Water FAQ's - Resource Library for the Environment and the Law

Climate change refers to altered long-term weather patterns. The most significant of these is global warming -- the gradual warming of the earth caused by carbon dioxide and other gases collecting like a blanket in the atmosphere.

Although temperatures around the globe fluctuate naturally, cooling and warming in different places at different times, the overall temperature of the earth has increased by more than half a degree Celsius since the beginning of the twentieth century. This rate of increase over the last hundred years has been the fastest and most dramatic in the history of the world.

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2. What is causing this rapid warming?

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane are becoming too concentrated in the atmosphere. These gases, called greenhouse gases, already exist naturally in the atmosphere in small concentrations. They allow sunlight to pass through and heat the earth. They also absorb heat radiated by the earth and return it back. In this way they warm the earth like glass warms a greenhouse. However, the unnatural release of these gases from burning fossil fuels has upset the balance of these gases in the atmosphere.

For more information on climate change and weather patterns, see the web site of the Meteorological Service of Canada: www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/saib/climate/climat_e.cfm

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3. How do we know what causes climate change?

Although greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere naturally, the significant increases over the last century are clearly the result of human activity. Scientists have shown that the rate of increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the last 100 years matches the rate of increase of human-caused emissions.

This has been unequivocally confirmed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations-sanctioned panel of hundreds of climate change experts convened to report on the science of climate change and to provide policy advice to governments. The IPCC in their 2001 report stated that “emissions of greenhouse gases…due to human activities continue to alter the atmosphere in ways that are expected to affect the climate.”

The IPCC has observed that changes consistent with warmer temperatures are already occurring. Mountain glaciers are retreating. There is reduced snow cover and earlier spring melting of ice on rivers and lakes, and the global sea level is rising.

To read the Climate Change 2001 reports of the IPCC, “The Scientific Basis” and “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” see: www.ipcc.ch/pub/pub.htm

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4. How fast is climate change happening?

The pace of the earth's warming is accelerating. The twentieth century was the warmest century of the last millennium. The 1990s were the warmest decade of the last century. And, 2003 was the third warmest year on record just behind 2002, the second warmest year on record. The hottest year on record is still 1998.

In this century, scientists expect a doubling of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. They estimate that this could result in a global increase of temperatures between 1 and 6 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.

For updated information on changes in the world's temperature, see the press releases, particularly the year-end releases, of the World Meteorological Organization at: www.wmo.ch/web/Press/Press.html

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5. What are the sources of greenhouse gas emissions?

Carbon dioxide (the key factor in climate change) and other greenhouse gases come mainly from the exhaust pipes of cars, trucks and other vehicles, and from the stacks of power plants and industries that burn coal, oil, and gas.

In Canada the biggest source of carbon dioxide is transportation -- approximately one-quarter of the total. Industries are not far behind contributing 19 per cent. Electricity generation -- coal and natural gas-fired power plants -- accounts for a significant 16 per cent of emissions, while production of oil and natural gas mainly from the oil sands in Alberta is 15 per cent.

The other sources are residential heating and lighting at 8 percent. Commercial and institutional sectors are 4 per cent of the total.

Agricultural activities are responsible for 9 percent of Canada 's total greenhouse gas emissions. However, they are almost completely from non-energy sources. Rather than carbon dioxide, farming contributes two different greenhouse gases -- nitrous oxides from nitrogen fertilizers, and methane from livestock.

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6. What will the effects of climate change be?

The increase in global temperatures will cause more extreme weather events – more intense storms, flooding, droughts and hotter longer heat waves. Throughout the world it is expected that diseases like cholera and malaria will spread.

Simulations of Ontario 's climate suggest that here there will be an average annual warming of 2 to 5 degrees C by the end of the century. Rain and snow patterns will change bringing more frequent and heavier rainstorms but less snow and ice in the winter. This will mean an earlier snowmelt and more runoff in winter, and in summer less runoff and more dry spells.

Drier hotter summers will probably increase the number and severity of forest fires. There will be more heat waves in southern Ontario , and these very hot days are likely to cause more cases of heat stress and a higher incidence of air pollution. Warmer temperatures could extend the growing season in Ontario and increase yields. However, it is also likely that less rainfall could increase the need for irrigation, and that less snow cover could damage crops.

For more regional information on climate change in Ontario , see the web site of the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network at: www.c-ciarn-ontario.ca/english/science.html

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7. What will the impact be on Ontario 's lakes and rivers?

Ontario 's water is very vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As a result, Ontario 's lakes and rivers are likely to experience the following problems:

Water levels around the province will decline as moisture evaporates because of warmer temperatures and less ice cover. This would affect inland lakes and the Great Lakes where dramatic decreases in lake levels could occur. It is possible that the levels of all the Great Lakes will go down by one metre or more by the middle of the century. In shallow lakes such as Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie the existing shoreline could move up to six kilometres offshore.

