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Communities in Saskatchewan:  Dealing with a Changing Climate

Why should we be interested in the effects of climate on communities?

• Climate change will affect most aspects of community life, including water,  energy, parks and recreation, and transportation systems as well as health and quality of life.

• Climate change may already be affecting several of these systems and causing additional stress.  We can benefit from climate change and reduce risks by learning how to adapt to the changes.

What are some climate change impacts that are expected for communities?

• Increasing intensity and duration of extreme events such as droughts and intense precipitation may bring the most formidable and complex challenges.  More occasions of too much or too little water will require preparation.
• Shorter and warmer winters mean increased outdoor activity and longer seasons for parks and summer-time recreational activities, but also could mean more pesky pests and diseases.
• Milder winters also may lead to fewer cold-weather related deaths and injuries, but encourage the influx of new diseases.  Link with the health section for more information.
• Shorter snow-cover seasons mean less time and money are needed to struggle with snow.  A wild-card in this outlook is the risk of intense snowfalls and ice-storms.
• Longer growing seasons and higher temperatures mean improved tree growth, if water and other conditions are not limiting.
• Communities are connected with agriculture and forestry sectors.  If these sectors can successfully adapt to a changing climate, communities will also benefit and vice versa.
• Climate change is accentuating the urban heat island that already makes cities warmer than rural areas.  More heat waves mean decreasing air quality, and challenges for people, plants and animals.
• We know less about possible effects of climate change on communities than any other sector, so surprises and their disruptions are very likely.

How can communities adapt to decrease the negative effects of climate change and increase the positive effects?  Ideas include:

• Find out what climate changes are occurring now and estimate the effects that may occur in your community.
• Find out more about future climate change trends (link with the climate change section) and their possible effects.
• Estimate how sensitive your operations and planning are to these changes.
• Evaluate your community’s options to determine which management practices may work the best in a changing climate.
• Use sustainable resource practices such as water and energy conservation.
• Use improved safety procedures to deal with effects of extreme weather events such as destructive wind storms, heat waves, intense rain storms and floods.
• Enhance the capability to deal with modified fire, drought, insect and pest regimes.
• Determine how advanced technology options may help with climate issues.
• Monitor the risk of changing health issues, especially those most sensitive to climate such as West Nile Virus.  Link with the health section.

Where can I find out more?  Examples include:

• The Government of Canada's Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Program provides funding for research and activities to improve our knowledge of Canada’s vulnerability to climate change, to better assess the risks and benefits posed by climate change and to build the foundation upon which appropriate decisions on adaptation can be made.  The link is:  http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/home_e.asp

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability report available at http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg2/index.htm
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Synthesis Report available at http://www.ipcc.ch/pub/un/syreng/spm.pdf
• Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative http://www.parc.ca/

For further reading:

Wheaton, E., E. Cloutis, D. Gauthier, V. Wittrock, and C. Beaulieu.  2001.  Involving Canadian Communities in Determining Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations:  A Scoping Paper.  Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  SRC Publication No. 11332-2E01.

Wittrock, V.  2003.  Canadian Prairie Cities:  Adapting to Climate Change.  Western Environment Business 4(3):11.

Wittrock, V. and E. Wheaton.  2004.  Climate Change and Canadian Prairie Cities.  Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  SRC Publication No. 11182-3D04.

Wittrock, V. and E. Wheaton.  2004.  Climate Change and Urban Areas.  Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  SRC Publication No. 11182-1D03.

Wittrock, V., E. Wheaton, and C.R. Beaulieu.  2001.  Adaptability of Prairie Cities:  The Role of Climate Current and Future Impacts and Adaptation Strategies – Executive Summary.  Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  SRC Publication No. 11296-E01.