CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION: Strategies from a Business Perspective APEGGA Professional Development Stream Climate Change and Opportunities 22

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CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS AND
ADAPTATIONStrategies from a Business
Perspective APEGGA Professional Development
StreamClimate Change and Opportunities22 23
April, 2004ByPaul D. HuntVice
PresidentClimate Change Central
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CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRAL (C3)Background

• Incorporated in early 2000
• A not-for-profit private-public partnership
• Multi-stakeholder board
• Core staff of 18
• Offices in Calgary and Edmonton.

C3s website www.climatechangecentral.com
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CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRALS Role

• Providing Leadership
• Providing Strategic Intelligence
• Providing Outreach

C3s focus is on reducing greenhouse gases in
Alberta
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CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRAL Priorities

• Energy Efficiency Conservation
• Technology and Market Innovation
• Climate Change Impacts Adaptation
• Emission Offset Development
• Socio-Economic Implications

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.. Canada will continue to experience the
impacts of climate change regardless of any
actions it takes to reduce its own emissions.
It will therefore be important to provide
adequate resources for adaptation actions that
can assist communities and regions that are
likely to suffer the negative impacts of a
changing climate.The Conference Board of Canada
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DEVELOPMENT ADAPTATION

• Adaptation is critical to survival and long-term
  success for all living species
• Humans throughout history have been Adapting to
  the terrain, to the local resources, and to local
  food species
• Adaptation is not new for us. We evolved from
  being nomadic to agrarian by culturing crops that
  were adapted to specific local conditions
• Successful organisations are adapting constantly
  to new and changing conditions

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CC IMPACTS ADAPTATION

• Climate Change is speeding-up
• Adaptation efforts have not been well
  co-ordinated
• Partnerships, Strategic Studies, Projects,
  Leadership required
• Virtually all Climate Change-related impacts in
  Alberta will be overwhelmingly negative
• - Weather extremes - Increased wildfires
• - Drought, - More energy use for cooling
• - Water shortages - Health effects disease
  vectors
• Impacts and associated vulnerabilities need to be
  identified before adaptation capacities can be
  assessed

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OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTSHeat

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIESHeat
Heat-Stress

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OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTSStorm Events

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES Storm Events

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OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTS Wind

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES Wind

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OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTSDroughts

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES Droughts

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES Fires

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES Land
Subsidence Erosion

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OVERVIEW OF CC IMPACTSMelting Permafrost

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OVERVIEW OF CC VULNERABILITIES Melting
Permafrost

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DETERMINING IMPACTADAPTATION MEASURES

• The Questions to Ask
• What are the expected Changes to Climate ?
• What are the predicted Impacts ?
• What are the sectoral and regional
  Vulnerabilities ?
• What are the Adaptive Capacities ?
• Possible Actions for Sectors, Regions and
  Ecosystems..
• Immediate Adaptation Measures
• Implement Adaptation Research
• Longer-term Adaptation Measures (Following
  research)

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ADAPTATION APPROACHES AND MEASURES

• Selection, Adoption, Implementation
• requires a number of considerations
• Using estimates  
• Choosing options that make sense regardless  
• Encouraging desired changes
• Using low risk / low-tech options
• Focussing on issues that have immediacy and
  relevance
• Pursuing proactive planning  
• Increasing awareness  
• Acknowledging successes

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ALBERTAs ADAPTATION STRATEGY

• Sound Science with adaptation research and
  collaboration
• Climate Extremes and effects to be addressed  
• Adaptation to long-term changes in collaboration
  with the affected Sectors
• Engagement of Albertans, requiring public
  education and outreach

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NO-REGRETS ADAPTATION MEASURES

• Benefits could be realised by implementing
  selected measures today to
• Reduce vulnerability to floods and droughts
• Improve energy and water efficiency
• Conserve energy and water
• Protect water resources and biodiversity

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BENEFITS OF IMPEMENTING ADAPTATION MEASURES

• Early Adaptation often more effective and less
  costly
• Climate change may be more than expected
• Immediate benefits from Adaptation to climate
  currently being experienced
• Immediate benefits from new policies and
  practices  
• Opportunities should be captured

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TIMING OF ADAPTATION MEASURES

• Adaptation measures can be implemented
•  
• Before the impacts
• During the impacts
• After the impacts

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TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN ALBERTA
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TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN ALBERTA
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IMPACT ADAPTATION FOCUS

• In Northern Alberta
• Forestry (fires, diseases, insect infestations)
• Permafrost (thawing threat to new and existing
  structures)
• Ice-roads (limited use)
• Traditional Land-uses (trapping, hunting,
  fishing)
• In South / South-Central Alberta
• Agriculture (response to droughts)
• Water Resources (quality and quantity)
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• Alberta generally
• Human Health (West Nile Virus)
• Urban Infrastructures (emergency response,
  capacity)

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ADAPTATION MEASURESCooling

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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ADAPTATION MEASURES

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HUMAN CAPACITY TO ADAPT

• Our adaptive capacity can be large
• Adaptation would be easier if the pace of climate
  change was slowed
• Economic dependence on susceptible activities
• Wealth Will are the most important factors

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