Water supplies from both groundwater and surface water are expected to decrease in southern Ontario . Because of seasonal changes in precipitation, the province's water supplies may suffer in summer when rainfall can't compensate for the drying effects. Reduced summer water levels can affect the recharge of groundwater causing small streams to dry up.

Wetlands may shrink and disappear. This would harm spawning grounds, reduce wildlife habitat, and result in generally poorer water quality.

Warmer summer temperatures in lakes and rivers will cause prized cold water fish such as lake trout, brook trout and whitefish to decline dramatically. Other cold water species such as muskie and walleye, along with warm water species such as bluegill and small mouth bass, may go northward, while new species move in from the south. Warmer temperatures will also extend the range of invasive species such as zebra mussel and carp.

Lower water levels and warmer temperatures can increase concentrations of mercury and other contaminants in the food chain.

The longer stratification of lakes in summer will increase, adding to the risk of oxygen depletion and the formation of deep water “dead zones”. This could create problems for shallow lakes like Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

Predictions of rising sea levels in the Atlantic coupled with lower flows from the Great Lakes have led some scientists to speculate that seawater could advance up the St. Lawrence River as far as Montreal altering freshwater ecosystems and compromising drinking water supplies.

For more information on the impacts on Ontario , see “Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region”, released by the Suzuki Foundation in April 2003 at: www.davidsuzuki.org/climate_change/impacts/greatlakes.asp

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8. What are the economic effects in Ontario of changes in water levels and supply?

Lower water levels and water supplies can have serious economic consequences for Ontario :

Lower water levels can affect the capacity of hydroelectric generation. In the Great Lakes record low levels in the 1960s caused losses of hydroelectric power between 19 and 26 per cent on the Niagara and St. Lawrence Rivers.

Reduced ice levels in the Great Lakes could extend the shipping season. However, extremely low lake levels would limit the cargo capacity of vessels and increase operating costs of harbours and shipping channels because of the need for more dredging.

With the loss of important sports fish species, the sports fishery would be damaged.

Shoreline based infrastructure could be negatively affected by lower lake levels. Some docking facilities could become inaccessible. Municipalities would have to consider moving water intakes and sewage disposal outlets further out into the lakes in order to protect drinking water quality.

Crops that have historically been grown in the Great Lakes Basin may no longer thrive in a warmer climate. More drought tolerant crops may need to be substituted.

Extreme heat waves, similar to the ones that devastated Europe in the summer of 2003 could cause premature deaths, could occur, straining our health care systems and exceeding the capacity of our energy supplies to meet air conditioning demands.

For more information on the environmental and economic effects on the Great Lakes Basin, see the Report of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board to the International Joint Commission, “Climate Change and Water Quality in the Great Lakes Basin” at: www.ijc.org/php/publications/html/climate/index.html

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9. What are Justice O'Connor's recommendations on climate change from the Walkerton Commission of Inquiry?

Many people appearing at the Walkerton Inquiry raised the concern that climate change might affect the safety of future drinking water supplies. Justice O'Connor felt his mandate did not extend to long-term issues such as the impact of climate change.

Nevertheless, he suggested that certain recommendations, if implemented, would provide tools for adaptive management. These recommendations included preparing water budgets for watersheds to identify areas of vulnerability to water takings, improving contingency plans for extreme events, encouraging best management practices in rural areas to reduce sources of pollution, and encouraging community-based environmental stewardship.

The Report of the Walkerton Commission of Inquiry, part 2, Chapter Four (4.2.3), The Protection of Drinking Water Sources, contains Justice O'Connor's brief remarks on climate change. The Report is available at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/pubs/walkerton/

The Walkerton report is also available in print from the Ontario Government Bookstore at: http://pubont.stores.gov.on.ca/pool/

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10. What legislation governs climate change?

Climate change is an international concern. Rather than a single national or provincial law governing climate change, there is an overarching international agreement that binds countries to reductions in greenhouse gases.

Under the sponsorship of the United Nations, Canada along with more than 150 other nations first signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change at the Earth Summit in Brazil in 1992. This was followed in 1997 by the negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement that sets specific targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Under the Kyoto Protocol Canada and other developed countries have made a commitment to reduce their emissions to 6 per cent of 1990 emissions levels. They agreed to meet these targets by the five-year period between 2008 and 2012.

This Protocol becomes legally binding when 55 countries responsible for 55 per cent of global 1990 carbon dioxide emissions sign the agreement. On December 17, 2002, Prime Minister Jean Chretien ratified the Kyoto Protocol on behalf of Canada . Although more than 100 countries have ratified the Protocol, these countries represent only 44 per cent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.

