Artic Canadian Permafrost Report

This problem could mark either the end of human civilizations or mark the beginning of the next era of human development. It would decide on our species survival, whether there will be another mass extinction like the one 65 million years ago. The question is “How might the breaking up and melting of continental ice in Greenland and the Antarctic affect Canada’s coastline?”. In the following sections, we have gathered an abundance of information from a variety of sources from which we will discuss, and analyze. We will find out how this data can help us understand the effect of melting glaciers on Canada’s coastline, as well as how and what we could do to stop or slow it down.

Mackenzie River Basin has been steadily warming over the last 3 decades and changes due to global warming are rippling through the entire ecosystem. The indigenous communities that live in the basin and depend on the natural resources are particularly vulnerable to these changes. Some the changes that are detrimental to these communities include the increases in forest fires, increase of permafrost melting and the decrease of water in the basin. The increase

Collaborating on an international level remains important for conducting ice patch research due to the rapid melting of alpine ice and decay of valuable artifacts. The work conducted for this thesis included cooperation from Parks Canada. Ice patch research was conducted not only on the U.S. side of the international border, but also on the Canadian side of Chilkoot Pass. Parks Canada allowed me and KLGO archaeologists to use the Canadian warden cabin at the summit of Chilkoot Pass as a basecamp for the ice patch study (Figure 1.4). Working between two sovereign countries emphasizes the matter of climate change as a global issue and the importance in maintaining international relations. Maintaining international relations benefits the scientific community on a global scale and provides significant research opportunities.

In Canada, the average annual temperature increases by 1.6oC, which is a higher warming rate when compared to other regions of the world. Canada’s far northern region has shown the strongest warming trends. At the rate Climate Change is affecting Canada, there will be huge amounts of precipitation, and risks of other natural disasters, such as heat waves, flooding, forest fires, and dry spells. As Canada is a maritime nation, the country will be affected by oceanic environments. There will also be reductions in the Arctic sea ice cover, resulting in extreme sea levels, ice conditions, and wave regimes (Government of Canada- Impacts of Climate Change, 2015). Canada’s forests will be affected in many complex ways, affects varying from dramatic, to subtle. Rapid climate change will affect the rate trees grow ate, mortality rates, and the distribution of tree species. Present day scientists have already recorded changes in the forests due to climate change. One recording was increased fire activity in the Western Boreal Forest. Scientists have predicted that forest-dependent communities and Aboriginals will be the first to feel the impacts. This is because the timber supply will suffer losses due to forest fires and smoke pollution (Government of Canada- Natural Resources Canada,

I chose this article because I think it’s an important topic that affects Canada greatly. People all across the world are affected by climate change, but Canada will experience it more than any other place due to the fact that we are far from the equator and higher up North. This should be a concern to Canadians everywhere, because although people in Nunavut will feel warming worse than in Ontario, we are all still going to be affected by this in some way. It’s never too late to take action, and before conditions get worse, we should look into ways of reducing climate change. Not only is it worrying that people will be harmed and forced to move because of this, but we are hurting our planet, and now is the time to change that. Gregory Flato

Accordingly, scientists have estimated that glaciers are losing at about 92 cubic kilometres of ice per year. In addition, the number equals the quantity of water used in Canada’s homes, factories, and farms for over 6 years. “Glaciers store snow like bank accounts store money; they hold snow in the winter and release water when it's most needed, during hot, dry summers and periods of drought. However, global warming is cashing in on a bank account that has been built over thousands of years but isn't being replenished” (Quote by David Suzuki). Furthermore, these are all horrific news for Canadian citizens.

In Greenland and in the Arctic I was astonished to see that ancient glaciers are rapidly disappearing well ahead of scientific predictions. All that I have seen and learned on this journey has terrified me. For decades, scientists have struggled to get the same basic message across: global

Global warming disrupting the natural Arctic wildfire patterns. The ice is melting fister because of global warming.7:28 minutes in the video it said “When it start to get warmer the ice melts quickly… I was afraid the ice will crack and i will fall in the water.” This proves that global warming is bad because of where they live the ice can just crack and they will fall in the water.  This proves that global warming is bad because of where they live the ice can just crack and they will fall in the

