Working with local communities
Equity, Transparency and Engagement
The Arctic is home to Indigenous peoples whose knowledge and livelihoods are closely tied to the environment. The Indigenous communities have inherent rights to their lands and resources. These rights are recognized and protected by international agreements, such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These rights mean they have a final say in providing permits for projects in their region. We actively engage with these communities, seek their guidance, and respect their rights and perspectives, while upholding the FPIC (free, prior and informed consent) principle. Their traditional and ecological knowledge is invaluable to the development of our solutions, and we are committed to forming equitable partnerships, create employment opportunities and contribute to local socio-economic development.
We recognise the vital importance of engaging Inuit communities ethically and equitably in our work. As we research sea ice thickening as a climate intervention, we are committed to aligning our practices with the Circumpolar Inuit Protocols for Equitable and Ethical Engagement, developed by the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC). These protocols are a foundational guide for collaboration based on respect, mutual benefit, and the recognition of Inuit sovereignty and knowledge.
We will use the 8 Inuit Qaujimajatuangit principles as guidelines:
- ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ – Inuuqatigiitsiarniq
Respecting others, relationships and caring for people - ᑐᙵᓇᕐᓂᖅ – Tunnganarniq
Fostering good spirit by being open, welcoming and inclusive. - ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕐᓂᖅ – Pijitsirniq
Serving and providing for family and/or community. - ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ – Aajiiqatigiinniq
Decision making through discussion and consensus. - ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ – Pilimmaksarniq
Development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort. - ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ – Ikajuqtigiinniq
Working together for a common cause. - ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕐᓂᖅ – Qanuqtuurniq
Being innovative and resourceful. - ᐊᕙᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ – Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq
Respect and care for the land, animals, and the environment.
In this document, we state our commitments to these protocols, especially our commitment to the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent as well as our commitment to bringing community benefits and recognising community member’s contributions to the research, and share a practical way of working on these topics with the community we will be working with. This is a living document, tailored to requirements of the community in Qikiqtarjuaq in Nunavut, Canada – the site for our third field test – and we are open to tailoring our procedures to the needs of the community.