The federal government and the provinces have been working together to formulate a plan for meeting these targets. In October 2000 Canada released its National Implementation Strategy on Climate Change and the First National Business Plan.

In 2002 the federal government issued “A Discussion Paper on Canada 's Contribution to Assessing Climate Change” and held cross-Canada forums on the different options to meet the targets of the Kyoto Protocol.

For more information on the status of the Kyoto Protocol, see the web site of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

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11. Is Canada meeting the targets set by the Kyoto Protocol?

Canada 's greenhouse gas emissions have increased significantly since 1990, the benchmark year for greenhouse gas emissions. Although some important actions have been taken in the last decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions primarily by industries, other factors have caused an overall increase. This means carbon dioxide emissions would have been even higher, had these reductions not been made.

The actual volume of emissions for the country is now about 726 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year. The emissions goal for Canada under the Kyoto Protocol is 571 million tonnes. This represents 6 per cent less than the amount of carbon dioxide that Canada emitted in 1990. It means the government must make overall reductions 21 per cent from today's total to meet the targets agreed to in the Kyoto Protocol. If no action is taken – the “business as usual” scenario -- the emissions for the year 2010 are predicted to be 809 million tonnes annually.

In Ontario there has been a similar pattern of increases. Greenhouse gas emissions in the ten years between 1990 and 2000 rose 14 per cent – from 181 million tonnes to 207 million tonnes. These increases were primarily due to the increased reliance on coal-fired generating stations, the growing use of vehicles like minivans and Sport Utility Vehicles that are not as energy efficient as cars and to new low-density developments.

A report on the outlook for Canada 's greenhouse gas emissions, “ Canada 's Emissions Outlook: An Update”, December 1999, is available at the site of Natural Resources Canada at:

http://nrcan.gc.ca/es/ceo/update.htm

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12. What laws apply indirectly to climate change?

Although neither Canada nor Ontario has specific legislation directed at climate change, there are federal and provincial laws that can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Federal legislation that applies to climate change includes:

Fuel Efficiency Standards

The Canadian government passed legislation in 1981 to limit car emissions – the Motor Vehicle Consumption Standards Act . However, this Act was never proclaimed. The fuel efficiency standards for Canadian automobiles were effectively set by American regulations in the mid 1980s when the U.S. established the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. Canada currently has a voluntary agreement to meet U.S. fuel efficiency standards. These standards, however, have not been changed since the 1980s. The United States has not signed the Kyoto Protocol and has no obligation to improve their fuel efficiency standards. Canada, however, has voluntarily agreed to a new motor vehicle fuel efficiency initiative as part of the Canada Action Plan 2000, that would significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions starting as early as 2004. Because cars, trucks and other vehicles contribute the largest percentage of carbon dioxide in Canada to the atmosphere, fuel efficiency is one of the most important areas to control.

Model National Energy Code

The federal government developed a Model National Energy Code for Buildings and a Model Energy Code for Homes that sets out minimum standards for energy efficiency in all new homes and buildings. Model Codes can be adopted by the provinces as regulations under their Building Code Acts. However, except for Quebec , none of the provinces have done this. Ontario has referenced the Model National Energy Code for Buildings in its Building Code.

In addition, Ontario has provincial legislation that it can apply to reduce carbon dioxide emissions:

Ontario Energy Efficiency Act

Under the Ontario Energy Efficiency Act , designated appliances and consumer products must meet government-imposed standards for energy efficiency. New efficiency standards under this Act can be added to improve the energy efficiency of all energy using products. The federal government also has an Energy Efficiency Act that applies to all dealers importing into Canada or shipping from one province to another.

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13. What can be done in Canada about climate change?

The only way to slow global warming is to reduce our reliance on burning fossil fuels.

The government of Canada has released a discussion paper that identifies the options being considered to meet the Kyoto targets. One option is to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions in Canada by targeting all sources. This would be done through incentives, covenants, and regulations in co-operation with federal, provincial and municipal governments. The proposals are a sector-by-sector catalogue of how to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in Canada :

Transportation:

Improve new vehicle fuel efficiency;

Require more gasoline in Canada to contain 10 per cent ethanol;

Invest in public transit;

Increase parking fees, introduce tolls and enforce speed limits;

Encourage alternative fuels, anti-idling technology and replacement of older vehicles in the goods transport industry;

Encourage production of bio-diesel fuel;

Provide energy efficiency rebates for light duty vehicles;

Link rail and road systems.

Environmentalists also argue that not only must improved fuel efficiency standards be set for new cars, but fuel efficiency standards must also be applied to Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), minivans and trucks.

Industries:

Invest in energy efficiency measures;

Make major investments in low emissions capital stock such as co-generation or electric arc furnaces.

