Transcript community capacity-building and planning

Use of Health Impact Assessment in
Planning for Climate Change
in Canada’s North
-
Health Impact Assessment and Sustainable Well-being
Conference October 2008
Liverpool, UK
Outline
• Health Impact Assessment &
Determinants of Health
• Inuit Health Status and
Way of Life
• Climate Change
• Impacts on Health
• Decision-making and Integration of Health
Concerns
• Community Capacity-building and Planning
• Conclusions
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HIA and Determinants of Health
• HIA can provide the framework for organizing and
addressing health impacts not only for the
present but for the future in the face of accelerating
environmental and health impacts due to climate change.
• We can look at and adapt to future impacts through the
determinants of health model:
–
–
–
–
culture and lifestyle,
location,
traditional knowledge, and
capacity of local health systems
to adapt.
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Inuit Health Status
• In the past, Inuit were healthy and resilient.
• With relocation, exposure to diseases and
globalization, their health status has deteriorated.
• Health issues include:
– diabetes
– smoking
– lung cancer
– injuries
– suicides
– infant mortality
– life expectancy 10 years less than
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Traditional Activities
Hunting, fishing, gathering and sharing of wild
resources have been identified as important
contributors to the health and well-being of
Inuit, not just to their physical health but to
their traditional values, their culture and their
ability to develop self-esteem and resilience.
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The earth’s climate is changing
There is scientific consensus that climate change
impacts will accelerate in the
future, before global
efforts to reduce
green-house
emissions will
be effective.
Fossil Fuels
Land use change
ACIA 2004
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Climate is rapidly changing in Canada’s North
• Inuit are reporting changes in their
environment (air, land, water, ice) that affect
their ability to:
– travel both on the land and ice,
– find and hunt traditional foods,
– preserve traditional foods,
– access potable water,
– predict local weather and
plan travel.
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Inuit
Communities
• Most communities (hamlets) in Canada’s north are
small (typically 500-800 people).
• Most communities are on the coast.
• There are no roads linking communities.
• Transportation is by air or ship.
• Cross country travel is by ATV, snowmobile (in
winter) and sometimes dog sleds. The ocean is their
highway in winter.
• Permafrost and ice is critical for travel and
infrastructure.
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Projected Change in Permafrost Boundary
Current Permafrost
Projected Permafrost
Projected Permafrost
Projected sea-ice
cover 2070-2080
Current Permafrost
ACIA 2004
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Warmer Temperatures are Causing Effects:
• 70% of Inuit diet comes from traditional foods
gathered locally
• decreased ability to access traditional foods (seal
hunting)
• greater spoilage of traditional foods during drying
and storage
• more frequent microbial
contamination of drinking
water,
• increases in infectious
diseases, sun-burns and
skin rashes.
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Warmer Temperatures are Causing Effects
• Contaminants emitted in industrial areas are
transported to the Arctic where they become
concentrated as they move up the food chain.
• Climate change is
increased recycling of contaminants that were
previously locked-up in permafrost and ice.
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Development
• Canada’s north is rich in natural resources
(minerals, gas, oil) and many industries are
anxious to start development as marine access
improves with the opening of the North-west
Passage.
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Increased Marine Transport and
Access to Northern Resources
ACIA 2004
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Impacts
• Inuit and First Nations
communities have a close
relationship to the land and
sea deeply rooted in their
culture and way of life.
• The implications of these
changes are profound for
ecosystems and human
health, infrastructure
communities, and
economies.
Inuit Roundtable
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Decision-making
• One must consider how a changing climate will
increase risks and/or offer new opportunities to take
responsibility for integrating these health concerns
into decision-making, whether through:
– environmental assessments and project approvals,
– community capacity-building and planning,
– emergency preparedness, or
– strategic policies.
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Integration of Health Concerns
• To accomplish this integration, relevant information
and tools, and opportunities for collaboration and
engagement, are needed.
• We see HIA as a framework for this
integration but it can not be done in
isolation.
• It needs collaboration with
governments, scientists, planners,
experts with local knowledge
and people within the communities.
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Climate Change and Health Adaptation
for Northern Communities
• This program, funded by Health Canada, is
building capacity in northern communities to:
– assess key vulnerabilities and health impacts
related to climate change
– develop health adaptation plans and tools,
– develop their own educational and awareness
materials,
– disseminate this information to other
communities, practitioners etc., for their use.
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Application Guide
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Raising Awareness of Climate Change Impacts
and Promoting Adaptation
• Information Kit for Health
Professionals - to better
understand the health
impacts of a changing
climate and how to
incorporate these
considerations into public
health plans & programs
• 150 pages of fact sheets,
• background information,
• case studies, glossary
[email protected]
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Nunavut Arctic Health Research Network
Project, Cambridge Bay
• Youth-led Identity in Relation to
Suicide Prevention
• Climate change can undermine
traditional knowledge of the land:
– intergenerational disconnect of
knowledge;
– fewer people can go on the land
due to environmental uncertainty
• Produced a video highlighting
community members’ views/stories
on culture, identity, and suicide
• “Will provide an opportunity for
youth and elders in one Nunavut
community to work together to
address an important health issue in
the community.”
Quajigiariit – Final Report 07-08
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Present and Future Ice Travel in Resolute,
Environment Canada, Resolute Bay
• Sea ice provides hunting grounds
and transportation routes.
• Traditional foods are extremely
nutritious when compared to the
available store-bought foods.
• Discussions with a variety of
experts including elders and local
hunters helped develop a series
of maps and other tools to show
the current use of sea ice, as well
as future projections for sea ice
breakup.
• Built capacity through
communication, education, and
technology.
Present and Future Ice Travel: Resolute,,
Roger de Abreu
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Dynamic Inuit Social Strategies in Arctic
Environments - A Long Term Perspective
International Polar Year Project
• Cambridge Bay, Arviat, Kugaaruk,
Igloolik, Hall Beach
• Historic reconstruction of Inuit
culture – from social changes to
environmental changes
• “Ultimate objective.. is to bring
about an understanding of the
dynamic strategies of movement,
communication, and other social
actions which Arctic peoples
create when interacting with their
social, cultural, and natural
environments”
• Diverse research team will provide
a balanced, well-rounded view.
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Other Community-Based Projects
• Healthy Land, Healthy Ice, Healthy Life – Clyde River,
NU
• Integrated Assessment of Vulnerability and Adaptive
Capacity in a Northern Community: Fort Resolution,
NWT – Fort Resolution, NWT
• Traditional Knowledge as a Basis for a Nutritional
Intervention in an Inuit Community – Pangnirtung,
NU
• The Impact of Environmental Change
on Inuit Childhood Feeding Teachings
and Behaviours in Arctic Bay –
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Arctic Bay, NU
Conclusion
• These programs and initiatives are providing
opportunities for Northern communities,
apprehensive about the potential impacts of climate
change, to conduct community-based research on
environmental health concerns related to their specific
situations, through
the framework of HIA.
• Hopefully the results
will be used to improve
health and health
adaptation in
the North.
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