Native Communities in the Arctic Face Climate Change Impacts

Abstract

Warming temperatures, sea ice loss, permafrost melting, and other impacts of climate change are adding to the stresses indigenous communities already face in several Arctic countries, prompting some communities to consider relocating to safer areas. Native communities in Alaska, Russia, and Scandinavia are among those dealing with climate change impacts, according to researchers at a forum entitled “Arctic Indigenous Peoples, Displacement, and Climate Change” held at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D. C. on 30 January.