Engaging with Inuit knowledge of environmental change in the climatological research

Assignment for EESB03: DUE BY MARCH 26, 2025 by 10 am

Context:

Understanding climate change holistically in the Arctic requires multiple ways of knowing. While meteorological data provide measurable trends in wind speed and direction, Indigenous knowledge—rooted in generations of lived experience—offers crucial context on how these changes affect the land, ice, and livelihoods of northern communities.

This assignment invites you to explore how wind patterns in eastern Hudson Bay have changed over the past 30 years and what this means for Inuit hunters and travelers in Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik. By engaging with both IK and meteorological data, you will gain insights into how scientific observation and Indigenous knowledge can complement one another to provide a fuller picture of environmental change.

Your work in this assignment will be twofold:

1. Analyze two different knowledge systems—one based on Indigenous observation and one on scientific measurement—to assess changes in wind conditions in a changing climate condition.

2. Apply this knowledge to a real-world climate assessment, considering the perspectives of Inuit land-users, scientists, and policymakers.

As you begin, remember that Inuit Knowledge (IK) is deeply tied to the land, culture, and survival of Inuit communities. It provides not just observations, but also meaning and context—something essential in climate science today. Understanding wind changes is not just a scientific exercise; it is about safety, food security, and the ability to travel in an environment for Inuit people in this case where   the wind dictates movement across ice-covered waters.

By the end of this assignment, you should be able to explain why integrating (IK) with climatological data leads to more informed decision-making, strengthening both scientific research and Indigenous governance in the face of climate change.

Assignment overview:

Changes in wind speed and direction over the past 30 years have had considerable effects on sea ice and oceanographic conditions in Nunavik (northern Quebec). These changes have significantly impacted hunting and travel for Inuit. This assignment explores changes in wind in eastern Hudson Bay as identified by Inuit in collaborative studies of Inuit knowledge (IK), and by studies of observational meteorological data in Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik.

The assignment has two parts; the first part involves examining sources of knowledge from both Inuit knowledge and meteorological data. And the second part you will write a brief report on wind changes.

In this assignment you will be asked to:

1) evaluate robust sources of IK-based indicators of change and climatological data;

2) engage with IK while evaluating meteorological data; and

3) describe how the results of meteorological and IK analyses can be used together as evidence when making an argument.

A broader underlying goal will be for you to be able explain how Inuit knowledge provides critical context in global climatological assessments, acting as an important aid for the decision making process in terms of understanding the impacts of climate change.

Important Note: it is important that you have listened to the lecture recording and studied the readings related to the IK knowledge and climate change before you begin the assignment.

Part 1: Explore sources of knowledge about eastern Hudson Bay wind speed and wind direction changes

You will consider two sources of data from eastern Hudson Bay: IK indicator data, and weather station data.

Step 1) Look at Table 1, which contains quotes from Inuit knowledge holders. These were obtained from two separate studies in which Inuit knowledge holders discuss changes in wind speed and wind direction.

-     Consider where this data comes come from.

a.   Going back to your lecture slides (notes) in which we discussed indicators of robustness in studies of Inuit knowledge, list three ways in which each source is reliable or robust. - 1mark

b.   What is one limitation to this data in terms of understanding changes in wind speed and/or direction? - 1 mark

Step 2) Open the wind speed and wind direction files that are posted at Quercus under the assignment tab (from meteorological station). These data are based on changes in wind speed and direction in the month of December from 1971 - 1990 and from 1991 - 2010.

-     Look at the source of this information:

a.   List three ways in which this source is robust. - 1 mark

b.   What is one limitation to this data in terms of understanding changes in wind speed and/or direction? - 1 mark

Step 3) Answer the following questions:

i.           Compare and contrast the nature of IK and quantitative data:

a.   What kinds of data are each source based upon?  - 0.5 mark

b.   How are these sources of knowledge different? - 1 mark

c.   How are they similar? - 0.5 marks

ii.         What changes in wind speed have occurred? - 1 mark

iii.        What changes in wind direction have occurred? - 1 mark

iv.         In 2-3 sentences, discuss how using these two sources of knowledge together provide the ability to understand the significance of changes in wind speed and direction, to the community of Kuujjuaraapik, as proposed to simply looking at meteorological data alone? - 2 mark

Part 2: Apply IK knowledge to understand impacts of climate change at Kuujjuaraapik

Prepare a short (300 word) assessment report. In this report you will focus on the following:  - 10 marks

i.           Summarize in your own words the observable changes in wind  speed and direction that have occurred since the  1970s in/around Kuujjuaraapik, citing the sources provided. Discuss their effects in the month of December for the periods of 1971 to 1990 and 1991 to

2010. and potential impacts to Inuit hunters (referring to the case study- Inuit Knowledge and Climatology of Changes in Wind Speed and Direction in Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik).

ii.         Include a summary the value of using both sources of knowledge in evaluating the changes in wind speed and direction so that one can understand the impacts of climate change from comprehensive viewpoint.

iii.        The  audience for this report is the Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board, and your report will be included in a regional climate assessment for the Nunavik regional government.  Assume your audience is comprised of Inuit land-users, scientists, and Inuit decision- makers, who strongly value IK.  Remember, They also see the potential of science to contribute to their communities when conducted in a manner that is respectful of Inuit knowledge.