scholarly journals Local Perceptions of Climate Change Impacts in St. Kitts (Caribbean Sea) and Malé, Maldives (Indian Ocean)

Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Stancioff ◽  
Robert Stojanov ◽  
Ilan Kelman ◽  
Daniel Němec ◽  
Jaromir Landa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Caribbean Sea ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
Perceived Impacts

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are now experiencing the local consequences of a changing climate, environment, and society. Nonetheless, climate change research frequently remains at regional or national levels. Without locally grounded data, islanders’ perceived impacts of the changes might not be considered, thereby causing difficulties when policy and practice responses are implemented without accounting for local understandings. To contribute to addressing this gap, this study examines perceptions of climate change and associated environmental and social changes in two SIDS case studies: St. Kitts in the Caribbean Sea and Malé Atoll, Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Through these two case studies, we assess perceptions of changing social and natural environments through a closed-question, face-to-face survey. Our results suggest that in both island case studies, communities perceive environmental changes to be happening that demand negotiation with the social changes of daily life. Results also suggest that perceived climate change impacts are only part of the equation, as social and economic impacts reveal two case studies of changing island societies. While the geographic context in each case study differs, this study reveals the perceived impacts of climate change and social changes at a local level, providing valuable insights and angles for formulating policies and actions to deal with the myriad of social and environmental changes affecting SIDS.

scholarly journals Exploring Elders’ and Seniors’ Perceptions of How Climate Change is Impacting Health and Well-being in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut / ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓂᖅ ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᔾᔪᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᕆᒍᓚᑦ, ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕗᒻᒥ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑐᐃᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓗᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᓐᖏᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Ostapchuk ◽  
Sherilee Harper ◽  
Ashlee Cunsolo Willox ◽  
Victoria L. Edge ◽  
Rigolet Inuit Community Government
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Reduced Physical Activity ◽  
Perceived Impacts

<p>Climate changes are rapidly intensifying and can lead to adverse global health impacts. Indigenous populations are especially vulnerable to climate change because of their dependence on the environment for cultural activities and subsistence. The voices of Inuit Elders and seniors encompass deep wisdom and history; as such, the goal of this research was to examine the perceived impacts of climate and environmental changes on physical, mental, and emotional health, as observed by Elders and seniors in the Inuit community of Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, Labrador, Canada. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather data capturing these local observations, as well as perceived impacts on community health. A community survey was administered in November 2009 (n = 75) and in-depth interviews were conducted with Elders and seniors from January to October 2010 (n = 22). Survey results indicated that Elders and seniors observing changes in weather patterns, water systems, and wildlife were more likely to perceive climate change impacts on health (p &lt; 0.05). Emergent themes from the interviews included: recurring observations of climate change, including changes in temperature, ice, snow, and seasonal timing; impacts on physical health, including reduced physical activity levels and poorer nutrition; impacts on mental and emotional health, including feelings of isolation and depression; and an identified need for community-wide adaptation. This research emphasized the importance of understanding Elder-specific perspectives of climate-health relationships in the Canadian North to develop sustainable, culturally relevant adaptation strategies to mitigate health impacts related to climate change.<br /><br />ᓯᓚᐅᑉ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓ  ᓱᒃᑲᓕᔪᒃᑯᑦ  ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᕗᖅ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ  ᐊᑦᑕᓇᖅᑐᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᑦᑐᐃᔪᓐᓇᖅᑯᖅ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑎᒍᑦ.  ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ  ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑑᔪᑦ  ᐊᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᖅᐹᖑᔪᓐᓇᖅᑯᑦ  ᐊᕙᑎᒥᓂᒃ  ᑕᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ,  ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖏᑎᒍᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐱᓇᓱᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᖏᑎᒍᑦ.  ᐃᓄᐃᑦ  ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ  ᐃᓐᓇᑐᖃᐃᓪᓗ  ᓂᐱᖏᑦ  ᓯᓚᑐᓂᕐᒥᒃ  ᑐᓐᖓᕕᖃᖅᑯᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐊᑐᖅᓯᒪᔭᖃᖅᑯᑦ;  ᓲᕐᓗ  ᐆᒧᖓ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᑐᕌᒐᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ  ᓯᓚᐅᑉ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓂᒃ  ᐊᑦᑐᐃᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᖃᓄᖅ  ᐊᕙᑎᐅᑉ  ᑕᐅᑦᑐᖓ,  ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑎᒍᑦ,  ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ  ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑕᖃᖅᑯᑦ  ᐃᓄᐃᑦ  ᓄᓇᓕᖓᓂ  ᕆᒍᓚᑦ,  ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕗᒻᒥ,  ᓛᐸᑐᐊᒥ,  ᑲᓇᑕᒥ.  ᑲᑎᑕᐹᓂᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐊᖅᑯᑏᑦ  ᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥ  ᑕᑯᓐᓇᒐᐅᕗᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᑕᑯᓐᓇᑕᒃᑯᑦ  ᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐅᔪᑦ.  ᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥ  ᐊᐱᖅᓲᑎ  ᓄᕕᐱᕆ  2009<strong>−</strong>ᒥ  ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖃᔪᕗᖅ  (<em>n </em>= 75)  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓗᑐᔪᓂᑦ  ᐊᐱᖅᓲᑎᖃᔪᕗᑦ  ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ  ᐃᓄᑐᖃᕐᓄᓪᓗ  ᔮᓐᓄᐊᓕᒻᒥᑦ  ᐅᑐᐱᕆᒧᑦ  2010<strong>−</strong>ᒥ (<em>n </em>= 22). ᐊᐱᖅᓲᑎᒧᑦ  ᑭᒡᒍᓯᐅᔪᔪᑦ  ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᔪᕗᑦ  ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ  ᑕᑯᔭᖃᖅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ  ᓯᓚᐅᑉ  ᖃᓄᐃᓐᓂᖓᑕ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ,  ᐃᒪᐅᓪᓗ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐆᒪᔪᐃᑦ  ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ  ᐊᑦᑐᐃᔪᑦ  ᐃᓄᐃᑦ  ᐃᓗᓯᕆᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ  (<em>p </em>&lt; 0.05).  ᓲᔪᕐᓇᑐᓪᓗ  ᐊᓚᒃᑲᔪᔪᑦ  ᐊᐱᖅᓲᑕᐅᔪᔪᓂᑦ  ᐃᓗᓕᖃᐅᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ  ᒪᑯᓂᖓ:  ᓲᔪᕆᔭᐅᕙᑦᑐᑦ  ᓯᓚᐅᑉ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ;  ᓂᓪᓚᓱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐆᖅᑰᓇᕐᓂᒧᓪᓗ;  ᓂᓚᐅᑉ,  ᐊᐳᑎᐅᑉ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐅᐱᕐᖔᑉ,  ᐅᑭᐅᑉ  ᐊᓰᓐᓇᓕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ; ᐊᑦᑐᐃᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᓪᓗᑎ  ᑎᒥᒧᑦ   ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ;  ᐃᓱᒪᒧᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᑦ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒨᖓᔪᑦ,  ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑦᑐᒋᑦ  ᐃᑉᐱᓐᓂᐊᔾᔪᑎᑦ  ᐃᓄᑑᓕᐅᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓄᒫᓱᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ;  ᑭᓐᖒᒪᑦᑎᓂᖅᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᑎᓂᒃ.  ᐅᓇ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖅ  ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑯᖅ  ᐱᓪᓗᕆᑦᑐᓂᒃ  ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ  ᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ  ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔾᔪᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ  ᓯᓚᐅᑉ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓄᑦ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐊᑦᑐᐊᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ  ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖓᓂ  ᑐᕌᒐᖃᕐᓂᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᑲᔪᓯᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᔅᓴᓂᒃ,  ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖅᑎᒍᑦ  ᐊᑲᕐᕆᔪᓂᒃ  ᐅᐸᓗᖓᐃᔭᕈᑎᓂᒃ  ᐊᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᓂᑭᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐃᑉᐱᓐᓂᕈᑎᓂᒃ  ᓯᓚ  ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒍ.</p>

