Mapping Human Dimensions of Climate Change Research in the Canadian Arctic

This study maps current understanding and research trends on the human dimensions of climate change (HDCC) in the eastern and central Canadian Arctic. Developing a systematic literature review methodology, 117 peer reviewed articles are identified and examined using quantitative and qualitative meth...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ambio 2012-12, Vol.41 (8), p.808-822
Main Authors: Ford, James D., Bolton, Kenyon, Shirley, Jamal, Pearce, Tristan, Tremblay, Martin, Westlake, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arctic Regions
Atmospheric Sciences
Canada
Climate Change
Climate change adaptation
Climate change policy
Climate change research
Communities
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Environment
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Environmental impact
Environmental Management
Geographic regions
Global environmental change
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
Human influences
Humans
International environmental cooperation
Inuit
Inuits
Knowledge
Literature reviews
Methods
Observational research
Physical Geography
Quantitative analysis
REVIEW PAPER
Sea ice
Search strategies
Social sciences
Sustainability
Systematic review
Trends
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study maps current understanding and research trends on the human dimensions of climate change (HDCC) in the eastern and central Canadian Arctic. Developing a systematic literature review methodology, 117 peer reviewed articles are identified and examined using quantitative and qualitative methods. The research highlights the rapid expansion of HDCC studies over the last decade. Early scholarship was dominated by work documenting Inuit observations of climate change, with research employing vulnerability concepts and terminology now common. Adaptation studies which seek to identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce vulnerability to climate change and take advantage of new opportunities remain in their infancy. Over the last 5 years there has been an increase social science-led research, with many studies employing key principles of community-based research. We currently have baseline understanding of climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability in the region, but key gaps are evident. Future research needs to target significant geographic disparities in understanding, consider risks and opportunities posed by climate change outside of the subsistence hunting sector, complement case study research with regional analyses, and focus on identifying and characterizing sustainable and feasible adaptation interventions.
ISSN:0044-7447
1654-7209
DOI:10.1007/s13280-012-0336-8