Transcript PPT
CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN CANADA Yesmelin Davis Daryl Lee Efrain Santana Marta Walinska Arctic ice and temperature change • Sea ice in Canada's Arctic and sub-Arctic regions has been melting rapidly over the past three decades • If thinning continues at its current rate, by 2050 the Arctic Ocean could be completely ice-free in summer • Environmental monitoring shows that the Arctic is warming at a rate that is unprecedented over the past 400 years. The average annual temperature at Resolute Bay—a meteorological station in the Arctic archipelago—has increased by 1.3°C since 1969 • On August 13 2005, a huge section of the isle Ice Shelf broke off into the Arctic Ocean. The ice island is approximately 66 square kilometers in size, roughly the size of 11,000 football fields. The Effect of Global Warming on Canada’s Freshwater Supply Climate warming will adversely affect Canadian water quantity and water quality. • The magnitude and timing of river flows and lake levels and water renewal times will change. • Water is rapidly becoming “blue gold” because acute water problems in the United States and other parts of the world will threaten Canadian water security due to the growth of human populations, industries and global warming. • In poorly buffered lakes and streams, climate warming will exacerbate the effects of acid precipitation • Decreases in dissolved organic carbon caused by climate warming and acidification will cause increased penetration of ultraviolet radiation in freshwaters • Increasing industrial, agriculture and human populations will require more sophisticated and costly water and sewage treatment (Schindler 2001) Pine Beetles and Climate Change • • • • • • Due to the warming climate, an insect known as the Pine Beetle has and continues to grow, destroying the pine population in Canada’s green pine forest The usually severe winters of 20 degrees below zero that controlled the population of these beetles, has not occurred for more than a decade This beetle’s natural and permanent habitat is in the warmer climate of Arizona, but the beetles favorite pine trees is in Canada where the lodge pole pine tree thrives. (Struck2) • Some initiatives are already taking place 1)New Trees are being planted (although in some areas these trees can take up to 70 years to grow) 2) A new breed of tree is being developed to withstand warmer temperature (Markusoff 3) Companies like Pherotech Inc are creating new pest managements to destroy insects like these beetles that are rapidly growing because of the warming climate The Pine Beetle The pine beetle has infested an area three times the size of Maryland” (Struck 1) From this climate to this one Economic Impact of Climate Variability Two ways to deal with the negative impact of climate change Mitigation – acting to slow down the warming trend by reducing the greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions Adaptation – taking action to minimize the negative impact of climate change Today most of Canada’s domestic actions on climate change have focused on mitigation