Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions

Abstract

Under the auspices of International Polar Year (IPY), the CAVIAR consortium was formed with partners from all eight Arctic countries. The aim of the interdisciplinary CAVIAR project is to increase understanding of the vulnerability of Arctic communities to changing environmental conditions, including climate change, and to contribute to the development of adaptive strategies and policies. In partnership with local collaborators in over two dozen communities, researchers have documented the conditions and forces that contribute to vulnerabilities, identified adaptive strategies and attempted to assess the prospects for adaptation in the future.