Researching life and culture on the Arctic ice

A team of researchers is collaborating with Indigenous communities across the Arctic to understand how climate change is reshaping life, mobility, and cultural practices.

Hunters and fishers living in the Arctic travel on ice to support their families and community, assessing weather conditions to determine when the ice is safe. However, in recent years, the amount of time they can spend on the ice has declined due to climate change.

This means less time for hunting, less traditional food to hunt for, and fewer opportunities for young hunters to learn specialised skills.

Led by Professor James Ford, Chair in Climate Adaptation at the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures, the research project, An ethnoclimatology of climate risk (ETHNO-CLIM), is working with hundreds of Inuit community members across Canada, Greenland and Alaska to document lived experiences about how their mobility is being affected by climate change.

The ETHNO-CLIM team will look at ways to connect Indigenous knowledge with the science behind climate research and provide the basis for modelling climate impacts.

The work builds on over two decades of world-leading collaborative research, which Professor Ford has undertaken with Indigenous communities across the Arctic and globally.

Dr Ishfaq Malik, a Research Fellow in the School of Geography, who works on the project, explained that listening to the experiences of Indigenous communities is vital in understanding the impact of climate change.

“We have the climate models that talk about how the temperature is going to increase, and what effect it has on the communities. But we don't really have the perspectives from the communities to know if those models work at community level,” he said.

“So, getting those nuances, getting those experiences from the communities and getting to know the importance of the Indigenous knowledge and how people use this in their daily lives, is so important.

“We want to learn about adaptation processes, coping mechanisms and the broader consequences—economic, mental health, and social—of these environmental shifts.”

Ishfaq focuses particularly on the Inuit communities of Hopedale in Nunatsiavut (northern Labrador) and Arviat in Nunavut, Canada, where traditional travel routes across sea-ice and tundra (trails) are being transformed by climate change.

“In Hopedale, people talk about how the trails that were once safe for weeks are now unpredictable within days,” he explained. “These are not abstract changes –they affect when families can visit each other, when hunters can travel, and whether community members feel safe going out on the land.”

Ishfaq also noted the importance of collaborations with Indigenous communities:

The small island of Qeqertarsuaq, in the West of Greenland, is home to around 800 people, a significant proportion of whom are fishers or hunters.

In years gone by, it was possible in the wintertime to travel on the ice from the small island to the mainland. But according to local communities, this hasn’t been possible since the 1990s.

Researchers want to learn more from these communities – how thick the ice must be for communities to safely travel on it, or how much wind or rainfall prevents them from travelling by boat. From this information, they can try to determine and prepare for how their lifestyles may change in the future as a result.

Sanola Sandiford, a postgraduate researcher who is part of Professor Ford’s team, travelled to Qeqertarsuaq in September 2025 to hear how climate change is impacting travel for those who live and work there. She spoke to older members of the community who remember what it used to be and see what it is now.

But forming relationships with communities is not without its challenges. Firstly, the community could be described as research-fatigued, living in close proximity to a research station.

A lot of people, particularly those from older generations, were resistant to talking because they’d previously spoken to researchers who left and never reported back on their findings or shared how their accounts had been used.

Sanola also had to overcome the language barrier and respect cultural differences. This is where forming a relationship with the town’s museum was invaluable, as staff provided her with a translator, a base to talk to people, and advised on local behaviour.

“They helped me to establish connections. They were the initial ‘gatekeepers’ that opened the door so I could come in and actually talk to people,” she said.

Museum staff also advised on social and cultural norms, explaining that handing out fliers could be seen by the local community as invasive and might discourage people from contributing. They suggested a subtle approach by posting on noticeboards or on Facebook pages.

For Professor Ford’s team, this research is a collaboration with the communities, and they hope the work will be mutually beneficial.

Ishfaq emphasised that true collaboration means accountability and reciprocity and said:

“Communities are trusting us with their knowledge, and that means we have a responsibility to return, to share, and to ensure that what we produce is meaningful for them. Co-production isn’t just a term for us – it’s a practice.”

Sanola explained: “We’re learning from all their years of living in the Arctic, and all the expertise they have, but it’s the hope that by engaging with local people, the preparation plans will be ones that they can use, that they're interested in and that are applicable. It's supposed to be a give-and-take situation."

Her field work enabled Sanola to speak to hunters and fishermen to find out how specific weather conditions impacted their travel and ability to work. She was also able to speak to women – a key aim because previous literature often focused on male experiences.

As a gesture of thanks for their contribution, Sanola gifted people with some British home comforts – Yorkshire Tea and Walker’s Shortbread.

Following their field work, Professor Ford’s team will process the information and then return to the Indigenous communities who helped them to share their findings. Communities will highlight their priorities, concerns and give feedback.

Ishfaq explained: “Repeated visits and interviews are important. I can ask them, 'previously you talked about this. Does what I wrote reflect what you shared with us?' This project is taking place over five years so things can change.

Then we share our results with the wider community – mayors, community elders, teachers, and community decision makers. We want this research to have an impact for everyone.”

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