Environment and Climate Change Canada’s climate data indicates that between 1948 and 2016,
average temperatures increased by up to 2.7 degrees Celsius in Nunavut
and by 1.7 degrees Celsius in Canada as a whole. In Nunavut, these rises in temperature have caused changes to ice conditions, permafrost, and precipitation.
How does climate change affect Canada’s North?
These include
decreased ice thickness
, melting of permafrost, coastal erosion, rising sea levels, landslides, and altered distribution and migration of wildlife. Climate change will likely lead to the spread of animal-transmitted diseases throughout the North, putting children at increased risk of disease.
Nunavut, a land of barren Arctic Tundra and glaciers, home to
over 38,000 people are at risk of melting away
along with aboriginals and native species due to climate change. Temperatures are rising, weather has become more drastic and meltwater is flowing at an unsustainable rate, all due to climate change.
Social issues such as
high suicide rates, alcohol and drug abuse, homicide and assault, and family violence
are often present in these communities. Food security is an important issue in Nunavut communities
25 , 26 , 27
. Challenges to the traditional economy often limit access to traditional foods.
How does climate change affect the North?
A shifting climate can
change air and water currents that bring contaminants into the Arctic
. Also, changes in ice cover and thawing permafrost appear to have contributed to increased mercury levels in some northern lakes. This results in more contaminants making their way into plants, animals, and ultimately humans.
How does climate change affect Iqaluit?
The Nunavut Climate Change Centre has reported
glacier retreat, sea-ice and lake-ice thinning, permafrost thawing, coastal erosion from wave action, changes in ocean currents, and shifting ranges of plant and animal species
—all as a direct result of climate change.
Climate. The territory lies entirely within the Arctic climatic zone, with
bitterly cold winters and cool to cold summers
. Average daily January temperatures rise above −22 °F (−30 °C) only in the eastern coastal areas, and in the far north and northwest of Hudson Bay they reach only −31 °F (−35 °C).
Nunavut’s economy is historically
based on the harvesting traditions of its Inuit
, who continue to maintain strong ties to the land. Harvesting animals provides meat for food; fur and skin for clothing; and bones for tools, games and art.
Travelers are voting Utinatuk Glacier, Coronation Glacier and West Pioneer Glacier as the best of
17 glaciers
in Nunavut. Also popular are Turnabout Glacier, Barnes Ice Cap and Devon Ice Cap in Nunavut.
What climate factors affect resolute?
Climate. Resolute has a
polar arctic climate (ET) with long cold winters and short cool summers
. Resolute’s average high for the year is −12.7 °C (9.1 °F) while the average low for the year is −18.6 °C (−1.5 °F).
The territory is well known for
its indigenous Inuit people’s artwork, carvings and handmade clothing
. Iqaluit, the capital of the territory, is the largest settlement at just under 8,000 residents.
In 1982, the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut was established
to represent the Inuit of the eastern Arctic and negotiate a land claim agreement with the federal government
. … Supporters believed a new territory would allow Inuit to have more control over their own lives and land.
Nunavut’s creation was caused by
multiple reasons such as the increasing need for self-government within the native community
[10]. … This movement was started due to the formation of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, which among other things would map out a land claim for the Nunavut territory in 1976[13].
How is climate change affecting indigenous?
The impacts of climate change on Indigenous peoples are wide and immediate. … For Indigenous peoples in eastern Canada,
rising sea levels have led to the salination of freshwater
, which in turn affects food security and traditional medicines.
How is climate change affecting Inuit?
Climate change is
causing permafrost to thaw, sea ice to disappear
, and threatening the animals Inuit rely on. … Infrastructure – to close the gap with climate-resilient new builds, retrofits to existing builds, and Inuit adaptations to changing natural infrastructure.
How does climate change affect the Arctic habitat?
Increasing temperatures, melting glaciers, reduced surface area and thickness of sea ice, thawing permafrost, and rising sea level
are all indications of warming throughout the Arctic.
Nunavut’s polar desert environment, on the other hand, produces little precipitation, several days without a cloud in the sky, and
low humidity
which makes Nunavut’s frigidly cold winter temperatures feel slightly more bearable. Snow sticks around well into June and ocean waters do not entirely break up until mid-July.
