Community-Based Monitoring for Tracing Environmental Change in the Canadian Arctic

Abstract

In the Arctic, the need to monitor the rapidly changing environment is becoming increasingly urgent as climate change accelerates. Conventional monitoring methods are unsustainable due to the high costs associated with remote fieldwork and the growing demand for localised, context-specific data. Environmental Community-Based Monitoring (CBM) is emerging as a promising solution, offering an inclusive approach to gathering baseline environmental information that can inform adaptation and resiliency decision-making.
This study analysed trends in CBM within Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homeland in Canada). It explored current practices and highlighted key barriers to the sustainability and effectiveness of CBM programs using transdisciplinary learning. A solution-orientated approach was created to overcome these barriers, prioritising continuity between and community ownership in every research stage. This framework emphasised the importance of ongoing dialogue between scientists and Arctic communities, capacity sharing and fostering Inuit self-determination in research.
The solution-orientated model has been used to guide the co-development and later evolution of a new Community-Based Research (CBR) program in Tuktoyaktuk, Canada. The program investigated the role of extreme weather events and legacy infrastructure on heavy metal contaminant release and distribution in the local coastal environment. The study demonstrated how community perspectives on environmental change can provide valuable contextual information for monitoring efforts and aid rapid sampling in response to extreme weather events. Key considerations, including the need for targeted training, resource allocation and defined roles have been addressed to ensure that CBR programs produce high-quality data suitable for local decision-making and scientific use. The findings of this research have guided the development of a generally applicable phase-based transition model to foster equitable and sustainable environmental monitoring processes moving forward.
This work highlights the potential of CBR as an effective approach for self-determined decision-making and for aiding our understanding of environmental change across the Arctic and wider place-based contexts.

Date of Award	30 Sept 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Paul Mann (Supervisor), Michael Lim (Supervisor) & Dustin Whalen (Supervisor)