Abstracts
SEARCH Open Science Meeting
October 27, 2003
Seattle, Washington, USA
Climate Change and Inuit Health: Impacts and Adaptation in the Canadian North
Christopher Furgal1, Scott Nickles2, The communities and Regional Inuit 3
1Unité de Recherche en Santé Publique, CHUQ-Pavillon CHUL, Université Laval, Québec City, PQ, Canada, Christopher.Furgal@crchul.ulaval.ca
2Environment Department, Inuit Tapiririit Kanatami, Ottawa, ON, Canada, Nickels@itk.ca
3Organizations of Labrador, Nunavik, and the , Inuvialuit Settlement Region
INTRODUCTION
There is a growing concern among Canadian Inuit about the impacts on environment, health and culture from global changes such as climate change. To date, the focus on this subject has been oriented on biophysical changes and impacts in the environment and little attention had been given to the potential impacts on public health in northern communities. In response to interest by northern communities and organizations a project and series of community workshops investigating climate change, potential impacts and strategies for adaptation was initiated in Canadian Inuit regions. The projects reviewed scientific and traditional knowledge documentation, conducted focus group discussions and interviews with Inuit in 3 regions, and convened 7 workshops involving residents of 11 Inuit communities. Through these activities, a number of direct and indirect climate related impacts on Inuit health were identified, Inuit observations on changes in the regions and their perspectives on the relationship between these changes and their health were gathered and existing and potential community responses to changes resulting in adverse community impacts were documented. Climate change in Inuit regions poses health risks related to increased heat and cold stress, increased exposure to UV-B radiation, safety while travelling or pursuing hunting and fishing activities because of changes in weather and storm events or stability and safety of ice and snow, impacts to food security related to access and availability of important traditional food species, the potential introduction of new vector-borne or water-borne diseases as well as impacts to critical health infrastructure related to altered permafrost stability in communities. In many cases, communities in the Canadian North have already started to cope and adapt to changes occurring in their local area. Community workshops identified communities where hunting and fishing patterns have been altered, significant investments in shoreline protection programs have taken place, where water consumption habits have changed, and in many cases, where further programs for adaptation are needed. This project has provided the impetus for further work in these communities and regions related to some specific climate impacts on health as well as the development of monitoring programs and community adaptation strategies.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the residents of the communities taking part in these studies to date, without whom this work would not have been possible. The participating and support of the Regional Inuit Organizations and Community organizations in Labrador, Nunavik and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region is greatly appreciated. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided for various aspects of this work by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Climate Change Action Fund, the Northern Ecosystem Initiative, Health Canada and the MSSS-Québec.
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