The prices across Nunavut are
$1.0765 per litre for gasoline
and $1.1695 per litre for vehicle diesel, effective January 2020.
| Community 24 Hours of Sunshine | Taloyoak May 17 to July 27 | Igloolik May 18 to July 26 | Cambridge Bay May 20 to July 23 | Hall Beach May 21 to July 22 |
|---|
The weather in Nunavut varies greatly depending on the season and where you are in the territory. Winters can be very harsh, with
average temperatures of -32°C in Pond Inlet
and -27°C in Iqaluit. Summers can be quite mild, with temperatures ranging from an average of 11°C in Baker Lake in July to 6°C in Hall Beach.
The GN pays a
northern allowance
to make up the differences in the cost of living between Nunavut communities and larger designated southern centres. The allowance is paid based on the community of employment. Currently, it varies from $15,016 to $34,455 annually.
Average rents in Iqaluit remain among the highest in Canada, with average rents for a two-bedroom coming in
at $2,597 per month
. According to the report, two thirds of Nunavut’s population cannot afford market housing without assistance from their employer or the government.
Glaciers have retreated from 0.9 to 1.8 km since the Neoglacial maximum about 120 years ago, with most retreat occurring
between 1958/1961 and 2001
.
Iqaluit
, formerly Frobisher Bay, city, capital of Nunavut territory and headquarters of Baffin region, Canada.
Which island is covered by glaciers?
About 11% of the land area of
Iceland
is covered by glaciers. Iceland has 269 named glaciers of almost all types: ice caps, outlet glaciers, mountain glaciers, alpine, piedmont and cirque glaciers, ice streams … By far the largest of Iceland’s ice caps is Vatnajokull with an area of 8,300 sq.
How hot is the Arctic?
| Time of year Average (mean) temperature | North Pole South Pole | Summer 32° F (0° C) −18° F (−28.2° C) | Winter −40° F (−40° C) −76° F (−60° C) |
|---|
Yukon implemented a territory-wide 911 service in 2016.
Nunavut still does not have one
.
Compared to the rest of Canada, maintaining a vehicle in Nunavut is expensive. …
About 4,000 vehicles are registered in the territory
. Many makes and models of vehicles can be found in the territory, but the most common are heavy-duty four-wheel-drive vehicles such as sport utility, jeeps and full-size vans.
On April 1, 1999,
Nunavut separated from the Northwest Territories
to become the newest Canadian territory. The creation of Nunavut was the outcome of the largest aboriginal land claims agreement between the Canadian government and the native Inuit people.
Does it snow in the Arctic?
Snow Cover over Sea Ice
Because the Arctic Ocean is mostly covered by ice and surrounded by land, precipitation is relatively rare. Snowfall tends to be low,
except near the ice edge
.
What affects climate the most?
On the surface, the greatest factor affecting Earth is
sunlight
. Sun provides energy for living organisms, and it drives our planet’s weather and climate by creating temperature gradients in the atmosphere and oceans.
- We’re the biggest province or territory in Canada. …
- We have the longest coastline in Canada, too. …
- We’re the youngest province or territory in Canada. …
- We have four official languages. …
- It can get hot in the summer! …
- There are no roads to Nunavut. …
- 3 out of 4 narwhals call Nunavut home.
Holiday traditions are different in the Far North. Instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh, it’s muktuk, caribou and arctic char. Snowflakes float down from the darkened sky, shimmering in the dim glow of the street lamps.
As of April 2019, the population of Nunavut was estimated to be about 40,000 people. It is the 12th most populous province in Canada. Nunavut is the largest province in Canada in terms of total area with 2,038,722 square kilometers (787,155 square miles).
How old is Canada?
The Canada that we know today is a relatively recent construction (
less than 65 million years old
) but it is composed of fragments of crust that are as old as 4 billion years.”
The Arctic Circle does not mark a change in climate
. … Communities in the Canadian North that are located near the Arctic Circle include Old Crow in the Yukon, Fort McPherson in the Northwest Territories, and Repulse Bay and Qikiqtarjuaq in Nunavut.
Recommendations setting up the Nunavut government were made by a body called the Nunavut Implementation Commission. It was chaired by
John Amagoalik
, widely acknowledged as a founder of the territory.
How are indigenous peoples adapting to environmental change?
Indigenous peoples are the best guardians of global biodiversity.
More than 20 per cent of the carbon stored in forests is found
in land managed by indigenous peoples, preserving vital carbon pools which continuously capture CO2 and release oxygen into the atmosphere, thereby reducing climate change impacts.
How are indigenous communities and cultures around the world affected by sea level rise?
Melting ice caps are one of the reasons that sea level rise is such an issue, followed by thermal expansion due to warming ocean temperatures. However melting ice caps and ice sheets greatly impact the culture of those indigenous people who live in the regions affected by
loss of ice and warming temperatures
.
