| Abstract | Sea ice in Northern Canada is actively used by Inuit as a platform to travel on – for commuting and traditional harvesting activities (hunting and fishing). This ice, which in its simplest form is not unlike ice that is at the surface of freshwater bodies, such as lakes and rivers, undergoes yearly growth and melt cycles, although some can survive through one or more summer seasons. Snow falls can occur throughout the year, and is prone to redistribution by wind. Icebergs may be present in places. In general, sea ice is divided into a fast ice zone (which is tied onto the shoreline) and a more dynamic drift (or pack) ice zone. The boundary between these zones is commonly referred to as the floe edge. Overall, sea ice dynamics are very complex. Global warming and its consequences, climate change, are affecting these dynamics in many ways. This has been addressed by a large number of studies, an example of which is provided herein. As a consequence of these changes, the Inuit are no longer able to predict the behavior of that environment as well as they used to. As the Inuit food system is based on country food, these communities are particularly prone to food insecurity. Adaptation measures exist – they can be divided into behavioral (changes in the way of doing things), and technological (learning and using modern technology). The situation, however, is far from simple – a large number of socio-economic considerations need to be taken into account to identify solutions to this predicament. The concept of vulnerability, which has been investigated for communities in other world locations, is a function of exposure to risks and adaptive capacity. For the Inuit, these have been studied by a number of researchers with the active participation of the Northerners themselves. An adequate understanding of adaption measures is required to prepare for the future. Increasing resource access and/or reducing community needs will allow to reduce vulnerability. Moving further into the 21st century, it will be important to coordinate efforts by, and knowledge-base from, Inuit and scientific communities (‘Two Ways of Knowing’). |
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