SE Alberta adapting to impact of climate change
kgousseau@medicinehatnews.com
Climate change will potentially have widespread impacts on southeast Alberta, but experts say those effects can be mitigated by a little adaptation and ingenuity.
The effects of global warming are difficult to detect in southeast Alberta, scientists say, given that the region has one of the most variable climates in the world.
But the impacts are still there, says Dave Sawchyn, a research professor with the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative (PARC) in Regina.
PARC – a partnership between the governments of Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba – researches climate change impacts and ways people can adapt to them.
As temperatures continue to rise in southeast Alberta, Sawchyn says the region can expect weather that is more extreme than in the past.
“You can take the droughts and the wet years that we’ve had for the past 100 years and amplify that,” he says. “We can expect years that are wetter than we’ve seen and droughts that are worse and longer.”
The changing climate will have consequences for wildlife and aquatic ecosystems, as well as farmers and ranchers in the region.
“We can expect more rain, but we will tend to get it (in winter) when we don’t need it,” Sawchyn says.
However, he adds that producers can adapt to the changing climate by taking measures such as seeding crops earlier in spring to take advantage of ground moisture.
“There’s a tremendous capacity to deal with these climate changes if people recognize that it’s not something in the future, it’s happening right now,” Sawchyn says.
Global warming is also leading to changes in the energy sector in southeast Alberta. Reducing carbon pollution in the oilpatch is a key part of the province’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology will play a significant role in reducing emissions in Alberta’s energy industry.
CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources and transporting them by pipeline to sites where they are injected into deep rock formations for permanent storage.
The Alberta government has created a $2-billion fund for CCS projects. So far, the province has received four letters of intent from companies looking to launch CCS projects.
“We’ve identified (CCS) as one of the big ways that Alberta is going to be able to make significant reductions in the long term,” says Alberta Environment spokesman Chris Bourdeau.
Renewable energy will also play a large role in reducing carbon emissions, adds Bourdeau. The province established an Energy Environment Technology Fund in 2006 to fund green projects in areas such as renewable energy. The fund currently sits at $123 million.
Thirty projects are competing for a share of that funding, including the City of Medicine Hat’s Solar Thermal Energy Demonstration project.
The city is proposing to develop Canada’s first utility-scale solar thermal combined cycle power plant. The one-megawatt demonstration project will involve the integration of a solar-powered steam generation system into the city’s existing power plant.
While industry will play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions in southeast Alberta, Sawchyn says its also incumbent upon individuals to do their part.
“A lot of (climate change) is natural,” he says. “But when we factor that out, we’re still left with this trend that we can only explain in terms of the impact of people on the atmosphere and the earth’s surface.
“We’re already committed to some global warming. The question is how much more will we have and how much more can we tolerate?
“It will be much easier to adapt to and manage the change in climate if we keep it within certain limits.”
The Perfect Climate.
The EDA off ers you an experienced Business Development Manager and Innovation Facilitator to take the guess work out of the process and provide access and information to Provincial and Federal programs, partners and resources that can help your business expand.
The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provided fi nancial assistance to EDA to make this possible.
We’re here to help !
Consider southeast Alberta for your business.
Get your long range business forecast online www.edalliance.com or call Pete Loignon, Innovation Facilitator 403. 580. 7769
Medicine Hat : Redcliff : Cypress County : Bow Island : County of Forty Mile : Medicine Hat : Redcliff : Cypress County : Bow Island : County of Forty
52208100•03/30/10
REPORT ON SOUTHEAST ALBERTA 2010 ■ Celebrating our Community — 55
Dr. R.K. GROVER D.M.D.
202, 46 Carry Drive SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta T1B 4E1 Phone (403) 526-7555
Dental Benefits Accepted
Personalized Payment & Insurance Options
53771500•03/30/10
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120