Abstracts

Adapting to Climate Change in Nunavik and Northern Québec: Using Traditional and Scientific Knowledge to Enhance Local Capacity and Cope With Changing Ice Conditions

Violaine Lafortune¹, C. Furgal, E. Angiyou, T. Annanack, N. Einish, B. Etidloie, P. Tookalook, and J.P. Savard
¹Kativik Regional Government
violainelafortune@lino.sympatico.ca

Future climate change at northern latitudes may impact the way in which subsistence-based northern communities access land and resources (ACIA, 2004). There have been recent reports of climate change impacts on access to territory in Nunavik and Labrador, where unpredictable weather patterns and ice instability were reported to negatively affect traveling conditions and safety. This implies a variety of social and cultural impacts, which affect important aspects of contemporary Inuit life.

The Kativik Regional Government initiated a local ice watch program based on both traditional and scientific knowledge to provide adaptation tools to the communities regarding access to territory and resources. One Naskapi (Kawawachikamach) and three Inuit (Kangiqsujuaq, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Umiujaq) communities are involved in the project. Launched at the beginning of the 2004-2005 winter season, the ice trail monitoring network includes in-depth interviews on winter trail characteristics with experienced harvesters and elders in the communities and weekly trail descriptions and measurements (ice and snow depth). Local researchers are conducting the interviews and are responsible for fieldwork. Descriptions of critical and changing ice conditions are translated into quantitative climatic indicators that can be related to instrumental data. Such climatic indicators of trail conditions will provide information to develop climate projections that better reflect northern communities' reality (temporally and spatially).

2005-04-05