Climate Change — Saskatchewan

Downloadable PDF version of this page
 

The earth’s temperature is naturally regulated by a layer of gases in the atmosphere which act like the glass in a greenhouse. This layer of gases—greenhouse gases (GHGs)—such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide, let in sunlight but tend to trap the heat reflected from the earth’s surface. Thus, the earth is naturally warmed by the greenhouse effect.

Without the greenhouse effect the earth would be too cold to maintain the diversity of life that it does now. However, since the industrial revolution, human activities have been releasing more GHG emissions into the atmosphere than ever before. As the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere increases, more of the sun’s energy is trapped, causing a warming in the average temperature of the earth. Much of this increase in GHG emissions is due to the burning of fossil fuels, releasing unprecedented amounts of carbon dioxide.

The eleven hottest years, out of the over 100 years that we have data for, have all occurred in the last 13 years and predictions are that our climate will continue to heat up. There is general agreement among scientists that the earth will likely experience a temperature increase of 1.4 to 5.8 degrees (celsius). The effects of climate change will vary from one region to another. For example, it is projected that Saskatchewan will experience a warming of 3-5 degrees in the summer by 2080. Although that may seem to be a slight change, the average temperature of the earth now is only 5 degrees warmer than the last ice age!

How does Saskatchewan contribute to climate change?

Saskatchewan has some of the highest per capita emissions in Canada because of our heavy reliance on fossil fuels to heat our homes and provide us with electricity. Coal is used to generate over half of Saskatchewan’s electricity and the primary fossil fuel used for providing heat is natural gas. Saskatchewan residents produce an average of 6.7 tonnes of GHGs annually compared with the national average of 5.5 tonnes

How will climate change affect us?

Although it is a global issue, people from Saskatchewan face a unique set of challenges which may include:

• more frequent extreme weather patterns like tornadoes, hailstorms, dust storms, and heat waves;
• bad agricultural conditions like longer and more numerous droughts and insect infestations;
• more forest fires in the boreal forest;
• lower water levels in lakes and rivers but higher risk of damaging floods;
• rapidly changing ecosystems resulting in the loss of species.

Disasters like the ice storm in Eastern Canada (which affected Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario) illustrate the severe damage that extreme weather patterns can do. Extreme weather is both dangerous and costly.

Agriculture is a vital part of Saskatchewan’s economy and many people’s way of life. As of 2003, agri-food exports account for 32% of Saskatchewan exports and are worth approximately $3.4 billion. More frequent dust storms, droughts, and insect infestations all threaten the viability of farming.

Logging is also an important industry in Saskatchewan, and climate change threatens it in two ways. First of all, forest fires destroy valuable timber. Secondly, a warmer, drier climate threatens the regeneration of the boreal forest. These impacts will have economic consequences for the province.

Climate change also poses a threat to the water resources of our province. Rivers and lakes will shrink while at the same time certain areas may be affected by flooding. Like droughts, these conditions make it harder to maintain a thriving agricultural sector and therefore may have financial ramifications for both individuals and the province as a whole.

Habitat loss due to human land use is already a cause for concern. For the many species that are already at risk, climate change has the potential to further endanger them. As the world warms up and Saskatchewan ecoregions (boreal forest, aspen parkland, and grassland) all shift northward, species have to be able to adapt to the change. However, physical geography (e.g., the Canadian Shield) may make adaptation more difficult or impossible. Also, it is estimated that global warming is occurring too swiftly for plants to be able to adapt. This will most certainly result in a loss of biodiversity and a reduction in the size of various ecosystems.

What is being done to combat climate change?

There is a wide range of initiatives to attempt to stop climate change. Most are headed by government (federal, provincial, and municipal) and non-profit organizations. However, individuals, small businesses, and industry play vital roles in developing and practising solutions.

Created in 2002, the mission of the Government of Saskatchewan’s Office of Energy Conservation is to “encourage action by the public and industry by facilitating the development and implementation of cost-effective energy conservation initiatives”. The provincial government is also developing a plan for a “Green and Prosperous Economy”..

With the help of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES), the City of North Battleford undertook energy conservation measures to reduce their spending on utilities. By beginning with small projects and then reinvesting some of the money saved on energy bills in larger initiatives in the future, the city’s strategy used a very positive cycle — the more money they saved, the more measures could be implemented which in turn saved them even more money. Over three years, North Battleford saved $112,000 and their energy bills are $52,000 lower than they used to be!

