Abstracts
Sustainability Planning in Arctic Resource Communities
Michelle Boyle1, Hadi Dowlatabadi and Susan Rowley
1University of British Columbia
mboyle@sdri.ubc.ca
Past research has offered us various theoretical frameworks for adaptation to climate change. These have included, but are not limited to: adaptive ecosystem management, integrated assessment, vulnerability assessment, capacity building, etc.
Interviews with economic development officers in Nunavut communities have revealed lingering challenges in incorporating socio-economic impacts of climate change, regional change and other cumulative impact processes such as resource development, in their strategic planning. They are attempting to plan for a sustainable future in a multi-stress environment where climate is often still a distant concern that rarely comes to influence near term decisions. Nevertheless, it is recognized that the sustainability of many traditional values is likely to be at risk. In addition, their economic development plans are potentially vulnerable to other global changes such as international markets, sovereignty claims, and long-range pollution transport.
Our aim is to develop tools and approaches in collaboration with communities for more sustainable development strategies. This paper is about the gaps (data, transparency, completeness) between the theoretical frameworks and their successful adoption by communities. Bridging these gaps is a pre-requisite for designing robust response strategies, prioritizing options, and establishing monitoring approaches for course correction.
2005-04-05 |
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