Nuna: Effective mitigation and adaptation to changing ground conditions for resilient coastal futures

在整个因纽特人努南加特，沿海社区的关键基础设施、航道、家园以及粮食和水安全受到侵蚀、下沉和相关洪水的威胁。北极社区面临的挑战中最引人注目的一个例子是西北地区的Tuktoyaktuk(也是Tuktuyaqtuuq)，在那里，哈姆雷特的西北部可能在未来20年内由于海岸侵蚀而消失，而更多的地区将遭受更多的洪水。面临的关键问题多种多样、复杂，其影响既有直接的，也有间接的。通过密切的工作关系、最新的研究进展和持续的社区讨论，很明显，许多核心问题都集中在不断变化的地面条件上。例如，海岸侵蚀造成的土地流失破坏了基础设施，迫使人们搬迁，并以漂浮障碍物、堵塞河道的沉积物和有害海洋生物的废弃地的污染物或化学品的形式释放危险物质。气候变暖还导致永久冻土加速退化，特别是地下的冰。由此产生的下沉破坏了基础设施和通道，增加了洪水的可能性，并将植被覆盖的景观变成了杂乱无章的泥浆塌陷综合体，移走了栖息地，产生了非常尘土飞扬的环境。这些变化对人们的潜在物理影响是明确的，但由于有针对性的适当数据有限，其程度、时间和未来趋势仍不确定。此外，对精神健康以及社区内社会、经济和文化福祉的更广泛影响还知之甚少。因此，战略决策以及有效的缓解和适应迫切需要针对不断变化的地面条件的新的可持续(社区驱动)解决方案。努纳(Inuvialuktun意为“土地”、“国家”和“土壤”)项目汇集了一个不同的跨学科团队，他们将提供新的适当工具和解决方案，以减轻和适应地面不稳定的影响。将通过最先进的解决方案、变革性和可转移性的方法以及持续、尊重和富有成效的工作关系来解决地面条件变化带来的戏剧性和多变的影响。努纳将装备和培训社区气候监测员，利用3D处理技术开发新的、更准确的未来侵蚀率预测，我们已经在大流行期间成功试行了这项技术。先进的地面勘测方法将为当前和计划中的定居点制作第一份沉降脆弱性地图。新的低成本监测技术将为在破坏性变化发生之前采取预防行动提供早期预警系统，并评估基于自然的地面不稳定解决方案的成功。NONA还将提供有关不断变化的地形中新的粉尘来源的空气质量变化和漂流木材或风暴事件期间释放的污染物等水基威胁对健康的实时威胁的新信息。运行这些针对不断变化的地面条件的实际解决方案，努纳还将确定许多潜在的文化、社会、经济和健康影响中的哪些需要优先考虑，并与居民合作制定有效和文化上合适的缓解战略。通过研究进程所有阶段的有意义的共同成果，努纳影响的结果和持久影响将远远超出直接参与的社区。

Across Inuit Nunangat, critical infrastructure, navigation routes, homes, and food and water security in coastal communities are threatened by erosion, subsidence and related flooding. Amongst the most dramatic example of the challenges faced by Arctic communities is Tuktoyaktuk (also Tuktuyaaqtuuq), Northwest Territories, where the northwest portion of the Hamlet will potentially be lost due to coastal erosion within the next 20 years while additional areas will suffer increased flooding. The critical issues faced are varied and complex and their impacts both direct and indirect. Through close working relationships, recent research advances, and continued community discussions it became evident that many of the core problems center on changing ground conditions. For example, the loss of land through coastal erosion damages infrastructure, forces relocation, and releases hazardous material in the form of floating obstructions, sediment that blocks channels, and pollutants or chemicals from waste sites harmful to marine life. A warming climate has also resulted in accelerated degradation of permafrost and in particular ice within the ground. The resulting subsidence damages infrastructure and access routes, increases the likelihood of flooding, and turns a vegetated landscape into sprawling mud slump complexes that remove habitats and produce very dusty environments. The potential physical impacts of these changes on people are clear but the extent, timing, and future trends remain uncertain due to limited targeted and appropriate data. Additionally, the wider effects on mental health and on social, economic, and cultural wellbeing within the community are poorly understood. Therefore, strategic decision-making and effective mitigation and adaptation urgently require new sustainable (community-driven) solutions to changing ground conditions. The Nuna (Inuvialuktun for 'land', 'country' and 'soil') project draws together a diverse and interdisciplinary team that will provide new appropriate tools and solutions to mitigate and adapt to ground instability impacts. The dramatic and variable effects of changing ground conditions will be addressed through state-of-the-art solutions, transformative and transferrable approaches, and sustained, respectful and productive working relationships. Nuna will equip and train community climate monitors to develop new, significantly more accurate predictions of future erosion rates using 3D processing techniques, which we have already successfully piloted during the pandemic. Advanced ground survey approaches will produce the first subsidence vulnerability maps for current and planned settlement sites. New low-cost monitoring technologies will provide an early warning system for preventative action before damaging levels of change occur and assess the success of nature-based solutions to ground instability. Nuna will also provide new information on the real-time threats to health from air quality changes from new dust sources in the changing landscape and water-based threats such as driftwood or contaminants released during storm events. Running across these practical solutions to changing ground conditions Nuna will also determine which of the many potential cultural social, economic and health impacts need to be prioritized and work with residents to produce effective and culturally appropriate mitigation strategies. Through the meaningful co-production of all stages of the research process, the outcomes and enduring impacts of Nuna impacts will extend well beyond the communities directly involved.