Droughts, floods and freshwater ecosystems: evaluating climate change impacts and developing adaptation strategies

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Aldous ◽  
James Fitzsimons ◽  
Brian Richter ◽  
Leslie Bach
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia

Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on hydrologic regimes and freshwater ecosystems, and yet few basins have adequate numerical models to guide the development of freshwater climate adaptation strategies. Such strategies can build on existing freshwater conservation activities, and incorporate predicted climate change impacts. We illustrate this concept with three case studies. In the Upper Klamath Basin of the western USA, a shift in land management practices would buffer this landscape from a declining snowpack. In the Murray–Darling Basin of south-eastern Australia, identifying the requirements of flood-dependent natural values would better inform the delivery of environmental water in response to reduced runoff and less water. In the Savannah Basin of the south-eastern USA, dam managers are considering technological and engineering upgrades in response to more severe floods and droughts, which would also improve the implementation of recommended environmental flows. Even though the three case studies are in different landscapes, they all contain significant freshwater biodiversity values. These values are threatened by water allocation problems that will be exacerbated by climate change, and yet all provide opportunities for the development of effective climate adaptation strategies.

scholarly journals Fishes from Bassas Da India Atoll in the Mozambique Channel

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudy van der Elst ◽  
Simon Chater ◽  
Dennis King
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
West Indian ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Fish Diversity ◽  
Apex Predators ◽  
The South ◽  
Biodiversity Survey ◽  
South West Indian Ocean ◽  
West Indian Ocean

Bassas da India is a remote, uninhabited coral atoll in the West Indian Ocean. Its inaccessibility had historically precluded study of its ichthyofauna until a small group of scientists from the Oceanographic Research Institute in South Africa undertook a two-week biodiversity survey in 1991. Since then, the discourse on climate change has taken on a higher relevance, calling for protection and study of biodiversity hotspots such as Bassas da India. The survey recorded 309 fish species, including a number of vulnerable teleosts and elasmobranchs. As the only published information on the biodiversity of this remote small island, it is intended that this dataset will contribute to increased relevance as an ecological baseline for detecting impacts relating to climate change in the South West Indian Ocean. Each species is listed in terms of its individual abundance, IUCN status as well as its museum and photographic record. Comparisons are made with survey results of other small coral islands in the region, notably Europa Island, revealing several distinct differences in fish diversity. There is evidence that giant groupers will replace sharks as apex predators when there is no local exploitation. A total of 86 species were photographed to confirm identity, and a further 84 species were provided to the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity museum in Grahamstown and also to several international species experts.

