Resource-based activities in Atlantic Resource-based activities in Atlantic Canada: Adaptations to Climate Canada: Adaptations to Climate

ChangeChange

Norm CattoNorm CattoDepartment of Geography, Department of Geography,

Memorial University, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada, A1B 3X9St. John’s, NL, Canada, A1B 3X9

ncatto@mun.cancatto@mun.ca

Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada

Residents aware of weather and environmentResidents aware of weather and environment Resource-based occupations - Resource-based occupations -

fishing, agriculture, forestry, and tourism - fishing, agriculture, forestry, and tourism - critical to socio-economic activitycritical to socio-economic activity

Climate change and variation imposed upon Climate change and variation imposed upon efforts at sustainabilityefforts at sustainability

Climate: Recent variability & changeClimate: Recent variability & change Longer, hotter and drier summersLonger, hotter and drier summers Thunderstorm & lightning activityThunderstorm & lightning activity Increased storm activityIncreased storm activity More winter & spring precipitation, esp. rainMore winter & spring precipitation, esp. rain Stronger winds Stronger winds Variable, generally reduced snow coverVariable, generally reduced snow cover More ‘anomalous’ eventsMore ‘anomalous’ events Decreased fogDecreased fog

Some Stress Areas for Some Stress Areas for Resource-Based SustainabilityResource-Based Sustainability

AgricultureAgriculture Tourism and summer residents Tourism and summer residents ForestryForestry Groundfish stocks & Crab harvestingGroundfish stocks & Crab harvesting Climate-related natural hazardsClimate-related natural hazards

Compounding StressesCompounding Stresses

Climate change & variation compounded by: Climate change & variation compounded by:

Over-fishingOver-fishing Periodic low prices for agricultural producePeriodic low prices for agricultural produce CompetitionCompetition International trade regulationsInternational trade regulations Transportation difficultiesTransportation difficulties Human response to weather & climate eventsHuman response to weather & climate events

AgricultureAgriculture

Numerous oscillations in price, competitionNumerous oscillations in price, competition Pathogens, summer droughtPathogens, summer drought International trade restrictionsInternational trade restrictions Some communities have suffered substantially Some communities have suffered substantially

since 1990 as a result of economic difficultiessince 1990 as a result of economic difficulties

Average vs. ExtremeAverage vs. Extreme

average conditions impact agricultural activityaverage conditions impact agricultural activity a single late frost, hailstorm, flood, or extended a single late frost, hailstorm, flood, or extended

drought can have an overriding effectdrought can have an overriding effect extreme events more difficult to assessextreme events more difficult to assess increased frequ. of drier and hotter periodsincreased frequ. of drier and hotter periods more intense precipitation eventsmore intense precipitation events greater irregularity in last spring and first greater irregularity in last spring and first

autumn frost datesautumn frost dates

GroundwaterGroundwater

Groundwater management central to agriculture Groundwater management central to agriculture Irrigation increases demand on water resourcesIrrigation increases demand on water resources Reduced snow cover has negative effectsReduced snow cover has negative effects Adaptation: monitoring of consumption patternsAdaptation: monitoring of consumption patterns assessment of groundwater recharge assessment of groundwater recharge land use management, planningland use management, planning water conservationwater conservation wetland preservationwetland preservation

Soil ManagementSoil Management

Intensively managed soils used to support Intensively managed soils used to support shorter, less shorter, less diverse crop rotations are more susceptible to diverse crop rotations are more susceptible to degradation from climate and extreme weather eventsdegradation from climate and extreme weather events

LivestockLivestock

air-condition livestock buildingsair-condition livestock buildings manage water usage and waste disposalmanage water usage and waste disposal effects on forage productioneffects on forage production spread of pathogens accentuated under warmer spread of pathogens accentuated under warmer

conditionsconditions

More than just crops …More than just crops …

Changed pathogens, predators, and pestsChanged pathogens, predators, and pests Impacts to infrastructureImpacts to infrastructure Transportation, marketing, communicationsTransportation, marketing, communications Operational changes – irrigationOperational changes – irrigation Crop rotation desirableCrop rotation desirable Farm economics & demographicsFarm economics & demographics

