Photo by Graham McDowell

Alex’s recent paper in ERL was recently profiled in a story on environmental research web by Liz Kalaugher.

In the first study of its kind, researchers from McGill University, Canada, examined the Fifth National Communication (NC) reports sent to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by Annex I parties (mainly developed countries) in 2009 and 2010. This provided information on health adaptation measures taken by 38 of the 41 countries; Malta, Monaco and Turkey did not submit their data in time for the study.

Read the rest of the article at Environmental Research Web.

“We wanted to know what level of adaptation countries were reaching, and what kinds of health vulnerabilities were drawing adaptation responses,” Alexandra Lesnikowski toldenvironmentalresearchweb. “This is not the first time that a systematic assessment of adaptation has been conducted, but it is the first time we are aware of that this approach has been applied specifically to health adaptation.”

The scientists found that health adaptation is still a developing area. Only 15% of the 1,912 actions were being taken specifically with human health in mind; the others were part of adaptation for sectors such as agriculture, water and spatial planning, which can all affect health, but the actions were “being carried out without the inclusion of the public-health sector or a recognition of linkages with public health”. There was only a vague link between adaptation research and actions.

What’s more, around 80% of the actions were “groundwork”, i.e. preparations such as impact assessments, adaptation research or strategic planning. “Only a fraction of the actions described in these reports were actually having a tangible affect on how government programmes are designed or implemented,” said Lesnikowski.

“Given that we are already beginning to experience health impacts of climate change – take, for example, the 2003 European heatwave, in which more than 70,000 excess deaths were recorded – these results indicate that health policy-makers need to be more engaged in doing adaptation,” said Lesnikowski. “Responses described in the NC5 tend to be led by non-health sectors – environment, water, agriculture – even where they affect community health, but only by including the health sector in adaptation planning will we get comprehensive adaptation approaches that address the full range of implications that climate change has for our communities.”

The UK, Australia, Finland and Canada each reported more than 100 actions. At the other end of the scale, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Slovenia each had fewer than 25 initiatives. Flooding was the most widely recognised issue, discussed by 34 countries, followed by food safety and security, general extreme weather events, and extreme heat. Extreme cold was the least popular issue, addressed only by Greece, Canada and Lithuania. These trends were reflected in adaptation actions: 17 countries have pursued adaptation on flooding and water safety and security; 14 have addressed food safety and security; and 13 reported adaptations concerning extreme heat.

Eleven countries described public awareness and outreach programmes addressing the risks of extreme heat, for example France’s Plan Canicule and the Italian Heat Health Watch Warning System. Eleven countries were discussing climate-change-related alterations to regulations on water safety and security. Potential developments in infrastructure and technology included expanding city sewage systems in Estonian capital Tallinn to cope with higher volumes of water; Belgium’s Integrated Coastal Safety Plan to build protective barriers along waterfronts to reducing flooding from storm surge and sea-level rise, Japan’s development of alternative seed varieties, and Czech plans to improve drainage and irrigation systems. Only Lithuania revealed plans to improve medical preparedness to address climate-change risks.

It’s likely that groups such as the elderly, women, indigenous peoples, people with pre-existing or chronic conditions, and individuals living in poverty will be more vulnerable to the health effects of climate change. The NC5 reports focused most frequently on the elderly, people with pre-existing or chronic medical conditions and children, with extreme heat and air quality the issues raising the most concern. Canada, New Zealand, the US and Australia discussed indigenous groups but other vulnerable groups such as women, disabled individuals or those living in poverty was minimal. “Integration of vulnerable groups into adaptation initiatives remains underdeveloped and uneven across Annex I parties,” write the researchers in ERL.

Now the researchers would like to expand their systematic approach to analysing health-adaptation plans to middle and low-income countries, as well as to adaptation in other sectors. They plan to use data sources such as National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) submitted to the UN.

Lesnikowski, A., Ford, J., et al. 2011. Environmental Research Letters 6 (4). Find PDF.

