Global Environmental Change Group

Tristan Pearce Co-Chairs session at IASSA Akureyri, Iceland June 22-26, 2011

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:07:00 -0400

Tristan Pearce of the GECG will travel to Akureyri, Iceland next week to attend the International Arctic Social Science Association conference and co-chair the session "The Social Economy of Sharing in the North American Arctic" with Peter Collings, University of Florida. This session will highlight research in settlements in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland that address the social economy of sharing. Topics will include patterns of food distribution, knowledge transmission, changes in subsistence activities and household structure. The conference program is available online: www.iassa.org/programme

Barry Smit and Tristan Pearce Featured in CNN

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:21:00 -0400

An article featuring Barry Smit and graduate student Tristan Pearce was recently released by CNN on Dec 30, 2010. The article titled "Inuit lives and diets change as ice shifts" highlights their research undertaken in Ulukhaktuk which has found that changes in climate, and subsequently sea ice conditions has an impact on the diets of Inuit in the Arctic. The article illustrates the adjustments and adaptations that Inuit hunters have made to cope with these changes.

Barry Smit Invited to Canada Research Chair 10 year Anniversary Conference

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:02:00 -0400

Barry Smit will present at the 10 year Anniversary Celebration of the Canada Research Chairs Program, November 24-25, 2010 in Toronto. Barry, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Environmental Change was invited to speak on the topic 'Can the Environment Help Save the Economy'. Barry was a CRC highlighted in a Sunday Star special feature titled "Canada: Thinking Ahead". More information can be found here. The event program can be found here.

Smit and Pearce Opinion piece in Toronto Star

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:24:00 -0400

An opinion article by Barry Smit and Tristan Pearce appeared in the Toronto Star Sunday July 25, 2010. The article is titled 'The Science of Climate Change is Alive and Well' and can be found here.

Tristan Pearce profiled in atGuelph online article

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:43:00 -0400

Tristan Pearce, PhD candidate with the Global Environmental Change Group, was recently featured in the University of Guelph's atGuelph publication. The article can be read here.

Barry Smit and Taito Nakalevu sucessful in IDRC - IRIACC development grant stage

Fri, 14 May 2010 14:56:00 -0400

Co-Principal Investigators, Barry Smit and Taito Nakalevu of the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme, Samoa, along with a team of notable scholars and practitioners were one of 12 successful applications through the LOI stage of a new IDRC International Research Initiative on Adaptation to Climate Change (IRIACC). The development grant will allow Smit and Nakalevu and team to develop the full research program proposal over the coming months, to be submitted in September. IDRC will award up to 5 proposals $2.5m each over 5 years at the full proposal stage.

PhD Candidate Tara Holland wins prestigeous Vanier Scholarship

Fri, 14 May 2010 14:41:00 -0400

GECG PhD Candidate Tara Holland has recently been awarded the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship valued at $50,000 for three years. The Vanier CGS program aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies. Tara's research on agricultural adaptation and the Canadan viticulture industry will signficantly benefit from this award.

Congratulations Tara!

Barry Smit returns from ACSANZ lecture tour of Australia & New Zealand

Fri, 14 May 2010 14:17:00 -0400

Barry Smit recently returned from a busy 7 city lecture tour across Australia and New Zealand. The speaking series, hosted by the Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand, and the High Commission of Canada, featured the Federation Dialogue 2010, of which Barry served as the Canadian visiting scholar. Read more about the tour here

Tristan Pearce & James Ford Article Featured in 'The Record'

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:05:00 -0400

Today's 'The Record' featured an article by Tristan Pearce, PhD Candidate of the Geography Department and Dr. James Ford, graduate of the Geography Department, now assistant Professor at McGill University. The article, titled 'Inuit see what's happening to Arctic ice" highlights Inuit observations of sea ice change identified through their research with the community of Ulukhaktok in the Western Arctic, to address recent skepticism surrounding climate change science. Read the article here

Barry Smit quoted in ON Nature Magazine

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:12:00 -0400

Dr. Barry Smit was recently quoted in an issue of ON Nature. The article, written by Ray Ford, considers the future challenges and opportunities facing Ontario farmers in light of changing conditions. You can read the article here.

New Publication in Global Environmental Change

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:58:00 -0400

Several of our team members have contributed to a new article in the journal Global Environmental Change.

Ford, J.F., T. Pearce, F. Duerden, C. Furgal and B. Smit. 2010. Climate change policy responses for Canada's Inuit population: The importance of and opportunities for adaptation. Global Environmental Change, 20(1): 177-191.

