiple stressors Multiple stressors •• Adaptive strategies Adaptive strategies •• Capacity and policy Capacity and policy

•• CAVIARCAVIAR

•• Community Feedback:Community Feedback: Arctic Bay, Igloolik, Arctic Bay, Igloolik, KinngaitKinngait,,PangnirtungPangnirtung

•• Academic Publications:Academic Publications: Arctic, Global Environmental Arctic, Global Environmental Change, Weathering Change, WorldChange, Weathering Change, World--Watch, Polar Watch, Polar Record*, Northern Review*Record*, Northern Review*

•• Presentations:Presentations: COPCOP--11, ICARP, CAFF, ARCTICNET,11, ICARP, CAFF, ARCTICNET,NRF, SEARCH, ARCUS, OMRN, AINA, NRI, Inuvialuit NRF, SEARCH, ARCUS, OMRN, AINA, NRI, Inuvialuit Game Council, Inuvialuit Joint Secretariat Game Council, Inuvialuit Joint Secretariat

•• Radio:Radio: CBC Radio 1, CBC North, Norwegian PressCBC Radio 1, CBC North, Norwegian Press•• TV:TV: CBC The National, The Weather Network CBC The National, The Weather Network •• Newspapers:Newspapers: The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star,

Montreal Gazette, Guelph Mercury, London Free PressMontreal Gazette, Guelph Mercury, London Free Press* In Review* In Review

Research DisseminationResearch Dissemination

Simon Qammaniq