ltabc mitigating & adapting to climate change wilson & hebda

8/8/2019 LTABC Mitigating & Adapting to Climate Change Wilson & Hebda

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Land TrusT aLLiance of Bc

Mitigating and adapting to

Climate Change

Through The

Conservation of nature

By Sara J . Wi l S o n and ri c h a r d J . he Bda


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ii Land TrusT aLLiance of Bc

acknowLedgemenTs

Acknowledgements

the L trus allce Brsh Clumb e hs rer resse cres ccers bu clme che. We re reul r he exesveecmc revew exerse rve by Sr J. Wls. dr. Rchr Hebrve hs uhrve reserch clme che e severlrl crbus hs rer. We re hkul hem bh, lus he

my ele whse mes er belw wh rve merls, revew rsssce r hs rer.

Shel Hrr, L trus allce BCd Bue, ducks Ulme CJ Krkby, Evrme CShye Smh, grry ok Ecsysem Recvery temperre Lche, nure Cservcy CKhry Mrell, the L Cservcy BCtry Seves, BC Msry Evrmedr. Khere duser, L trus allce BCtrevr Murck, pcc Clme imcs CsrumWerer Kurz, C Fres Servce

Erl, rhc rml sur:

Shel Hrr, Vlere Hu, prc Wlkerd v Slkdv Suzuk Fut CrhCver h: tm Es, nure Cservcy C

Vew rm pe Bue Rch

My hks Mu Equme C VCy r her clcrbus wr he ssem hs rer.

We re eseclly hkul he llw r rv cl sur:

Cyrh: Lta the L trus allce Brsh Clumb


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forward

Foreword

Clme che hs bruh crese wreess ur evrme, resul- ublc lcl clls r c ress hs sc chllee.dese umerus cereces, lecures, eucl merl scecers he c, lle e hs bee he cserv ure s ecsysems s subsl srey bh me cl-

me che.

the rjece rel csequeces clme che re w be rec-ze, l wh cserble em r lerves he eery rsr sysems h hve me he ls hl ceury. publc lcl resse hs cuse m hum mcs reuce ems-ss ex echlcl slus. Hwever he rec url ecsysems h cuer clme che s eqully s mr. thsrer lyses he rle vlues h url ecsysems ly me clme che, he rece mcs clme che ecsys-ems Brsh Clumb, srees ress clme che, esecllyr l cserv ecsysem rec.

i 1997 he L trus allce Brsh Clumb (LtaBC) becme he rs

ur rvcl llces l russ w wrk crss C. theLtaBC br csss rereseves rm l russ crss he rvce,lus ssce l ressls. our 2007 membersh mre h 90clues 32 l russ, 26 ssce rzs whse ls clue lsewrsh r meme, lus her 32 vuls rmrly wrk he el cserv. We rve euc, reserch, cmmuc cl servces ur members he ublc rme sur hesewrsh cserv ur url culurl here. Currely,he LtaBC esmes h he cmbe mu l rece by BrshClumbs l russ s 253,863 hecres r 627,041 cres lrer h heMer Vcuver re. See aex 1 r ls l russ, her msss,res, ls rece.

Annas Nest

Poto: To canaan



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iV

miTigaTing and adaPTing To cLimaTe change Through The conservaTion of naTure

The Canadian Land Trust Alliance defnes a land trust as: a charitable organization that, as all or part o its mission, actively works1.

to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or easement/ covenant /servitude acquisitions, or by engaging in the stewardship

o such land or easements /covenants/servitudes.

A conservation covenant is a legal agreement between a landholder and a designated land trust organization. It is registered on2.

title to the land and will remain in eect ater the land is sold or transerred, binding uture owners o the land to the terms o the

covenant.

i 1994, he BC L tle ac ws che eble -verme r-zs hl cserv cves rve ls. the ac ee her he rm e rvce-we my ew rel lcll russ, he w exs l e rvcl cserv- rz h revusly exse. as resul hs che, mre h30 lcl, rvcl l cserv rzs re w wrkcrss BC rec rve l r l-erm ublc bees - hruh rec

cqus, ereul cserv cves by rr emrrysewrsh reemes r meme reemes.

the L trus allce BC hs cmmsse hs rer rse wreess he cres ee rec he url ecsysems ur Erh, hb-s r wlle bversy, ve ls seces ll lsces, wleress rk res r ur w helh, he helh ll le.We ls he h by rv subsve lyss ecsysem vlues rjece clme che mcs BC ecsysems, h cserv r-zs, ssce verme eces, l use ressls l russwll be beer ble l cserv, resr rec sreescser he rjece rel mcs ch clme BrshClumb.

Whu cres he rec ur wl url ecsysems,clu he le-sur servces kwlee h hey rve, urcmmues he versy her wlle seces, clu heErhs bshere, wll hve lle bly he ucm chllees clme che. as hs rer clerly emsres, rec ecsysemscheves m ls, rv he reche essel eclcl servces rcesses he ce chclme.

Shel Hrr,Execuve drecr, the L trus allce Brsh Clumb

Conservation organizations, government agencies, public and

private oundations, corporations and businesses associated

with land development or resource extraction, and the general

public need to recognize that protecting natural areas is an

essential and cost eective way to mitigate and adapt to the

impacts o climate change.



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execuTive summary

Clme che wll hve we-r mcs url, me hum sysems. these mcs se chllees rues r hum

seleme resurce use s well s he cserv, meme sewrsh ls. the cmb clme che hum cver-s he er url lsces hrees ecsysems heservces hey rve.

Curre uure clme che wll mc ress, wels, rvers, csl res, s well s he hum cmmues h ee u hem.ierl sues hve rere h rher ress he arcc rere he ms ece by he ch clme. Clme rher res, -clu Brsh Clumb s wrm, wll lkely cue wrm, mrerly h he lbl vere

ths rer rves vervew :

he rle h url ecsysems ly me clmeche;he rjece mcs clme che ecsysems Brsh Clum-b; ,srees reuce mcs, cus cserv ecsysemrec.

Valuing Nature in an Era o Climate ChangeBmss sls, he lv crb ecsysems, remve sre crbxe rm he mshere urlly. a reuc he eree clme wrm ems mre h reuc r relc he use cecrb, mely ssl uels, r eery. oe he essel le sur ser-vces rve by ecsysems s he rec he clme hruh crb

cycl. We sues h Crb Sewrsh s mr cce hees be crre lces l r clme che. thsclues rec he crb sre url sem-url ecsysems.

nurl ecsysems rve ermus re s servces h sus- ur helh well-be clu , merls, cle r, cle wer,ure cycl, s well s recre, euc srul ul. a recelbl ssessme hum mcs he wrls ecsysems u h 60erce ecsysem servces clu resh wer, r wer urc, he reul clme re ecle. the lss url hb wrl-we ue hum mc hs resule esme lss $250 bller yer. Clme che wll excerbe he er ecsysems helss ecsysem servces.

nurl ecsysems rve key servces rele clme che blycrb xe bsr crb sre. Fr exmle, lbl ce l ecsysems yclly remve bu 50-60 erce hum-cusecrb xe emsss. ic url ecsysems re he ms resle che, herere hey rve he bes rues r s heclme ches hruh he rvs crrrs r mr wlle,wer sre, f rec. ic url sysems ls sre he mscrb.

It is not the strongest o the

species that survive, nor the

most intelligent, but the most

responsive to change.

- Cals Dawin (1835)


Executive Summary


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Brsh Clumb ecsysems ly mr rle crb cycl sre. Fres ecsysems rculr re hue reservrs crb, sr lv ls, sl e. glblly, res ecsysems c mre hhl ll erresrl crb ccu r bu 80 erce he exche crb bewee erresrl ecsysems he mshere. Brsh Clum-b ress hve he sme he hhes crb sres C ver 311es er hecre wh sme csl ress hl 600 1,300 es er

hecre. Bse he vere esmes, he l crb sre by BCs ressmus 88 mes Cs ul reehuse s emsss. (989 mesBCs gHg ul emsss). ths sre crb s wrh esme l $774 bll, r $62 bll er yer ($1,072 er hecre). i , BrshClumbs els hl 6.8 bll es crb remve urher1.5 mll es er yer.

Cvers ress -res l use rly releses sre crb scrb xe mc he mshere clme r ceures. the c-vers csl l-rwh res yuer l res reucescrb sre by 305 es crb er hecre ver 60-yer r, l crb sre s reuce r les 250 yers. Fr exmle he sceurys cvers ve mll hecres l-rwh ress yuerls ore Wsh relese 1.5 1.8 bll es

crb he mshere. as resul, he cserv Brsh Clumbsurl ecsysems c hve sr mc he vce crb ems-ss. i cmrs, he l rees urese se hs ecrb xe bees ver he rs 10-20 yers, hereer he beesre much less h he ve emsss rm rece res equl re.

Nature Under Threat rom Climate ChangeBrsh Clumbs ecsysems he servces hey rve re hh rsk he mcs clme che. avere ul emerure rechve che scly Brsh Clumb csse wh he rjec-s rm clme che mels. Clme che mcs such s erlerswmel, he mu e beele ubrek, ecl helh weserrecer re lrey eve Brsh Clumb.

Sues ssl recrs emsre h he rjece ches BrshClumbs clme wll resul ere er erresrl qucecsysems h exss y wll rce wesre seces mrs.Clme mc mels rjec severl ches crss ur lsces clu- verll sh suher ecsysem yes wrs rher BC. dry r-es rssl ecsysems, lwl cer ress wll sre uslel he cs he err. a mjr ecle sruce ress leecsysems wll ccur. a we re ches wels quc ecsys-ems such s he rw esures ers shreles re reces se level rses. i , crese me rm srms, f, er-s, ruhs, es ubreks re exece.

Strategies to Reduce the Impacts o Climate Change

Cabn osts

oses re ee cuerc reehuse ses h re eme hemshere secc surce by sequeser hem elsewhere. Crb sesre urchse by vuls cmes se her w crb ems-ss. the vlury mrke r crb ses by crrs vulss rw very rly. i 2006, ws wrh esme $100 mll.the mjr ccers rer he vly vlury crb ses re heverc he quly ses, he l erm ccubly rjecs, he lck uversl sr. Sme se rvers hve cerc



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rcess, bu s cul very he vly my rjecs. the key ssuesre wheher he se s (.e. ly) wh wul ccur s rml mer curse (.e. busess s usul), wheher r rjecresuls crese gHg emsss elsewhere (.e. leke).

there s hwever much sur r crb ses becuse hey rm ele cmmues cr he cs her crb r whe mk

ecss. Crb ses ls resul rce crb, vlue h bes ler eles hk busess ers.

Crb ses r he rec sre crb (.e. ve emsssrm ecsysem er cvers), re currely vlble crb mrkes, lhuh relble sus such s he Chc Clme Ex-che rve ses rm me ls clu rculurl, res re ls. there re ls her mechsms r l rus cserveces recly cle cl crbus wrs he rec ress els s r reuce busess r vuls crbr.

Bitis Clmbias Climat Can Initiativs

the BC verme hs me he reuc gHg emsss by les33 erce belw 2007 levels by 2020, h verme eces becmecrb eurl by 2010. Fr every e gHgs eme by vermervel, he rvce wll ves $25 ew BC Crb trus esure hxes re vese vl se rjecs BC. als ew crb-r re-sry wll llw BC reses se her ersl crb r be 2008.