Adapting to the health effects of climate change is one of the key challenges facing public health this century. Our knowledge of progress on adaptation, however, remains in its infancy. Using the Fifth National Communications of Annex I parties to the UNFCCC, 1912 initiatives are systematically identified and analyzed. 80% of the actions identified consist of groundwork (i.e. preparatory) action, with only 20% constituting tangible adaptations. No health vulnerability was recognized by all 38 Annex I countries. Furthermore, while all initiatives affect at least one health vulnerability, only 15% had an explicit human health component. Consideration for the special needs of vulnerable groups is uneven and underdeveloped. Climate change is directly motivating 71% of groundwork actions, and 61% of adaptation initiatives are being mainstreamed into existing institutions or programs. We conclude that the adaptation responses to the health risks of climate change remain piecemeal. Policymakers in the health sector must engage with stakeholders to implement adaptation that considers how climate change will impact the health of each segment of the population, particularly within those groups already considered most vulnerable to poor health outcomes.

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This summer, I spent the months of May and June on Baffin Island conducting field work for my Master’s thesis entitled “Inuit Food Security: Vulnerability of the traditional food system to climatic extremes during winter 2010/2011 in Iqaluit, Nunavut.” This was my third time visiting Iqaluit, and I was very eager to return. Previously, I conducted a preliminary consultation trip in February to meet with local stakeholders and further develop my research project. I returned to Iqaluit again in March to present my research proposal to the Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association. These two prior trips allowed me to forge relationships and acquaint myself with the community, and were invaluable for preparing me for my field work season.

For my interviews and surveys, I was grateful to have the help of two other CCVRG members: Graham McDowell and Peter Adams. Graham and I conducted 25 interviews with local hunters to discuss perceived changes in environmental conditions; perceived changes in animal availability, access, and quality; as well as adaptive strategies used for dealing with a changing environment.  Afterward, Peter and I completed 100 household surveys with public housing residents to explore household characteristics; perceived changes in country food availability, access, and quality; as well as coping mechanisms used to deal with food-related stresses. The insights that community members shared with me were fascinating and informative, and reflected both the challenges and opportunities associated with living in the Canadian Arctic. These interviews and surveys would not have been possible without the help from my research assistants from the Nunavut Arctic College, Daniel Kaludjak and David Nakashuk, who were tremendously helpful throughout this process.

Perhaps my favourite part of my field work was simply experiencing life in Iqaluit. This involved participating in community feasts, going dog sledding on the sea ice, attending public hearings regarding the Nutrition North program, joining community members on their IQ (Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, or traditional Inuit knowledge) Day, and partaking in Project Nunavut’s Country Food Market.

This trip was an incredible experience that allowed me to progress from theory to practice. After spending the first year of my Master’s degree reading literature, writing my research proposal, and preparing for field work, I am thankful to have been able to conduct a successful research trip. The second year of my Master’s degree will now involve exploring the vulnerability of Iqaluit’s traditional food system to the climatic extremes that occurred last winter. I am looking forward to weaving an interesting narrative that will shed light on the environmental and socioeconomic complexities of this remarkable Arctic community.

Graham McDowell Speaks at TEDx McGill 2010 from James Ford on Vimeo.

Group member Graham McDowell spoke at TEDx McGill about De-Abstracting climate change in November 2010. Graham is now studying for an MSc in Environmental Change and Management at the University of Oxford, UK.

Ford, JD and Berrang Ford, L. (2011). Climate change adaptation in developed nations: From theory to practice. Springer, in press.

Update: The book is now available for order and download for many institutional users on Springer’s website.

This 36 chapter edited volume will be published in early 2011 and profiles examples of adaptation planning from across developed nations. Authored by leading scientists and policy makers, the book is organized around 7 sections: Section I: Introduction and overview; Section II: Climate change adaptation in the public health sector; Section III: Climate change adaptation in the industrial sector; Section IV: Climate change adaptation in the urban environment; Section V: Climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector; Section VI: Climate change adaptation in rural and resource dependent communities; and Section VII: Future directions.

