Climate Change
What Is Climate Change?
Climate change is a change or variability in the “average weather” of a region. This means a change in the temperature, precipitation, winds and/or storms that a given region experiences over a specific period of time. Global climate change refers to these changes over the Earth as a whole.
Climate change can occur naturally. Our climate is controlled by a balance between energy received from the sun and radiation the Earth loses to space. Any changes in our environment, either natural or human-induced, that alters this balance can affect our climate.
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Source: Climate change: the basics. Natural Resources Canada, Climate Change in Canada Web site.
Climate Change Impacts
Slumping permafrost in northern communities jeopardizes homes.
Photo by Eric Loring
Permafrost melt
Photo by Eric Loring
Dangerous Travel Conditions
Photo by Eric Loring
Dangerous Changes
Photo by Eric Loring
Climate change is expected to move the permafrost boundary north by several hundred kilometres. Permafrost or frozen ground is found beneath the ground surface. Warming temperatures mean the thawing of frozen matter, such as permafrost, glaciers, sea ice and ice sheets. Coastal erosion occurs through melting water run-offs and rising sea levels. Precipitation changes could occur, and rivers and lakes will be affected in terms of their volume, temperature and speed of movement.
Climate change will also alter the availability of freshwater and potable water resources. Warmer temperatures will thaw the ground-ice traditionally used to store meat and to enable a controlled fermentation. Permafrost is also an impermeable layer for mine tailings and landfill sites. The loss of this layer will increase the risk of contamination to soil and water.
Animals, such as the polar bear, the high-arctic caribou and other animals that depend on cold weather, are all affected. Migratory animals will be affected by the northern extension of plant life, disrupting their access to their traditional feeding areas, and thus their feeding habits. Insects will also extend farther north, and will increase in number.
Climate change will also affect infrastructure. Melting of permafrost would have a major impact, meaning that warmer temperatures would thaw the frozen soil and cause the ground to crack and sink. The resulting water run-off would change the ground significantly. This, in turn, would threaten older buildings, communal roads, transportation, water supplies and waste disposal structures.
Transportation on land and ice will become unpredictable and dangerous, with ice roads becoming less reliable and useable for shorter periods of use. Less coastal sea ice will open the way to intercontinental shipping, increasing risks of environmental catastrophes and creating international challenges to Canadian sovereignty over its Arctic regions.
Ongoing Research on Climate Change
Did you know that ArcticNet studies the changing coastal Canadian Arctic?
Over the next four years (and beyond), ArcticNet will conduct Integrated Regional Impact Studies (IRIS) based on three regional themes and one synthesis theme.
- Theme 1: Climate change impact in the Canadian High Arctic, a comparative study along the East–West gradient in physical and societal conditions. Coordinated by Louis Fortier.
- Theme 2: Food, Water, and Resources in the Shifting North–South Thermal Gradient of the Terrestrial Eastern Canadian Arctic. Coordinated by Warwick Vincent.
- Theme 3: Managing the Largest Canadian Watershed in a New Climate: Land–Ocean Interactions in Sub-Arctic Hudson Bay. Coordinated by Dave Barber. An icebreaker will go north during the summer of 2004 to Nunavut communities.
- Theme 4: Adapting to Change in the Canadian Arctic: Knowledge Transfer, Policies and Strategies. Coordinated by Gordon McBean.
The program, hosted by Laval University, was awarded $25.7 million over five years from 2003 to 2008—a level of funding not previously seen for Arctic research. The program will combine the efforts of many universities, industries, government, and public sector divisions in Canada and other participating countries.
ITK, through its involvement, established three Inuit seats on the ArcticNet Board of Directors. It recognizes that this is an opportunity to develop, implement, and undertake a world-class research program with Inuit cooperation and involvement. ITK wants to keep ArcticNet accountable to that responsibility, to ensure that ArcticNet will incorporate traditional knowledge into the study design and to ensure that community involvement includes the long-term vision of training for Inuit students.
Such a long-term program provides opportunities to push for capacity building, mentorship programs, and to include northern priorities on research agendas. Requirement for ArcticNet include communications tools for Inuit, pamphlets, backgrounders, and a community tour.