BCs lcl vermes ls hve cmme be crb eurl by 2012.the U BC Mucles he BC verme wll esblsh jgree Cmmues cmmee Wrk grus evel cs ress clme che mee he 2012 re. these ves my rverues r l russ her cserv eces rm rer-shs l-use l, l sewrsh rjecs, cserv r

meme reemes url res r bul reslecy clmeche.

Cnsvatin Statis: Adaptatin and Mitiatin

the rec l ers mulle vlues ser bver-sy. the rec helhy, uc verse ecsysems rvesreslece r url res erby hum cmmues reuces hersk r ches lss ecsysem vlues servces. i he ls eyers, Brsh Clumb l russ hve rece mre h qurer mllhecres l rus r ublc bees. L russ wll bee by ex- her rershs wh lcl, rvcl eerl eces recere srees esure h he res ecsysems wll cue rvebees scey.

i s w merve h l use l clu cserv vesce clme che mcs ere rre srees vrsks mze rues. Lcl, rel l eces wllee revew her bjecves he cex clme che. Fr exmle,cserv l r relvely lre res we re vlues re less rsk clme che h hse cuse smll res r seccvlues such s sle seces cserv. i , wll be eve mremr r cserv bjecves be lke her l memeecs-mk.

execuTive summary



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decss ccer l cqus r cserv srees ee cser he el mcs clme che, lks crrrs herurl ls r seces mr, se he rry r mulle ec-sysem vlues rher h sle secc vlue. prv he rees sr he ch chrcer hbs he wll be crcl.

Dcisin Sppt a rspnsiv Climat Can Staty

We rke BCs ecsysems ccr her sesvy clme che, cr-b sre cbly, bversy hb, he eree hum mcs.accrly, r BC ecsysems:

the Csl duls-r ze s very hh mrce.1.the ierr duls-r pers pe zes, grry ok rele2.ecsysems wels re hh very hh mrce.Csl Weser Hemlck, Buchrss, ierr Cer Hemlck zes3.re meum mrce.Mu Hemlck, Sub-Brel Sruce, Sub-brel pe Sruce, Brel4.

Whe Blck Sruce, Sruce Wllw Brch, Me Sruce E-elm Sruce- Sub-le Fr he ree ale tur zes re lw meum mrce.

Conclusions

the mmese sres crb exs ecsysems re re mrcer bh m clme che, eseclly cmre he el remv msherc crb by l ew ress. Crbsre yu ress kes l me eseclly erms relc lscrb. Sec, becuse here s s lle me slw lbl wrm, he r-ry shul be reve crb lsses cserv he crb sresh exs. thr, by rec exs ecsysems here wll be we re hb rve cec crrrs r l ml mr s heclme wrms. Furh, he rec c ecsysems rves reslecy

r ecsysems he cmmues h ee u hem.

ths rer clerly emsres h cserv l wh helhy urlecsysems s cs eecve mr srey bh me clme che. the rer cclues h he cserv c ec-sysems r he umerus vlues servces hey br hums, rv hbs r wlle, bversy ecsysem uc he helh cmmues ees be sc r y clme chesrey r bh m ch clmes.



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TaBLe of conTenTs

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Aks ...........................................................................................................................iiForeword ....................................................................................................................................... iiiexecutive SummAry ...................................................................................................................... ivintroduction.............................................................................................................................................2PArt i: the vAlueS oF nAture in An erA oF climAte chAnge ........................................................5

naa capa a ess Ss .......................................................................................5t r esss ma a Aapa ca ca ................................8tsa esss ...................................................................................................................9

Forests .....................................................................................................................................................9Maintaining Forest Ecosystem Carbon Stores or Mitigation and Adaptation .......................................12Grasslands ............................................................................................................................................13Fresh Water and Marine Ecosystems .....................................................................................................14Semi-Natural Areas: Agricultural and Peri-Urban Areas .........................................................................16

csa vas a Bcs esss ..................................................................................16PArt ii: nAture under threAt From climAte chAnge ..................................................................19

gba ca ca ipas ..................................................................................................19ca ca ipas Bs cba ..............................................................................20

Methods o assessing Impacts ..............................................................................................................20Pj pas a a ..........................................................................................23

Province-wide impacts ..........................................................................................................................23Impacts on specic terrestrial ecosystems.............................................................................................24Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems ......................................................................................................27Agricultural Lands .................................................................................................................................29

PArt iii: StrAtegieS to reduce climAte chAnge imPActS ...........................................................31cab maks .......................................................................................................................... 31

Regulated Cap-and-trade Markets ........................................................................................................31Voluntary Carbon Osets ......................................................................................................................31Carbon Oset Opportunities or Land Trusts and other Conservation Agencies ....................................31

Bcs ca Pa a la ias .......................................................................................34csa la a esss: ma a Aap ca ca...............36

Adaptation ............................................................................................................................................37Mitigation .............................................................................................................................................38

ds Spp Sa csa oazas, As a la tss .............38eaa oazaa objs c ca ca ..................................39eaa Spf la Aqs maa Sa .................................................41ds Spp tab ................................................................................................................45

css...................................................................................................................................... 46endnoteS .......................................................................................................................................52tabs

Table1: Potential Ecosystem Services rom Dierent Land Cover in British Columbia .................................7Table 2: Forest Carbon Storage Estimates or British Columbias Ecozones ...............................................9Table 3: Decision Support Table: Assessing Lands in the Context o Climate Change ...............................44

FsFigure 1: Terrestrial Ecozones o Canada ..................................................................................................10Figure 2: Old Forest Carbon Storage versus Reorestation and Conversion Impacts on Carbon Storage ......13

Figure 3: The Remaining Intact Natural Areas in BC (2007) ......................................................................17Figure 4: Predicted Maximum and Minimum Temperature Changes .........................................................22Figure 5: Potential eects o climate change on ecosystem distribution o

Biogeoclimatic (BEC) zones in British Columbia ........................................................................24Apps

Appendix 1: Land Trusts in BC .................................................................................................................48Appendix 2: A typology or the classication, description and valuation o ecosystem

unctions, goods and services...............................................................................................50Appendix 3: Classication o Ecosystem Services or the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment .................51



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Introduction

Wrm he erh s w crme ccr he les ssessme byerl scess rc he Un-ssre ierverme-

l pel Clme Che (ipCC).2 the relese he Furh assessmeRer (FaR) he scece clme che by erl exers sesh lbl msherc ccers reehuse ses (gHgs), melycrb xe (Co2), mehe rus xe, hve crese mrkely.ths s emsre by he crese msherc ccers Co2,whch hve rse by bu 30 erce sce 1750 (rm 280 rs er mll(m) 379 m 2005), excee by r he url re ver he s650,000 yers.3 arxmely w-hrs hum-cuse Co2 emsssre resul ssl uel bur r eery, wh l-use che crbubu e-hr.4

Hum cves crbue clme che by ler he mu reehuse ses ersls (smll rcles) he Erhs mshere.these ches ec clme by sh he Erhs eery blce eseclly

bewee he cm u slr eery. Ches he level ses rcles he mshere c le wrm r cl heclme sysem. Sce he be he usrl er, hum cves hveh e wrm fuece.

the r wrm he Erh s lrey eve he ru. observsby scess shw creses lbl vere r se-surce emerures,wesre mel sw ce, rs lbl se levels.5 the FaRrecs vere rse emerure bu 0.2 erees Celsus er ecever he cm eces. i he bes cse scer, he clme wll wrm bybu 1.8 erees Celsus by he e hs ceury; hwever, hs scerssumes h mjr shs cle echles lwer lbl gHg ems-ss. i ur ecmes rem ssl-esve, he clme s rjece wrm by 4 erees Celsus r mre by 2100.

Clme che wll hve we-r mcs url, me hu-m sysems. Rs emerures lrey re ec my url sysems rcesses lblly. glcl lkes re cres re becuse mellcers, ermrs s mel, here re mre rck vlches mu-us res. Sr mel ru erler sr ek schre hvecrese my lcer sw-e rvers. Brs re mr erler, l ml res hve beu sh uwrs elev.

the mcs css clme che wll vry relly, wh he rjec-e mu wrm eerlly creses s e mves rh he nrherHemshere. ths mes h C s csere be hh mc zer clme che. C ls cs my he hh-rsk lscessuch s muus res, sub-brel le res, csl herlw-ly res, ress wh hh re sec rsk, ces h exerecehe wves. a rece suy by he Brsh resury erme u h we ke c w hl he crese msherc crbxe, he verll css rsks wll be equvle les 5 erce lbl rss mesc ruc (gdp) ech yer, mybe eve mre - cs- hum scey s much s 20 erce s yerly gdp.6 the ceches clme7 wll lms cerly rsrm my he lsces ecsysems he Erh clu hse Brsh Clumb.

The change with the greatest

potential to alter the natural

inrastructure o Earth is the

chemical experiment humans

have been conducting on the

atmosphere or the past century

and a hal.

Livin Bynd o Mans:

Natal Assts and hman

Wll-Bin Millnnim ecsys-

tm Assssmnt



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inTroducTion

Clme che s rly becm key cus r evrmel sur c. there hve bee umerus cereces, lecures, euclmerls scec ers ress he ssue. i s wely recze hhe cserv rec c url ecsysems re essel rsus blcl versy he ecsysem servces (such s cle r wer) h hums ee u. Hwever, s ly recely h he mr-ce rec url res hs bee csere erms m

clme che. Cserv ur ecsysems kes evereer mrce me clmc che eclcl fux.

i he ipCC FaR, clme scess clerly exress he mmee ee r-ec url vlues:

Expansion o reserve systems can potentially reduce the vulner-ability o ecosystems to climate change. Reserve systems may bedesigned with some consideration o long-term shits in plant andanimal distributions, natural disturbance regimes and the overallintegrity o the protected species and ecosystems.8

ths rer exmes he vlues url ecsysems recmmes sre-

es ssce wh her cserv rec he cex clmeche. i he llw chers, he mrce l cserv s l r m clme che s csere. therer bes wh scuss he vlue servces url lsces, he ssesses he el mcs clme che Brsh Clum-bs ecsysems. the mrce cserv l url ecsysemss exme ress clme che. i , he mechsm subly crb r mrkes s csere becuse hs seclscce l cserv. the rer shes wh secc scuss he ssue clme che relsh l sewrsh clu ecs sur srey r l russ.

the srec uce cserv l russ s key eleme becusehese rzs wrk cmmues crss BC rculrly rve

ls, where he bulk he eere ecsysems hum l-usemcs ccur. Cserv rzs eces, s well s lcy mk-ers, lers, l-use ressls he eerl ublc hve mrrle m clme che. Much he rm es resee here my rve useul hese rus s hey ce heclme che chllee.

Talking Mountain Ranch,

large ranch on the Fraser

River, owned by TLC TheLand Conservancy o British

Columbia.



