ABSTRACT
Environmental security represents one of the dimensions in a discussion of overall human security in the Arctic, according to the soon 20-year-old 1994 UNDP Human Development Report. The notion of environmental security plays an important role in understanding broader human security issues in an Arctic context. Key to understanding Arctic environmental security is the study of linkages between ecosystems and social systems in the circumpolar world. The purpose of this chapter is to explore these linkages in terms of both Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation (CCIA) and the importance of sustainable engineering and construction practices in Canada's northern regions. Engineering and construction practices in the Arctic must become appropriate adaptation responses to climate variability. This variability is expressed by large ranges of temperature fluctuation and the increased frequency of extreme events in the natural environment. CCIA and the technological responses to CCIA represent significant impacts on human security in the Arctic.
