Concept information
Preferred term
EALAT
Definition
- Short Title: Reindeer herdring and climate change (EALAT) Project URL: http://www.ip-ipy.org/ Proposal URL: http://classic.ipy.org/development/eoi/proposal-details.php?id=399 Reindeer Herders Vulnerability Study (EALÀT) focuses on adaptive capacity of reindeer pastoralism to climate change and variability and, in particular, on the integration of reindeer herders traditional knowledge in the study and analysis of their ability to adapt to environmental variability and change. Nomadic reindeer herding practices, ancient in origin, represent models in the sustainable exploitation and management of northern terrestrial ecosystems that is based on generations of experience accumulated, conserved, developed and adapted to the climatic and administrative systems of the north. Reindeer herders traditional knowledge needs to be documented now before much of their understanding is lost due to societal/cultural transformations associated with globalization. Reindeer herding is the geographically most extensive form of animal husbandry in the Eurasian Arctic and sub-Arctic. Some 3 million reindeer provide the basis of the livelihood of herders and hunters in over 20 ethnic groups, managing pasture areas of 4 mill km2 which recently have become extremely important for other industrial interests (chiefly oil and gas development). Reindeer have major cultural and economic significance for indigenous peoples of the north. The human-ecological systems in the North, like reindeer pastoralism, are sensitive to change, perhaps more than in virtually any other region of the globe, due in part to the variability of the Arctic climate and the characteristic ways of life of indigenous Arctic peoples. High sensitivity not withstanding, little is known about the vulnerability of such systems to change. Understanding and measuring vulnerability requires assessment of systems ability to adapt to impact and the extent to which freedom to adapt is constrained. EALÀT will therefore also examine the current state and changes of the polar environment (IPY theme 1 and 2). The network will examine traditional knowledge to adaptation in, and the vulnerability of reindeer pastoralism in case studies in Sapmi, Nenetsia, Yamal, Sakha, and Chukotka to change. It will explore (i) the influence of climate variability and change on reindeer, reindeer pastoralism and herding societies and (ii) the extent to which institutions and governance constrain, or create opportunities in, herders ability to cope with and to adapt to the effects of climate change. In addition, because many key institutions, markets, and governance affecting reindeer herders are based outside the Arctic, there are societal polar-global linkages superimposed upon the climate system and biogeochemical linkages (IPY theme 3). The limits of the adaptive capacity of reindeer husbandry must be defined, documented and explored together with the potential role of herders traditional understanding of, and techniques for, reducing their vulnerability for the effects of climate change. The IPY EALÀT-network study follows up the Arctic Council ACIA report (Arctic Council 2004: Arctic Climatic Impact Assessment). The philosophy underlying EALÀT is wholly consistent with the recommendations of the ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council at Iceland on 24. November 2004. The Council agreed that warming of the Arctic is occurring faster than previously thought and that indigenous peoples will experience substantial challenges to their economies and cultures as a result. It is therefore important to focus, as does EALÀT, on the ability of reindeer herders to respond to these changes. We believe that valuing traditional and scientific knowledge equally and, hence, integrating herders experience and competence within the scientific method will enable us to contribute towards reducing the vulnerability of reindeer husbandry to the effects of climate change. Local effects of warming of the global climate during the next 30 to 50 years are likely to be pronounced over reindeer pastures in the north. EALÀT will adopt a novel methodological approach, focusing on documentation, research, monitoring, outreach and communication. We recognise that the ability to adapt to change is based on knowledge embodied in herders language, the institutions of herding and the actions of individual herders. International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry in Kautokeino will be responsible for EALÀT-outreach and communication while the Saami University College will play a lead in coordinating the research in IPY theme 6 Human society in Polar Regions. Its approach is holistic, integrating social and natural science and reindeer herders understanding in the co-production of knowledge. EALÀT will, by this means, contribute to building local competence in the indigenous peoples societies. (en)
Broader concept
- D - F (en)
URI
https://gcmd.earthdata.nasa.gov/kms/concept/ec73c658-ef1b-4030-8181-de96ea92c35e
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