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Carbon Stewardship:

Intatin mitiatin and adaptatin

the cmlexy he clme che ssue s u. n cler rmewrkhs ye emere r rz he elemes chllees he ssue evlu eecve srees el wh . Ms he er ress cl-me che s cuse reuc emsss rm he use hyrcrbs:h ce crb l, url s cl. ths s essel, bu yseque e he mrce sh eery eeece b-crb r lv crb he mcs clme che he ecsys-ems seces u whch ele ee. the lv crb eleme heclme che chllee urhermre ees recly he e crb rc mer sl semes.

the cce rch crb sewrsh, whch ecmsses llrms crb, rves rmewrk r evel ssess eecvesrees r he chllees rues clme che. ths rme-wrk s eseclly ere l ure sewrsh becuse exlclycrres he lv crb ecsysems, clu he hres hevlue , s r he srec ves clme che.

My he rec mcs clme che ele her cmmu-es wll be lye u hruh he lv crb cme such s ress,rculurl crs mre ecsysems. Fr exmle, BC s cemlhe remvl hue mus rc mer r b-eery rm he r-es lsce cerl Brsh Clumb evse by he mu ebeele. the b-eery hus eere ses ur em ce crbrm hyrcrbs. Ye by remv hs e crb we my jerze, elly srve he lv crb ecessry r he recvery uure ress.i s, here s crese rsk r he lv crb be cvere r-ly rm res less rucve rssl ecsysems. Wh he ree cyremve, he sls wll wrm cus rc mer cver Co2 berelese he mshere.

the rre sewrsh lv crb s key cme r ress- clme che. Frese ls wels hve rculr rle bhm clme che eseclly becuse he ec-sysem s servces hey rve her ccy remve Co2 rmhe mshere sre sls r he l erm.

our rse Crb Sewrsh rch lces he rec c-serv l url sysems he sme level mrce s hereuc hyrcrb use erms m. i em-hszes he rle l use l sewrsh mee he chllees clme che. Ms mrly, bres he chce eecve csvlble vuls, cmmues rzs.

Carbon Stewardship

Living carbon: organisms and

ecosystems; sustain humans,

ecological process; provide

resilience and raw material

or uture ecosystems and use;

remove CO2

___________________________

Dead carbon: organic matter

in soils, wastes; sustains

living carbon, stored carbon,

bio-energy source

___________________________

Ancient carbon: ossil uels;ready and reliable energy

source; predominant cause o

climate change


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ParT 1: The vaLues of naTure in an era of cLimaTe change


Natal Capital and ecsystm Svics

We re ll ulmely eee ecsysems r he s servcesh hey rve clu he bly rw , brehe r, rk wer, exerece ure. the resurces servces h hum ulsb rm ecsysems re reerre s ur url cl. Cvelecmcs uses he rss mesc ruc (gdp) s he rmry cr curys ecmc errmce. the gdp mesures ly he mrke vlue s servces whu ccu r url cl sses vlues.i es recze he vlue ecsysem servces ul hey becme sere r scrce h hum rsrucure hs relce he url servcesh h bee rve r ree. nr, es he gdp ccu r he css hum mc url sses, such s he lss url vlues r ecsys-em servces ue exrc r llu. as resul, he wy whch wemesure cu ur welh well-be s msle cmlee.

nurl cl ccu kes sck url sses he url vl-ues h hey rve, clu ecsysem s servces. ths ye ccu clues l/wer ccus h rck he ye, srbu l re l wer he ssce ecsysem s servcesh re rve by url cl. as resul, he che he rvs ecsysem s servces, bse ches ecsysem l/wer cverue hum cves such s er rm llu c be eer-me.

Cmmues vermes re be recze he esselservces h url res rve. the rec vlu ecsys-em servces s emer re bh lblly lly. Fr exmle,he Ue ns Mlleum Ecsysem assessme sue he wrlsecsysems her servces; he ecs Brsh Clumb . C

Fres prucs L, (ls kw s he Se Fre cse) by he Sureme Cur C crms h ecsysem servces hve ecmc vlue lw9.dsrer he vlue url cl her servces ur sc-ecmc l mesuremes rress well-be wll resul l-use l lcy evelme h wll sely crese heressures ur ecsysems (.e. ur ree rsrucure). as he mcs clme che be ec he Erhs ecsysems, lces wh lw reslece mshe ree rsrucure wll be he ms vulerble verse csly ucmes.

ecsystm Svics Natal Aas

Ecsysem s servces hve bee ee s he bees hum u-ls erve rm helhy uc ecsysems. alyss ecsysem ser-vces s bse ecsysem ucs r he ccy url rcesses

sysems rve s servces h serve hum ees.10 these cluehe rucs receve rm ecsysems (e.. , bre, cle r wer),he bees rm ecsysem rcesses (e.. ure cycl, wer urc,clme reul) -merl bees (e.. recre eshecbees).11

a erl suy, the Mlleum Ecsysem assessme (Ma) wscrre u by he Ue ns bewee 2001 2005 ssess hecsequeces ecsysem che r hum well-be esblsh hescec bss r cs eee ehce he cserv susble

Part I: The Values o Nature in an Era o Climate Change


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use ecsysems. the Ma rves cmrehesve clssc r ecsys-em servces bse eclcl ucs, her crbu humwell-be.

the Ma uses ur m ceres: sur servces, rvs servces,reul servces culurl servces (aex ili). Sur servcesre hse servces h re ecessry r he ruc ll her ecsysem

servces, such s ure cycl, sl rm, blcl ruc.prvs servces re he fws mrke -mrke s rm ec-sysems, clu , wer, w, uel. Reul servces reer he-mrke servces h ecsysem rcesses rve, such s he reul clme, fs, wer fws. Culurl servces re he eshec, srul,eucl, recrel bees h ele b rm ecsysems.12

the Ma suy u h ver he s 50 yers, hums hve che heErhs ecsysems mre rly exesvely h y her er hum hsry mee rly rw ems r , resh wer, mber,ber, uel. the ssessme cclue h rxmely 60 erce (15u 24) he ecsysem servces exme re ere r use usus-bly, clu resh wer, r wer urc, he reul re-l lcl clme. the ull css hese lsses re cul mesure,

bu hey re subsl rw.13

the Ma ls cclue h s lkely h he mcs ecsysems recres, h he lkelh ler ches ecsysems(clu cceler, bru, elly rreversble ches) wll hvemr csequeces r hum well-be. Exmles such checlue sese emerece, bru lers wer quly, he cre e zes csl wers, he cllse sheres, shs relclme.14 the erl ssessme recs h clme che excessve ure l wll becme he mjr rvers ecsysem chever he cm ceury.

i 1997, suy esme h he lbl vlue ures servces ws be-wee $18 $61 rll (2000US$),16 smlr he sze he lbl rssl ruc. alhuh severl ecmss crcze he mehly hs suy, rve he rs esme hese servces lbl scle. iresse he crcsms he 1997 suy, llw u suy cuse hemrl vlues ecsysem s servces, r he cremel vlue cserv url cl. ther lyss u h he e vlue hy-hecl lbl ure reserve ewrk wul rve servces wrh bu$4400 bll er yer.17 the suy ls esme he vere re hblss sce 1992 be -1.2 erce er yer, r -11.4 erce ver 10 yers, lss bu $250 bll servces ech yer.

the Wrl Bk hs ublshe ssessme he url cl ssevlues r ll s he wrl.18 C rke hr erms hecurys er c mrke vlues r url cl clu mber, l, s,crl, sure l, -mber res rucs, rece res. thsrefecs he rel ve h C ssesses erms he exse s url cl. Hwever, hs ssessme clue he -mrkevlues he servces rve by Cs url cl, r es rve ssessme he css ur url cl resul rm resurce exrc-, ruc, llu rm mucur rsr.

tw C sues hve csere he ecmc vlue url c-l r Cs brel re. the ms rece rer ssesse he urlvlues he Mckeze Re Weser C. ths suy u hhe -mrke vlue he res url cl ws esme $484

By 2100, ecosystems will be

exposed to atmospheric CO2

levels substantially higher

than in the past 650,000 years,

and global temperatures atleast among the highest o

those experienced in the past

740,000 years. This will alter the

structure, reduce biodiversity

and perturb unctioning o most

ecosystems, and compromise

the services they currently

provide. Present and uture

land-use change and associated

ragmentation are very likely to

impede species migration andthus impair natural adaptation

via geographical range shits.15


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bll er yer, ( vere $2,839 er hecre), 11 mes he mrke vlue s url resurces.19 the crb sre by he Mckeze wershe wsesme vlue $250 bll, 56 erce he l -mrke vlue.a erler suy h ssesse he vlue Cs brel re clue relmry esme r he css llu ublc subses r urlcl exrc.20 these css were esme $11 bll er yer r here, whch r llu css were he ms csly. these css reuce

he esme mrke vlue he res url cl rm $49 bll $38 bll er yer.

there s cmrehesve ccu he se vlue Brsh Clum-bs url cl he rvces ecsysem servces. Becuse hervces rch url cl he rece exe mc clmeche l-use che ver he cm eces, wul be rue cree url cl ccu r he rvce. Us he Ma clssc ecsysem ucs, he el ecsysem servces by l cver ye r BCre ule tble 1.

While there is no right way to

value a orest or river, there is

a wrong way, which is to give

it no value at all.

Pal hawkn,

Natal Capital

Terrestrial Water & Marine

Agricultural &

UrbanForests Grasslands Alpine Inland

WaterWetlands Coastal Cultivated Urban[i]

ecoSyStem goodS

F 4 4 4 4 4 4Fb 4 4 4 4tb 4 4 4F 4 4 4 4ecoSyStem ServiceS

Fs a 4 4 4 4 4A qa a 4 4 4cab sqsa 4 4 4 4 4es 4 4 4 4 4ca a 4 4 4 4la a a 4 4 4 4S/wa p 4

Ps a 4 4 4 4P 4 4 4was pss 4

F a 4 4 4 4S 4 4 4 4

dsas a 4 4n c 4 4 4 4

ms 4 4

ra & s 4 4 4 4 4 4As as 4 4 4 4 4 4Spa vas 4 4 4 4 4ca a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4ea 4 4 4 4 4 4 4[] is paks a as

tab 1: Pa ess Ss la c Bs cba


16/68


17/68

9



the vlue ure s ecsysems servces wll crese ver he cmeces s hum ems ecsysems, l, he servces hey rvecue crese s he mcs clme che excerbe he res-sure url res cmmues.

Terrestrial Ecosystems

terresrl ecsysems ly erl rle he lbl crb cycle byexch crb wh he mshere hruh hsyhess, resr,ecms, bur. as resul, lre mus crb re sre ls, rs, sls. glblly, ress wels uc s lre erres-rl sre bks crb, reve creses he lbl ccer reehuse ses. i c, ces erresrl ecsysems remve bu 50 60 erce hum-cuse reehuse s emsss (ssl uel luse emsss), curb mre ese lbl clme che.28 glblly resecsysems c mre h hl ll erresrl crb, ccu rbu 80 erce he exche crb bewee erresrl ecsysems he mshere.29

Fsts

Fres ecsysems re sc r Cs url cl, rvumerus ecsysem servces (tble 1). a rece ssessme Cs brelecsysem servces esme h he ul bees c brel ress els re wrh les $665 er hecre $5,300 er hecre,resecvely. oe he ms sc brel ecsysem vlues s crbsre.30

Brsh Clumbs ress cver 58 mll hecres he rvce. theMe Crller ecze cvers 54 erce BCs ress, wh smllerres re he pcc Mrme, Brel Crller, t pls Brelpls eczes (Fure 1).31 the pcc Crller (pC) ierr Crl-ler (iC) ecclmc rvces sre sme he hhes levels crb erhecre C.

tab 2: Fs cab Sa esas Bs cbas ezs

Ecze AeaCabety

Ttal Cab te(mll te C)

million ha tonnes C/ha biomass soil ecosystem

taa Pas 5.8 266 104 1,436 1,540

Ba Pas 3.1 171 101 429 530

Ba ca 7.2 256 502 1,329 1,832

Paf ma 10.8 375 1,542 2,504 4,046

ma ca 31.1 324 2,717 7,340 10,057

Ttal 57.9 4,966 13,040 18,005

Aa cab(s c/a)

86 225 311

Source: Carbon content estimates are authors calculations based on carbon density estimates rom Kurz and Apps 1999 and theCANFI 2001 orest inventory data


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Brsh Clumb hs he hhes res bmss ces C, hece he hhes crb.32 accr l res crb suy, hecrb sre he rees, rs sls BCs ress res rm 171 375 es crb er hecre he pcc Crller ecze 324es crb er hecre he ierr Crller ecze.33 the verecrb sre by BCs ress s 311 es er hecre, bse l crbsre l res re. Us hese esmes he les C r-

es very (CanFi 2001), he l crb sre by BCs res ecsysemss esme 18 bll es crb (tble 2).34 ths s bu 88 mesCs ul reehuse s emsss(989 mes BCs gHg ul ems-ss).35,36 he equvle 8.5 bll husehls elecrcy use r e yerr 14 bll crs rve ver e yer.37 Hwever, rec mesuremeswh csl me ress revel h hese ress c sre veres 600 1300 es crb er hecre (see Csl Me secbelw).

the ecmc vlue he crb sre c be esme bse receesmes he lbl cs crb, crb r rces. i 2005, hevere scl cs crb s esme US$43 er e crb. Ushs vlue, he crb sre by Brsh Clumbs ress s wrh esm-e $774 bll.38 i we cser he crb vlues s 20-yer vesme,

he he vlue crb sre s wrh esme $62 bll er yer r$1,072 er hecre er yer.39

Cabn Sta and Cyclin

the sewrsh crb s mr cser r res me-me he cex clme che. Such sewrsh requres he rck crb sres he ches sre resul rm hum urlsurbce. there s l msrm cus ru he ssue

F 1: tsa ezs caaa:

Source Environment Canada, State o Environment Inobase


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crb sequesr crb sre by ew ress l rwhress. Crb sequesr reers he e mu crb bsrbeech yer by blcl sysem, cme r re, er he crb relese he mshere s ccue r. Fres crb sre reers he lmu crb ce ll he cmes res ecsysem ve me. Scec sues shw h e crb uke (.e. he crbremve rm he mshere) by ress hs cmlex relsh wh

e. Revew ers shw h ul e crb uke s eerlly lw reve (.e. e crb relese) ress less h 20 yers l (becuse hh ecms res), rech ek re ermee-e ress(e.. 30-120 yers), ecl bu rem sve ress ler h160 yers l.40 Fr exmle, e hecre l-rwh duls r ress he W Rver Exermel Fres Wsh s esme sequeserbewee 0.2 2.2 es crb ech yer.41

Smlrly, crb cycl eseclly by sls s sll ully uers. a ewsues hve suese h whle ler res rees becme less rucve(.e. re rw s s herere re k u s much crb ul bss), her ecsysems e crb uke my be hher h wehk s hey re ccumul lre mus crb he sl belw hecy. 42 ths s emsre by he suy 500-yer l res suh-

er Wsh Se h rere sc ul crb sk (seques-r re) 1.3 1.5 C/h/yer.43

Castal and Mntan Fsts

oler ress my ccumule relvely smll mus crb ech yer,bu hey sre ermus mus crb s w hesl by cmrs yuer ecsysems.44 the Crb Bue r CsFress (1999) esmes h BCs pcc Mrme Me Crllereczes sre vere 349 es crb er hecre (esmes use rece sec).45 Hwever, secc sues wh csl me r-ess revel h hese yes ecsysems c sre veres 619-1127 es crb er hecre.46 Csl BC ress Vcuver isl (CslWeser Hemlck ze) c rm bu 500 u hh 1300 es

crb er hecre.47

the cvers l-rwh ress yuer sec-rwh (.e. me)ress resuls mmee relese sme he crb ru he me l, s well s reuc he verll crb sre becuse meress ly rw r e (.e. ex scheule l). they re-esblsh he sre crb h ws he rmry res ecsysem.48 Frexmle, pcc nrhwes suy u h l crb sre ws 2.2 2.3 mes 450-yer l res cmre 60-yer l l. theyesme h he cvers ycl pcc nrhwes l-rwh res(duls r hemlck) yuer res (.e. l) reuces crbsre by 305 es crb er hecre ur e 60-yer r, evewhe he sre buls s clue. Furher, he hrves l-rwhress reuce l crb sre r les 250 yers. Bse he suys

smuls, he uhrs esme h he cvers ve mll hecres l-rwh ress yuer ls ore Wsh verhe ls 100 yers hs relese esme 1.5 1.8 bll es crb he mshere. i her wrs, whe l-rwh ress re le, heyrelese crb he mshere r eces ssbly r ver ceury.

Sb-Bal Fsts

a Brsh Clumb suy u h l rwh err sruce ress cerl BC ls sre lre mus crb, bewee 324 423 es crb er hecre.49 the Uversy nrher BC suy smlrly rere

The average carbon storage

by BCs orests is 311 tonnes

per hectare, based on total

carbon stored and total orest

area. Using these estimatesand the latest Canadian

orest inventory (CANFI 2001),

the total carbon stored by

BCs orest ecosystems is an

estimated 18 billion tonnes o

carbon. This is about 88 times

Canadas annual greenhouse

gas emissions (989 times

BCs GHG annual emissions),

the equivalent o 8.5 billion

households electricity use or

one year or 14 billion cars not

driven over one year.


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h he hrves l-rwh (141 250 yers l) BCs err sruceress (e.. Sub-Brel Sruce ze), cvers me ress lw-ers he l crb sre wh he ecsysem by 41-54 erce.

Sbalpin Fsts and Madws

Esmes crb sre muus res re rre. Hwever, such

res c msc ress mews h my be rculrly se-sve uure ches clme. therere, s mr clue hem esmes erresrl crb sre. a Uversy Wsh suy he olymc Mus Wsh Se u h he res subleress sre 329 1075 es crb er hecre her rees, ler merl sl; suble mews sre bewee 154 269 es crber hecre. Ecsysem crb hs suy s hh cmre wh he ewher sues h hve cumee crb sre he pcc nrhweserSes. there s hh vrbly sl crb ce m suble ses s s cul exrle r her res. Furher suy r hese ecsysems seee Brsh Clumb.

Maintaining Forest Ecosystem Carbon Stores

or Mitigation and Adaptation

the mmese sres crb exs ecsysems re re mrcer bh m clme che, eseclly cmre he el remv msherc crb by l ew ress. Frs,s e erler, crb sre yu ress kes l me eseclly erms relc ls crb. Sec, becuse here s s lle me slw lbl wrm, he rry shul be reve crb lsses cserv he crb sres h exs. thr, by rec exs ecsys-ems here wll be we re hb rve cec crrrs rl ml mr s he clme wrms. Furh, he rec c ecsysems rves reslecy r ecsysems he cmmues hee u hem.

the mrce res meme l use chces ress clme

che s ms clerly see whe lk he e eec msherc cr-b xe uer ere s (Fure 2: ) Whe mure res s c-vere el, urb, r suburb lsce, he surbce he urlvee sl resuls crb be rly relese he msheres rc merls ecmse. Crb cues be relese r myeces he rl crb sre my be releshe r ceures. arele el r ere res sll cues relese crb xe he mshere r eces becuse he rl rc merl cues ecmse. Ul he rees rw lre euh ke u mre crb lv merl ler h s relese rm he sl, here s e relese Co2 he mshere. i mure r l rwh res, crb cues be remve rm he mshere slw bu sey ce, crs hemssve relese Co2 whe res s cvere her uses.

the csequeces l use hus m chces re ms bvuswhe lk he ccumule Co2 eecs he mshere (Fure 2).By he e 50 yers, cvere BC cs res my hve relese hu-res (see Csl Me Fress vlues bve) es er hecre crb s Co2 he mshere crbue clme che.a equvle re rele res wll hve h y sve eec msherc Co2 r eces. dee he secc cs, herel srey my eve hve cuh u he sely ccumulbees remve Co2 by cserve l res r hl ceury. Lke herverbl urle, he slw sey Co2 remvl bees cserve l

Including land-use mitigationoptions as abatement strate-

gies provides greater fexibil-

ity and cost-eectiveness or

achieving stabilization (o

climate change). Even i land

activities are not considered

as mitigation alternatives by

policy, consideration o land

(land-use and land cover) is

crucial in climate stabilization

or its signicant atmosphericinputs and withdrawals

(emissions, sequestration, and

albedo). Recent stabilization

studies indicate that land-use

mitigation options could

provide 1540 percent o total

cumulative abatement over the

century.50


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i cmrs wh culve l (.e. rculure l-use), rssls sre sequeser mre crb becuse hey rm cmlee veeve cver, becuse hey rw r seve eh mhs he yer, se he y-cl 3-5 mhs r rculurl crs.54 i , l-lve ve ere-l buchrsses lce reer rr her bmss belwruh her l yes, mk less vlble r mcrbl brekw Co2 ruc. Furhermre, my rculurl els re lle br l

bure crb he surce, whch les ecms he relese Co2 he mshere.

grssls sequeser lre mus crb her sls, whch s rlyrserre he mshere whe hey re lwe cvere r-culurl ls. these crb lsses c be lre. a suy h cmre ve culve sls he gre pls he Ue Ses emsre hbewee 8 20 es crb er hecre c be relese he m-shere u culv.55 i eerl, crb lsses re reer ue llewhere sls hve hh crb scks.

grssl crb lss ue culv ccurs rly; eve whe l s l-lwe rever s url se, crb recvery s slw. Sues hve shwh eve er 50 yers bme, crb scks he sl were

equl he levels he ve sls.56

the vlue crb sequesr by rssls hs bee esme erms he eecs culv crb sre he esme css crbxe emsss. i 1997, suy ures servces esme h hevlue m ve rssls ws $200 er hecre (re $160/h $400/h).57 the css Co2 emsss hve crese sce he wllcue crese becuse exr e Co2 e creslyfe msherc sck Co2 wll resul mre me s he sck -creses. i we use he lbl vere scl cs crb, m urlrssls wul be wrh esme $430 er hecre..58

grssls ls rve her vl servces such s sl cserv eec resurces. a sr relsh exss bewee l bmss se-me ru-. overrz remves bmss, exses bre ru resuls sl ers. Whe rssls re lwe culve s crls, sllsses re eve lrer. Sl ers resuls lsses ruc, wer lr-, wer vlbly ure vlbly.

grssls re surce re blcl kwlee rve lreeec srehuse. Hums ee relvely smll umber rsslseces r , mece her uses. Ms ur mesce secesre rm rssls, hey sll hl he el r ew surces ls h re ress seses r uque eec eures useul rhum scey.

