There is now a strong majority of scientists who agree that more than 2°C of average global warming above the pre-industrial level would constitute a dangerous level of climate change. Based on current emissions, most experts agree that global mean temperatures could rise up to 6.5°C by the end of this century. In some Canadian regions, this could mean an increase in annual mean temperatures of more than double the increase in the global average.
We are like a patient that has recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure or cholesterol. The patient won't die immediately but without healthy lifestyle changes the patient is at a much greater risk of heart attack or stroke. Like that patient, we are also in a danger zone because we have poured too much carbon into the atmosphere - we too need to adopt lifestyle changes to avoid further complications.
Climate change directly threatens the customs, traditions and livelihoods of Canada's Inuit. Photo courtesy of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
FACT: The Arctic Council predicts that the Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by the end of this century. The warming of Arctic ice shelf sediments is causing frozen methane to bubble out of the ocean, releasing a heat-trapping gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Although most of us spend the majority of our time in buildings where we control the temperature, we need to keep in mind how important the climate is. Regional weather patterns determine the fate of our annual crops. In Alberta, the glaciers feeding the Bow, Saskatchewan and Athabasca rivers have shrunk by 25 per cent in the last century and Alberta is currently facing an impending water crisis due to increasing regional temperatures and decreasing precipitation. Decreasing water levels, combined with changing water chemistry in wetlands, ponds, lakes and dugouts, means less water for crop irrigation, cattle industry, and general water use in Southern Alberta.
In 1987, a tornado struck Edmonton, injuring 253 people and killing 27. In 1991, a Calgary hailstorm caused $340 million in damages. In 2003, a heat wave killed 50,000 people across Europe. In the 1990s, approximately 600,000 deaths occurred globally as a result of weather-related natural disasters. According to many scientists and the IPCC, these types of events will likely occur more frequently as a result of greenhouse gas pollution.
The effects of climate change hit poor populations the hardest. Billions of people in Africa and South Asia face growing risks of extreme droughts and food shortages. Since 1994, the global sea level has been rising approximately 3 mm per year. Although Southeast Asia only accounts for 30 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the Asia Development Bank states that Asia, with its long coastlines and low-lying areas, is the region most vulnerable to climate change globally.
The people of Bangladesh deal with flooding on a regular basis. Climate change may increase the intensity of the flooding and if sea levels rise as predicted, the flooding would be permanent. Photo courtesy of treehugger.com
FACT: The global sea level is projected to rise up to 88 cm by 2100. Hundreds of coastal cities around the world and entire countries (e.g. Bangladesh, the Maldives) are threatened by rising sea levels, and small island nations such as Kiribati and the Maldives will soon be completely submerged. Over half of the world's population will be at risk from rising sea levels.
In western Canada, changing temperatures could cause the boreal forest to retreat northward up to 1,100 km by 2100. Current forests could be replaced by grasslands that thrive under warmer temperatures. In Alberta, a changing climate will have direct implications for farmers and ranchers. While longer growing seasons and warmer annual temperatures are predicted, there will be a decrease in summer-time precipitation by 2050, with these trends continuing to 2080. This means with a greater likelihood of droughts, already scarce water resources will be in even higher demand. It will be necessary to diversify management and switch to new crops and livestock that are drought-tolerant and thrive at higher temperatures. This change in our overall climate may also mean more extreme weather, pest pressures and increased risk of erosion.
Alberta Agriculture points out potential opportunities (longer growing season) and risks (increased drought) that climate change may present to Alberta's agriculture sector. In addition, because of the interconnectedness of global economies, places like Alberta may be called upon to share our resources[AB1] if natural disasters become more frequent and resources become scarcer as predicted,. Acting to avoid drastic shifts in our climate is therefore essential not only for the long-term sustainability of agriculture, but also for our national and provincial security.
Increased summertime water stress from climate change would put many crops - and farmers' and ranchers' livelihoods - at risk in Alberta.
Every aspect of our current quality of life depends upon a stable climate. We rely on specific patterns of wind, temperature and precipitation for our water supplies. Our food systems are based on plants and animals that have adapted to particular climates. The survival of thousands of coastal cities around the world depends on constant sea levels. Our ability to manage infectious diseases and pests hinges upon climatic conditions that prevent the spread of these diseases. Continuing along a business-as-usual path of releasing greenhouse gas pollution may mean destabilizing the climate and in turn, our quality of life.
Droughts, extreme weather events, food shortages and rising sea levels may be made worse by climate change. While these impacts may seem distant, the effects of climate change are already evident all over the world - melting polar ice caps, retreating glaciers and rising sea levels are common images of a changing climate. At this scale, climate change can seem like an unbeatable challenge. On the contrary, Canada, with other countries, has the ability to take on the climate change challenge and in Alberta we are uniquely positioned to take the lead.
In this guide:
