Chapter 24 - Climate change, contaminants, and country food: collaborating with communities to promote food security in the Arctic

Abstract

Harvesting, trapping, fishing, and gathering local wildlife (termed “country foods”) is inextricably linked to the cultures and identities of Arctic Indigenous Peoples. In coastal communities marine country foods (including fish, marine mammals, and invertebrates) support food and nutrition security; Arctic species and ecosystems, however, are experiencing pressure from rapid biophysical changes, including ocean warming and acidification, diminishing sea ice, and environmental contamination. These biophysical changes are paralleled by rapid socioeconomic changes in Inuit communities, which have resulted in the decreased harvest and consumption of country foods, and the increased representation of market foods, often nutrient-poor and energy-dense, in the diet. These dietary changes may be further exacerbated by climate-related declines in seafood availability and access, or food safety concerns from environmental contaminants, and may have significant repercussions for public health in Arctic communities that are already burdened by significant disparities in food security and health. This chapter provides a multidisciplinary synthesis of the current state and future outlook of various socioeconomic, climatic, and environmental drivers of change, as they relate to Arctic marine ecosystems, country food harvest, and food security for Inuit in Canada. Methodologies and approaches for the inclusion of local perspectives and priorities within research and policy on the impact of changing ocean conditions on food security are discussed.