Fresh Water and Marine Ecosystems

Wtlands

Wels re m eure he C lsce, cver rx-mely 13 erce Cs l.59 Wels rve essel servces suchs re, ury suly resh wer, sr crb, bsrbllus sur umerus seces ls wlle, my hem ee s eere.

pels (rmerly reerre s rc err r muske) re wels whmssve ess e les 40 cm hck.60 these ecsysems re crb-


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rch wh hh rc crb ce. Cs els c rx-mely 147 bll es (g) sl crb, bu 59 erce he rccrb sre ll C sls.61

Ms els ccur he brel subrcc res. they cver bu5.4 mll hecres BC - 6 erce he rvce.62 i s esme hBCs els sre 6.8 bll es (g) crb. ths s rxmely 5

erce he 147 bll es crb sre Cs els.63 theul vlue he crb sre BCs els s esme $4,400 erhecre er yer, bse he lbl vere scl cs crb.64

pels cue sequeser crb ul bss. Us Cesmes r he Brsh Clumb res, BCs els my sequeserbu 1.5 mll es crb er yer. ths servce s wrh les $12er hecre er yer.65

Castal and Main csystms

Csl res hve re eclcl, scl ecmc vlue. 77 erce he wrls ecsysem s servces re rve by csl ecsysems.66C hs e he les csles he wrl, whch Brsh C-

lumbs csl ecsysems re rubly he ms rucve. a rece lblsuy h ssesse he vlue he wrls csl ecsysems esme hCs css rve $124 bll (US$) rm url res $234 ml-l rm sem-lere res.67 these csl zes rve s such s ,sl, merls l resurces, csruc merls. they ls r-ve cresly vluble ecsysem servces: hey rec shreles sexreme eves (e.. srms), sre cycle ures, sus bversy whhb surces, rve vlue recre ursm res, cure wer.

Ches l (e.. l use) c ec he quly csl wershes sh hb s well s he s servces rve by hesewershes. a rece Sr ger suy emsre h he vlue rec csl wershes he ecsysem servces h m ch

hb re rm $0.93 $2.63 er hecre re bs.68

Lehmans Springs Conserva-

tion Area: a 60 acre orest

protecting wetland area that

eeds Osoyoos Lake, pumping

apx. 300 gallons a minute,

and also protecting Species

at Risk

poto: seila haington


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Whle mre ecsysems re cerl hs rer, s wrh meh mre esure ecsysems rve my essel eclcl ser-vces. oe-hl he xye we brehe s ruce by mre ls. ocesre ls sc crb sk. they sre ver 50 mes he crb h s he mshere, hey bsrb bu 25 erce he crb emsssrelese by ssl uel bur. oce crb s bsrbe by ce wers, hesre me c be u 500 yers.69

Semi-Natural Areas:

Agricultural and Peri-Urban Areas

the Lwer Ml Brsh Clumb s esely sele s he ms hu-m mce re he rvce. the Lwer Frser Vlley cs sme Cs bes rculurl ls, sesve wels, ress, s hme 57 erce BCs hum ul. a l suy by resurce ec-ms Sm Frser Uversy exme he url vlue he ecsysemservces rve r he ele lv he re.70 the suys resulsclue:

the ul vlue wse reme hshrus re r-

uce by he Frser Vlleys wels s esme re rm $452 $1,270 er hecre.

the ul vlue r sme he vlleys ress s servcess esme s lwer bu $134 er hecre er yer, ucu($824,000 r l vlley). ths esme es clue servces suchs ers crl, wer sre wer urc.

the ul vlue he vlleys ress r crb sre ws esme $15 $608 er hecre.

Recrel bees such s wlle vew rve $53.45 er hecreer yer url res.

Ech hecre esury s wrh $22,832 er yer (es. l ecsysemvlue)

Lkes rvers ($2,007 er hecre er yer) (es. l ecsysem vlue)

grss/rels ($232 er hecre er yer) (es. l ecsysem vlue)

the l seleme ers he Frser Vlley hve ecrese res, sl wel bmss crb sre. a suy crb sre he LwerFrser Bs r he er 1827 1990 ces h l 238 mlles (M) crb rm bmss ls hs bee rserre he m-shere ue hum l use l use che.71 the mjr surces crb lss were sls (43 erce), le ress (42 erce), wels(14 erce). Lwer Frser Bs crb emsss re 29 mes reer hhe lbl vere.

Conservation Values and BCs Ecosystems

BCs ecsysems hve lrey bee mce by hum seleme, resurceexrc l cvers. the hsrcl lss erresrl ecsysems Brsh Clumb by beclmc ze ces h 48 erce heCsl duls Fr ze hs bee cvere her l use sce sele-me. the grry ok wls he Csl duls r ze heSuh ok aele brush rssls he Buchrss Ze hve beehe hres h re w he ms eere ecsysems B.C. the herhs erms lss url cver s he Frser Vlley, whch s rere he rece sec. i hs re, 85 erce wels 15 er-


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ce s srems hve bee cvere her l use s resul urb-z rculurl evelme. the rem c url res reshw Fure 3.

Cserv url res he wershes surru hum sele-mes wh urb res rves essel servces r cmmues. assessme he e vlue r cserv he url cl r cver

lle ls url res he gr Rver Wershe suher orhs bee esme $195.25 er hecre er yer. ths s he cremelvlue cserv, rher h he l vlue s rere he bve r-rhs. ths vlue s cmrble he vere mrke rce r rculurll he wershe, whch s bu $74/h $247/h. 72

the rec wershes rculr, wll becme cresly mrs he clme ches. Fress remve llu such s rcles rm he r, reuce ru rm wershes hereby curb f m- sey fw wer suly. Bh ress wels mrve werquly by ler ssml, er seme chemcls s he

F 3: t ra ia naa Aas Bc (2007)

Map o ecologically intact areas (i.e., areas without roads) that are more than 5 kilometres rom a road

and over 2,000 hectares in size.

Source: (B.C. Ministry o Environment. 2007. Environmental Trends in British Columbia: 2007. State o

Environment Reporting. Victoria, B.C. www.env.gov.bc.ca/soe/et07/)


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ParT ii: naTure under ThreaT from cLimaTe change


Global Climate Change Impacts

the iervermel pel Clme Che (ipCC) rves cm-rehesve summry he rece clme che mcs ecsysemreres, s, servces. the 2007 crbu he Clme Che,imcs, a Vulerbly Wrk gru (Wgii)74 ses heuse h he reslece my ecsysems s lkely be exceee becuse he ureceee cmb clme che ssce sur-bces. as csequece he srucure, bversy, uc msecsysems wll be erurbe. the ipCC uhrs hve hh cece hservces rve by hese ecsysems wll be cmrmse. We mus herererere r wesre eclcl rsrm.

the ipCC Wgii rer emhszes h he vulerbly url humsysems he mcs clme che wll be excerbe by her sres-srs such s hum l use he er url sysems he

servces hey rve. the rer ls hhlhs he llw mcs75:

the sbly crb sre erresrl ecsysems s rsk ue clme che /r l use mcs (.e. mre crb xe slkely be relese he mshere s resul clme che ssl-erve emsss).

glblly, 20-30 erce ml seces ssesse s r, re lkely be cresly hh rsk exc wh 2-3 erees Celsus wrmbve re-usrl levels.

Subsl ches wll ccur he uc srucure erres-rl mre ecsysems wh 2-3 erees Celsus wrm.

Ecsysem vulerbly clme che wll vry bse ecsysem-secc crcl hreshls. the ms vulerble ecsysems clue crlrees, he se-ce bme her hh-lue ecsysems such s hebrel, mu ecsysems, Meerre-clme ecsysems.

the ipCC Wgii rers my sues h emsre h wesreecsysem che s lrey uerwy ur ce ur re:

Erler ree-u (10-14 ys) bu burs se fwer me rexmle

icrese leh re ses re bure

Wlle resses - erler bree, mr, mrly

pes resses - mu e beele ul crese sre

Erler sw mel mre r se sw.

three mr s rm he ipCC Wgii nrh amerc summry rerecly ere l cserv, mcs :

Ecsysem surbces, bly re sec ubreks re cres-1., wll esy wh rer sls, hher emerures, lerrw sess.

Sesl vlbly wer wll ecle s rs emerures m-2.sh sw-ck crese evr, csr sules r hecme ees rculure, ces, usres ecsysems.

Many BC ecosystems areamong the most vulnerable.76

Northern British Columbia has

already experienced a high

rate o warming, being part o

northern North America which

has experienced the greatest

temperature increase globally.77

Part II: Nature Under Threat rom Climate Change


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the curre nrh amerc resse clme che mcs cuses3. c, rher h reve rblems hruh ve l.

i hs sec, we exme el mcs clme che s hey4.ly secclly Brsh Clumb wh vew evel sreesr ecsysem rec cserv.

Climate Change Impacts in British ColumbiaMethods o assessing Impacts

prec he uure s cul. geerl ucmes r e-s he rcess eclcl che c be ce, r rjece by sues he recessl recr, exm curre res us clme mc mels.78 Ech hese ur wll be csere s mes sh clmeche mcs.

the ssl recr s e use erre he s, eseclly r eecs sclme che. i clerly emsres h wesre bme rerz ches erhc re hve ccurre wh he ls 10,000 yers resse smller ches clme h currely rjece r he 21s

ceury.79 Clme che he scle mlue ce hs ceurys umbuusly emsre resul wesre eclcl che shs seces res.80

Curre blcl hyscl resses mesure clmc res rvesr cs ucm ches s hey re recly bserve. the suy curre res c ey resses h re csere /r rjeceby clme mcs mels r eecble hruh sues he ssl recr.

Clme mc mels ee he chrcerscs rculr mel he blcl eclcl use. o bh cus, ur curre uer-s hw ecsysems wrk hw seces res clme che scmlee. imc mels llw us exerme wh we re uurecs evlue m s.

the ssl recr revels bhyscl resses s clmc fucus refecs rel eclcl heme. Ulke he bserv curre res,he recse clmc cs rele s resses re kw. Clmemels re e s we bserve curre res evel beer uers- he uerly rcesses. Whe he evece rm ll hree rchess smlr ucmes, he here s crese cece cwh he uure my hl.81

the secc chrcerscs, re mechsm such che s, hwever,chlle esblsh.82 Sme ches my ke lce quckly s surbcesuch s re rces ecsysem ver hreshl ew se. i her cses,ecsysem cvers my ke lce rully, such s he vs he l-e ze by rees. Cser he r re mlue clme che,

ecsysem rerz seces shs wll cue r ceures bereequlbrum s reche. as resul, he m chrcerscs uure BClsces s hhly ucer.

thus, he escr clme che mcs h llws s eher re-scr uure cs r src rmewrk r cserv luse l; rher s ue r he eree rec che beexece.


