Inuit conservation is transforming life and work in the Arctic

Policy options news repost 

March 29, 2022

Inuit conservation is transforming life and work in the Arctic

“An emerging Inuit-led conservation sector draws on hunting and fishing to innovate in areas like eco-tourism, food security, environmental management.

COVID-19 continues to disrupt employment in remote northern communities. For the Inuit of Nunavut, unemployment has worsened: between August and October 2021, almost a quarter of them were looking for work. At 22.3 percent, unemployment was slightly more than two-percentage points higher for unemployment over the previous year.

While many Inuit have joined the wage economy, land-based activities remain popular. According to Statistics Canada, 84 percent of Inuit in Nunangat participate in harvesting and handicraft activities.

Related to these land-based activities and skills is an emerging Inuit-led conservation sector. It includes environmental management and scientific research, fisheries, food security and eco-tourism, areas where land-based skills can be used in innovative ways. And new policy programs and private sector investments could unlock their economic potential.”

Read the full article: Inuit conservation is transforming life and work in the Arctic