Electricity Generation:

Encourage zero or low emission technology for all new generating stations;

Reduce emissions from existing generating stations;

Expand east-west transmission systems;

Increase hydraulic generation;

Develop and commercialize technologies for clean coal combustion;

Retrofit western coal plants with carbon dioxide capture and storage;

Expand and extend renewable energy production incentives.

In Ontario the government has been looking at ways to phase out coal-fired electric generating plants. However, they have not yet presented a clear plan. Environmental groups have urged Ontario to replace coal with cleaner-burning natural gas while making a transition to renewable energy sources such as wind, water and biogas. They have also urged the establishment of an energy conservation board. CELA and other environmental groups also urge the phase-out of nuclear power in Ontario by 2020.

For more information on Ontario 's energy alternatives, see the web site of the Clean Air Alliance.

Or, see the report “Phasing Out Nuclear Power in Canada – Toward Sustainable Electricity Futures” on the web site of the Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout.

For information on one municipality's efforts to reduce their contribution to climate change see: www.toronto.ca/taf/

Oil and Gas Production:

Reduce leaks from natural gas production, processing, transmission and distribution;

Improve the capture and recovery of carbon dioxide from oil sands production;

Reduce flaring from oil production.

Residential and Commercial Buildings:

Require that all new homes meet R2000 standards;

Require that all new buildings exceed the Model National Energy Code;

Provide incentives to accelerate retrofits on existing buildings;

Require that all space and water heaters using fossil fuels attain technically feasible performance levels.

Agriculture:

Provide rebates on soil testing and payments to change fertilizer application;

Encourage conservation tillage through incentive payments;

Improve grazing management by providing incentives to bring more land under improved management regimes;

Reduce nitrous oxide emissions from livestock by providing some costs of feed analysis.

Municipalities should also be setting up systems for the capture of methane gas from landfills, and finding ways to encourage planning that reduces energy use.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, there are three Mechanisms that allow countries and companies to buy or generate permits from emissions reductions abroad. The federal government has proposed two other options that incorporate these mechanisms – domestic emissions trading, and government purchases of international permits.

For the complete “Discussion Paper on Canada 's Contribution for Addressing Climate Change”, see: www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/actions/what_are/canadascontribution/

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14. What can I do to help alleviate the problems of climate change?

Practice energy efficiency at home:

The federal government is offering grants to encourage homeowners to retrofit their homes. Under the Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change, Canada set a goal for energy efficient retrofits of 20 per cent of existing low rise housing by 2010 as part of its commitment to meet the targets of the Kyoto Protocol. This program starts in the fall of 2003.

For more details, see the web site of Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency at: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/houses-maisons/english/homeowners/grant/grant.cfm

Choose your vehicle carefully:

An energy efficient car or truck contributes far less carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). In Ontario emissions from transportation increased from 29 million tonnes in 1990 to 33 million tonnes in 2000. Emissions from cars actually decreased by 2 million tonnes over the decade but emissions from SUVs, trucks and minivans increased by 6 million tonnes because they are less fuel-efficient than cars. Or, instead of relying on cars, choose public transit, bicycle or walk.

For more information on how to reduce energy use, see Environment Canada's suggestions at: www.ec.gc.ca/climate/action_youdo-e.html

Or, the Ontario Ministry of Energy's Energy-Saving Tips at: www.energy.gov.on.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=conservation.tips

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15. What are the views of the Canadian Environmental Law Association on climate change?

The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) believes that all regulations and programs should incorporate the precautionary principle. CELA advocates the phase-out of coal and nuclear generation in Ontario and across Canada, as well as measures to reduce sprawl and to increase the use of energy-efficient transportation. CELA also advocates conservation as a significant tool to reduce energy and water consumption.

See the Water Financing FAQ and Water Conservation FAQ

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16. Where can I find more information on climate change in Ontario?

The International Joint Commission (IJC) has identified Climate Change as one of its priorities for 2002-2003. In September 2003 at the Biennial meeting of the IJC the Great Lakes Water Quality Board also released its report, “Climate Change and Water Quality in the Great Lakes Basin”, available at: www.ijc.org/php/publications/html/climate/index.html

For more information on the impacts on Ontario , see “Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region”, released by the Suzuki Foundation in April 2003 at: www.davidsuzuki.org/climate_change/impacts/greatlakes.asp

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment's report on climate change, “Air Quality and Climate Change”, can be seen at: www.ene.gov.on.ca/programs/4143e.pdf

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17. Where can I find more information on other provinces and other jurisdictions?

The Ministry of Natural Resources is the lead Ministry on climate change for the government of Canada . For general information on Canada, the provinces and climate change, see: http://climatechange.nrcan.gc.ca/

The United States has decided that it will not ratify the Kyoto Protocol although they have the highest dioxide emissions in the world. For information on the United States and other countries, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's climate change information at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html

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