More than just fish …More than just fish …

Changed pathogens, predators, and pestsChanged pathogens, predators, and pests Impacts to infrastructureImpacts to infrastructure Regulatory regimeRegulatory regime Transportation, marketing, communicationsTransportation, marketing, communications Operational changes by fish harvestersOperational changes by fish harvesters Health and safetyHealth and safety Search-and-rescue operationsSearch-and-rescue operations

Forestry … Forestry … species change less important than …species change less important than …

Changed pathogens, predators, and pestsChanged pathogens, predators, and pests Transportation, marketing, communicationsTransportation, marketing, communications Operational changesOperational changes Availability Availability Global competition & industry responseGlobal competition & industry response Some communities facing contractionSome communities facing contraction

Tourism: Recent trends & changeTourism: Recent trends & change

Increased and changed use by residentsIncreased and changed use by residents More summer residents & summer home More summer residents & summer home

purchasespurchases Aging demographicAging demographic Shift to air travelShift to air travel Continued attraction of ‘come-home’ years – Continued attraction of ‘come-home’ years –

not as subject to climate change impactsnot as subject to climate change impacts

Climate Impacts on TourismClimate Impacts on Tourism

Increased wave erosion by winter storm surges Increased wave erosion by winter storm surges Increased coastal erosion and narrowing of Increased coastal erosion and narrowing of

beachesbeaches Coarsening of beach sedimentsCoarsening of beach sediments Increased degradation of coastal dunesIncreased degradation of coastal dunes Damage to trailsDamage to trails Water supply and quality concerns – drier Water supply and quality concerns – drier

summerssummers

Climate Impacts of TourismClimate Impacts of Tourism

Increased visitation & longer seasonIncreased visitation & longer season Enhanced tourist use of natural areasEnhanced tourist use of natural areas Summer use of wooded areas can result in an Summer use of wooded areas can result in an

increase in forest fires (local & distant)increase in forest fires (local & distant) Increased use of ponds during summerIncreased use of ponds during summer

Snow tourismSnow tourism

changes in cross-country skiing patternschanges in cross-country skiing patterns Decreases in snow would limit snowmobiling Decreases in snow would limit snowmobiling Reduction by ~ 50% in days suitable for Reduction by ~ 50% in days suitable for

snowmobiling from 1970 to 2025snowmobiling from 1970 to 2025 Snowmobile sales declined by 38.4% between Snowmobile sales declined by 38.4% between

1997 and 2005 throughout North America1997 and 2005 throughout North America ATV sales increased by a comparable ATV sales increased by a comparable

percentagepercentage

Implications - positivesImplications - positives

Change advertising in response to changed Change advertising in response to changed conditions and tourist populationconditions and tourist population

Longer summer & shoulder seasonsLonger summer & shoulder seasons As warming increases more rapidly in central As warming increases more rapidly in central

North America and Western Europe, our North America and Western Europe, our relatively cool summers are increasingly seen relatively cool summers are increasingly seen as attractive environments for vacationing or a as attractive environments for vacationing or a summer residencesummer residence

Climate and CommunityClimate and Community

Impacts create socio-economic consequences, Impacts create socio-economic consequences, impacting on community sustainabilityimpacting on community sustainability

Climate influences on community Climate influences on community sustainability superimposed on political, sustainability superimposed on political, socio-economic, technological factorssocio-economic, technological factors

Impacts happen …Impacts happen …

regardless of cause of climate change and regardless of cause of climate change and variationvariation

Changes identified and measured todayChanges identified and measured today Changes are similar to those observed in pastChanges are similar to those observed in past Communities face similar types of risksCommunities face similar types of risks Only the frequency and the consequences of Only the frequency and the consequences of

disregarding existing knowledge will changedisregarding existing knowledge will change

  Application of current best practicesApplication of current best practices Many adaptations are already ongoingMany adaptations are already ongoing Information, communication, dissemination, Information, communication, dissemination,

and planning aid adaptation and sustainability and planning aid adaptation and sustainability Study of previous events provides perspectiveStudy of previous events provides perspective

AdaptationsAdaptations