Community-based adaptation research in the Canadian Arctic.
Community-based adaptation (CBA) has emerged over the last decade as an approach to empowering communities to plan for and cope with the impacts of climate change. While such approaches have been widely advocated, few have critically examined the tensions and challenges that CBA brings. Responding to this gap, this article critically examines the use of CBA approaches with Inuit communities in Canada. We suggest that CBA holds significant promise to make adaptation research more democratic and responsive to local needs, providing a basis for developing locally appropriate adaptations based on local/indigenous and Western knowledge. Yet, we argue that CBA is not a panacea, and its common portrayal as such obscures its limitations, nuances, and challenges. Indeed, if uncritically adopted, CBA can potentially lead to maladaptation, may be inappropriate in some instances, can legitimize outside intervention and control, and may further marginalize communities. We identify responsibilities for researchers engaging in CBA work to manage these challenges, emphasizing the centrality of how knowledge is generated, the need for project flexibility and openness to change, and the importance of ensuring partnerships between researchers and communities are transparent. Researchers also need to be realistic about what CBA can achieve, and should not assume that research has a positive role to play in community adaptation just because it utilizes participatory approaches.WIREs Clim Change2016, 7:175-191. doi: 10.1002/wcc.376 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
James D
JD
Ford
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Ellie
E
Stephenson
Departments of Nursing and Indigenous Studies Cape Breton University Sydney Canada.
Ashlee
A
Cunsolo Willox
Department of Population Medicine University of Guelph Guelph Canada.
Victoria
V
Edge
Department of Engineering University of Guelph Guelph Canada.
Khosrow
K
Farahbakhsh
Departments of Indigenous Studies & Environmental Studies Trent University Peterborough Canada.
Christopher
C
Furgal
Department of Population Medicine University of Guelph Guelph Canada.
Sherilee
S
Harper
Institute for Circumpolar Health Research Yellowknife Canada.
Susan
S
Chatwood
Department of Geography University of Winnipeg Winnipeg Canada.
Ian
I
Mauro
Sustainability Research Centre University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Australia.
Tristan
T
Pearce
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Stephanie
S
Austin
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Anna
A
Bunce
Faculty of Public Health Cayatano Heredia University Lima Peru.
Alejandra
A
Bussalleu
Faculty of Public Health Cayatano Heredia University Lima Peru.
Jahir
J
Diaz
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Kaitlyn
K
Finner
Department of Engineering University of Guelph Guelph Canada.
Allan
A
Gordon
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Catherine
C
Huet
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Knut
K
Kitching
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Marie-Pierre
MP
Lardeau
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Graham
G
McDowell
Department of Population Medicine University of Guelph Guelph Canada.
Ellen
E
McDonald
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Lesya
L
Nakoneczny
Department of Geography McGill University Montreal Canada.
Mya
M
Sherman
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