31 record(s) found.

An Evaluation of Impact Assessment Procedures

This study examined whether the choice of models and modelling methods affects the results of agricultural impact assessments. Using statistical tests, the researchers concluded that the choice of downscaling, land suitability, and crop yield models does not unduly influence the results of impact assessments.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Impacts & adaptation to climate change for fish and marine mammals in Canada´s Beaufort Sea

The purpose of this study is to identify vulnerabilities and potential adaptations to climate change for marine fish and marine mammals in the Canadian Beaufort Sea and the related sustainable harvest of these species. The research will use GIS analysis to examine relationships between climate-related variables such as diminishing ice thickness and cover, changes to the temperature and circulation of the atmosphere and marine waters, changes in nutrients and related impacts of fish and marine mammals, and the introduction of non-traditional freshwater and marine species. Additional analysis will focus on the current and future role of joint management structures and institutions and the capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change.

Project Status: In Progress

Further Research Information: Link available

The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security on Three Northern Aboriginal Communities – Plans for Adaptation

This study will investigate the potential health impacts of climate change on three northern aboriginal communities; Beaver Creek, Yukon; Fort Providence, Northwest Territories; and Kangiqsujuaq, Québec (Nunavik). Results will enable a better understanding of the specific impacts climate change is having and will have on aspects of aboriginal communities traditional food security in the North. Its overall goal is to help communities and health professionals characterize the specific nutrient and contaminant related impacts resulting from changes in country food availability related to climatic change.

Project Status: In Progress

Effects of Climate Change on Migratory Birds

Researchers reviewed literature to produce an annotated bibliography of recent scientific papers and reports on the potential impacts of climate change on birds. The bibliography focused on (1) the climatic variables to which birds have been found to respond, and (2) the most common responses that birds have been found to show to those changes. Climatic variables most commonly identified as influencing bird responses include increases in air and sea surface temperature, sea level rise, drying of wetlands, and sea ice variability. Much of the literature correlated recent advances in breeding with warmer air temperatures in the spring.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Full Report Location: Link available

Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture/Forestry Land Use Patterns: Developing and Applying an Integrated Impact Assessment Model

In this project, researchers developed an integrated assessment model to predict how agriculture and forestry land use could change over time in response to alternative scenarios of climate change, ecosystem change and economic change. The project also involved estimating the impacts of climate change on forest land values and agriculture at the national level. Results suggest that while all regions of Canada would benefit from climate change, the relative gain would be greatest for the Prairies and lowest for coastal regions. In absolute terms Ontario would experience the largest gains. Forest land values are generally expected to change in the same direction as agriculture land values.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Enhancing Water Supply Infrastructure Investment Planning Practices
for a Changing Climate

The aim of this project is to improve practices in investment in infrastructure to protect water supply systems from changes in hydrology and consumptive patterns resulting from climate change.

Project Status: In Progress

Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations on Sea Ice Transportation in Canada's Northwest Passage

The relatively short and sparse climate data record of Canada's Arctic hampers our ability to predict its future conditions. The Canadian global climate models (GMC=s) suggests that if warming trends continue, by 2050 sea ice in the Canadian Arctic will no longer be present during summer months. This loss of seasonal ice could have significant impacts in northern Canada, as it plays an important role in the biological, economic, and cultural components of the Arctic ecosystem. Researchers will: (1) identify what sea ice thresholds and parameters affect transportation usage, and how these may influence future behaviour; (2) increase communication and interaction between northern communities, shippers and researchers and; (3) interpret and synthesize climate change scenarios that describe future seas ice conditions. The goal of this project is to define the potential impacts of climate change on sea ice in Canada's Northwest Passage in order to make useful and understandable adaptation and policy recommendations to decision makers and stakeholders.

Project Status: In Progress

The Implications of Climate Change for Canada´s Boundary and
Transboundary Water Management

This project will analyze the potential impacts of climate change on boundary and transboundary water basins between Canada and the United States and between provinces and territories. It will also examine existing water-related agreements and procedures and assess their ability to adapt to climate change.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Full Report Location: Link available

Mapping Permafrost Degradation (Yukon Territory, Nunavut Territory)

This project investigated the impacts of climate change on permafrost in high and low Arctic environments. Researchers assessed the potential impacts of climate change in areas of ice-rice permafrost and used a combination of remote sensing and field observation to assess recent terrain disturbance. The project also involved examining changes in thaw activity over the past 40-50 years to determine whether trends could be related to observed climate change.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Adaptation Strategies for Oil and Gas Infrastructure

