In the far north of Canada, a new tourist trend is emerging. Dubbed “last chance tourism,” it draws visitors eager to witness the vanishing Arctic before it’s too late. However, this influx of tourists is sparking a fierce debate over its environmental impact and economic necessity.
Pond Inlet, a small Inuit village in Nunavut, has become a focal point for this tourism surge. In 2023 alone, the village hosted around 3,000 tourists who paid hefty fees to cruise through its waters. This tourism revenue is a lifeline for a community grappling with poverty and dwindling traditional livelihoods like hunting. Yet, it’s a double-edged sword.
The warming climate has made hunting increasingly perilous as ice thins and wildlife patterns shift. This puts pressure on locals to embrace tourism as an alternative source of income, even as it contributes to the changes threatening their way of life. Environmentalists warn that the cruise ships, symbols of economic hope, are also agents of destruction, disrupting fragile ecosystems and driving away wildlife crucial for subsistence hunting.
Professor Jackie Dawson, who coined the term “last chance tourism,” emphasizes the urgency of the situation. With the Arctic warming at an alarming rate, the region may be ice-free by 2050, forever altering its landscape and inhabitants’ way of life.
Moreover, Canada’s environmental footprint extends beyond its borders. Environmental activist Aeshnina Azzahra Aqilani has raised concerns about Canada’s plastic waste exports to countries like Indonesia. Despite her efforts to engage Canadian authorities, the practice continues, exacerbating pollution and environmental degradation in vulnerable communities.
Aeshnina’s advocacy highlights the interconnectedness of global environmental challenges and the need for action. While Pond Inlet grapples with the immediate consequences of climate change and tourism, communities worldwide face similar struggles against the tide of environmental degradation.
In response to mounting pressure, Canadian officials have pledged to address these issues. Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, has committed to responding to Aeshnina’s pleas and acknowledges the need for systemic change.
However, addressing the root causes of climate change and environmental degradation requires more than just individual actions or symbolic gestures. It demands comprehensive policies that prioritize sustainability, equity, and environmental justice.
As Canada navigates this complex problem, it must reckon with the realities of climate change and chart a course that balances economic development with environmental stewardship. The fate of Pond Inlet and communities around the world depends on it.
