Improving dialogue among researchers, local and indigenous peoples and decision-makers to address issues of climate change in the North

The Circumpolar North has been changing rapidly within the last decades, and the socioeconomic systems of the Eurasian Arctic and Siberia in particular have displayed the most dramatic changes. Here, anthropogenic drivers of environmental change such as migration and industrialization are added to climate-induced changes in the natural environment such as permafrost thawing and increased frequency of extreme events. Understanding and adapting to both types of changes are important to local and indigenous peoples in the Arctic and for the wider global community due to transboundary connectivity. As local and indigenous peoples, decision-makers and scientists perceive changes and impacts differently and often fail to communicate efficiently to respond to changes adequately, we convened a meeting of the three groups in Salekhard in 2017. The outcomes of the meeting include perceptions of how the three groups each perceive the main issues affecting health and well-being and recommendations for working together better.

Multiple Effects of Changes in Arctic Snow Cover

Snow cover plays a major role in the climate, hydrological and ecological systems of the Arctic and other regions through its influence on the surface energy balance (e.g. reflectivity), water balance (e.g. water storage and release), thermal regimes (e.g. insulation), vegetation and trace gas fluxes. Feedbacks to the climate system have global consequences. The livelihoods and well-being of Arctic residents and many services for the wider population depend on snow conditions so changes have important consequences. Already, changing snow conditions, particularly reduced summer soil moisture, winter thaw events and rain-on-snow conditions have negatively affected commercial forestry, reindeer herding, some wild animal populations and vegetation. Reductions in snow cover are also adversely impacting indigenous peoples’ access to traditional foods with negative impacts on human health and well-being. However, there are likely to be some benefits from a changing Arctic snow regime such as more even run-off from melting snow that favours hydropower operations.

The Changing Face of Arctic Snow Cover: A Synthesis of Observed and Projected Changes

Analysis of in situ and satellite data shows evidence of different regional snow cover responses to the widespread warming and increasing winter precipitation that has characterized the Arctic climate for the past 40–50 years. The largest and most rapid decreases in snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow cover duration (SCD) are observed over maritime regions of the Arctic with the highest precipitation amounts. There is also evidence of marked differences in the response of snow cover between the North American and Eurasian sectors of the Arctic, with the North American sector exhibiting decreases in snow cover and snow depth over the entire period of available in situ observations from around 1950, while widespread decreases in snow cover are not apparent over Eurasia until after around 1980. However, snow depths are increasing in many regions of Eurasia. Warming and more frequent winter thaws are contributing to changes in snow pack structure with important implications for land use and provision of ecosystem services. Projected changes in snow cover from Global Climate Models for the 2050 period indicate increases in maximum SWE of up to 15% over much of the Arctic, with the largest increases (15–30%) over the Siberian sector. In contrast, SCD is projected to decrease by about 10–20% over much of the Arctic, with the smallest decreases over Siberia (<10%) and the largest decreases over Alaska and northern Scandinavia (30–40%) by 2050. These projected changes will have far-reaching consequences for the climate system, human activities, hydrology, and ecology.

Analysis of the economic adaptation of Sami reindeer management. Reindeer; source of income or cultural linkage?