Changes in the duration, amount and intensity of precipitation have the potential to increase ground movement and slope instability. This soil movement could, in turn, threaten the structural integrity of linear infrastructure, including pipelines, roads and railroads, by placing additional strain on these structures. In this study, researchers examined the integrity of pipelines in western Canada by using a modelling approach to predict the effect of changes in precipitation on slope movement rates. Results allowed the identification of critical thresholds that will help industry and government regulators plan for potential impacts of climate change.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Full Report Location: Link available

National Transportation Impacts and Adaptation Workshop

Transport Canada held a two day workshop that: (1) discussed the potential and current, short and long term, climate change impacts on transportation infrastructure and operations; (2) facilitated network development; and (3) gathered stakeholder input to assist the assessment of priority areas of research to aid decision-makers. While uncertainties remain, especially in predicting local effects, sensitivities and vulnerabilities were identified. The need for developing inter-jurisdictional mechanisms for establishing priorities, coordinating activities, and sharing resources, is apparent; suggested approaches included a pilot program in the territories where adaptation strategies are most urgently needed. In attendance were sixty transportation professionals and climate change experts. Climate change adaptation should be integrated into federal, provincial and territorial government business planning.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Climate change and Canadian road transport: assessing impacts and adaptations

There is limited information available on the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of the road freight system to changes in weather and climate. To address this knowledge gap, researchers will conduct a, quantitative assessment of road transport's vulnerability to climate conditions (both chronic and acute) as well as an in-depth evaluation of existing management and operations. The project will provide a comparative analysis of current approaches to dealing with climate variability in various regions of Canada as it affects the road transport system. This project has four main objectives: 1) To understand the historical pattern of climate and weather events affecting the road transportation system across Canada, focussing on the TransCanada Corridor, other major corridors and border crossings; 2)To identify and understand the operational effects and management approaches associated with current climate and weather events with an emphasis on critical vulnerability thresholds; 3) to establish the net socio-economic impacts of the operational effects and management approaches identified above; and4) To apply climate change scenarios and explore the socio-economic implications of various adaptation strategies.

Project Status: In Progress

Further Research Information: Link available

Afforestation of Marginal Agricultural Land

This study determined the location, extent and forest potential of soils that are currently marginal for farming, and assessed the socioeconomic impacts of converting those areas to forest production. Researchers applied geographic information systems (GIS), ground-truthing, and socio-economic data to complete the analysis.

Project Status: Complete

Projecting Canadian Forest Fire Impacts in a Changing Climate: Laying the Foundation for the Development of Sound Adaptation Strategies

This project examined the relationship between fire activity and climate in Canada over the past 50 years, and evaluated how an increase in the number and severity of fires would affect forest communities, timber supply, and carbon budgets. Researchers used high-resolution regional climate models to generate scenarios of future forest fire danger. They found that the seasonal fire severity rating would increase in much of Canada under the projected impacts of climate changes.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Impacts of Climate Change on Permafrost in Canada

In this project, researchers examined potential changes in the temperature and extent of permafrost in Canada due to projected climate warming. This was done by applying a climate-permafrost model within a geographical information system (GIS). They found that under a 2xCO2 warming scenario, total permafrost area would be reduced by about 28%, resulting in most of the western mainland, all of northern Quebec and the Mackenzie Valley becoming permafrost-free. Cold, stable permafrost would be confined largely to the Arctic Archipelago.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Climatic Impact upon Arctic Ice: Threat and Opportunity

Researchers assessed the reliability of different projections of climate change impacts on Arctic sea ice by bringing together data on sea ice (e.g., from data atlases, satellite products, and ice observing stations) with computer projections from climate centers and regional ice/ocean modeling. They found that ice has been thinning at a rate of 0-5% per decade, rather than by 40% over a few decades, as has been published in previous studies. They concluded that shifting patterns of Arctic ice, together with the timing and location of submarine surveys, led other researchers to overestimate the rate of recent ice thinning.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Full Report Location: Link available

Susceptibility of Canadian Forests to a changing fire regime: defining and costing sound fire management adaptation strategies

This study will address the susceptibility of Canada's forests to a changing fire regime as a result of climate change. Knowing the location and the level of susceptibility of Canadian forests to fire will greatly aid in the development of adaptation strategies. An altered fire regime could have important consequences for fire management agencies and for silvicultural practices that are being developed to emulate natural disturbances. In this study, researchers will determine the impact of a changing climate on the level of fire activity in Canadian forests, estimate the economic effect and impact of the altered fire activity on fire management agencies and develop a range of adaptation strategies that balance economic costs and environmental impacts for fire management agencies to address the altered fire activity.

