Climate Change Report for the Prairies released

Edmonton -- October 31, 1997 -- The third of six regional reports of the Canada Country Study: Responding to Global Climate Change on the Prairies, was released today by Environment Minister Christine Stewart.
The report is based on projections that climate change will result in an increase in temperatures and a decrease in soil moisture in the semi-arid regions of the Prairies, with potential disruptions to agriculture, forests, energy, water and wildlife throughout the region.

Some potential impacts of climate change in the Prairies as outlined in the report are:

• average potential crop yields may fall by 10 to 30 percent; however, new crop varieties could be developed which would diversify the economy;
• fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions may increase;
• while the growth and productivity within the boreal forest ecosystem could improve in the central and northern regions, it is likely that there will also be increased disturbances such as fire, insects and diseases;
• Hydroelectric production will compete with other uses (primarily agricultural) for diminishing water. Reduced hydropower production could lead to more dependency on thermal power production, bringing higher fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
• changes in wildlife habitats and the decreased severity of winters will result in alterations of the distribution and numbers of big game, waterfowl, and upland game bird species; and
• some freshwater fish species may be able to extend their range northwards.

"This report clearly shows the consequences of climate change on the agriculture, forestry and tourism sectors," said Minister Stewart. "Failure to act now will have serious impacts on Canadians for future generations. Overcoming the problem will not be possible without the effort and willingness of all Canadians to do their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

The report will help residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba understand how climate change may affect their lives. In the report, experts from the federal and provincial governments and from universities and industry provide a clearer understanding of the impacts of climate change and the kinds of things that may be done in the future to minimize that impact.

An internet conference on the Prairie’s report will be held in mid-November in conjunction with the International Institute for Sustainable Development. This conference will provide an opportunity for individuals with internet access to share views on climate change and its potential impacts on the Prairies, discuss the information available and make suggestions for further research.

The Canada Country study is a national assessment of the impacts of climate change and variability on Canada as a whole, including consideration of existing and potential adaptive responses. The basis of the identified impacts are observed sensitivities to past and current climate as well as analyses using scenarios and models of future climate change. The assessment also identifies actions to address remaining uncertainties, including issues needing further research.

Other regional reports in the study series focus on the Arctic, Ontario and Atlantic. They will be released in the weeks ahead. The report for British Columbia and Yukon was released June 4, 1997 and the Quebec study was released October 22.

Two national summary reports of the Canada Country Study: National Summary for Policy Makers and the National Plain Language Summary, are to be released at a National Symposium on climate change to be held November 24-26 in Toronto.

Executive summaries from the Prairie study and other already released regional reports in the Canada Country Study can be viewed by visiting the Canada Country web site at:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/ccs/ccs_e.htm

The full Prairie scientific report is available by calling Environment Canada’s Inquiry Centre at 1-800-668-6767.