49 Words for Snow

Inuit: A Warning from the Edge of the Earth

On the occasion of the International Polar Year (IPY), the 11th CinemAmbiente – Environmental Film Festival is focusing on circumpolar environmental issues, promoting an in-depth focus on the Inuit people, victims and witnesses of major climate change and the exploitation of natural resources. The indigenous peoples of the Arctic, such as the Inuit, Evenks, Yakuts, Nets, Sami, Itelmeny, Nivkgi, and many others, were among the first to suffer the severe environmental consequences of global warming and warn us of the dangers posed by climate change in the Arctic regions. Throughout its four and a half billion-year history, our planet has always experienced a cyclical and natural alternation of glacial periods and cycles of milder temperatures, the positive effects of which have favored the development of new civilizations. For example, favorable climatic conditions allowed the development of civilization in general, and in particular that of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China. The colonization of the Far North, at the beginning of the Holocene (about 10,000 years ago) with the arrival of modern humans, occurred during an interglacial period, with the consequent reduction of glaciers and Iceland and the progressive development of the Gulf Stream, which allowed for increased marine productivity. The rise in temperatures at the poles, the resulting improvement in the profitability of the sea, a greater expansion of arable land, the development of vegetation, and the possibility of raising sheep, goats, and cattle even in the coldest areas of the planet, improved the living conditions of circumpolar populations and decreased energy consumption for heating. The alarm raised by the current problems of global warming and climate instability is due to the suddenness with which these phenomena are manifesting themselves. We are not witnessing natural cycles, but presumably the harmful effects of human activity. The consequences of human interference with Earth's life cycles could last for a long time, and currently we are unable to fully assess the social and environmental impact, only to observe and study their evolution and assess the damage. The poles, shifting ecosystems, are the coldest regions on Earth and also the most threatened. They are particularly affected by climate change, global warming, and the depletion of the ozone layer, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, which leads to increased emissions of harmful greenhouse gases. Scientists have observed a sharp increase in average air and sea temperatures, a significant reduction in ice, and a rise in sea levels. Regardless of how much we manage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and rising sea levels will continue for centuries and will impact life on Earth, not only in the polar regions, considered the most fragile, but across the planet. In the Arctic, due to rising sea levels and climate instability, the ice that protected the coasts in winter now forms much later in the season, exposing many villages to the violent storms of the Arctic Ocean. Many homes are being destroyed by the tides, others must be abandoned. For example, the villages of Shishmaref and Kivalina in Alaska are slowly sliding into the sea because, due to the reduction of sea ice, they are much more affected by winds that cause accelerated soil erosion. The situation is so dire that the 390 residents of Kivalina have decided to sue several major oil companies, whom they consider responsible for the disaster: the planet is warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, so it's the oil companies' fault that the North Pole ice is melting. This challenge, launched by the Inuit against the oil giants, is the first lawsuit ever filed in the United States for "global warming." The law doesn't provide for it, but the lawyers for the village of Kivalina have decided to proceed, arguing that if the ice around their small island is melting, it's the fault of four oil companies and fourteen American electricity companies, which produce enormous amounts of greenhouse gases. The damage, so extensive as to put life on the island at risk, is verifiable and demonstrable. Due to the melting sea ice, the attempts by some Arctic nations to expand their spheres of influence to secure profits from the natural resources currently protected by the polar ice cap are also of particular concern. In fact, according to international institutions, maritime sovereignty is determined by the expansion of the continental shelf, which would increase with the melting of the ice. In addition to natural resources, countries bordering the Arctic regions would also benefit from the significant fish and crab stocks and the possibility of opening new ice-free sea routes in northern Canada and Russia, resulting in significant savings in the transport of energy resources and goods. Some Western governments and multinational oil companies will undoubtedly attempt to exploit climate change for economic exploitation of the Arctic regions, damaging the socio-environmental balance of the more than 400,000 people belonging to the indigenous circumpolar populations. Climate change is also responsible for shifts in the natural balance of Arctic and sub-Arctic fauna and flora. For example, many herds of moose, caribou (Canadian reindeer), and reindeer have had to alter their ancient migration routes in search of new pastures and are finding it increasingly difficult to find food due to the thinning ice sheet. Seals, sea lions, and polar bears are now suffering from starvation and are at serious risk of extinction. Fish stocks are also declining, significantly reducing one of the main food sources for tens of thousands of indigenous peoples. Thinning ice also compromises the reproduction and survival of young animals such as seals and polar bears. Rising temperatures are altering the subarctic vegetation line, which is slowly advancing northward, introducing forest-dwelling animal and plant species into the Arctic. For example, the North American black bear, also known as the "baribal" bear, is gradually occupying the polar bear's habitat, threatening its survival. Even dandelions (taraxacum officinalis), a plant species well known in Italy, have been seen along the shores of Ungava Bay! New animal and plant species have partially occupied Arctic ecological niches, depleting the resources of native species, which must adapt to the new environmental conditions or risk their survival. These new species have not yet entered Inuit culture and tradition and are not part of their daily lives. They do not yet have a term in Inuktitut (the language spoken by the Inuit), but are known only by their scientific English or Latin terms. For the Inuit, animals are important references because, in addition to using their fur and eating their meat, they are symbols of life and have magical and shamanic properties. Their cyclical arrival in the polar regions signifies a change in season, temperature, and, above all, the possibility of survival. The effects of climate change, in addition to influencing fauna and flora, are also altering the type of ice, which in Inuktitut can be defined in over 40 ways, depending on its consistency and the direction of the wind that transports it, whether it is sea ice, freshwater ice, or snow. Increasingly, Inuit are risking their lives when walking on ice floes, as they are no longer able to recognize the type of ice (texture, thickness, etc.). Even the wind is no longer a guide and cannot help predict the weather: a southerly wind, normally a sign of good weather and melting ice, can bring cloud cover and stormy conditions, and vice versa. It's not just Arctic flora, fauna, and populations that are threatened. Without ice, and consequently without water, the earth cannot survive. For this very reason, it's important to focus on the vital role of the polar regions, barometers of global climate, to broaden our understanding of the impacts of climate change. By exploring the Poles during the International Polar Year, researchers will attempt to recover traces of the past deep within the ice, explain the presence of life and its adaptability to extreme conditions, and illustrate the relationship between the ocean surface and the atmosphere. A significant contribution to the protection of the polar environment and its resources comes from the Inuit and many circumpolar peoples who, despite the limited resources in which the Hyperborean civilization developed, have learned to live in harmony with the harsh nature, loving and respecting it. Since the late 1960s, the Inuit, like many other circumpolar nomads, have become sedentary, adopting a more "modern" way of life. While adapting to new technologies, they have remained deeply connected to their environment and are fighting to protect it. In the villages and communities of the Far North, many initiatives have been launched to maintain continuity with traditional values, so that the so-called Ice Peoples continue to play an important role in the way they recognize and define themselves. The space dedicated to the Inuit during the 11th CinemAmbiente Festival will therefore be an opportunity to give voice to all circumpolar peoples whose survival depends on the integrity of natural resources and the environment.