Project Status: In Progress

A multi-centre Approach to Investigate the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat and Cold Events due to Climate Change and Climate Variation

In order to assess the effects of extreme heat and cold periods on the health of the population, it is necessary to understand the relationship between health and climate under current and past conditions. This project will attempt to assess the prevalence of illness, injury and death as a result of extreme heat and cold events through the collection and evaluation of administrative health data in the form of mortality, hospital admissions, emergency room, physician billing files, and trauma data from different sentinel health centres across Canada. These centres include: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Quebec City, Ottawa and Halifax. Linking the regional health data to synoptic weather classifications of extreme heat and cold events over an approximate 10 year period, will provide new knowledge regarding the vulnerability of certain populations and/or regions and establish the need for a surveillance system to monitor associated health impacts to climate variability. This information can then be used for more accurate assessments of health effects of climate change in Canada, and provide policy and decision-makers with a scientific basis for adaptation measures needed.

Project Status: In Progress

Impacts on Ringed Seal Distribution

This project set out to investigate the potential impacts of climate change on key ringed seal habitat variables by comparing latitudinal and longitudinal gradients throughout the ringed seals' range, and linking these with pup production and survival. Small changes in climate, such as the timing of snowfall, can influence, when ice forms, how long the ice stays and the amount and duration of snow cover; all of which directly affect the biology of ringed seals. Calm or stormy weather during freeze up, is also important to the quality of seal habitat. Many of these variables are expected to change with climate warming.

Project Status: Complete

Yield Variability under Climate Change and Adaptive Crop Management Scenarios

Using a simulation model that integrates major biophysical processes and soil and crop management practices, the researchers examined the impacts of climate change on crop yields across Canada. Results indicate that under a 2xCO2 climate change scenario, yields of soybean, potato and winter wheat would generally increase, while yields of corn would tend to decrease. The role of adaptations in reducing losses and increasing gains was also demonstrated.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Municipal Infrastructure Risk Project (Across Canada)

Researchers conducted interviews in six municipalities across the country to better understand the barriers to climate change adaptation at the municipal level. These interviews revealed that financial constraints, attitudes of the public and council members, and the nature of municipal politics were key factors limiting the consideration of climate change in infrastructure decisions. For example, municipalities were not comfortable undertaking long-term financial and infrastructure planning without guarantees of funds from provincial government. In addition, priorities are set, and final decisions are made by council members, many of whom may not consider climate change to be a priority issue within their three-year term of office. Indeed, lack of awareness of the importance of climate change issues among both the public and councillors, was an often-cited barrier to adaptation. Another significant constraint was insufficient municipal staff time and resources to plan for future climate change impacts. To begin to overcome these barriers, researchers recommend increasing awareness and understanding of climate change, and providing municipal staff with detailed information on potential climate change impacts on infrastructure. Improving relationships and communication between scientific researchers and municipal staff was also suggested, as were various ideas for dealing with financial barriers (e.g., funding opportunities).

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Full Report Location: Link available

Water Sector: Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change

Regional workshops were used to identify broad scale vulnerabilities in the water resources sector across Canada. The resulting report addresses the nature and reliability of the new generation climate models; regional vulnerabilities for the major regions of Canada; and outlines an adaptation strategy for water management.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Combining Multidisciplinary Datasets to Assess Vulnerability of Rangifer (reindeer/caribou) Populations to Climate Change

Large migratory caribou herds in North America exploit a variety of strategies to cope with the climatic and physical environments within which they evolved. The suite of potential abiotic factors that influence herd/individual productivity includes depth, hardness and duration of snow cover, timing and pattern of snow melt, duration and intensity of insect harassment (i.e., summer temperatures and wind dynamics), and frequency and extent of fall icing. Herds suffer if “harsh” conditions exist over a number of years. It is important therefore to assess the capacity of individual herds to be resilient to recent trends of warmer springs and winters. Throughout arctic North America, aboriginal communities are located to intercept annual migrations of caribou. Hunting success is associated with the abundance of caribou, annual migration patterns, and environmental conditions (breakup, snowmelt). Hunters and trappers spend a significant amount of time on-the-land, are keen observers of change and have detailed perceptions of how caribou are reacting to changing environmental conditions.

