Inuit communities’ travel skills and regional knowledge have helped mitigate the effects of Arctic climate change on travel conditions, according to a new study.
Inuit communities’ travel skills and regional knowledge have helped mitigate the effects of Arctic climate change on travel conditions, according to a new study.
The Arctic is warming nearly twice as quickly as the rest of the world and has the potential to affect many aspects of life for the people that live there.
The semi-permanent trails used by indigenous communities on sea ice, rivers and frozen ground are vulnerable to warming conditions which can cause sea ice melt and flooding. These trails are critically important for travel between settlements, to cultural sites and for practicing traditional hunting, fishing and gathering activities.
Until now, understanding whether climate change has affected the ability of Inuit to use these trails has been elusive, making it difficult for communities and regional and local governments to decide how to plan for climate impacts.
Read more at University of Leeds
Image: Snowmobile is a common mode of transport in Inuit communities. Temperature influences machine functioning, potential of getting stuck and conditions of ice and snow (Credit: Dylan Clark, McGill University, Canada)