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evidnc impacts m t ssil cd

Clme che ccurs bh rully rly, resse url vr-s he lbl clme sysems, resul vrble ecsysem mcs.Such ches re well cumee rculrly suher Brsh Clum-b.83 Cs h exse whe clmes were 2-3 erees Celsus wrmerh he rese (e.. bewee 10,000 6,000 yers ) re rculrlysrucve.84 Fssl sues hve ucvere mjr ereces he er ecsysems srbu m seces cmre he rese:

Suher BC ce res ecsysems h re rese w (e..wesre Sk sruce-weser hemlck csl res)

ierr rssls ccurre urher rh exe rm vlley bm mu he ok.85

grry k ssce mew ecsysems ccurre l smewh rhwr her curre s86

dry cerus ress ccurre mre wely he ierr hecs87

Lwl ress exee suble zes ree-les shher suher BC.88

B wel yes were less cmm h y.

Lkes s were shllwer, sme eve be ehemerl, hesuher err (.e. rver srem schre my hve bee mrerreulr).89

Fres were mre cve bh he err he cs.

i summry, he rece ssl recr s he lkelh wely er-e er erresrl quc ecsysems uer uure clmes.

Cnt climatic and bipysical tnds

Evece curre clme che s evlv s ler erm ses revelssclly eecble res. these res re eseclly helul eyres hh sesvy clme che. Severl res re eve Br-sh Clumb jce res, whch rm he lyss mcs90:

dly emerures re cres rly hruhu he rvce,eseclly he rh he err (Fure 4). Fr exmle, weremerures hve crese s much s 3-3.5 erees Celsus deseLke sce 1950.

aul rec hs crese by bu 22 erce vere verhe s hure yers, wh sc rel vr.

Sw ck hs bly ecrese ver he s 50 yers, wh screl vr.

Sr ru swmel-e rvers sr brek-u ce s wccurr erler.

Wrmer r emerures re resul wrmer wer emerures rvers. Fr exmle he Frser Rver crese by 1.1 erees Celsusbewee 1953 1998.

Wrmer emerures hve cree ler re ses wh mre recvy he brel res.

Flwer me bu brek se rees ccurs my ys erler. 91

the exlsve ubrek he Mu e beele es heesc he dhsrm eele blh hve bee lke ch clmes.

Dead cedars near Parksville,

Vancouver Island

Poto: ria heba


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Climat can impacts m mdls

Severl clme-ecsysem mc mels hve bee evele brcel sub-cel scles. prec clme che mcs rBrsh Clumb s herely cul ue BCs cmlex rhy clmc remes, see eclcl res. the mels e smlyvee-clme relshs.

geerl ecsysem mcs bse bsc rcles hve bee summrze Heb (1992) Heb (1997).92 i :

Slly exlc mcs hve bee erve rm clme mel us- he rxy beclmc zes by Hm W (2006).93

the Ryl Brsh Clumb Museum hs ls evele seres slly exlc mels r selece seces heme us herch clmc eveles.94

a mel re resse clme che rere by Fl e l. 95 2002 s vlble.

a sw ck mel r he Clumb Bs hs bee evele 96.

a cmrehesve exm he eec clme che selevels s er cmle by he gelcl Survey C97.

i s mr be smewh mlr wh he rmry clmc cexbe use clme mc mels. Hv mress uure cl-mc cs s useul l h rves sese he mu uureche, he eree ucery wh h che my be, he ry whch he che wll ke lce

F 4: ma a m tpa cas

Annual Minimum and Maximum temperature trends maps courtesy o Pacic Climate Impacts Consortium, University o Victoria,

http://www.pacicclimate.org/impacts/overview/

Data: CANGRID (50 km), Meteorological Service o Canada Adapted rom Zhang et al. 2000.Analysis: PCIC sta Support: BC Hydro

and BC Ministry o Environment


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Projected impacts o Climate Change

the summry h llws s bse syhess shs rm sues he ssl recr, curre res, mcs mels. ths syhess s rsubjecve s ee be cmrehesve lerure revew. pe-l mcs h ly brly he rvce re summrze rs, llweby zl lyss cus ecsysems suher BC where mre l s

rvely we l russ re eseclly cve.

Clme che mcs re exme lrely he level BeclmcZes, whch re he sr r bversy l ssessme Brsh Clumb (see Fure 5 r exmle) 98 i , rece mcsre rve r selece ecsysems (e.. esures) recze he b-eclmc ze level, eclcl rcesses (e.. re) mr l- cserv rec bu cure by he zl clssc.

i s mr kee m hree s revew he mcs escrbe he llw secs:

imc mels rec ly ches he erhc srbu 1.clmc cs requre by ecsysem r seces. they

shw where ecsysem wll be r eve such ecsysem wll ccur he me hrz shw he mel.Ecsysems mre, ly seces ; hece ches he e-2.rhc s ecsysem re ly c he eree che he uure eclcl el lc. the mels clue he ssbly h ew ecsysems wll lkely be rme h vsve seces my ly mjr rles hse ecsysems.the el erhc re r my seces wll ex rely,3.bu slwly mr seces, such s m rees, wll ee myeces rbbly ceures ccuy h el re.

Province-wide impacts

the rece eerl res he e hs ceury clue:

a eerl verll sh he suher er ecsysem clmes he rher hl BC.

Mjr exs rhwr usle ry -res (rssls) ry res ecsysem clmes (eseclly he ierr bu ls he cs).

Mjr exs ms csl err cer ress usle cs suble ress.

Mjr ecle Crller brel (sruce ress) rh cerlB.C.

Mjr ecle le ecsysem clme hruhu he rvce.

We-r ches wels quc ecsysems wh wrm-

wer emerures ches hyrly rele shrklcers ecrese sw ck.

the el shs ecsysem srbu by he yer 2080 re llusreby Hmm W (2006) Fure 5.


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Impacts on specifc terrestrial ecosystems

Castal Wstn hmlck Zn (CWh)

B lke cre sues revel h mjr shs erhc re cms he Csl Weser Hemlck ze (CWH) re lkely uer wrmer clme.99 i suh csl BC, duls-r me ss wlllms cerly slce weser recer-hemlck ss relvely ryres such s es cerl Vcuver isl he Lwer Ml.

Fre cvy s lkely crese rve mechsm r cvers CWH duls-r me ress.100 Ms he re w cvere CWH wll lkely rem s sme sr res, he chrcer whch wll e-e he eree whch rs emerures evr re -se bycrese rec. Sl cs, eseclly rc mer ce, myly key rle slw w mcs. Where sls re surbe r ry, helss weser hemlck pcc slver r my be lkely, eseclly wh resurbce.101 Les lkely be mce re he cl ms cec rs he CWH, such s he wes se Vcuver isl he cerl cs.

the re recer-weser hemlck res s rjece crese sely -l hher elevs, resul lss suble ress ccr Hm W (2006).102 Hwever, he Ryl Brsh Clumb Muse-um seces mc mel recs wesre ecle r weser recer suher BC lwls be s erly s 2020, uer hh clme checs, by 2050 uer me clme che cs.103 the smemel shws wesre el r exs he re recer he rh cs. Rece weser recer e bck he suh cs, esecllyhe es se Vcuver isl, suess h he seces mel my be

F 5: Pa s a a ss sb Ba (Bec) zs B-s cba - pas pa pa 2080.(haa a wa 2006)

Alpine Tundra (AT)

Bunchgrass Zone (BG)

Boreal Black and White Spruce

(BWBS) Zones

Coastal Douglas-Fir Zone (CDF)

Coastal Western Hemlock Zone

(CWH)

Interior Douglas-r (IDF)

Interior Cedar-Hemlock Zone (ICH)

Mountain Hemlock Zone (MH)Montane Spruce (MS)

Ponderosa Pine zones (PP)

Northern Spruce Forests: Sub-

boreal Pine Spruce (SBPS)

Sub-Boreal Spruce (SBS)

Spruce Willow Birch (SWB)

CURRENT 2080


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rxy r he uure he ry CWH he suh. nvel seces cm-bs my be exece he s ccurrece Sk sruce-weserhemlck ress uer wrm clmes s c.104

Castal Dlas-Fi Zn (CDF)

Hm Ws (2006) mcs mel rjecs r exs

he Csl duls-r ze (CdF), rech 336 erce crese by 2085.pleeclcl sues crm h he ze ws much mre exesve uerwrm, ry clmc cs.105 the rees exs s exece he esse suh e Vcuver isl, he pr alber vlley, he LwerMl.

the curre ecle cer s rculrly eve he CdF, er css-e wh he recs he weser recer seces mel, evece h heCsl duls-r res s lrey uer che. alhuh he e-l re exs r he CdF ze s smll cmre he re hervce, s lre rel he esely sele r he rvce whch ccurs.

gay oak and assciatd csystms (go)

alhuh he grry k rele ecsysems re recze s sc-ve ze he rvcl scle, hey eserve secl e becuse heyre recze s scve eere. i rculr hey hrbur excel umber rvclly eerlly lse seces.106i s hhly lkely h grry k ecsysems cul ex subslly hecm ceury. ths s srly suese by evece rm he ssl recr rm seces mc mel r grry k.107, Bse he grry kmel, clmes suble r hs seces cul sre u he cs, he rshw mus, s r s he Skee nss rver vlleys, lhruhu he rvce108. aher lyss hwever es emsresuch wesre exs109.

ths ecsysem s sr ce r reserv cserv becuse he hh umber rre seces he er cery h he ecsysemsclme ze wll ex wely. dry ses he jce CdF ress, lreysur chrcersc grry k seces such s se blush, re sr c-es r cqus.

Mntain hmlck Zn (Mh)

ths csl suble res rkl ze s relvely rece ecsys-em h evele s curre re resse cl ms clmes.110accr Hm W (2006) he Mu Hemlck ze myelly ecle by 79 erce by 2085 s clme wrms. ths ze hs vre re hsry111 my be re bur mre e mre eselyuer wrmer cs112. the mesure urher ce ecle sw ck he cs my ls ly mr rle he ecle hsze.

Bncass Zn (Bg)

grssls were much mre wesre ur he erly Hlcee wrm/ry ervl rech erhs s r rh s he lue Quesel.113 a hebme level, clme mc mels rec he el r mjr ex-s rssl clmes suher err BC, hruhu vlleybms jce lwer sles.114 grssl clmes my ex rx-mely 150 erce by 2025, mre h 400 erce by 2055, erly 800erce by 2085, rech well he Chlc Rver wershe rh Quesel.


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Mels use clmc r res clsse srcly s rssls exclumxe rssl res. thus, rssl ches c be exece ccurwell bey hese lms. Fr exmle, he seces mc mel BehrsHrsrek buerfy, ssce wh suh ok ele bush clmes,shws he ccurrece suble clme r rssl rhwes BC jussuh he Yuk brer by 2080.115

dese rely sve uure r he Buchrss ze verll, myce lsses ve seces becuse he hh rr rre secesexse chce clmc eves l use ressures. ivsve seces myls be hre s hey sre resse cres res surbce ve res h becme erese by ree eh sec ck bereve seces mre.

