ABSTRACT
As part of their everyday life and while engaging in subsistence activities, Indigenous Peoples living in communities in Northwest Greenland experience change through their interactions with the local natural environment. The aim of this study is to explore and gain a better understanding of the reported impacts of climate change and the adaptation actions put in place by the Inughuit community to cope with the changes. The study is based on data collected in Qaanaaq through 22 semi-structured interviews, two focus group discussions, and a community survey (n = 45) focusing on reported climate change impacts. Inughuit in Qaanaaq have a large body of knowledge on the local ecosystem, which allows them to detect climate change impacts. This study reports first-hand observations of changes in temperature, wind conditions, sea-ice, ground stability, and animal migration. It further presents bottom-up adaptation actions that the community has developed in response to these changes. The observations have been verified as local indicators in the community and are presented in a resilience framework to illustrate the linkages between local and Indigenous knowledge and the capacity to adapt in the face of rapid, climate change-induced disruptions and transformations.
