Warming Arctic and its Cascading Impacts on Water, Energy, and Food (WEF) Systems: A Case Study of Iqaluit, Nunavut

Abstract

This paper draws on a case study of Iqaluit, Nunavut, to exemplify the conceptual utility of the water – energy – food (WEF) nexus as a starting point in better understanding the cascading nature of climate change impacts. The case study demonstrates that damage to Iqaluit’s main fuel storage tank caused by instability in the permafrost layer induced a series of cascading impacts that affected Iqaluit’s water, food, sanitation, and health care services. Because of the non-linear nature of cascading impacts, the response was largely reactionary, rather than anticipatory, leaving Iqaluit residents exposed to heightened and extended periods of WEF insecurity. Given the relatively weak state of WEF security in Arctic regions, coordinated policy action is needed to increase the resilience of Arctic WEF systems. We suggest the WEF nexus can support those coordinated efforts by avoiding siloed responses.