Climate change is a major global issue. Canada is the ninth largest emitter of greenhouse gas that needs to enact on a climate policy [1] (Mildenberger et al. 2016).Greenhouse gas slows down and prevents heat loss in space which increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface leading to global warming. Activities of energy industries, transportation, residential and commercial activities, manufacturing, construction, industrial processes, and agriculture emit greenhouse gases. Human activities emit Carbon dioxide (CO2) that is responsible for an increase of 85% in global warming (Ayşegül Toptal, Bilgesu Çetinkaya 2017). Loss of sea ice, thawing permafrost, and coastal erosion are already increasing in speed [7-9 Mildenberger et al. 2016],

Farge has been tracking glaciers in Glacier National Park for 25 years. The degrading ice fields are measured and photographed often. A once famous Boulder Glacier has been left to slush, with the same still happening to many Glaciers. In the park 50 glaciers existed in the mid nineteen fifties, now only 25 are left. In 1977 Gore made a speech on Grinnell Glacier about climate change. With the once 15-20 foot drop they were worried about falling ice. Today, the drop isn’t even to your kneecap. Cloud Glacier Peak is predicted to die in 2035. The decline has led to a loss of homes for many species. Animals that live near glacier edges enjoyed the conditioned temperatures, are now losing that. With the loss of these Glacier sea levels are rising

The first argument examined on the man-made global warning side is that increasing greenhouse gases caused by human activities is causing directly observed climate changes. The first resulting climate change discussed is warming global surface temperature. There has been an increase in global surface temperature of 0.74 degrees C since the late 19th century. In the last 50 years alone the temperature has increased by 0.13 degrees C per decade. North America and Eurasia have seen the largest increase in warmth. However, some areas of the earth have actually cooled some this past century (Easterling & Karl, 2011, para6). After the mid 20th century 70% of the global land mass saw reduced diurnal temperatures. From 1979 to 2005 the maximum and minimum temperatures have shown no change; both indicate warming (Easterling & Karl, 2011, para10). Furthermore, borehole temperatures, snow cover, and glacier recession data all seem to agree with recent warming (Easterling & Karl, 2011, para11).

In the article, “As Earth Warms, the Diseases That May Lie Within Permafrost Become a Bigger Worry,” published in the Scientific American on its November's 2016 issue by Sara Goudarzi, it talks about the potential threat of diseases that can lie beneath the permafrost. These diseases have been expelled from underneath due to the thawing of permafrost caused by global warming, resulting in one of the first outbreaks in Siberia in 75 years. Although some scientist who have searched for such diseases have come up empty handed, it is important that we stay weary of these illnesses as they can, “Include infectious agents humans might not be prepared for or have immunity to, the scientists [say].”

Due to changes in permafrost can also impact infrastructure. As it is stated in reading “permafrost melting attributable to a warmer climate will have serious implications for the structural integrity of northern houses and buildings” ( Healey et al. ). It is expected that permafrost depth and coverage are expected to decrease. Permafrost thaw can be easily weaken foundations. Weakening foundations means that building can collapse. Permafrost defrost can make building establishments move and end up falling. Solidified ground gives a safe establishment. Things like pipelines and streets which also depend on permafrost are also confronting stress from moving and defrosting grounds.

“The Ice Age”. Hearing these three words, you might think about the delightful animated kids movies that our modern culture has come to love. You might think about how old the ice cubes are that you put in your freezer a while ago. But by the end of this section, in which you will learn about glacial forces, your appreciation for “The Ice Age” will surpass boundaries that you never dreamt were possible. While the average human being’s understanding of the ice age may remain limited, you may find yourself becoming what some may call “an expert” on how glacial forces shaped the Howe Sound - Whistler region.

The Arctic is global warming’s canary in the coal mine. It is a highly sensitive area which is profoundly affected by the changing climate. The average temperature in the Arctic is rising twice as fast as elsewhere in the world (nrdc.org). Because of this, the ice cap is getting thinner, melting away, and rupturing. Here is an example of this; the largest ice block in the Arctic, the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, had been around for 3000 years before it started cracking in 2000 (nrdc.org) By 2002, the Ward Hunt has cracked completely through and had started breaking into smaller pieces. The melting ice caps are affecting the earth and its inhabitants in many ways. In this paper, the following concepts and subjects will be