Epidemiologists are at the cutting edge addressing healthy, sustainable communities. In America’s Northwest Arctic Borough (NAB), N of the Arctic Circle (-66.5º latitude) the NAB is tackling issues related to sustainability of communities and the environment. Changes in broad environmental conditions are driving socioeconomic impacts and affecting human health and stewardship of Alaskan communities. Alaska has populations in remote locations that are facing substantial challenges in critical areas such as sustainable utilities, housing, subsistence, and attaining healthy populations.
Providing energy and drinking water and sanitation services have concerned Alaska’s Governors since Statehood. Communities are planning to meet energy and environmental quality challenges to make sustainable choices. The changing landscape includes a State of Alaska budgetary environment with an overwhelming dependence on oil revenue; the per barrel (bbl) of oil price has dropped significantly from the budget projection of $106.50 per barrel in April 2014.
METHODS:
Epidemiologists such as Dr. Tony McMichael have led the way in the exploration of the cause behind the causes, providing a framework and systematic approach to connect the environment and human health. As the Arctic Council is now chaired by the United States; new initiatives will address challenges and opportunities, including climate change and health, seen as most pressing. What started out as an international effort in environmental protection now is expanding to other areas of collaboration. Another one of these is creating healthy, sustainable communities in the Circumpolar North countries. Oil and gas, maritime navigation, and fisheries are but three of the sectors where economic development and stewardship provide a frame for shared responsibilities. Epidemiologic indicators assist decision makers in developing solutions.
RESULTS:
This presentation provides an overview of how to approach connecting environment and human health in a subset of Alaska’s rural and remote communities, while incorporating the emerging concept of “One Health” respecting traditions of reverence for biodiversity, traditional knowledge of ecosystems, and reliance on a subsistence-based economy. It identifies some of the major categories of impacts from climate change, using a variety of sources such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and 8-nation Arctic Council initiatives.
CONCLUSIONS:
The Arctic matters. Climate change impacts are most evident in polar regions, such as the Arctic. A menu of viable options will be of great interest to policy makers responsible for responding to the mitigation and adaptation challenges through existing and new governance mechanisms.