Every day in British Columbia we produce and burn large amounts of gasoline, oil, coal and natural gas. These important sources of energy power our cars, run our businesses and provide electricity. Energy plays a fundamental role in our lives and our economy.

But the steady increase in fossil fuel production and use is also causing  B.C.’s greenhouse gas emissions to rise and contributing to climate change. And climate change could impose serious consequences on B.C. and the entire Pacific Northwest, according to a B.C. government study.

Impacts

• During the past 100 years, coastal temperatures in B.C. have increased by about 0.6 degrees, while the interior has warmed by more than 1 degree – twice the rate of the global average.

• The Lower Fraser Valley is projected to experience some of the most significant climate change impacts in B.C. Warmer, drier summers will include periods of hot, stagnant weather, which will result in more severe smog episodes.

• Burning fossil fuels also causes local air pollution with major health impacts. According to the Government of Canada, air pollution prematurely kills an estimated 5,900 Canadians each year. Other health impacts include increased respiratory disease, increased hospital admissions and higher health costs.

• A 1995 B.C. Environment study estimated that health care costs of air pollution in the Lower Fraser Valley alone was estimated to be $830 million in 1990 and is projected to rise to $1.5 billion by 2005.

• Climate change is also impacting B.C.’s forests. As a result of warmer, drier summers and milder winters we can expect to see more insect infestations and forest fires.
  
  
• Infestations of the mountain pine beetle are normally controlled by intense cold snaps in the winter, but warmer winters have been one of the factors enabling the infestation to grow into an epidemic in B.C.’s interior forests. In only four years, the mountain pine beetle has chewed its way through trees on nine million hectares - an area five times the size of Vancouver Island and worth about $9-billion. As much as four million hectares is expected to be attacked in 2003, which is double the 1.9 million hectares the beetles invaded in 2002.

• Climate change will also change water levels, temperature and peak flow timing for rivers and streams leading to further pressures on already stressed species, such as salmon. For example, the Fraser River, one of Canada’s biggest salmon producers, often reaches temperatures of 22 degrees while the salmon are returning to spawn. If the temperature increases a further one or two degrees, most of the returning salmon will likely die before spawning.

• Disrupted spawning and migration of salmon in turn disrupts the feeding habits of bears and bald eagles.

• Climate change will disrupt the annual water cycle in which mountain snowpack – upon which many rivers depend – will shrink. Water shortages will affect hydroelectric power production and farms that depend on irrigation.

• Climate change is an issue that has pressing economic implications for B.C.’s natural resource industries – forestry, fishing, agriculture and tourism.

• Change in oceanic temperatures is pushing the range of pacific salmon further north making their return migration to spawning runs on B.C.’s coast much longer and stressful

• Read about general climate change impacts on our website
• An impacts overview from Environment Canada
• Climate change impacts in British Columbia
• Visit the British Columbia region of the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network
• Climate change impacts in the Canadian alpine
• Learn about the effects of climate change in Canada's national parks