Communities dependent on Canada's blue economy will face growing challenges to their livelihoods as climate change fundamentally alters the country's marine environment, according to new Simon Fraser University research.
The four-year study suggests that some parts of the country could see a 50 per cent drop in marine resources, hitting sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture and ecotourism.
All of Canada's coastal communities will experience shifting resources with experts suggesting thousands of people could be affected, particularly Indigenous communities, if steps are not taken now to mitigate the risks.
Pedro González-Espinosa, a climate change researcher in SFU's School of Resource and Environmental Management, says: "There's no getting away from the fact that climate change is already changing our ocean environments and will continue to do so without a dramatic reduction in harmful emissions.
"The real questions to address now are how marine resources could change and who is going to suffer the most with these changes.
"Our findings suggest that many of Canada's marine sectors would feel the effects to varying extents, but some communities, notably Indigenous groups, are going to be hit harder."
The blue economy encompasses a number of different sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, ecotourism, offshore energy, marine transport and carbon sequestration.
Within the blue economy, marine resources-such as fish, seaweed, energy and tourism opportunities- can drive economic growth, when managed and utilised in a sustainable, responsible and equitable manner.
"While we want to highlight how the marine environment is going to be impacted, the main point of this study was to draw attention to who will be affected in terms of livelihoods, jobs and even food security," says Andrés Cisneros-Montemayor, a resource economist and assistant professor in the School of Resource and Environmental Management.
"These findings highlight the need for adaptive, inclusive, climate-resilient policies to support the livelihoods of coastal communities."
The study, published in Regional Studies in Marine Science, analyzes historical and projected data around resources within Canada's blue economy.
Researchers looked at two future climate scenario projections: a best-case scenario where harmful emissions are reduced; and a worst-case scenario where harmful emissions continue to increase.
These projections enabled them to map out how and where marine resources may change across Canada's coasts.
"While the outcomes are mixed, projections in the Arctic region show some of the most significant resource declines as temperature changes are going to be more profound," says González-Espinosa, lead author of the paper.
"Likewise, some parts of the Pacific and Atlantic regions could also experience resource declines, particularly if we continue along a high emissions pathway."
As Canada finalizes its Blue Economy Strategy, the study puts forward several recommendations to help inform discussions:
- Long-term sustainability goals must be prioritized
- Climate adaptation is fundamental to ocean planning
- Policies should be tailored based on local conditions and variations
- Steps should be taken to build climate resilience at a community level
- Equal and inclusive governance is necessary to avoid deepening disparities, particularly for Indigenous peoples and marginalised coastal communities.
AVAILABLE EXPERTS
ANDRÉS CISNEROS-MONTEMAYOR, resource economist, assistant professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management
PEDRO GONZÁLEZ-ESPINOSA, climate change researcher, School of Resource and Environmental Management
Contact
SAM SMITH, SFU Communication & Marketing
236.880.3297 | [email protected]
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778.782.3210
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