Project Status: In Progress

Further Research Information: Link available

Climate Change Impacts, Infrastructure Risks, and Adaptive Capacity of Arctic Coastal Communities

This research proposes to focus on coastal hazards and adaptation strategies, with particular attention to infrastructure vulnerability in light of environmental and climate change in the Canadian Arctic. The broad goals of this research are to assess the biophysical exposure and hazards on Arctic coasts subject to effects of climate change, identify past and current management strategies employed to manage risks in coastal communities which have already experienced environmental change, and to assess the adaptive capacity of communities for dealing with coastal hazards throughout the Arctic. This project has a broad scope and will include fieldwork and a number of community visits.

Project Status: In Progress

Further Research Information: Link available

Assessing Vulnerability to Sea Ice Change: An example from Igloolik, Nunavut

Sea ice plays an important role in the life of Arctic coastal communities. The case study will bring together existing research on local adaptive capacity, sea ice observations, traditional knowledge, and scientific sea ice modelling to examine current and future vulnerability of the community of Igloolik to changes in climate.

Project Status: In Progress

A Comparative Assessment of the Capacity of Canadian Rural Communities to Adapt to Uncertain Futures

Changes in ecosystems supporting communities in coastal Newfoundland and British Columbia, central Canada and northern Saskatchewan have already occurred and climate change in conjunction with other socio-economic and political factors will continue to effect livelihoods in these rural communities. This comparative assessment will employ a human vulnerability-security research framework to assess each community's capacity to cope with and, if necessary, adapt to uncertain futures including climatic change.

Project Status: In Progress

Further Research Information: Link available

Climate and climate change vulnerability assessment of northern renewable resource based communities (NRRBC)

The project will combine biological modeling and socioeconomic analysis to develop an integrated assessment approach for assessment of factors contributing to the vulnerability of renewable resource based communities in Canada. The assessment methodology will be tested on two Canadian communities. An important and relatively unique dimension of this project is that the analysis of impacts and community capacities will be undertaken at scales relevant to community decision makers (i.e. relatively high spatial resolution compared to most vulnerability assessments). Through partnership with the Model Forest program communities will be engaged in the project and examination of the results.

Project Status: In Progress

Climate Change and Seasonality in Canadian Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

This study focuses on evaluating how climate change will effect outdoor activities such as alpine skiing, snowmobiling, golfing and camping; vital parts of the recreation and tourism industry. Researchers will assess the risks and opportunities climate change poses for these activities in selected locations across Canada, assess the implications for intra- and inter-regional competitive relationships and tourism product development and explore supply and demand-side adaptations to altered recreational season lengths.

Project Status: In Progress

Further Research Information: Link available

Transient simulations of climate change impacts on Canada´s forests 2000-2100: Vulnerability and implications for forestry and conservation

Canada's forests are of critical importance to our national heritage as well as to our economy. Globally our forests contribute to climatic stability, the water cycle and the sequestration of carbon. Climate change threatens these ecosystem services. In this study researchers will assess (1) the impacts of a range of plausible climate change scenarios on the distribution and composition of Canada's forests, and (2) the implications for forestry and conservation interests.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available

Farm-level adaptation to multiple risks: climate change and other concerns

This study's purpose is to assess the prospects for farm-level adaptation to climate change and other risks in Canadian agriculture. Focusing on the lower Fraser Valley, BC, Manitoba, and southwestern Ontario, the main objectives are: 1) conceptualize and empirically assess the place and the interaction of climate related risks relative to other risks of production, marketing, and finance in Canadian agriculture; 2) assess the suitability of conventional farm-level climate change adaptation options in Canadian agriculture given other sources of risk, and; 3) develop a revised inventory of farm-level options for adapting to climate and other risks in Canadian agriculture.

Project Status: Complete

Further Research Information: Link available

Full Report Location: Link available

Impact of Climate Change on Arctic Shipping: Vessel Damage and Regulations

This project will assess the impacts of climate change on the operations of Arctic shipping and examine how these impacts may affect shipping regulations in the Canadian Arctic. To do this, it has two objectives: first, it will examine the potential for different ice regimes to damage vessels and, second, it will address the impacts of climate change on the pollution prevention regulations governing ship traffic in the Arctic. Researchers will determine the changes that may be required to current regulations while providing shipping companies with information that will help them evaluate the length of shipping seasons and the types of vessels required to meet pollution regulations.

Project Status: Complete

Full Report Location: Link available