3.4. Observed impacts

Wildlife, environmental change, and local Indigenous food systems in Nunavik and Eeyou Istchee: observed negative and positive impacts

Here we present an initial attempt to summarize observed negative and positive impacts related to wildlife, environmental change, and local Indigenous food systems in Nunavik and Eeyou Istchee, organized according to the four foundations of local food security (Table 6). This summary is not intended to provide a complete and exhaustive list of all impacts observed and all things that are being done differently in the two regions. But we do hope that this initial draft can be reviewed, commented on, corrected, and improved by representatives of regional organizations and communities, such that a revised version can come to represent a reasonably comprehensive summary of important observed impacts, for which there is general consensus. Some of the impacts included in the table are directly related to climate change, some distantly related, and for some it is difficult to tell. Our intent is not to limit the set of observations to those that can be directly and definitively attributed to climate change. Nor do we wish to exclude observations that are or may be more directly affected by other forms of environmental change. As criteria to assess relevance and inclusion, we suggest asking:

Is this impact related to wildlife, environmental change, and local Indigenous food systems in Nunavik and Eeyou Istchee? Is there general agreement that the impact has occurred? Is this change important to many people and places?

Note this summary does not focus on causes or consequences of observed changes, so there does not have to be consensus on why the change has occurred or what its consequences will be. Instead, the summary focuses on reporting the change itself and situating the change as positive or negative and within one of the four foundations of local food security. Some changes may have both negative and positive dimensions. These could be listed in both columns, but with additional descriptors that clarify the negative or positive dimension. Similarly, some observations may be difficult to position within a single food security foundation.