Thawing Permafrost in Arctic Coastal Communities: A Framework for Studying Risks from Climate Change

Joan Nymand Larsen, Peter Schweitzer, Khaled Abass, Natalia Doloisio, Susanna Gartler, Thomas Ingeman-Nielsen, Jón Haukur Ingimundarson, Leneisja Jungsberg, Alexandra Meyer, Arja Rautio, Johanna Scheer, Ulla Timlin, Jean-Paul Vanderlinden and Magali Vullierme
Additional contact information
Joan Nymand Larsen: Stefansson Arctic Institute, IS-600 Akureyri, Iceland
Peter Schweitzer: Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1010 Wien, Austria
Khaled Abass: Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 7300, 90014 Oulu, Finland
Natalia Doloisio: CEARC Research Center, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines/Université Paris Saclay, 78280 Guyancourt, France
Susanna Gartler: Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1010 Wien, Austria
Thomas Ingeman-Nielsen: Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Jón Haukur Ingimundarson: Stefansson Arctic Institute, IS-600 Akureyri, Iceland
Leneisja Jungsberg: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark
Alexandra Meyer: Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1010 Wien, Austria
Arja Rautio: Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 7300, 90014 Oulu, Finland
Johanna Scheer: Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Ulla Timlin: Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 7300, 90014 Oulu, Finland
Jean-Paul Vanderlinden: CEARC Research Center, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines/Université Paris Saclay, 78280 Guyancourt, France
Magali Vullierme: CEARC Research Center, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines/Université Paris Saclay, 78280 Guyancourt, France

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Thawing permafrost creates risks to the environment, economy and culture in Arctic coastal communities. Identification of these risks and the inclusion of the societal context and the relevant stakeholder involvement is crucial in risk management and for future sustainability, yet the dual dimensions of risk and risk perception is often ignored in conceptual risk frameworks. In this paper we present a risk framework for Arctic coastal communities. Our framework builds on the notion of the dual dimensions of risk, as both physically and socially constructed, and it places risk perception and the coproduction of risk management with local stakeholders as central components into the model. Central to our framework is the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. A conceptual model and processual framework with a description of successive steps is developed to facilitate the identification of risks of thawing permafrost in a collaboration between local communities and scientists. Our conceptual framework motivates coproduction of risk management with locals in the identification of these risks from permafrost thaw and the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Keywords: climate change; risks; permafrost; adaptation; Arctic; human exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2651-:d:508766

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