However, it can have real and local consequences and that is what the UPEI Climate Lab wants people to understand.
The UPEI Climate Lab held a presentation at Holland College to inform students and visitors about climate change, it’s local impact and what can be done to help.
One of the opening remarks made by Bryan Grimmelt, was that “environmental science affects all disciplines,” and this was reflected in the presentations. The event went four hours and discussed topics as diverse as oil pollution in Nigeria to soil erosion on P.E.I.
Brian O’Neill, a soil scientist and teacher at Holland College, gave a presentation about groundwater, and how climate change affects P.E.I.’s water table. “P.E.I. gets 100 percent of its drinking water from ground water,” O’Neill says.
He explained that P.E.I.’s ground water has been getting lower since 1965, and the environmental impact of climate change has only made the problem worse. “Climate change can cause massive rainstorms,” O’neill says, explaining that such storms can cause massive erosion, which can contaminate the groundwater.
Hope Parnham of the UPEI Climate Lab focused specifically on the effect climate change will have on P.E.I. in the upcoming decades.
Parnham says that there is already some effect on P.E.I., saying the Island is “already at risk of coastal flooding.” She went on to show how much damage storms and rising sea levels could do to the Island.
Another member of the Climate Lab, Stephanie Arnold, demonstrated a computer program called the Coastal Impacts Visualization Environment, or CLIVE.
CLIVE is a virtual recreation of P.E.I. that shows a simulation of the damage flooding and erosion will cause to the Island. A video game controller allows one to explore this virtual environment, and see up close what the effect of climate change will be.
While much of what was shown was warnings for the future, there was also hope. O’Neill spoke about research into carbon sequestration, which is the process of removing carbon from the air and putting it back into the soil.
Meanwhile, Parnham says, “planning in advance is the best solution.” She suggests that people should consider carefully before buying homes in areas with high risk of flooding or erosion.
The UPEI Climate Lab researches climate change, and works to develop programs that inform people of the risks and possible solutions.