Adaptation to Climate Change in Small Island Developing States: A Systematic Literature Review of Academic Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carola Klöck ◽  
Patrick D. Nunn
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Island States ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽  
The Pacific

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) share a common vulnerability to climate change. Adaptation to climate change and variability is urgently needed yet, while some is already occurring in SIDS, research on the nature and efficacy of adaptation across SIDS is fragmentary. In this article, we systematically review academic literature to identify where adaptation in SIDS is documented; what type of adaptation strategies are taken, and in response to which climate change impacts; and the extent to which this adaptation has been judged as successful. Our analysis indicates that much adaptation research is concentrated on the Pacific, on independent island states, and on core areas within SIDS. Research documents a wide array of adaptation strategies across SIDS, notably structural or physical and behavioral changes. Yet, evaluation of concrete adaptation interventions is lacking; it thus remains unclear to what extent documented adaptation effectively and sustainably reduces SIDS’ vulnerability and increases their resilience.

Indigenous Women, Climate Change Impacts, and Collective Action

Hypatia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Powys Whyte
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Indigenous Women ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Important Species ◽  
And Shifts ◽  
Adaptation And Mitigation

Indigenous peoples must adapt to current and coming climate‐induced environmental changes like sea‐level rise, glacier retreat, and shifts in the ranges of important species. For some indigenous peoples, such changes can disrupt the continuance of the systems of responsibilities that their communities rely on self‐consciously for living lives closely connected to the earth. Within this domain of indigeneity, some indigenous women take seriously the responsibilities that they may perceive they have as members of their communities. For the indigenous women who have such outlooks, responsibilities that they assume in their communities expose them to harms stemming from climate change impacts and other environmental changes. Yet at the same time, their commitment to these responsibilities motivates them to take on leadership positions in efforts at climate change adaptation and mitigation. I show why, at least for some indigenous women, this is an important way of framing the climate change impacts that affect them. I then argue that there is an important implication in this conversation for how we understand the political responsibilities of nonindigenous parties for supporting distinctly indigenous efforts at climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Climate Change, Sea Level Rise and Protecting Displaced Coastal Communities: Possible Solutions

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony George Puthucherril
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Coastal Zone Management ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Coastal Communities ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Technological Support

Climate change and sea level rise are realities that are upon us and which will profoundly impact the lives and basic rights of millions of coastal residents all over the world. As the law stands both at the international and at certain national levels, the basic human rights of the climate displaced are not adequately protected. This paper identifies two possible displacement scenarios, based on the continued availability/non-availability of land in the face of sea level rise and other climate change impacts; namely, the sinking Small Island Developing States phenomeon, where land disappears and there is no surplus land to support habitation, and all other cases, where the coastal land is battered severely but it can be re-utilized through appropriate adaptation measures or even if coastal frontage land disappears there is still land available inland. On this basis, the paper proposes three possible solutions: (1) bilateral or regional treaties to facilitate resettlement of the inhabitants of sinking Small Island Developing States, (2) appropriate coastal climate change adaptation implemented via integrated coastal zone management and (3) creation of new arrangements under the international climate change regime to provide financial assistance and technological support to respond to both situations. Even though the primary focus of this paper is on coastal communities in South Asia, the lessons that it offers are relevant to other coastal contexts as well.

Should we turn the tent? Inuit women and climate change

2011 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Dowsley ◽  
Shari Gearheard ◽  
Noor Johnson ◽  
Jocelyn Inksetter
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Secondary Effects ◽  
The Social ◽  
Women’S Perceptions ◽  
Inuit Knowledge ◽  
Women's Role

Abstract Most of the climate change literature for Arctic Canada in the social sciences has focused on men’s knowledge and experiences. Drawing on research from Qikiqtarjuaq and Clyde River, Nunavut, we explore Inuit women’s perspectives on recent environmental changes, many of which are often attributed to climate change by Inuit or others. We divide issues resulting from environmental change into primary and secondary effects. Primary effects are changes in environmental features that affect, for example, hunting, fishing, and travelling. Secondary effects occur in the community as a result of environmental change. These include changes in the use and condition of country products like seal skins, and the psychological and social impact of environmental changes, such as going out on the land less often due to fear of dangerous conditions. We also offer a preliminary discussion on women’s role in responses to climate change, through their often dominant economic and political roles in their communities, the territory, and various wider global governance fora. Our research indicates that gender helps shape Inuit knowledge of environmental change, as well as social responses to perceptions of change. By examining women’s perceptions of environmental change, we draw attention to the social aspects and also highlight how women can contribute to adaptation, not only to physical changes but also to the resulting social changes.

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