Permafrost and Culture

This book is an attempt to understand the impact of Climate Change on the Arctic human societies from the indigenous perspectives, by focusing on the peoples living in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) of the Russian Federation. Historically, and also today, the livelihood of the Sakha people is closely related to permafrost. Scientific evidence shows that the thawing of the permafrost through climate change is causing severe problems on a global scale, which is alarming both international organizations and global citizens. Scientific studies confirming actual changes to the local environment, and the communities in permafrost areas are published continuously in academia. However, it is questionable whether scientists are adequately communicating this information to both the general public and the local populations. Climate change is a global phenomenon; however, it often manifests itself as regional and local natural disasters, which makes that it is essential to view climate change from a regional perspective. Therefore, focusing on particular regions and examining specific situations in detail provides a more accurate picture of the global situation.