Impacts and Adaptation in Canada's North
"Climate change in the Polar Regions is expected to be among the largest and most rapid of any region on the Earth, and will cause major physical, ecological, sociological, and economic impacts, especially in the Arctic."
This conclusion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, included in its Third Assessment Report,[1] has profound implications for Canada and northern Canadians. Reinforcing this statement, impacts of climate change on livelihoods and ecosystems are being observed by Arctic residents, including the dramatic loss of sea ice, increased levels of permafrost melt, and changes in the migration patterns and abundance of fish, insects, mammals, birds and plants.
In 1999, IISD began to work with Canadian Western Arctic communities to:
-
document climate-related changes;
-
facilitate collaboration between western scientists and local experts; and
-
communicate the finding to researchers, decision-makers and civil society.
Local engagement in global change research offers opportunities for expanding our collective understanding of complex environmental trends such as climate change. The projects described here are part of a broader, evolving methodological and partnerships approach that responds to climate change in the Canadian Arctic.
Featured Content
-
Sachs Harbour Observations on Climate Change
IISD's work with the Inuvialuit community of Sachs Harbour to document over a period of two years the problem of Arctic climate change and explore how Inuvialuit knowledge can enrich scientific research in the Arctic.
-
Partnerships in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
The collection and sharing of local observations and adaptive strategies on climate change in three communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
-
Community Monitoring and Reporting
IISD's efforts to develop a monitoring and reporting strategy that will enable appropriate action on climate change from a northern perspective.
[1] IPCC. Summary for Policymakers, 2001. Polar Regions: Adaptive Capacity, Vulnerability, and Key Concerns
|
