Construire ensemble l’adaptation : la Boîte à outils pour tenir compte des changements climatiques et de la santé humaine en territoire cri

Abstract

Major changes in the Northern Territory and the need for adaptation to climate change require the Cree communities to better address the health impacts posed by projects of industrial and economic development in Eeyou Istchee. This article describes the process that led to the development of a toolkit to address some of the limitations of the environmental assessment (EA) in considering climate change and human health. After presenting the context of climate change and EA in the Cree territory, it illustrates a work process still little used in the areas of climate change adaptation and health, in collaboration with indigenous political and administrative actors. It then presents the tools that ensue, and that anchor adaptation not only in the proper environmental context of Eeyou Istchee, but also a wide range of opportunities and tangible and documented constraints (e.g. lack of time, lack of human resources, framed consultations). Finally, the process and its result promote a preventive approach rather than one of protection or reaction to situations.

Keywords

• climate change
• health
• interdisciplinarity
• collaborative research
• environmental assessment
• Cree