ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN ARCTIC COMMUNITIES: A CASE STUDY OF LONGYEARBYEN, UTQIAĠVIK, AND IQALUIT

The Arctic is the fastest-warming region on Earth. Permafrost thaw, sea ice loss, coastal erosion, and shifting weather patterns are among the most urgent physical processes transforming the Arctic environment. This study examines impacted Arctic communities and how they experience and respond to climate change through an analysis of three northern cities: Longyearbyen, Norway, Utqiaġvik, United States, and Iqaluit, Canada. Impacts vary across the Arctic region and threaten the stability and well-being of Arctic communities. Longyearbyen, Utqiaġvik, and Iqaluit all face immediate threats to infrastructure from these impacts, with each community dealing with damages and repairs almost every year. Their distinct local geographies and climate conditions result in significant variation in the communities’ experiences of climate impacts. This thesis examines adaptation efforts that have already been implemented by the national, regional and local governments of these three cities through policy measures, programs, infrastructural projects, and technology. I emphasize the importance of involving local communities and Indigenous people throughout all stages of the research process, as these people possess invaluable knowledge of their local environment and community priorities for adaptation. I also analyze barriers to adaptation that impede government and community resilience-building, and barriers to relocation that restrict mobility among these communities.