The Effects Of Climate Change On Canada 's National Parks

Climate change will have a direct impact in the future of the park. Summer heat levels will become a norm that could be damaging to the Yellowstone environment. “All of natuires resources can be leveled with the astronomical amount of heat that will be produced based on climate change. the first evaluation of how climate change will affect the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, is a joint project of the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, a nonprofit that advocates for carbon emission reductions by drawing attention to the likely consequences of climate change, and the Greater

Climatic changes are expected to change species distributions, phenologies, interspecific interactions, community composition, and ecosystem function (Schneider & Root 2002). Many of these impacts have already been observed (Parmesan 2006). In California’s San Joaquin Valley, temperatures are projected to be warmer in both winter and summer, with a mean annual increase of 1.4–2.0°C by 2070 (PRBO Conservation Science 2011). Additionally, precipitation is projected to decrease (-9% to -30%), although there is a high degree of uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of the precipitation changes (PRBO Conservation Science 2011). Summer heat waves are projected to become longer and hotter, and droughts more severe (Garfin et al. 2012).

For the last two decades, the increased use of fossil energy caused the environmental problems. The evidence of global warming, like drying rivers, extinction of species, melting of glaciers, became more often around the planet. The climate change became a threat to healthy environment and prosperity of humanity and wildlife, and the world community started searching for solution to combat climate change. In 2008 British Columbia introduced carbon tax on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to reduce global warming. Starting from $10 per tonne of CO2, the price was increasing annually till it reached $30 per tonne in 2012. During that period British Columbia was reducing harmful emissions and improving economy comparing to the rest of Canada. However, since the price rise on carbon stopped in 2012, no improving changes in cutting emissions, economy, and overall quality of life have been noticed. In this essay I will persuade that British Columbia should continue gradually increase price on carbon tax to the level where it will significantly cut the use of dirty energy, provide enough investments into the green projects, and support low-income families.

Glacier National Park, located in Montana, is known for its impressive glaciers. Due to climate change, these glaciers have begun retreating at an alarming speed. The melting of glaciers impacts the whole ecosystem, biotic and abiotic factors alike. Signs of change can be seen in the rivers, meadows, and animals.

In the Americas Pavilion of the Toronto Zoo, two species were identified as having different reactions to the same change to the environment. The Giant Pacific Octopus and the North American River Otter are affected differently by the inconsistent climate patterns and the overall warming of the climate.

First Nations Housing Aboriginal people are the fastest growing population in Canada (Nations, 2014) with more than half the population under the age of 25, and as a result there is a housing shortage. Housing on reserve is often overcrowded resulting in unhealthy conditions. It is estimated that there is a shortage of 20000 – 35000 units with the shortfall growing by 2200 units with each year. (Joseph, 2012) The demand for housing is increasing more and more with each year.

As Perry Bellegarde, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations said, Trudeau’s claims finally allow for an optimistic view of the general aboriginal community’s future (Mas, 2015). Indeed, it is promising to witness the government taking action towards addressing issues such as lack of funding in aboriginal education, as it is these issues along with indecent access to fresh produce or to proper entertainment, which most often leads to both physical and mental health problems in First Nation communities. Furthermore, although most of the Canadian population is aware of the health issues faced by aboriginal communities, what seems to be lesser known is that the cause of those issues go far beyond maladaptive genes. Consequently, measures addressing the socioeconomic risk factors, such as access to adequate health services, must be taken as soon as possible.

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

Native people and aboriginals are not treated fairly it's 2017 and we have more homeless in Winnipeg than they were a decade ago. Ottawa has spent nearly 1 billion investing in a program that built low-income rental homes for the aboriginals despite that over 75% of people in shelters are actually aboriginal peoples. On the reserves the housing isn't the best either most houses on the reserves aren't in living conditions some still end up staying on the reserve.

Before we analyse the data of the health indicators and data in Aboriginal communities, we must recognise the sheer diversity of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada - who are so dispersed across the nation. This this severely limits our interpretation of data on Aboriginal communities as, there is little data on Aboriginal people who do not live on Aboriginal reservations in Canada (Cardwell and Wilson: 2005). Furthermore, the data that is often used in empirical studies of indigenous communities often condense complex data – making it exceptionally difficult to paint an accurate picture of disparities in the Aboriginal population of Canada. Health disparities are the indicators of a disproportionate burden of disease on a particular population. Whereas, health inequities point to the underlying causes of the disparities - which are related to social, economic, cultural, and political inequities (Adelson, 2005: 45). For example, the urban non-Aboriginal population in Canada has a higher level of education and income than the aboriginal population (Cardwell and Wilson: 2012). This is inherently important for improving the health of Aboriginal communities. As, Canada’s indigenous population are often recognised as some of the most disadvantaged and impoverished people in Canada, particularly when compared to the non-Aboriginal people.

This leads to uneducated people living in close confinement in poverty. The answer for a lot of the young people is crime. The statistics for over representation by first nations people in Manitoba are as follows “12% of Manitoba’s population is Aboriginal, yet over half of the 1600 people incarcerated in Manitoba are of Aboriginal descent.” (Government of Manitoba). The question then becomes, why are there so many offenders from one ethnic group? “The commission explains that Aboriginal people seem to commit more crimes as well as they are discriminated against within the justice system” (Government of Manitoba). This seems to me, to be an extension of the Residential school policies, in which the First Nations people are discriminated against, in this case treated as drunks and criminals, which is not much better than the “savages” they use to be.

Sawchuk suggested that in 2011, the rate of employment for Indigenous peoples in Canada (62.5 percent) was lower than the non-Indigenous population (75.8 percent). Similarly, income also tends to be below the Canadian average at this point. Likewise, much of the housing in First Nations communities is inadequate and in need of repair. According to Sawchuk’s research, an on-reserve housing has a life-span of fifteen to twenty years, less than half the national average.

There is an ongoing struggle to ensure that First Nations in northern Ontario have food security. Food security exists when people have consistent physical and economical access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food that meets their dietary needs for a healthy life (Socha et al., 1). Members of the First Nations Community in the north indicate that their children are eating unhealthy food like chips and pop because they cannot afford the basic healthy necessities (Stefanovich, 1). According to the Chiefs of Ontario and the First Nations Information Governance Centre, 48% of First Nations adults living on-reserve experience severe or moderate food insecurity (Chiefs of Ontario, 46). Food insecurity leads to generally

Glacier National Park in Montana is one of the most beautiful and extraordinary places I have ever been to. The park, known for its magnificent glaciers, might soon be a misnomer. The 150 glaciers that used to populate and feed every ecosystem in the park have now been reduced to 26: which are all projected to melt by 2030. Visitation of Glacier National Park has increased by 70.5% since 2000 (almost 1 million visitors), and with global warming stripping away the glaciers, the next generation will not be able to experience and cherish the park in the same way that I did. This is important because people should be provided the opportunity to escape from their everyday lives and be with nature in places such as national parks. Furthermore, the melting of the glaciers will devastate all of the surrounding towns, such as Kalispell, that heavily rely on the

"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words” (Anna Sewell). There is undeniable evidence that animals are being affected by climate change. Even though the effects are difficult to measure, there are many different ways animals are being affected. With the loss of predator and prey species it affects the life cycles in the food chain. The earth’s climate change causes habitats such as snow, ice, or forest areas to alter, resulting in loss of habitat and food accessibility as well as causing extinction.