PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
; CLIMATE-CHANGE
; FRESH-WATER
; DRINKING-WATER
; WASTE-WATER
; ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY
; REMOTE COMMUNITIES
; RURAL NORTH
; SYSTEMS
; HEALTH
There is an urgent need to understand the contextual factors that influence water vulnerability of households in the Arctic. To evaluate the existing knowledge of Arctic household water vulnerability, this paper presents the results of a narrative review with a systematic search. The review identified 112 documents, including peer-reviewed articles, reviews, book chapters, proceedings papers, and meeting abstracts. The documents were analyzed for the main factors affecting water vulnerability in Arctic households, which fell into two categories: biophysical factors and anthropogenic factors. Within the biophysical category, the majority of documents noted climate change impacts on freshwater supplies and water systems, followed by attention to extreme weather and the seasonality of water supplies. Within the anthropogenic category, the vast majority highlighted infrastructure as the primary issue affecting water access, followed by economic, governance, socio-cultural, and demographic factors. Through these diverse influencing factors, this review situates the discussion of household water vulnerability in the Arctic in a more nuanced light. The categories illuminate patterns between factors, which can worsen, assuage, or mitigate water vulnerability. The complex relationships between these factors influence the degree and nature of water vulnerability in Arctic households. In order to successfully address household water vulnerability in the Arctic, these factors and their dynamic relationships must be considered in freshwater policy and management frameworks.
1.McGill Univ, Dept Geog, 805 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, PQ H3A 0B9, Canada 2.Univ Leeds, Priestley Int Ctr Climate, Leeds LS2 9JT, W Yorkshire, England 3.McGill Univ, Inst Hlth & Social Policy, 805 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, PQ H3A 0B9, Canada 4.McGill Univ, Dept Bioresource Engn, Macdonald Stewart Bldg,MS1-026,21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste Anne De Bellevue, PQ H9X 3V9, Canada
Recommended Citation:
Sohns, Antonia,Ford, James D.,Riva, Mylene,et al. Water Vulnerability in Arctic Households: A Literature-based Analysis[J]. ARCTIC,2019-01-01,72(3):300-316