Kevin Laliberte
Editor, Smoky River Express

By now, we’re all well aware of the ongoing challenges these days in relation to global warming and climate change. Those challenges were well documented last week by a University of Alberta researcher as part of a series of reports prepared for the Government of Alberta. These reports warn that climate change will have dire effects on the province, particularly in rural areas, will pose new problems in the coming years, says Debra Davidson, a professor of rural economy at the U of A, and a co-author on the research. “Rural communities are particularly sensitive to the fallout from climate change because they are more likely than large cities to have infrastructure deficits. For instance, there might be one road in and out of a town, which would usually be sufficient, but in a time of crisis, if that road is blocked off, where do people go?” Davidson explains. She says that more forest fires, unreliable water sources and difficult farming conditions are only some of the effects of climate change that could impact rural areas. Remoteness and poor access to resources can also place rural communities at a disadvantage, she noted. As well, many rural communities and homes rely on water wells or small reservoirs for their supply, which may dry up during times of drought brought on by global warming. Economic reliance on forestry, tourism and agriculture – all vulnerable to climate change – could also pose hardship to rural communities, Davidson notes. Areas likely to be most effected by climate variability include the southern areas of Alberta where conditions are already arid, the northern and west-central forested areas, which will see more fires, and the foothills regions, which will see grasslands encroaching into the forest fringes. While policy changes will have to come from the provincial government to meet larger infrastructure needs, at the local levels Davidson advises municipal districts, town and county councils banding together to developing regional plans that will create resiliency in times of trouble. “One example of that is economic development. Rather than competing, they create a more diversified economy. Another way is to develop a regional water management and conservation strategy,” said Davidson. Rural communities should also be moving now to assess the needs of their most vulnerable populations: the elderly, recent immigrants and aboriginals. “These groups tend to have fewer social and economic resources.” Communities can also make sure emergency plans are in place, as well as a backup plan for shelter if people can’t be evacuated during a crisis. There are also individual steps rural families can take to prepare themselves for times of crisis, Davidson added. “They should have stored food and water and know how to plan for power outages. A surprisingly low number of households have emergency plans.” The reports prepared by Davidson and her fellow researchers have been submitted to Alberta Environment for consideration.

Copyright © 2002 Smoky River Express. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster