Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security among Inuit in the Western Canadian Arctic

Abstract

This study examined critical impacts of climate change on Inuit diet and nutritional health in four Inuit communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Western Arctic, Canada. The first objective was to combine data from community observation studies and dietary interview studies to determine potential climate change impacts on nutritional quality. The second objective was to address the scale of data collection and/or availability to compare local versus regional trends, and identify implications for adaptation planning. Information was compiled from 5 reports (4 community reports and 1 synthesis report) of climate change observations, impacts and adaptations in 12 Inuit communities (2005-2006), and from a dietary report of food use from 18 Inuit communities (1997-2000). Changing access to, availability of, quality of, and ability to use traditional food resources has implications for quality of diet. Nutritional implications of lower traditional food use include likely reductions in iron, zinc, protein, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, among others. The vulnerability of each community to changing food security is differentially influenced by a range of factors, including current harvesting trends, levels of reliance on individual species, opportunities for access to other traditional food species, and exposure to climate change hazards. Understanding linkages between climate change and traditional food security provides a basis for strengthening adaptive capacity and determining effective adaptation options to respond to future change.

Climate change, community capitals, and food security: Building a more sustainable food system in a northern Canadian boreal community

“…However, community members spoke about how working leads to less time available for on-the-land activities and they therefore rely on sharing networks and/or store-bought food more often. Store bought food was also discussed as being a necessary part of the food system, but was perceived by many to be unhealthy compared to traditional foods and more expensive, as has been observed in other studies (Lambden, Receveur & Kuhnlein, 2007;Wesche & Chan, 2010).…”

“…New animals have appeared on the land and waters, including pelicans, cougars, and deer, while traditional foods, moose in particular, can be harder to find. The introduction of new species does not necessarily add new food options for the community nor replace another species as has been proposed in other studies ( Andrachuk & Smit, 2012;Ford & Smit, 2004;Ford, Smit, Wandel & MacDonald, 2006b;Ford et al, 2008;Wesche & Chan, 2010). Here, when speaking of the possibility of harvesting deer to support the community, one Elder and active harvester spoke of reluctance to do so because of the lack experience or traditional knowledge of harvesting and preparation methods.…”

Supporting Inuit food security: A synthesis of initiatives in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Northwest Territories

“…To effectively synthesize and assess information about food security initiatives in the ISR, we developed an analytical framework based on: a) the seven thematic areas defined by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA; 2014), and b) the four pillars of food security described above (FAO, 1996;Nunavut Food Security Coalition, 2014;Wesche & Chan, 2010) (Table 1). First, food security initiatives were categorized from higher to lower scales of organization (i.e.…”

Searching for Progress on Food Security in the North American North: A Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis of the Peer-Reviewed Literature + Supplementary Appendix (See Article Tools)

“…Climatic and Environmental Change Impacts on Hunting, Fishing, and Gathering Practices: Multiple papers address the direct and indirect impacts of climatic and environmental change on subsistence practices, including impacts on the distribution and abundance of fish and game species (Loring and Gerlach, 2010a;Wesche and Chan, 2010), on land and seascape conditions (Guyot et al, 2006;Ford, 2009), and on the safety of hunters and fishers (Wesche and Chan, 2010;Brubaker et al, 2011).…”