Climate change can cause severe financial woes… Even for Alberta

Alberta’s attempts to cut spending this year in order to deal with the reality of deficits are being hampered by, of all things, the weather. The province is suffering what could be the driest year in the past 25, or at the least the 2nd driest. As a result of this, the province will have to shell out more money than expected to bail out its farmers and fight a larger number of forest fires.

Now while this year’s water problems in Wild Rose Country can’t be uniquely attributed to changing climate patterns, it’s worth noting that these problems with water availability are exactly the type that can be expected if current predictions hold true. If modeled temperatures are correct, we could see a 2 degree increase from 1980’s mean annual temperature by 2030, an 5 degrees by 2070 (according to the UofA’s Environmental Research and Studies Centre).

So what does that mean? A 2-4 degree increase would have the affect of shifting the climate near Lethbridge north to areas like Calgary or Red Deer. A 3-5 degree increase shifts Calgary’s climate to High Level – a 14 hour drive to the north.


I wonder what the fires and droughts would be like then.