Transcript Poster template - Climate Change and Environmental Changes in

Limneo C. Miranda Jr.
University of Manitoba| Department of Environment and Geography
Abstract
Introduction
Assessing the Potential Consequences of Climate Change for Resource Exploitation
As global average temperature increases, the effects of
climate change in Canada’s natural resource sectors will
become more intensified, negative effects will outweigh the
positive ones and resulting in possible disruption to natural
resource extraction. Some of the potential negative effects
of climate change on five of the important natural resource
sectors within the Canadian economy are far-reaching, those
are the following: shrinking boreal forest due to shifting
forest types in the North; increasing risk of damages to oil
and gas platforms due to extreme weather; experiencing
frequent droughts and flooding in agricultural areas due to
increasing temperature and precipitation; depleting fishery
resources due to reducing habitats for ocean creatures; and
causing a variety of impact from hydroelectric and
transmission lines damages due to increasing rainfall and
early thawing.
Canada’s natural resource sectors must deal with global
climate change and its effects, and integrate those impacts
into their strategic business planning and development.
Canada faces negative consequences of climate change that
are most evident among the five natural resource sectors,
namely the forestry, oil and mining, agriculture, fishery and
renewable resource sectors. These sectors are highly prone
to environmental changes caused by climate change such as
intensification of forest fires, escalating risk of oil spill,
outbreaks of insects and pathogens in cultivated land and
pastures, migration of non-native species to Canada’s
oceans, and changes in wind power production as well as
alteration of dam operation.
There are also positive consequences of climate change for
natural resource sectors in specific areas. For instance, there
are effects of warm climates such as encourage tree growth,
new opportunities for oil, gas and mineral extraction, longer
growing season, expansion of fishing ground, and the
increasing importance of clean and renewable energy.
The change in climate patterns determines or at least influences the extraction of Canada’s natural resources.
Forestry
In forestry sector of Canada, trees with economic importance are threatened to varying degrees as they adapt to environmental changes caused by
climate change. As temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, growing seasons are altered, expecting enhance tree growth through carbon
fertilization effect. However, as the natural weather events such as forest fires, windstorms, and outbreaks of pests and pathogens become more
frequent, there would be a negative net effect of climate change. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), mitigating the
impacts of climate change on forestry required risk reduction and adaptation strategies that factor in the unique interacting challenges of their
ecosystem. Some of the adaptation strategies are the following: 1.) Identify vulnerable tree species and the implications 2.) Select suitable seeds and
trees during reforestation 3.) Reduce the risk by practicing climate conscious management.
Oil and Mining
Oil and mining sector in Canada could benefit from climate change, with increasing oil demand shared by developing nations. Similarly, the reduction
in Arctic sea ice could lead to new opportunities for megaprojects in the territorial North. Climate change, however, increases the frequency of extreme
weather events that impede exploration, extraction, and development in energy and mining sector. For example, the risk of oil spills increases as storm
surges and sea level increases, resulting in damages to offshore drilling facilities and pipelines. In addition, warmer climate means shorter season for
ice roads used by transport freights to gain access to oil and gas wells. In efforts to motivate adaptation actions to climate change, the government are
require to give incentives to producers and consumers of oil and mining products through subsidies and taxes. (e.g. Burton, 2008). Some other
adaptation strategies are the following: 1.) Increase adaptive capacity in infrastructure and emergency response to natural hazard 2.) Implement
management plans, vulnerability assessment and risk assessment that factor in climate change (Burton, 2008) 3.) Develop new technologies such as
platforms that counter the effects of wave and storm surges in off shore drilling facilities. (Furgal et al. 2008)
Results
The pine forest of British Columbia are facing a loss of 53%
from frequent droughts that led to increased mountain pine
beetle on trees. According to CCPA report, productivity in
oil and mining has declined by almost 25% in a decade. The
negative precipitation trends in Quebec has resulted in
wheat and soybean yields decline by 20-30%. According to
Natural Resource Canada, the fishery catches in the country
have reduced by 80%. According to UNEP , Canada saw
US$5-billion in renewable energy investment last year, a
decline of 8%. (See the bar graph below)
Agriculture
Canada’s agriculture sector has already benefited from climate change since its corn value are getting higher due to increasing demand of the biofuel.
