Emerging Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Around the World
Canada: Risks and Opportunities of Climate Change Summary Canada is expected to experience changes to its climate that present both risks and economic opportunities. Because of the country’s sheer size and geographic diversity, the impacts vary significantly by region. The arctic regions especially are already affected by climate change, and where local populations depend on natural resources, their livelihoods are already threatened. However, it is also in these same areas where economic opportunities are emerging due to climate change. For instance, with the rising ocean temperatures, new waterways along the Northwest Passage will be accessible, and new natural resources will become available. Adaptation to climate change has been on the agenda of the Canadian government for some time. Nonetheless, most of the specific measures have been developed and implemented by individual provinces or municipalities.
Country Profile
Canadian agriculture could benefit from moderate climatic
Canada is expected to see some of the greatest rises in aver-
changes, as higher temperatures and increased CO2 concen-
age temperatures. According to climate projections, Canadi-
tration lead to longer growing seasons, higher productivity,
an average annual temperatures are expected to rise twice as
and increase of arable land. In the case of the Canadian bo-
much as the global average. Since 1948, Canada has already
real forests, impacts will likely be mixed. Canadian forests
experienced an increase of 1.3°C.82 The greatest climatic
are a significant contributor to Canadian GDP and also serve
changes are predicted for the polar and sub-polar regions of
as important habitat for wildlife. On the one hand, increased
the country.
temperatures and higher CO2 concentration could foster growth and productivity; however, any of these positive ef-
Canada expects both risks and opportunities due to climate
fects could be outweighed by droughts, insect infestation,
change. A recent study on the worldwide risks of climate
and the increased frequency and severity of forest fires.
change identifies Canada as the country that will be least affected by global warming; new opportunities will arise, and
Given their traditional way of life, First Nation populations
the risks are manageable.83 However, the risks and opportu-
such as the Inuit of the northern territories, are particularly
nities are not equally distributed across Canada as a whole.
dependent on natural resources and particularly susceptible
For example, indigenous peoples, which highly depend on
to climate change impacts. Today, consequences of climate
natural resources, will be most affected by climate change.
change such as the reduction of the ice sheet, altered animal migration patterns, and the loss of access to certain fish-
Despite the fact that Canada has very large fresh water res-
ing grounds seriously affects populations in the province of
ervoirs, some southern regions are already affected by water
Nunavut.
scarcity. A change in the patterns of melting water from glaciers is leading to flooding during the winter and lower water
Northern regions of Canada are likely to see massive im-
levels during the summer. There is the risk that the water lev-
pacts of climate change on infrastructure and transporta-
els of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River will fall
tion. In many regions ice roads are the only viable transport
permanently, which would hamper transport, agriculture,
connection other than helicopter. With rising temperatures,
and tourism. Furthermore, Canada has one of the longest
the period during which one can use these roads has become
coastlines in the world, which make the country especially
shorter and shorter. Furthermore, as the carrying capacity
vulnerable to the rising sea levels.84
of the ice sheet becomes weaker, it seriously affects volume
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