The term climate change refers to both natural and human-induced changes in climate. The Earth's climate is constantly changing. However, the climate change we are seeing today is occurring at a much faster rate and greater magnitude than ever before (Environment Canada, 2007). Studies are showing that humans are interfering with the planet's natural systems (Environment Canada, 2005). Through processes such as burning fossil fuels we are changing the composition of the atmosphere by adding more greenhouse gases. This increase in greenhouse gases is responsible for the changes in climate being seen around the world (Environment Canada, 2005).
In recent years, climate change has become an increasingly important global issue. Climate change has the potential to be detrimental to the natural environment, global economy, and human health. Because of the global scale of climate change, cross-border cooperation and communication is necessary for developing solutions and adaptive responses.
The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment anticipates that climate change is likely to affect the integrity of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the sustainability of the region for existing and future generations. Addressing the issue of climate change is increasingly urgent, and the Council committed in its Action Plan 2007-2012 to activities that are intended to contribute to solutions.
The Gulf of Maine Climate Change Network Task Force (CCNTF) was created in 2003 to address Action Item 8 of the Council's Action Plan 2001-2006: Convene those working on climate change impacts to develop adaptation strategies, encourage research and disseminate information to managers.
An Emerging Issues Forum was held in Exeter, New Hampshire, in June 2005 on the topic of climate change and the Gulf of Maine. After the meeting, it was clear that there was a lack of knowledge about climate change issues affecting the Gulf of Maine, and an absence of any organizational mechanism to research and compile such information and deliver it. The CCNTF recognized that a gathering of climate change practitioners was needed to come to a consensus on how these problems could be addressed. In March 2006, a meeting was held by the CCNTF to discuss climate change issues in the Gulf of Maine (Gulf of Maine Climate Change Network Task Force: Meeting Report, March 22-23, 2006, PDF, 691 KB). It was agreed that the development of a network was necessary to effectively address the climate change issues of the region and provide information to not only the Gulf of Maine Council's Working Group, but also the general public.
In the Gulf of Maine Council's Work Plan for January 2007-June 2008, Activity 1.22 calls for the initiation of a formal Climate Change Network (CCN) to facilitate networking and communication among members of the Gulf of Maine community. The Climate Change Network was officially launched on June 11, 2007, in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, at the Climate Change Network Inaugural Event.
With the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, the CCNTF has identified a set of key activities to be addressed in an attempt to meet the goals of the Council as outlined in its Action Plan 2007-2012. The CCN is committed to successfully completing the activities relevant to climate change and incorporating this information into environmental decision making and management.
The CCN strives to bring the latest climate change science, impacts, and adaptation information to the Gulf of Maine community. The goals of the CCN are to:
- help enhance awareness of how projected climate change will impact the Gulf of Maine region,
- help those working on other environmental issues to understand how climate change will influence their work,
- work toward adaptation strategies, and
- facilitate networking and communication between the various groups, agencies, and academics.
In 2006, the CCNTF published a report called Cross-border Indicators of Climate Change over the Past Century: Northeastern United States and Canadian Maritime Region (Wake, et al., 2006). Climate change indicators are important elements of understanding the health of the Gulf of Maine region. The report discusses findings based on climate data recorded since 1900 and seeks to clarify which criteria studied will be useful indicators of future climate change.
The CCNTF has also been involved with the Ecosystem Indicator Partnership (ESIP). ESIP is a committee of the Gulf of Maine Council that is developing indicators for the Gulf of Maine and integrating regional data for a new Web-based reporting system for marine ecosystem monitoring. Indicators are being developed in six areas of interest, one of which is climate change. At the CCN inaugural event in June 2007, ESIP members in attendance were encouraged to incorporate the climate change information that was presented into the development of indicators.
The CCN is continuing to work with ESIP to incorporate climate change information into the work of the other five subcommittees (coastal development, contaminants and pathogens, eutrophication, aquatic habitat, and fisheries and aquaculture).
Progress is also being made on other Activities in the Gulf of Maine Council's Work Plan relevant to climate change. Activity 1.5, which is designated as high priority, involves preparing regional criteria to be used to identify coastal habitats at risk from sea-level rise, extreme precipitation, and other climate change impacts. The intended outcome of Activity 1.5 is to present the criteria results to decision makers responsible for coastal habitat restoration as one way to increase their knowledge about the need to restore and monitor coastal habitats. To help accomplish this goal, the CCN is working with the Gulf of Maine Council's Habitat Restoration Subcommittee to come up with reasonable conclusions about how climate change will impact the habitat restoration process and restored ecosystems.
Perhaps most importantly, the CCN is building a formal network of individuals within the Gulf Maine region who wish to learn more about climate change science, impacts, and adaptation in order to better inform their work. To become a member, please send your name and contact information (and indicate whether you wish the contact information posted on this Web site) to the CCN coordinator. Network members will receive periodic e-mails from the coordinator informing them of relevant news and upcoming events.