The volume includes the following chapters:

I: Introduction and Overview

1. Introduction (James D. Ford and Lea Berrang-Ford)

2. Climate Change Adaptation as a Social Process (Johanna Wolf)

3. Entering the Period of Consequences: The Explosive US Awakening to the Need for Adaptation (Susanne C. Moser)

4. Perspectives on Adaptation to Climate Change in Europe (Stephane Isoard)

5. The Australian Experience (Timothy Frederick Smith, Dana C. Thomsen, and Noni Keys)

6. Leading the UK Adaptation Agenda: A Landscape of Stakeholders and Networked Organizations for Adaptation to Climate Change (Emily Boyd, Roger Street, Megan Gawith, Kate Lonsdale, Laurie Newton, Kay Johnstone, and Gerry Metcalf)

7. Adaptation to Climate Change in Canada: A Multi-level Mosaic (Thea Dickinson and Ian Burton)

II: Adaptation in the Public Health Sector

8. Overview: Adaptive Management for the Health Risks of Climate Change (Kristie L. Ebi)

9. Behavioral Health and Risk Perception: Factors in Strengthening Community Resiliency and Emergency Preparedness (David Hutton)

10. Lateral Public Health: A Comprehensive Approach to Adaptation in Urban Environments (Jan C. Semenza)

11. Public Health in Canada and Adaptation to Infectious Disease Risks of Climate Change: Are We Planning or Just Keeping Our Fingers Crossed? (Nicholas Hume Ogden, Paul Sockett, and Manon Fleury)

12. Climate Change, Water-related Health Impacts, and Adaptation: Highlights From the Swedish Government’s Commission on Climate and Vulnerability (Elisabet Lindgren, Ann Albihn, and Yvonne Andersson)

13. Adaptation to the Heat-related Health Impact of Climate Change in Japan (Yasushi Honda, Masaji Ono, and Kristie L. Ebi)

14. Risk Perception, Health Communication and Adaptation to the Health Impacts of Climate Change in Canada (Peter Berry, Kaila-Lea Clarke, Mark Pajot, and David Hutton)

III: Adaptation in the Industrial Sector

15. Overview: Climate Change Adaptation in Industry (Paul Kovacs)

16. Impacts Of and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Electricity Sector in Germany and France (Benno Rothstein and Sylvie Parey)

17. The Role of Codes, Standards and Related Instruments in Facilitating Adaptation to Climate Change (Paul Steenhof and Erik Sparling)

18. Learning Adaptation: Climate-related Risk Management in the Insurance Industry (Christina L. Cook and Hadi Dowlatabadi)

19. Adaptive Capacity of Forest Management Systems on Publicly Owned Forested Landscapes in Canada (Mark Johnston, Tim Williamson, Harry Nelson, Laird Van Damme, Aynslie Ogden, and Hayley Hesseln)

IV: Adaptation in the Urban Environment

20. Overview: Climate Change Adaptation in the Urban Environment (Thomas J. Wilbanks)

21. Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Urban Settlements: Lessons from Five Australian Cases (Geraldine Li and Stephen Dovers)

22. The Role of Local Government in Adapting to Climate Change: Lessons from New-Zealand (Andy Reisinger, David Wratt, Sylvia Allan, and Howard Larsen)

23. Perceptions of Risk and Limits for Climate Change Adaptation: Case Studies of Two Swedish Urban Regions (Louise Simonsson, Asa Gerger Swartling, Karin André, Oskar Wallgren, and Richard J.T. Klein)

24. Asking the Climate Question: Climate Change Adaptation in King County, Washington (Elizabeth Willmott and Jennifer Penney)

V: Adaptation in the Agricultural Sector

25. Overview: Climate Change Adaptation in the Agricultural Sector (John M. Reilly)

26. Climate Change and Adaptation of Wheat Producing Nations: Selected Case Studies from Canada and Australia (Monique Helfrich and Vivek Prasad)