Inti Dlas-f and Pndsa Pin zns (IDF & PP)

dry cerus ress, me rculr by e seces, were cemuch mre wesre uer wrm/ry clmes.116 Hm Ws(2006) lyss shws he el r lre crese suble clme rbh idF pp zes wh hs ceury. the idF clme my sre welyhruhu cerl BC, wheres pp clmes my evel ver hue re

bewee 2055 2085 he pece Re rhes BC. Hwever, here sre he seces requre r such lre exss ver such resce rhbs yh lke he mer zes evel hs ervl.trse ecsysems ueerme cms mus be exece. thechrcer hese wll lkely be mee by es ubreks re. Fre cv-y s exece crese s summer cs becme rer h y he leh he re ses creses.117

Inti Cda-hmlck Zn (ICh)

the verse ms cer ress suher err BC re relvely receeure, rs resse he relvely cl ms clmes he lsew hus yers.118 i evece rm he ssl recr s use s reerece,wesre ecrese he ze s rjece. imcs mel, hweverces ubl iCH res by 2085, rmrly cerl BC. 119 Fur-her cmlc he cure, he seces mel r weser recer shwswesre ecle he vlleys suher BC. decreses he suh mybe cmese by wesre exs rh cerl BC.120

o ll he zes, hs lblly scve sysem ees urher suy s ev-ece rm ere mels er ere el ucmes. the eclcl seces re jusmes suese by mels wll ke my eces ceures. Summer ruh re, bh whch re exece crese fuece, my be he eerm crs.

Ntn Spc Fsts: Sb-bal Pin Spc (SBPS)/ Sb-B-al Spc (SBS)/ Bal Black and Wit Spc (BWBS) Zns

Clme mc mel suess hh rsk r he rsrm hese

ress ecsysems ycl suher BC.121 Hm W (2006) re-c h he re suble clme r he rher sruce ress (SBS SBpS zes) wll ecrese by mre h hl by 2055, by mre h 80erce by 2085. the clme he BC Brel res (BWBS) ersss lcehruh 2055, bu hereer s re ecles by bu hl by 2085.

the mu e beele eemc hs lrey che hese ress; heress cul ls rech eemc levels122. i , he cece re brel cer ress s he crese wll lkely crese urher.123as sl emerures wrm ue emerure creses he rwh res


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fr msses, key eclcl eleme rher sruce ress my ecle.Ches he cms srucure rher ress re lkely mc uule uls.

Spc-Willw-Bic zn (SWBS)

the Sruce-Wllw-Brch (SWBS) ze s rly uers eclclly

s ssl hsry well kw. Clme mc mels sues h hsrher suble ze clme cul lrely ser by 2055.124 accr-ly, s rece be he ms evely mce ll he BEC zes he rvce. prece lsses ermrs wll cerly crbue ches.

Mntan Spc and enlmann Spc-Sbalpin f zns (MSand eSSF)

the Eelm Sruce-Suble r (ESSF) ze, smlr he ierr CerHemlck ze, s yu sysem h sre resse cl mshh elev clmes.125 o hs bss, he ESSF ze cul be exece ecle re wh clme che. Hm W (2006) mels shwhe ESSF re rem lrely sble ul 2085 s creses he rhse wesre lsses he suh. the m-elev Me sruce zeclme re s rjece ecle rressvely ver he ceury bu hr s rl re, relce lrely by err cer hemlck rycer res clmes.

Alpin Tnda (AT)

Cl clme, hh elev ecsysems re rculrly vulerble clmeche becuse her resrce lsce s.126 tree-les s hherby bu 100 meres ur wrmer clmes ly 8000 yers .127 the re clme suble r le ecsysems my ecle by 60 erce by 2025, 97 erce by 2085, wh ree les rs by 168 542 meres, resec-vely.128 ale suble ches suher BC re smll esecllyvulerble clme che. Sme le clmes wll lkely erss wherehe mu clme re s see.

Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems

Wtlands

Wels re rculrly sesve clme che.129 as hysrh-clly-lme sysems, wels c mre; hece hey re vulerble ches wer ble levels (.e. hyrly) ure cycl. Fsslsues sues h shllw err wels re lkely ry u.130 Cl,ms clme wels wh sble hyrly, such s bs, wll be evelymce; mrshes wh fucu wer-bles hher ure levels remre lkely erss. Ches wels wll mc ble seces, my hve csequeces r brs h use wels r bree mr-. Clme che s rjece csr wer resurce vlbly

my res, s cres em r wer by hum cvy wll lkelyesy he mcs clme che wels.

Castal ecsystms

Curre res sues h lbl se levels re rs mre rly hrece by mels.131 Relly, he cul re se-level rse ees severl crs msly rele elcl heme. Fr exmle, hewes se Vcuver isl s rs relvely slwly u he se, husreuc he eecs lbl se-level rse. i crs, he l surce heFrser Rver del s subs, mk mre vulerble he lbl se

Sooke Potholes, now

protected as a park and

campground, thanks to

thousands o people and

BCs Land Trusts poto: seila haington


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level crese. Csequely, he mcs se-level rse wll vry l hecs Brsh Clumb. Cmrehesve se-level che mels hve beeevele by he gelcl Survey C,132 r suy rereby Hll e l. r Rbers Bk he Frser del rves key shs r helw-ly rs he Lwer Ml.133

Lmber e l.134 rjec se level rse bewee bu 20 -100 ce-

meres wh me vlue bu 0.60 meres. the Rbers Bk rerccers sel wh Rbers Bk, bu he rjece se-level rse mcswll ec he el u-srem les s r s he l fuece y. alllw-ly res wh hs ze wll hve crese rsk f ers. Sl wer wll eere urher l, resul he el rel-r reshwer mrshes ur brcksh.

the yke sysem wll requre re-erceme rs ue he rececrese se-level. the cs m ever-hher ykes he ee se he lss esure hb ue f by he rs ce wllresul sme el ls reur mrsh.

i eerl, rs se-levels l B.C.s cs wll cerly le creseers resh he shrele s hbs. a key -

srey s esure suce l jce he shre ccmmecreses ers ers sh shrele hbs, eseclly bulu res.

Aqatic Systms

the el eecs clme che Brsh Clumbs quc hb-s hve bee cmrehesvely evlue. Hwever, mjr mcs reexece s ches emerure rec cmbe mc hervces we re quc evrmes (.e. wrmer rer sum-mers). Furhermre, quc evrmes re rculrly re exremeclmc eves such s fs ruhs. My quc sysems re lreysresse ere by her hum mcs clu wer use r rr-, rculurl ru-, rml by re mls, hum us-

rl llu.

Sues ce, lke rver wers sues h clme che my lreybe mc slm her sh uls by ch mrsmes, vlbly, lm he use rver sysems.135 Mels uure cs ce cres emerures exer urher sress slm uls.136,137 i , ches ru- wll hve mcs slm sw bes hruh ers r seme es ur werhh fws f eves, r by exs hem ur lw wer ers.Srems rve by rll wll lkely exerece exee summer lw-fw e-rs, wrm shllw wers eve mre, vur wrm wer seces.i swmel lcer-e srems, he m esy reshe fswll che, resul erler erhs mre ese ek ru- fws.as emerures rse, mre rec lls s r rher h sw,

sme rver sysems wll becme rll rve her ecly wll ls belere.

the ecly lkes s smlrly eee emerure. My lkes evel- chrcersc ers emerure src, whch che ses-lly mx ures rm he lke bm uwrs, ee he ere werclum. ths key rcess wll be lere s lke wer emerures crese, s wer ce lkes mshes.


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cuse ur lme kwlee r becuse he mu chrcer clme che s ucer. Furhermre, he mcs resul cheswll cue r my eces lkely r ceures.

Ecsysems rm cel bmes lcl wer shes wls wlluer ches. grssls, lces, wll lkely relce ress, resswll lkely relce le mews. the exe chrcer wels wll

be lere. Ecsysems l he mre shre wll sh sme wll s-er. Fumel eclcl rcess such s re surbce es sese esy requecy wll be lere. the buce sme seces uls my crese he l ru wheres hers re lkely exc. all hese eecs wll fuece ly bversy bu ls ll hevl eclcl servces u whch hums ee.

Uers he lkely mcs clme che wll be key bh m- r he uure url vlues ey he mrce hecserv url res ress clme che.

Photo: Richard Hebda,

dougla f, coquiallaigway


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ParT iii: sTraTegies To reduce cLimaTe change imPacTs


Carbon MarketsCrb mrkes hve bee evele s srey reuce gHg emsss resse clme che. the lbl crb mrke emere s resul he 1992 Un Frmewrk Cve Clme Che he 1997 Kyprcl, whch se gHg emsss lms r ry res esb-lshe mechsms r reuc verll gHg emsss by les 5 ercebelw 1990 levels. alhuh here re severl yes reehuse ses, mr-kes mesure emsss erms crb equvles r Co2 eq. tw yes crb mrkes hve emere: 1) reule c--re mrkes , 2)vlury crb se mrkes.

Regulated Cap-and-trade Markets

Reule emsss r s mrke-bse mechsm h ms chevereucs he les cs bse lm r c he l mu reehuse ses h c be eme. Uer hs sysem, cmes r herees h em crb xe re ve cres r llwces h reresehe rh em secc mu, wh he l mu cres belw hese c. Cmes h llue bey her llwces c urchse cresrm hse wh llue less h her llwce. the r reehuses emsss s urrely cs eecve s mxmzes emsss reucers where hey re he les csly. they re ls evrmelly su erms he lbl mc clme che. Fr sce, reehuse sesh eer he mshere mve quckly ru he Erh s h he lc reucs s rrelev.

Reule gHg emsss r ccurs ly cures h hve eherre Ky r hve se erl c--re sysems uer her emsssres (e.. Eure U). the reule lbl crb mrke ws wrh esme US$30 bll 2006.143 the rmry mrke s he EureU Emsss tr Scheme (EU EtS), whch s wrh bu $25 bll.a hs me, ly rec gHg reucs re clue c--re mrkes.

Voluntary Carbon Osets

a reehuse s r crb se s eere by he reuc, vce, rsequesr gHg emsss rm secc rjec. oses re ee cuerc reehuse ses h re eme he mshere se-cc surce by sequeser hem elsewhere. Crb ses re urchse byvuls cmes se her w crb emsss. i crs emsss r, whch s reule by rml lel rmewrk, crb

ses re rre by cmmercl r -r-r crb se rvers.ielly, crb ses re use ly er ll esble gHg emsss reuc-s hve bee uerke. a cmm se rsc s e h sescrb emsss rm r rvel. the vlury mrke r reucs bycrrs vuls s rw very rly. i 2006, ws wrh esme $100 mll.144 pres ses sser h hey c be m-r r eecve clme lcy, mlemee quckly relvelylw cs.

Part III: Strategies to Reduce Climate Change Impacts


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the cus my erly crb se rjecs ws ree l, huhreewble eery, eery ececy mehe cure ses re w cm-m. i eerl, crb ses re cree by:

cres eery ececy buls, cres r rsr

eer elecrcy rm reewbles such s w r slr

my wer l r cry use uels h ruce less gHgu wse eery wrk v ceer,

cur crb xe ress rculurl sls. 145

there re umber crcsms crb ses. Sme crcs eel h sesrve cmes csumers wh excuse llue.146 Crcs eh se mrkes hve quesble resuls reuc crb emsss exress ccer h he use crb ses my cully crese emsss he bsece c verll emsss.147 Ulke he reule mrkes,he vlury secr lcks uversl sr. ths hs resule scskecsm crb mrkes erl he crebly ses rcu-lr.

