Transcript Climate Change Central Staffing

CLIMATE CHANGE
IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION:
Strategies from a Business Perspective
APEGGA Professional Development Stream
Climate Change and Opportunities
22 & 23 April, 2004
By
Paul D. Hunt
Vice President
Climate Change Central
CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRAL (C3)
Background
 Incorporated in early 2000
 A not-for-profit private-public partnership
 Multi-stakeholder board
 Core staff of 18
 Offices in Calgary and Edmonton.
C3’s website:
www.climatechangecentral.com
CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRAL’S
Role
Providing Leadership
Providing Strategic Intelligence
Providing Outreach
C3’s focus is on reducing greenhouse gases in Alberta
CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRAL
Priorities
 Energy Efficiency & Conservation
 Technology and Market Innovation
 Climate Change Impacts & Adaptation
 Emission Offset Development
 Socio-Economic Implications
“….. Canada will continue to experience the
impacts of climate change regardless of any actions
it takes to reduce its own emissions.
It will therefore be important to provide adequate
resources for adaptation: actions that can assist
communities and regions that are likely to suffer the
negative impacts of a changing climate.”
The Conference Board of Canada
DEVELOPMENT & ADAPTATION
 Adaptation is critical to survival and long-term success for
all living species
 Humans throughout history have been Adapting to the
terrain, to the local resources, and to local food species
 Adaptation is not new for us. We evolved from being
nomadic to agrarian by culturing crops that were adapted
to specific local conditions
 Successful organisations are adapting constantly to new
and changing conditions
CC IMPACTS & ADAPTATION
 Climate Change is speeding-up
 Adaptation efforts have not been well co-ordinated
 Partnerships, Strategic Studies, Projects, & Leadership
required
 Virtually all Climate Change-related impacts in Alberta
will be overwhelmingly negative:
- Weather extremes
- Drought,
- Water shortages
- Increased wildfires
- More energy use for cooling
- Health effects & disease vectors
 Impacts and associated vulnerabilities need to be
identified before adaptation capacities can be assessed
OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTS
Heat
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Heat & Heat-Stress
OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTS
Storm Events
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Storm Events
OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTS
Wind
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Wind
OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTS
Droughts
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Droughts
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Fires
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Land Subsidence & Erosion
OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTS
Melting Permafrost
OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES
Melting Permafrost
DETERMINING IMPACT
ADAPTATION MEASURES
The Questions to Ask………
 What are the expected Changes to Climate ?
 What are the predicted Impacts ?
 What are the sectoral and regional Vulnerabilities ?
 What are the Adaptive Capacities ?
Possible Actions for Sectors, Regions and Ecosystems……..
 Immediate Adaptation Measures
 Implement Adaptation Research
 Longer-term Adaptation Measures (Following research)
ADAPTATION
APPROACHES AND MEASURES
Selection, Adoption, & Implementation
requires a number of considerations :







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Using estimates
Choosing options that make sense regardless
Encouraging desired changes
Using low risk / low-tech options
Focussing on issues that have immediacy and relevance
Pursuing proactive planning
Increasing awareness
Acknowledging successes
ALBERTA’s ADAPTATION STRATEGY
 Sound Science with adaptation research and collaboration
 Climate Extremes and effects to be addressed
 Adaptation to long-term changes in collaboration with
the affected Sectors
 Engagement of Albertans, requiring public education and
outreach
“NO-REGRETS”
ADAPTATION MEASURES
Benefits could be realised by implementing selected
measures today to:
 Reduce vulnerability to floods and droughts
 Improve energy and water efficiency
 Conserve energy and water
 Protect water resources and biodiversity
BENEFITS OF IMPEMENTING
ADAPTATION MEASURES
 Early Adaptation often more effective and less costly
 Climate change may be more than expected
 Immediate benefits from Adaptation to climate
currently being experienced
 Immediate benefits from new policies and practices
 Opportunities should be captured
TIMING OF ADAPTATION MEASURES
Adaptation measures can be implemented:
 Before the impacts
 During the impacts
 After the impacts
TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN ALBERTA
0.56
0.52
0.48
Temperature Change
(oC/decade)
0.44
0.40
0.36
0.32
0.28
0.24
0.20
0.16
0.12
0.08
0.04
0.00
-0.04
-0.08
Change in
Temperature Mean
(1938 - 1995)
Change in
Temperature Mean
(1960 - 1995)
TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN ALBERTA
0.56
0.52
0.48
Temperature Change
(oC/decade)
0.44
0.40
0.36
0.32
0.28
0.24
0.20
0.16
0.12
0.08
0.04
0.00
-0.04
-0.08
Change in Temperature
Maximum (1938 - 1995)
Change in Temperature
Maximum (1960 - 1995)
IMPACT ADAPTATION FOCUS
 In Northern Alberta……
Forestry (fires, diseases, insect infestations)
Permafrost (thawing threat to new and existing structures)
Ice-roads (limited use)
Traditional Land-uses (trapping, hunting, fishing)
 In South / South-Central Alberta……
Agriculture (response to droughts)
Water Resources (quality and quantity)
 Alberta generally……
Human Health (West Nile Virus)
Urban Infrastructures (emergency response, capacity)
ADAPTATION MEASURES
Cooling
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
ADAPTATION MEASURES
HUMAN CAPACITY TO ADAPT
 Our adaptive capacity can be large
 Adaptation would be easier if the pace of climate change
was slowed
 Economic dependence on susceptible activities
 Wealth & Will are the most important factors