SES has a number of ongoing efforts to reduce GHG emissions. The aim of their Destination Conservation Saskatchewan (DCS) project, with the support of SaskPower and SaskEnergy, is to work with the staff, students, and parents of Saskatchewan school divisions in order to help them lower energy and water consumption and to reduce waste production. Combined with energy retrofits based on energy audits, DCS can be very successful at both reducing GHG emissions and saving schools money, usually 20-30% of their utility bills. The 70 schools participating in DCS have saved over 5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, and 600,000m3 of natural gas. That amounts to stopping 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ from being released into the atmosphere and a combined savings of over $670,000. Find out more about Destination Conservation Saskatchewan.

In 1996, in partnership with SES, the Friendship Inn in Saskatoon looked into the possibility of saving money through energy conservation. With the help of some money from the Shell Environment Fund, the Friendship Inn undertook a variety of energy retrofits. Since then they have been saving over $1,000 a year on their utility bill, allowing them to invest their savings in their social and self-help programs.

As a result of the success of the Friendship Inn project, the Affinity Credit Union has established a low-interest fund which can be used by non-profit groups to pay for energy retrofits. The Credit Union will also provide SES with a grant to help with the project. Because energy conservation methods often have such a short pay-back period, the fund is a great way for non-profit organizations to save money and reduce their GHG emissions.

Saskatoon Home a Model of Energy Efficiency

The best insulated house in the world can be found in Saskatoon! In his own words, Rob Dumont built his house in 1992 to “be a leading example of energy efficiency; use renewable, sustainable energy sources; minimize environmental damage; and contribute to a better world through the use of recycled materials and carbon-based materials.” Exceptional insulation, solar energy features, and efficient appliances and lighting in their home allow the Dumonts to reduce their energy usage to only 16% of the Saskatchewan average.

The Small Commercial Buildings Program is a pilot project of SES, sponsored by Saskatchewan's Office of Energy Conservation. Modelled on the successful SES/Credit Union program, which focuses on buildings owned by non-profit organizations, the Small Commercial Buildings Program will work during the fall and winter of 2004-05 with 6 small businesses, some in Saskatoon and some in a nearby town, to help them improve their energy efficiency. Businesses will receive a preliminary audit to assess their energy-saving potential as well as advice about how to proceed with realizing the savings. There is a modest fee of $50 for participation. This program is managed by Angie Bugg, who may be contacted for details by email at angieb@environmentalsociety.ca.

What can I do?

Despite the many initiatives of large organizations, some of the most important efforts to stop climate change can be undertaken by individual Canadians. From installing a high-efficiency furnace to simply driving your car less, there are a wide variety of things that you can do.

At home save energy, save money — In your home, you can buy a high efficiency furnace, improve seals and insulation, lower your thermostat and water heater, use fluorescent light bulbs, and buy energy efficient appliances. All of these measures not only save energy, but they will save you money as well!

Transportation — Like improving the efficiency of your home, buying a fuel efficient car when you replace your vehicle will not only reduce GHG emissions, in the long run it will save you money on gas. Proper air pressure in tires and regular maintenance are also a good idea. Carpooling or using public transit is a great alternative to driving with only one or two people in the car. Best of all, walking or biking creates no emissions and is great for your health.

There are some actions you can take that are a part of living sustainably and in an environmentally responsible way. Be conscious of how your actions affect the earth and try to stay informed about the many issues that affect you. It is also important to support and/or encourage positive efforts by others. For example, you can write to your MLA or MP and urge them to take action or congratulate them for a job well done. Finally, get involved with an environmental organization or inform other people about climate change and the actions that they can take. It’s an issue that affects everyone and will be particularly important to everyone living in Saskatchewan.

For more information

• www.davidsuzuki.org
• www.pembina.org
• www.climatechange.gc.ca
• www.ipcc.ch
• www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming/maps/map2.pdf
• www.sierraclub.ca/national/programs/atmosphere-energy/climate-change/index.shtml
• earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/greenhouse/
• oee.nrcan.gc.ca/eii

Home | Upcoming Events | Issues | Resources | About Us | Links | Site Map