Identifying and Achieving Consensus on Health-Related Indicators of Climate Change in Nunavut

Abstract

Indigenous peoples of the North are affected by climate change, and future changes in climate are likely to continue to pose serious challenges. Climate change and the resulting change in the environment and communities are believed to further compound existing health issues. There is considerable regional variation within the circumpolar world, and each area of the Canadian Arctic has its own unique environmental and societal characteristics. Therefore, to track the impacts on human health in Nunavut, a monitoring framework—one that takes into account the territory’s unique context—must be implemented. The objective of this study was to identify human health indicators of climate change on a global scale with a focus on indicators relevant to the Canadian Arctic atmosphere, habitats, and peoples. The Piliriqatigiinniq Community Health Research Model provided the guiding framework for this exploratory study. First, a scoping review of health-related indicators of climate change was conducted. From this review, an initial list of 30 indicators was produced. Second, individuals from multiple sectors were invited to participate in a consensus-building process to identify health-related indicators of climate change for Nunavut. Through individual selection and group discussion, a final set of 20 indicators was chosen by workshop participants. The indicators identified in both phases focused on four key themes: 1) environmental health; 2) morbidity and mortality; 3) population vulnerability; and 4) mitigation, adaptation, and policy. Participants felt these indicators would be useful in practice in Nunavut. Next steps are to implement and monitor the utility of the selected indicators.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and Indigenous Peoples’ health and wellbeing: A systematic umbrella review

“…Reported changes to physical environments were extensive and severe, characterized as "[the risk of] large scale ecological transformation" [ 53 :12] and "dramatically declining" [ 49 :3]. Aquatic [e.g., 48 , 49 ], atmospheric [e.g., 33 ], and terrestrial [e.g., 41 , 53 ] changes were described, as well as, most notably, cryospheric changes across Arctic and Subarctic regions (e.g., ice depth, extent, and timing of break-up/freeze-up) [e.g., 32 , 35 , 37 , 43 , 58 , 59 ] ( Table 3 ).…”

“…A total of 33 reviews (86.8%) identified and described the proximal impacts of observed ecosystem changes on human health, often tied to higher temperatures and variable precipitation. Records identified an overall increase in disease susceptibility [ 43 , 51 , 58 ] and mortality [ 32 , 46 ], alongside an array of acute and chronic physiological impacts, such as increased heat stress and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases [ 48 , 51 ], respiratory illnesses like asthma and airborne diseases [ 32 , 33 , 43 , 48 , 51 , 58 ], and increased UVB exposure [ 56 ]. Mental health challenges were also reported, including emotional responses of worry, sadness, anger, and emotional distress [ 32 , 35 , 58 , 60 ].…”

“…An increase in infectious diseases was also identified in 19 articles (50%), including vector-, food-, and waterborne diseases, which were observed across geographies [ 26 , 28 , 31 – 33 , 39 , 42 , 44 – 46 , 48 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 56 – 59 ]. Foodborne diseases (e.g., E. coli, botulism, salmonella, trichinella, brucellosis) were found to be particularly significant concerns among Indigenous communities in Circumpolar North America, where temperature changes compromise traditional food storage methods [ 32 , 51 , 55 , 59 ]. Moreover, several reviews underscored challenges to healthcare access and high quality infrastructure in rural areas, exacerbating the impacts of infectious disease prevalence due to climate change [ 44 , 45 , 53 , 55 ].…”

“…This shift away from traditional foods, known for their nutrient density [ 31 ], has invariably led to an increased reliance on market foods, resulting in increased prevalence of metabolic conditions and nutrition-related diseases [ 30 , 34 ]. Further, changing exposures and sensitivities to contaminants in food sources were also reported through bioaccumulation in the food chain [ 28 , 32 – 34 , 40 , 41 , 52 , 56 ].…”

Tracking the impacts of climate change on human health via indicators: lessons from the Lancet Countdown

“…Creating and maintaining a long-term collaboration among a group of diverse experts is crucial to guaranteeing the robustness and reliability of developed CCIEVIs over time. Partnership can also foster the development of CCIEVI-based initiatives in locations where these are currently missing but are perceived as useful [ 42 – 46 ]. Over the long term, partnerships can expand the areas where CCIEVIs drive decision-making as well as increase workforce preparedness via the inclusion of climate change curriculum into health professional education [ 47 – 50 ].…”