While Greenland crystallizes international geostrategic appetites, especially after the acquisition inclinations manifested by Donald Trump, the social reality of the Inuit remains largely overshadowed by the exploitation of natural resources. The Groenlandian company is nevertheless found on the front line against the unprecedented thaw of permafrost – a layer of frozen soil covering a quarter of the emerged land from the northern hemisphere – which gradually releases toxic substances long imprisoned. Doubly victims, these populations undergo the direct consequences of global warming while remaining on the sidelines of the decisions taken by Denmark concerning their territory, Greenland being still largely dependent on Danish funding.
Among the toxic substances released by the melting of permafrost, methylmercury particularly worries scientists. This organic form of mercury, the most widespread in aquatic environments, accumulates in living organisms, from the smallest insects to the predatory fish, and creates a bioaccumulation effect along the food chain. For humans, the consequences can be serious. Methylmercide attacks the nervous system and is particularly harmful for fetuses and young children, whose neurological development can be irreparably compromised. These risks have led the World Health Organization to include this substance among the ten pollutants most concern to public health.
At the beginning of 2024, photographer Juliette Pavy plunged into the heart of the Inuit communities to document the consequences of methylmercurus pollution in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. She explains: ” A study by toxicologist Brian D. Laird on nearly 36 Canada communities has shown that seal is the first source of exposure to the mercury of the arctic peoples, representing almost 59 % of contamination. “And to share the testimony of a hunter of the Nuvanut whom she met:” The Inuit does not eat older seals. We leave them with dogs because they have bad taste because of the accumulated mercury. »»
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Source: Lemonde