In a high atmospheric carbon dioxide, plants will require less water, and also high humidity will slow the transpiration rates of crops. Similarly, higher
crop yield will result from longer growing seasons in the Prairie’s fertile belt. Negative precipitation trends, however, may counteract any potential
benefits because crop yield in the Prairie’s dry belt is expected to decline from rapid losses in moisture. Another challenge for this sector is an increase
in climate variability, resulting in more extreme natural weather events such as heavy rains, droughts, and flooding. Stakeholders and service sectors
such as government and private firms within this sector have a key role to play in adaptation to climate change. Some of the adaptation strategies
involve control or manipulation of the environment. Other strategies are the following: 1.) Practicing strip farming; improved tillage 2.) Build flexible
facilities that withstand natural hazards 3.) Incorporate scenario-based farm collaboration into management practices.
Fisheries
Canada’s fisheries sector benefited from climate change as they gain new opportunities for fishing ground expansion when Arctic ice melts. Increasing
marine photosynthesis by phytoplankton and increasing migration of non-native species to the colder water of the North could result in a good catch.
Climate change, however, affects the reproduction and distribution of the commercially valuable Pacific salmon and other marine species. The
destruction of the aquatic habitat like corals caused by the warming of ocean temperatures has resulted in significant damage and closures to fisheries.
Similarly, First Nation in coastal communities are extremely vulnerable to coastal erosion and flooding caused by sea-level rise. The Aquatic Climate
Change Adaptation Service Program of Canada has developed the three following components for adapting to climate change: 1.) Assess climate
change risks and vulnerabilities in four large basins in Canada 2.) Research the impacts of climate change 3.) Research to create applied science to
adapt to climate change.
Reduction in Canada's Natural Resource Extraction and Sale (2013)
100%
Annual Extraction & Sales (100%)
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
Renewables
10%
0%
Oil and
Forestry
Mining (Oil
(pine trees)
Sands &
Mines)
References
Government of Canada. (2014, September
16). Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved
from: www.nrcan.gc.ca/home
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
(2014). Impacts, Adaptation and
Vulnerability. Retrieved from:
http://ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/
Actual Reduction in Extraction
Production $ Sales
Post-reduction of Extraction
Production & Sale
Agriculture
Fishery
Renewable
(wheat &
(fishery
Energy
soybean)
catches)
Investment
0.53
0.25
0.3
0.8
0.08
1
1
1
1
1
Canada’s renewable energy resources are largely dependent on climate, but they have the potential to occupy greater share in the global market in a
changing climate. This sector have a broad class of technologies, from hydroelectric, wind mill, biomass, solar energy, and ocean thermal energy. The
occurrence of the extreme weather events, however, could compromise infrastructure. For example, increasing damages to dam are caused by flooding,
and transmission lines are being affected by storms. The Natural Resources Canada has utilized renewable energies from the sun, wind, water, and
biomass that will accelerate the technology towards commercialization and self-sustainability through the following: (e.g. NRCAN, 2014) 1.) Meet
energy demands 2.) Reduce greenhouse gas emission 3.) Generate economic development and jobs in Canada.
Conclusions
References
Hussain, Yadullah.(2012). Revenge of the
fossil fuels. Financial Post. Retrieved from:
http://business.financialpost.com/2012/10/
04/revenge-of-the-fossil-fuels/?__lsa=78158be6
Dobson, Sarah et al. (2013). Booms, Bust,
and Bitumen: The Economic Implications of
Canadian oilsands development. The
Pembina Institute and Equiterre. Retrieved
from: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/
The change in climate patterns determines or at least influences the extraction and sales of Canada’s natural resources. Rise in average temperatures can extend boreal
forest further North but wildfires can consume the forest. Sea-level rise and increasing weather events can have detrimental effect on Canada’s oil and mining sector.
The type of farming technique depends upon heat and humidity. Droughts can kill crops and increase erosion, while excessive wet weather can cause flooding which
destroy crops and favor harmful fungus growth. The effects of climate change in the Arctic is most pronounced, it reduced quality and quantity of sea ice that is
important to First Nations.