Red River Basin Disaster Information Network
On-Line Workshop
May 25, 2000 -- 12:00 Noon CST

Water and Climate Change
Vulnerability and Adaptation

Allen Tyrchniewicz
Senior Specialist, Natural Resource Management
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

Online Transcript
Download Transcript (MS Word File)
Text Transcript
Slides: 1, 2, 3, 4

The International Institute for Sustainable Development, Global Change Strategies International, Inc., Enviroment Canada, Manitoba Conservation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, Manitoba Hydro, Saskatchewan Water Corporation, and Natural Resources Canada co-sponsored an all day workshop in Winnipeg on May 18 on the theme Water Sector: Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change. The goal was to raise the awareness of climate change in the water sector and to promote the development of adaptation strategies for water management in the Prairies. Objectives were to:

• Foster discussions for dealing with climate change and water issues using existing and future scientific knowledge
• Identify and strengthen linkages between water managers, public policy, and adaptation strategies relating to climate change and water issues
• Facilitate communication, consultation, and negotiation among interested parties, and where appropriate, create mechanisms for achieving practical solutions relating to climate change and water in the Prairies
• Contribute to a national assessment of water sector vulnerability to climate change and potential adaptation measures.

We were very pleased to welcome RRBDIN member Allen Tyrchniewicz to present background on the International Institute for Sustainable Development and further information about the results of the workshop.

IISDnet
IISDnet Wetlands and Climate Change
IISDnet Selected Sources, Water Resource Management (bibliography)
Manitoba Sustainable Development

Canadian Government Climate Change
Natural Resources Canada Climate Change
Meteorological Service of Canada Climate Change Fact Sheets
Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis

Draft Report of the Water Sector of the U.S. National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change, Potential Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on the Water Resources of the United States

Red River Basin Board Information and Education Committee Paper, Why Climate Variability is Important to Water Resources Management

About Allen Tyrchniewicz
Allen Tyrchniewicz is the Senior Specialist, Natural Resource Management at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). He has written several papers on adapting to climate change in the Prairies, and is co-author of IISD's report Sustainable Development for the Great Plains: Policy Analysis and the report Agriculture and Sustainable Development.

Allen has been instrumental in raising the awareness of climate change in the Prairies through a number of workshops on adapting to climate change. The main focus has been on the need for agriculture and water management to adapt to the changing climatic conditions.

Currently, he is conducting research in the area of Great Plains adaptation policy, with particular emphases on community adaptation, climate variability and water management. Mr. Tyrchniewicz has been instrumental in the development of two key organizations to address adaptation, the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, and Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development.

Allen has served on several steering committees in the Great Plains, including: the State of the Environment; Prairie Climate Variability & Change; the Glacial Lake Agassiz Citizens Forums; the Deerwood Soil and Water Management Association; the Sustainable Development Committee of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce; and the Program Development Committee at the Fort Whyte Centre.

Prior to joining IISD, Allen spent three years with the Transport Institute as a Research Associate researching trade practices and agribusiness logistics. As well, he worked on several soil conservation projects during his five years with the Soil Science Department at the University of Manitoba.