Lesson 26 — Activity 1: Climate Change

Most people agree that the weather is changing. We can see it in Alberta where there is less rain in the summer and more hot, dry days. While that may seem like a good thing, it is not so great for farmers. The winters are also becoming milder, which is especially noticeable in the north. Now the logging season is shorter because the loggers who rely on frozen ground can't spend as much time in the woods.

Milder winters also allow insects like the pine beetle to survive through the winter, and they are able to do more damage than they have in the past.

Alberta has more droughts, and there seem to be more forest fires now than in the past. Some weather fluctuations are normal; however, we know that others are caused by greenhouse gasses collecting in the atmosphere and changing the natural environment.

In this activity, you will learn more about the effects of climate change.

The climate of our world is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is major concern about the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the environment. Greenhouse gases make up approximately 55 percent of air pollution. Greenhouse gases come from the emissions from burning fossil fuels, which include natural gas and coal and the more familiar fuels refined from crude oil such as gasoline, diesel, and fuel oils. These fuels power our industries, our homes, and our cars, and we have become dependent on them for our survival.

 Scientists predict that unless something is done about these emissions, major changes will take place in the earth's atmosphere that will have a negative effect on all of our lives. The burning of fossil fuels is a major source of pollution, which contributes to smog, acid rain, climate change, and other health, environmental, and economic concerns.

The impact of climate change will be felt most by the world's poorest countries. In some cases, climate changes have already affected some small island nations. These effects are starting to show as we see regions experiencing drought that were once well irrigated, and other regions experiencing massive flooding from too much rain. Ocean currents are changing the direction of the rain water and causing temperature changes, which in turn is causing fish numbers and food supplies to be reduced. The greatest changes are seen in the north, where the polar ice caps are melting away and will in turn cause flooding in coastal areas of the planet.

      

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Since the atmosphere does not respect national borders, it does no one country any good to reduce its own greenhouse gases alone — its climate will still degrade if other countries do nothing.

How will climate change affect people who live in Alberta? Climate change in Alberta can have both positive and negative effects.

Evaporation will continue to be greater than the precipitation on the Prairies. This will then cause a reduction in the water supply. Regions that were once well irrigated by rain water will experience droughts. This will cause problems as the population and industrial growth in Alberta requires water. However, other regions such as the interior Cordillera (Western Mountain Region) and the Rocky Mountains may experience massive flooding from too much rain.

With a warmer climate, there is a chance that the boreal forest, aspen parkland, and open grassland may spread out northward. While a forest's growth may benefit from warmer temperatures and a longer growing season, there may also be more forest fires and insect outbreaks.

Warmer summers in the urban centres of Calgary and Edmonton will have an effect on the quality of air that one breathes. Economically, the shorter winters will mean lower heating costs for residents, which will be positive, yet the overall effects of climate change will have huge economical and social costs to society in general.

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