The aim of this partial study is to analyse how the economies of different Sami reindeer management households are structured, and how the adaptation is structured if profit maximation is a goal. Earlier research demonstrates that different regions provides various terms. Consequently there exists a different economic structure among different households. Based on a selection of households from districts /villages from a range of geographical locations, management patterns, and region size, different economic structures are searched for. Households with similar economic structures are grouped in categories. The standard deviation confirms whether the grouping in categories. Sami Reindeer Management in Norway and Sweden has during the period from 1992/93 to 2002/03 provided recognized slaughterhouses with an even quantum of meat supply. That indicates that it probably is the same set of factors that influence the slaughter quantities of both countries. The relationship between the stock value of reindeer and the commercial value of reindeer meat, with in each household, suggests whether there is an accumulation in herd size and its magnitude. The herd increment depends on the competitive situation between the households in the district/village. As a single household cannot influence wholesale price of reindeer meat, the sales quantum is the single factor that can influence total sales. The efforts to increase herd size, due to the competitive situation, prevent the household from a maximum slaughter quantum, which thereby reduce the returns from reindeer management. Common factors for the different structures are sought for. The indication is that nether sale price of reindeer meat or line of politics influence sales quantum. The Sami reindeer herding seams to be a way of life were the size of the reindeer herd is in focus.Analys av den samiska renskötselns ekonomiska tillpassning. Renen, intäktskälla eller kulturfäste?Abstract in Swedish / Sammandrag: I denna studie analyseras hur olika renskötarhushålls ekonomier är strukturerad samt hur de tillpassar sig de ekonomiska förutsättningar som existerar för att maximera den ekonomiska avkastningen, i de fall en ekonomisk vinstmaximering är målsättningen. Tidigare forskning visar att renskötselområden uppvisar skilda betingelser. Köttförsäljningvärde, produktionsbidrag och ersättningsstorlek vid förlust av renar skiljer sig åt. Främst mellan Norge och Sverige men även regionalt inom det enskilda landet. Det medför att det existerar olika ekonomiska strukturer hos renskötarhushållen. Genom ett urval av hushåll från olika distrikt och samebyar baserat på geografisk lokalisering, driftsmönster och renskötselsområdesstorlek söks olika ekonomiska strukturer. Hushåll med liknade ekonomisk struktur grupperas i kategorier. Standardavvikelsen bekräftar om hushållen bildar en hushållskategori. Den samiska renskötseln i Norge och renskötseln Sverige har från år 1992/93 till år 2002/03 haft en kvantitetsmässigt jämn köttförsäljningsnivå till godkända slakterier. Det indikerar att det troligtvis är samma faktorer som påverkar ländernas slaktkvantitet. Förhållandet mellan lagervärde av renar och försäljningsvärdet av renkött, i det enskilda hushållet, åskådliggör om det föreligger någon tillväxt i renantalet och tillväxtens storlek. Tillväxten i renantalet beror av den konkurrenssituation som finns mellan hushållen inom distriktet/samebyn. Strävan efter att uppnå ett högre renantal, på grund av konkurrenssituationen, förhindrar hushållet att göra ett maximalt slaktuttag vilket därmed minskar avkastningen från renskötseln. Allt pekar mot att slaktkvantiteten inte påverkas av uppköpspriset på renkött eller av politiska tilltag. Den samiska renskötseln tycks vara en levnadssätt där renantalet står i centrum.

Analysis of the economic adaptation of Sami reindeer management - A co-operation project between Nordic Sami Institute (NSI) and Umeå University (UU), Centre for Sami Research (CESAM) (In Norwegian with Summary in English)

In spite of low economic return in Sami reindeer management in most regions, there has been an increasing human population in the reindeer industry during the latest decades. This deviates from the expectations given by modern purpose rationality. There are indications that the reindeer managing Sami practices in Weberian sense a substantial rationality. Analysis at hand indicate close connections between landscape, management type, and type of rationality in reindeer management. The project is based on two major hypotheses: 1) The life form hypothesis: reindeer management has an particular value for the performers being the condition for an active choice of remaining within the industry, 2) The capital hypothesis: lacking re¬cognition of the resources of the reindeer managing Sami is/ has been limiting their establishment in capital requiring undertakings. The project will analyse the economy of reindeer management based on investigations in several types of reindeer management as well in Norway as in Sweden, in North Sami and South Sami areas. In chosen regions both quantitative and qualitative studies will be undertaken, focusing household level, to map the economy of the reindeer managing Sami. For the quantitative analyses creation and extent of value streams in the households of reindeer management and near surroundings are focused. In the qualitative analyses the point of departure is decision situations and strategic choices with reindeer managing Sami. Based on the regional analyses comparative analyses are conducted to find representativity of the regional studies. The project was started 1st July 2004 and is financed for 2!/!> years from The Research Council of Norway (Program for Sami Research), Interreg (Interreg IIIA Såpmi & Åarjelsaemie dajve), The Sami Parliament of Sweden and self-financing from NSI and UU. The project has near after start 2 full time researchers and project leader in a 20% position. Another researcher will join the project in summer 2005. It will be considered to apply for additional financing to extend the project up to a total of four years.