27. Use of Modern Portfolio Theory to Evaluate Diversification of Agricultural Land Use as An Adaptation to Climate Change Risks in the Tisza River Basin (Saskia E. Werners, Éva Erdélyi, and Iwan Supit)

28. Government Action to Promote Sustainable Adaptation by the Agriculture and Land Management Sector in England (Nicholas A. Macgregor and Caroline E. Cowan)

VI: Adaptation in Rural and Resource-dependent Communities

29. Overview: Climate Change Adaptation in Rural and Resource-dependent Communities (Stewart J. Cohen)

30. Scenarios for Engaging a Rural Australian Community in Climate Change Adaptation Work (Jodi-Anne Michelle Smith, Martin Mulligan, and Yaso Nadarajah)

31. Coordinating Environmental Protection and Climate Change Adaptation Policy in Resource-dependent Communities: A Case Study from the Tibetan Plateau (Julia A. Klein, Emily Yeh, Joseph Bump, Yonten Nyima, and Kelly Hopping)

32. Mainstreaming Climate Change in Drinking Water Source Protection in Ontario: Challenges and Opportunities (Rob C. de Loë)

33. Opportunities and Carriers for Sdaptation and Local Adaptation Planning in Canadian Rural and Resource-based Communities (Robert A. McLeman, Michael Brklacich, Maureen Woodrow, Kelly Vodden, Patricia Gallaugher, and Renate Sander-Regier)

34. Anticipatory Adaptation in Marginalized Communities Within Developed Countries (Michelle Boyle and Hadi Dowlatabadi)

VII: Future Directions

35. Adaptation to Climate Change: Context, Status and Prospects (Ian Burton)

Introduction: Food insecurity is a chronic problem affecting Inuit communities. The most comprehensive assessment of Inuit food security to-date, the Inuit Health Survey, reported that 70% of Inuit pre-school children lived in ‘food insecure’ households. Food banks and soup kitchens are relatively new in the Arctic but the number of users is increasing. Little is known about the experience and determinants of food insecurity among food program users who are often among the most marginalized (socially and economically) in communities. The use of participatory research methods when working in the north of Canada can promote meaningful knowledge exchange with community members and this approach was used in the present ‘Photovoice’ research. Photovoice uses photography to develop a baseline understanding of an issue, in this case the experience and determinants of food insecurity among users of community food programs in Iqaluit, Nunavut. The target population includes those who face significant social and economic marginalization, an often neglected group in Arctic food systems research.

Methods: Eight regular users of food programs were recruited and engaged in a Photovoice  research project to document factors determining their daily food consumption. The research method was introduced in workshops and discussion included the ethical concerns related to photography and how to take pictures. Participants were supplied with digital cameras, and asked to answer the following question using photography: ‘What aspects of your everyday life affect what you eat and how much you have to eat?’. In the final workshop, photographs were discussed among the group and participants identified key themes in the photographs, offering an understanding of food insecurity from their perspectives. The group then discussed what should be done with the knowledge gained.

Results: Factors improving food security were the customary systems for sharing ‘country food’, and the presence of social support networks in the community, such as the Food Bank, the Soup Kitchen and the Tukisigiarvik Center. Factors identified as negatively affecting food security were the high cost of food in the Arctic, and substance abuse. The participants decided by consensus whether and how the knowledge from this project would be disseminated. They decided that a museum exhibit of the photographs in the summer of 2010 and promotion of the results among policy-makers in Nunavut were of high priority.

Conclusion: The use of participatory research approaches such as Photovoice offers promise for exploring food security issues among similarly disadvantaged and vulnerable populations elsewhere in the Arctic. This approach was found to be a useful method for gathering and sharing research data because the data was generated and analysed by the participants. The clear and concise messages developed by the participants can be used to inform policy. This research method can assist in making a valuable contribution to health research, both in the Arctic and worldwide, because it promotes an understanding of the experiences of individuals from their own perspective.