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Applied Climate Change Conference 2013: Understanding Climate Shifts for Sustainable Communities

Join the Association for Canadian Educational Resources at the Applied Climate Change Conference to explore the impacts of shifting climates on sustainability. Learn about changing temperatures, threats to biodiversity, building resilience, and adaptive management strategies. Discover planned adaptations to increase habitat biodiversity and engage in community planting projects. Explore how municipalities can save energy and protect biodiversity under climate change scenarios.

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Applied Climate Change Conference 2013: Understanding Climate Shifts for Sustainable Communities

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  1. ASSOCIATION FOR CANADIAN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (ACER)Applied Climate Change ConferenceMay 23-24, 2013 Community Sustainability under a Changing Climate Don C. MacIver mayor.maciver@hotmail.com Marianne Karsh mbkarsh@gmail.com

  2. POINT 1: The Climate is already Changing How has the Climate Been Changing in the Area? Since late 1800s Annual Temps: Warmed Mean Temps ~ 2.7 C Min Temps most ~4.1C Annual Precip: Slight Increase?

  3. POINT 2: The Climate will be Changing Global Climate Model Projections for Region – 2050s Annual Mean Temps Warming 2.6 – 4.0 C Annual Mean Precip Increasing 6-15% Scenario data from AR4 CGCM3 and HadCM3 Changes relative to 1961-1990 Baseline Climate

  4. C2 = Natural X Human-Induced Climate The Changing climate is: Non-linear at local and regional scales A Multiplier Climate, not an additive climate Implications Not gradual impacts but abrupt step changes Need to redefine critical sensitivity thresholds

  5. POINT 3: Threats to Biodiversity in Canada Land-Use Change Climate Change Insects/Disease/Fire Page 5

  6. Climate and Forest Biodiversity Using Smithsonian Global Biodiversity Observation Network “Canada can ill-afford the loss of one species”

  7. Biodiversity:Changes in Family Forest Diversity in Ontario under 2XCO2 Climate Warming 2 X CO2 Current Family Forest Diversity Potential in Ontario Current

  8. Climate Change is a global-local issue Community Sustainability Competitiveness Biodiversity Safety/Health • Adaptation to: • Changing landscapes • Changing species/seeds • Changing ecosystems • Adaptation to: • Changing markets • Changing regulations • Changing technologies • Adaptation to: • Changing climate • Changing hazards • Changing behaviour

  9. POINT 4: Building Resilience - Reduce the Rate of Loss of Forest Biodiversity • Reduce fragmentation • Protect space, functional groups, climate refugia, • and multiple microhabitats in replicated areas • Design buffer zones and flexibility of land uses • Ensure connectivity of habitats along gradients • Seed sources and climatic information/scenarios for new community planning designs. • Support Community Monitoring Programs – eg. urban forests, schoolyards and backyards

  10. POINT 5: Management - Building the Adaptive Capacity Current Management Practices: Slow to respond to change Reactive adaptation Assumes environment is robust – but losses will continue Future Adaptive Management Actions: Recognize urgency to adapt now – eg. new planting programs – native and new species Support community monitoring programs Accelerate community planning and solutions Engage communities, partnerships and education

  11. POINT 6: Planned Adaptation -Increasing Habitat Biodiversity Under Climate Change by 2020 • Build corridors with native and new species • Re-introduce species– select seeds x climate • Control or eradicate invasive species • Engage in community planting designs and planting programs • Manage for land-use changes and disturbances to biodiversity • Account for projected impacts in climate change • when designing new community management plans and protected areas

  12. United Nations Publications: Climate Change and Biodiversity

  13. Publications • Dallmeier, F., A. Fenech, D.C MacIver and R. Szaro (eds.). 2010. Climate Change, Biodiversity & Sustainability in the Americas. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press, Washington, D.C. 183 pp. • Fenech, A., D.C. MacIver and F. Dallmeier (eds.). 2009. Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Americas. Adaptation and Impacts Research Division, Environment Canada, Toronto, On. 346 pp. • MacIver, D.C., M.B. Karsh and N. Comer. 2009. Climate change and Biodiversity: Implications for Monitoring, Science and Adaptive Planning. Environment Canada, Adaptation and Impacts Research Division, Toronto, On. 184 pp. • MacIver D, 2013 (Accepted For Publication), Climate Sense For Municipalities, Municipal World Publication • MacIver D, Karsh M, 2010, Planned Adaptation - How Municipalities Can Save Energy And Increase Habitat Biodiversity Under Climate Change By 2020 And Beyond, Municipal World Publication • MacIver D, Fernandez S, 2010, Canadian Drought Alert And Monitoring Program - The Do-It-Yourself Drought Alert And Water Conservation Tool, Municipal World Publication • MacIver D, Butt S, Auld H, Klaassen J, 2009, Severe Weather is the #1 Risk To Ontario Municipalities,Municipal World Publication Page 14

  14. Canada is the victim of global greenhouse gas emissions from foreign countries --- adaptation actions are already overdue

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