Abstract
Climate change is a major challenge to Arctic and other Indigenous peoples, but not the only and often not the most pressing one. We propose re-framing the treatment of climate change in policy and research, to make sure health, poverty, education, cultural vitality, equity, justice, and other topics highlighted by the people themselves and not just climate science also get the attention they deserve in research on global and regional environmental change. Climate change can often exacerbate other problems, but a singular focus on climate change—as is often the case in much existing environmental literature on the Arctic and elsewhere—can distract from actions that can be taken now to improve the lives of Arctic peoples. The same logic also applies elsewhere in the world, where diverse residents face a host of challenges, opportunities, and obstacles, with climate change but one among many issues. Our proposed approach to regional and global environmental change research draws on the ideas of decolonization, emphasizing collaborative approaches and Indigenous voices in research and policy instead of top-down measures designed outside the affected communities. Only in this way of contextualizing human-environmental experiences can the full effects of climate change be understood—and appropriate responses developed and carried out to adapt to global change.
Highlights
Climate change is a major challenge to Arctic and other Indigenous peoples, but not the only and often not the most pressing one
Many studies still retain a central focus on climate even as they consider multiple factors that affect people; they can overlook or minimize the principal concerns, knowledge, politics, livelihoods, experiences, and priorities of people themselves as research agendas driven by outsiders' focus on climate change rather than the people themselves
The singular climate focus that comes in highprofile reports from the IPCC, global conventions such as the Paris Agreement, and international conferences such as the annual COP meetings can produce policies or adaptation agendas that primarily address climate change but may not respond to these other, more pressing needs and wishes of Arctic peoples
Summary
Climate change is a major challenge to Arctic and other Indigenous peoples, but not the only and often not the most pressing one. This leads to our main point: that research and policies that aim to serve the needs of Indigenous communities must consider climate change—and related adaptation measures and policies—in deeper historical and present-day contexts in which the many forces and issues affecting people are recognized and accounted for.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.