ABSTRACT: We identify and examine how policy intervention can help Canada’s Inuit population adapt to climate change. The policy responses are based on an understanding of the determinants of vulnerability identified in research conducted with 15 Inuit communities. A consistent approach was used in each case study where vulnerability is conceptualized as a function of exposure-sensitivity to climatic risks and adaptive capacity to deal with those risks. This conceptualization focuses on the biophysical and human determinants of vulnerability and how they are influenced by processes and conditions operating at multiple spatial-temporal scales. Case studies involved close collaboration with community members and policy makers to identify conditions to which each community is currently vulnerable, characterize the factors that shape vulnerability and how they have changed over time, identify opportunities for adaptation policy, and examine how adaptation can be mainstreamed. Fieldwork, conducted between 2006 and 2009, included 443 semi-structured interviews, 20 focus groups/community workshops, and 65 interviews with policy makers at local, regional, and national levels. Synthesizing findings consistent across the case studies we document significant vulnerabilities, a function of socio-economic stresses and change, continuing and pervasive inequality, and magnitude of climate change. Nevertheless,adaptations are available, feasible, and Inuit have considerable adaptive capacity. Realizing this adaptive capacity and overcoming adaptation barriers requires policy intervention to: (i) support the teaching and transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills, (ii) enhance and review emergency management capability, (iii) ensure the flexibility of resource management regimes, (iv) provide economic support to facilitate adaptation for groups with limited household income, (v) increase research effort to identify short and long term risk factors and adaptive response options, (vi) protect key infrastructure, and (vii) promote awareness of climate change impacts and adaptation among policy makers.

Jackie Dawson appointed to two new positions

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:53:00 -0400

Congratulations to Jackie Dawson who has accepted two exciting invitations to become an adjunct professor with Lakehead University in the Department of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism, as well as a Research Fellow with Lincoln University (New Zealand) in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design.

As an adjunct professor with Lakehead University Jackie will be playing a role in mentoring graduate students in the Department of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism who are working on a SSHRC funded project let by Dr. Margaret Johnston. As part of a four-person research team Jackie was a co-recipient of this $250,000 grant, which seeks to understand the implications of changing conditions for Arctic communities experiencing an increase in cruise ship visitation ushered in by decreased sea ice extent and thickness.

As a Research Fellow with Lincoln University, Jackie will be working within the LEaP (Land, Environment and People) Research Centre under the Research Theme “Climate Change, Peak Oil & Society". LeAP was established by Dr. Suzanne Becken to enhance the understanding of economic, environmental and social sustainability of societies in the context of local-global change. The Research Centre provides a forum for creating and sharing knowledge in the areas of land, environment and people.

New publications from GECG

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:01:00 -0400

Over the past several months, several former and current members of the GECG team have articles accepted for publications. Congratulations to everyone! Please visit our Publications section to access the full articles.

Young, G., H. Zavala, J. Wandel, B. Smit, S. Salas, E. Jimenez, M. Fiebig, R. Espinoza, H. Diaz and J. Cepeda. 2009. Vulnerability and Adaptation in a Dryland Community of the Elqui Valley, Chile. Climatic Change, (In press).

Brown, H.C. Peach. 2009. Climate change and the Ontario forest sector: Prospects for building institutional adaptive capacity. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, (In press).

Wandel, J., G. Young, and B. Smit. 2009 The 2001-2002 drought: vulnerability and adaptation in Alberta's special areas. Prairie Forum, 34(1): 211-234.

Pearce, T.D., B. Smit, F. Duerden, J. Ford, A. Goose, F. Kataoyak. 2009. Inuit vulnerability and adaptive capacity to climate change in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada. Polar Record, (in press).

Pouliotte, J., B. Smit and L. Westerhoff. 2009. Adaptation and development: livelihoods and climate change in Subarnabad, Bangladesh. Climate and Development, 1: 31-46.

Globe and Mail article: Climate change in the land of great drought

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:33:00 -0400

Barry's article, Climate change in the land of great drought, was published in the Comments section of the Globe and Mail on Friday, July 3rd. You can read it at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/climate-change-in-the-land-of-great-drought/article1204677/

Tristan Pearce Wins Prestigious Doctoral Scholarship

Fri, 08 May 2009 13:17:00 -0400

Congratulations to Tristan Pearce for winning a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. The Vanier program awards scholarships to world-class international and Canadian doctoral students who demonstrate a high standard of scholarly achievement and leadership skills. Tristan Pearce is in the Geography PhD program at the University of Guelph, and is a member of the Global Environmental Change Group contributing to the ArcticNet and IPY-CAVIAR programs. His Arctic expertise is already recognised through his publications and community engagement. His doctoral research is on knowledge transmission in adaptation to climate change among Inuit in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. The three-year scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year.