Fresry rjecs, eseclly ree l rjecs, hve bee crcze becuse

umber ssues clu ermece. Fr exmle, resry sksrjec my bsrb crb whle lv bu sme wll succumb sese, re /r l. as resul, my ele cser hem be em-rry ses /r srer hem s relble ses leher.

alhuh here s much sreeme ver he eecveess he vlurycrb mrke erms ver lbl wrm, here s cserblesur r crb ses becuse hey rm ele cmmues be cr he cs her crb r whe mk vul,busess cmmuy ecss. Crb ses ls resul rce heemsss crb, vlue h bes ler eles hk busess ers.

there my ls be mr evrmel scl bees he gHg emsss reucs h crb ses rve. Fr sce, e-e he ye se, vesmes se rjecs c resul herevrmel, scl ecmc bees such s:

Reucs her msherc llus

Resr ere ls

imrv wershes wer quly

prec eere seces

the evelme sle cmrehesve sr h resses ll hese ssues s ecessry r creble vlury mrke. Severl eresrs hve bee evele by vrus secrs. Fr exmle, he UK ver-me hs uerke csul evel Ce Bes prcce r he

rvs crb se r UK cusmers; -vermel rz-s hve evele he gl Sr (erse by 40 ngos), er-l eces hve evele the Vlury Crb Sr.

Sme crb se rvers re wrk esure h he se rjecshey ves re que verble. the Clme trus, lce or-e, s e he lres ms exerece se buyers he U.S. lblly. ther curre rjecs re exece se erly 2.6 mll mercs crb xe rm $8.8 mll vesmes. they use se crer esure ly rrus mesureme bees clu-

Additionality: Additionality oa carbon oset means showingthat the emissions reductionsbeing used as osets are notbusiness as usual. Business-as-usual emissions are generally

reerred to as the emissionsbaseline.

Leakage: Leakage occurs whenactivities that reduce GHGemissions in one location causeemissions to rise somewhereelse. This can reduce oreliminate the net beneft othe project.

Carbon Neutral: A conceptthat reers to consumers,organizations and businesses

neutralizing their personalor corporate GHG emissionsor their carbon ootprint byosetting all or some o theemissions associated with theirlives and activities.

Carbon oset: The act oreducing or avoiding GHGemissions in one place in orderto oset GHG emissionsoccurring somewhere else.A carbon oset negates orneutralizes a tonne o CO2e

(carbon dioxide equivalent)emitted in one place byavoiding the release o atonne o CO2e elsewhere orabsorbing/sequestering atonne o CO2e that wouldhave otherwise remained inthe atmosphere. Unlike mostpollutants, GHGs travel aroundthe planets atmospherequickly so it doesnt reallymatter where the reductiontakes place. Osets aredesigned to take advantage o

the diering costs and logisticso achieving GHG emissionsreductions by sector andgeographical location.

148


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mesure bsele rjec emsss whu he rjec she cul emsss. i , hr ry wh cl eres musvery he rch clculs hese resuls.

Csequely, rz s cser rjecs h my qulys crb ses, s essel evlue her bly rve vl mesurble bees s well s her bly me he rjecs rve

l erm ccubly.149 the rmry ssue s hw ue he quly se rjec. the m cus s he c ly. al-y s eerme by swer he ques: Wul rjec hve heeywy? i yes, he se c be s hve ly. i , he my quly s rue se. alhuh hs my seem be smle ques swer, he rblem s here s e sreeme wheher rjec myr my hve hee.150 a uele r eerm se rjecwul clue:

bsele eerm busess-s-usul gHg emsss;1.

mesureme r quc he gHg emsss reucs (r2.sequesr) resul rm he se rjec relve he bseleemsss;

ccu r he ermece he se r gHg reucs clu3.wheher here s he el r reversl he uure;

ccu r key el uceres such s leke, ;4.

he se rjec shul be mre vere ver me.5. 151

the mrce v he relese crb he mshere ue eres er ress wels, s well reresee he crb mrkes. the vervew crb sre by url res pri llusres h vesme he sre crb ecsysems s -vesme r m (.e. ve emsss) r urses.Such vesmes wll be beecl r cmmues jurscs s r her l r clme che, wheher r such rjecsmy quly s crb ses. oher cl mechsms clue rv- he ruy r crbus wr cserve ls wh lel erme recs hruh cserv cves (esemes/servues her rvces).

Carbon Oset Opportunities or Land Trusts and other

Conservation Agencies

ths sec rves sme exmles he rues r l russ her cserv eces rer rel crb se rvers s well sexmles l rus ves rve her w crb ses herm crbus r s rece ls.

the Chc Clme Exche (CCX) s he wrls rs ( nrh amercsly) lelly b rules-bse gHg emsss llwce r sysem. ismembers mke vlury bu lelly b cmmmes mee ulgHg emsss reuc res, whereby hse wh reuce belw rehve surlus llwces sell r bk hse wh re bve re cmlyby urchs CCX Crb Fcl isrume (CFi) crcs. these c-rcs clue Exche, allwces, Exche oses bse sr-ze rules. Exche oses re eere by quly se rjecs, whchclue: rculurl mehe, rculurl sl crb, resry, relsl crb.152


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t ress he crques crb ses, he CCX hs e severl s-rze rules r ssu her crcs. i he sce res crbsequesr, he llw seccs clue l-erm cmmme m crb scks ress, rve mehs quc crb scks eee verc by CCX-rve verer. tress he ssue ermece, ech yer 20 erce he CFi crcseere huh rerese l re lce reserve l rm whch

hey cmese y crb sre reversl mu crres he Co2 e lss resul rm he reversl.

Ees vuls he rculurl, resry, wse meme re-ewble eery secrs c rce CCX by reser ses - emssscres ere by elble se rjecs h sequeser, esry r slcereehuse s (gHg) emsss. these ees my j CCX s ose pr-vers r ose arers. a ose prver s wer se rjech resers sells ses recly he Exche (h://www.chccl-mex.cm/ce.

trees i trus s rz bse ow, C h rves heruy crbue mey wrs he rec ress ve s , s memrl, r reuce vuls r busess crb -

r. the urchse s crbu he rz h he uses rec res whch re hel he me he crburs by -r-rchrble l rus whch recs he wl ereuy. the rs lruss C wh hve ree cserve ls s se wh trees trus re he isl nure trus prce Ewr isl he nure trus new Bruswck. Fr mre rm see: h://reesrus.c.

the Wrl L trus s exmle erl -r r-z/l rus h ers s w crb ses r cserv l cserv urses. the Wrl L trus ers vuls cm-es vesme rues hruh ses her webse r rrescserv evel cures.153 Hwever, lbl cex, smr cser he lcl cmmuy. Cserv l mus lybe uerke mees he scl eclcl ees esres hesurru cmmuy. the crb se urchser rver mus bhmke every er ress lcl ees ccers.

there my be rues r l russ her cserv rz-s eces se u sme rm cserv-bse crb ser crb sewrsh resry. as scusse bve, cserv rjecs hmee he ssues ly ermece my quly s vble ses.the cerc rcesses srs by se rvers wllbe crucl r bul cece bh eee verme cre-e se resres.

BCs Climate Plan and Local Initiatives

the Brsh Clumb verme hs recely ke severl ses be -ress clme che. Ms recely, he verme ruce he gree-huse gs Reucs tre ac. ths ac us Brsh Clumbs re reuc gHg emsss by les 33 er ce belw 2007 levels by 2020. ils requres h erm res r 2012 2016 be se by he e 2008, esblshes emsss reuc re 80 erce belw 2007 levelsby 2050. the ac wll ls requre ublshe rer every w yers ulhe rress me wrs rech he emsss reuc res. the acls requres he rvcl verme, clu rvcl msres eces, schls, cllees, uverses, helh uhres Crw crr-s becme crb eurl by 2010 mke ublc rer every yer


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el cs ke wrs crb eurly. i , he vermehs cmme lesl c--re sysem ex sr requrehr cs gHg emsss rm ll BCs hevy emers.

the rvcl verme hs ls je erl er-relrershs. i ocber 2007, he BC verme je he ierlCrb ac prersh (iCap)154, whch s erl rz

vermes h re cs reehuse s emsss h wllrve rum r shr rm bes rcces srees suchs he evelme cmble lbl crb r sysems.155 BrshClumb hs je wh ve weser U.S. ses rer he Weser Re-l Clme ac ive (WRCai), rersh ese ey,evlue mleme wys cllecvely reuce reehuse s emsss he re cheve rele c-bees. the ve requres rers se verll rel l reuce emsss, evel mrke-bse,mul-secr mechsm hel cheve h l, rce crss-brer reehuse s (gHg) resry.

the BC verme hs ls se u rvcl Clme ac tem vsehe rvces Cmmee Clme ac he res r 2012 2016.these res wll be lelly me, hruh reul, by he e 2008,

he em wll ey urher cs he shr meum erm reuce emsss mee he 2020 res. i , he em wll rvevce he rvcl vermes cmmme becme crb eurlby 2010. Fl recmmes wll be vlble by July 31, 2008.as r he WRCai, ew crb-r resry r he rvce wll be seu 2008. ths resry wll llw BC reses se her ersl crbr such s r rvel. the crb se rjecs h he vermevess wll be ue uer he crb r resry ce s se u.156

Becuse he verme hs cmme becm crb eurl, ll v-erme rvel wll hve be se sr 2008. Emsss rm ver-me rvel wll be rcke, clcule, eer revewe ue. Srhs scl yer, r every e gHgs ssce wh cl vermervel, he prvce wll ves $25 ew BC Crb trus. the rus wll beluche erly ex yer wll esure x llrs re vese vl serjecs B.C. i wll ls be e vuls, cmes her levels verme hel hem becme crb eurl hel reuce ems-ss by sur me--B.C. se rjec. prjecs ue by he rusmy clue ehce eery ececy, ruce cle, reewble eery rsequeser crb hruh cremel res mesures.157 the BC Cr-b trus herere my rve ruy r ew cserve ls hmee he russ requremes (e.. ve crb emsss).

My lcl vermes crss he rvce hve ls me cmmmes ress clme che. i Seember 2007, BC lcl vermes cmme becm crb eurl by 2012 by s he rvces Clmeac Chrer.158 Crb eurly vlves mesur he reehuse semsss h cme rm verme ers such s buls feevehcles he reuc hse emsss e zer. gvermes chevecrb eurly by reuc emsss where ssble, by urchs crbses cmese r s reehuse s emsss r by evel rj-ecs se emsss.

the U BC Mucles he rvcl verme wll esblsh J prvcl-UBCM gree Cmmues cmmee gree Cmmu-es Wrk grus ee re cs h c ec clme che,bul lcl verme ccy l mleme clme che

Other provincial initiativeson climate change include:

Greenhouse gas emissionsreduction strategies and targets

will be legally required in allofcial community plans andregional growth strategies.

Municipalities will be giventhe power to waive develop-ment cost charges as a way toencourage green developments,small unit housing and small lotsubdivisions.

All new government build-ings or acilities shall be builtto a minimum LEED Gold orequivalent certifcation.

Legislation will be introducednext spring to require the adop-tion o Caliornia tailpipe emis-sion standards to be phased inrom 2009 to 2016.

BC will be the frst provincein Canada to legally adopt Cali-ornias low carbon uel contentstandards, a requirement thatwill reduce carbon intensity oall passenger

ltabc mitigating & adapting to climate change wilson & hebda

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