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The Arctic climate report: What’s in it?

Inuit and other indigenous people face economic and cultural shifts

JANE GEORGE

NUUK — Here are the main findings of the 18-chapter, 1,400-page Arctic Climate Impact Assessment:

• The Arctic climate is warming rapidly now, and much bigger changes are projected, with average temperatures rising three to nine degrees C over the next 100 years;
• Arctic warming and its consequences have world-wide implications, possibly slowing the ocean circulation that helps distribute heat around the world;
• Arctic vegetation zones may shift, moving the tree line northward;
• Retreating sea ice will reduce habitat for polar bear, walrus, seals and marine birds and change the conditions for fisheries, affecting species diversity;
• Coastal communities and facilities face more exposure to storms and thawing coastal permafrost;
• Shipping opportunities and access to resources will increase, raising new sovereignty and security issues;
• Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings and other infrastructure;
• Inuit and other indigenous people face major economic and cultural impacts;
• Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect people, plants and animals, with the current generation of Arctic young people receiving a 30 per cent higher dose of UV radiation, which can lead to cancer and other health problems;
• Other factors, such as chemical pollution, oil spills and over-fishing may interact to cause other impacts.

In November, the ACIA report will be discussed at an ACIA international symposium in Reykjavik, Iceland and released to the public.

Recommendations for action will follow from the Arctic Council meeting in Akureyri, Iceland later that month.

The Arctic Council was set up in 1996 to help circumpolar states cooperate on common issues, especially environmental issues. The members include Canada, the U.S., Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Russia, with indigenous peoples as non-voting permanent participants.

A brochure and CD-ROM are planned, to explain the findings in plain language.

There will also be posters and videos produced in Inuktitut and other Arctic languages.

The next step: more research on how climate change affects people in their communities.

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