Climate Change

Climate change is projected to be the single greatest threat to wildlife and the natural environment in our lifetime. It has an impact on all living things, shifting animals’ natural ranges, altering the timing of migration and causing young to be born earlier. Changes in weather patterns are also particularly worrisome as they can cause problems such as the melting of Arctic ice caps or extreme weather events.

In the past, the changes were slow, and animals were given a small window of time in which to adapt. Today, due to human activities, climate changes are occurring at an accelerated rate, giving wildlife fewer opportunities to cope with the changes. It is for this reason that climate change was identified as a priority during the 2009 issues assessment. 

Climate Change Adaptation Symposium
To address the issue of how we can help wildlife adapt to climate change, CWF helped organize and fund a Climate Change Adaptation Symposium in British Columbia. This was the first symposium of its kind in Canada in which scientists assembled alongside resource managers and others to discuss options to manage future climate change issues while simultaneously offering Canada’s wildlife the best possible chance to adapt. 

Carbon Trading Revenues and Canadian Wildlife
The Government of Canada is considering implementing a cap and trade carbon credit system to reduce carbon emissions in Canada.  The sale of carbon credits would require industry to pay for the amount of carbon their facilities emit each year, which would generate a substantial amount of funds for the Canadian Government annually. 

In 2009, CWF advocated that the Government of Canada allocate a percentage of revenues generated from any cap and trade system to efforts that mitigate the effects of climate change on Canadian wildlife. Funds of this kind could help wildlife adapt by initiating conservation projects, creating wildlife migration corridors and other restoration measures to help wildlife adapt.

Members of the public were also urged to participate in the call to action through communications and the climate change adaptation petition posted on CWF’s website. This petition was sent to the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment.

CWF Attends Historic Enviro-Summit
Rick Bates, CWF’s Executive Director, attended a meeting in Washington, D.C., with environmental leaders from across North America. This meeting allowed CEOs from 30 environmental groups based in Canada and the United States to meet and discuss the most pressing issues in climate change. Their collaboration parallels the emerging threats that intertwine Canadian and American economic and environmental health, including the impacts of climate change, tar sands oil production and Arctic development. The leaders used the opportunity to compare key information and research results in order to identify the most important issues in climate change that should be addressed in 2010. This information also determined the approach taken at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP15, to collectively shape environmental and economic policy.

United Nations Climate Change Conference
In December 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark, hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 15, which attracted over 45,000 delegates. Those representing CWF were Wade Luzny, Executive Vice-President; Rick Bates, Executive Director; Dr. Luba Mycio-Mommers, CWF Director of Education; Heather Robison, CWF Media and Community Relations, and four members of our Learning Institute: Dr. Richard Mrazek (University of Lethbridge), Dr. Yves Jean (University of Quebec in Montreal, TELUQ) and Dr. Grant Gardner (Memorial University).

Deforestation accounts for 17 per cent of the globe’s total emissions. The United Nations REDD proposal calls on wealthy countries to support the needs of developing countries by rewarding them for sustainably managing their forests and thus reducing their emissions of greenhouse gases. The proposal would also involve securing carbon dioxide in plants and soils through forest restoration. By providing technical and financial support to the United Nations proposal for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (UNREDD), Canada has the opportunity to take an active role in the reduction of greenhouse gases at an international level.

CWF hosted networking meetings for Canadian delegates to discuss the issues facing Canada’s Arctic as well as the work of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development Education Caucus. 

Canada once held a good international reputation on environmental issues; however this status was tarnished after the United Nations Climate Change Conference. While Canada was respected in the environmental community for achievements such the Air Quality Agreement with the United States to reduce acid rain, the Migratory Bird Convention Act, our national parks system and much more, recent criticism has befallen our country for missing the greenhouse-gas-reduction targets committed to in 1997. CWF is urging the Government of Canada to take steps to restore our country’s environmental reputation.