RESEARCH FOCAL POINTS
 
  The CGCP recognizes the need to capitalize on local and
  international strengths of the Canadian research community in
  order to address scientific, social and policy questions.  It has
  been influenced from the start by the need to develop Canadian
  contributions to the IGBP and the HDGECP.  Projects that are part
  of the CGCP share a number of common traits, including the need
  to:
 
  *  improve our understanding of atmospheric, oceanic,
     cryospheric, and biospheric dynamics;
 
  *  develop models which link climatic, biophysical and socio-
     economic parameters in order to assess the potential impacts
     of various global change scenarios; and to
 
  *  establish mechanisms for effective information management.
 
  The focal points of CGCP research are described below.
  Information on specific projects and other Program activities can
  be obtained by contacting the Secretariat.
 
The Arctic
 
  The CGCP is interested in the Arctic for several reasons.  Human
  disturbances are comparatively recent, offering unique
  opportunities to explore the effects of human activity.  Ice and
  snow cover are key factors in regulating the temperature of the
  Earth because they reflect solar energy.  The Arctic Ocean affects
  climate through its link to the North Atlantic and hence to
  global thermohaline ocean circulation, which transports heat
  poleward.  Degradation of permafrost could lead to increased
  coastal erosion, a significant modification of northern wetlands
  and, possibly, to a release in some areas of methane -- a major
  greenhouse gas -- from underlying frozen gas hydrate
  accumulations.
 
Critical Zones
 
  Some areas are more sensitive than others to the impacts of
  global change.  Coastal zones, the Aral Sea, the Great Lakes, and
  polar regions stand out as obvious examples.  Information is being
  collected about such sensitive areas, and care is being taken to
  ensure that data can be exchanged effectively among different
  groups.  Yet little is being done to integrate and assess the
  information from a global change perspective.  The CGCP is
  encouraging this kind of analysis to help researchers monitor
  critical areas and to highlight the effects of various policy
  options.
 
Climate, Oceans & Hydrology
 
  Climatic change is central to many of the research and policy
  questions being addressed through the CGCP.  It is the main
  impetus behind efforts to understand socio-economic systems and
  the sensitivity of Arctic, atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial
  processes.
 
  Oceans transport enormous amounts of heat over long distances and
  marine stores of carbon are much larger than their counterparts
  in the atmosphere.  Yet major uncertainties exist concerning the
  role of oceans in global warming and the processes responsible
  for transferring carbon to and from the deep sea.  The CGCP is
  addressing these uncertainties, giving special attention to the
  fact that Arctic seas are notably sensitive and poorly understood
  with respect to climatic variation.  Northern areas of persistent
  open water, polynyas, are also of interest due to their unique
  importance to the ecology and climate of Arctic regions.
 
  Hydrological processes are another area of concern.  Few
  terrestrial ecosystems can function without freshwater, while
  major cities and utilities, important fisheries and agricultural
  areas depend on Canadian supplies.  Stocks of groundwater require
  effective management and protection strategies.  Northern rivers
  act as effective heat pumps, with dramatic effects on the local
  climate.  Wetlands are critical breeding areas for waterfowl and
  home to many rare or endangered plant species.  Lakes and wetlands
  are sensitive indicators of change and contain an abundance of
  information about how the environment has changed in the past.
  They also contribute to alterations in atmospheric composition
  through the release of trace gases.
 
Culture & Values
 
  Human society involves an array of cultural traditions, values,
  ethics and moral preferences.  Often, nature becomes an arena for
  interplay among the conflicting demands of economy, ecology and
  recreation.  Traditional lifestyles and differences in the way
  modern and indigenous societies view nature put this in
  perspective.  The CGCP recognizes the need to develop useable
  frameworks of conception and analysis for historical and cross-
  cultural studies of human interactions with the environment.
 
Data & Information Systems
 
  Canadian data collected for global change studies must be
  accessible, carefully preserved, documented and advertised to
  avoid unnecessary duplication and to ensure quality research.
  These considerations are equally valid for existing archives and
  data repositories in other countries.  The CGCP is focussing
  attention on standards, compatibility issues and infrastructure
  requirements that relate to global change data and information
  systems.
 
Ecosystem Research & Monitoring
 
  Canadian studies of global change are focussing on Arctic,
  montane, prairie, boreal, aquatic and urban ecosystems.  Baseline
  information is required in every case, for a clear understanding
  of natural and human-induced variability.  Efforts range from the
  development of a high-resolution, digital map of Canadian land
  cover, to maps of baseline geochemical data.  Long-term, inter-
  disciplinary efforts are required, along with space-borne studies
  aimed at levels of resolution that permit specific areas and
  phenomena to be isolated and examined.
 
  Boreal areas are one of the most important ecosystems of
  interest.  It was once thought that the oceans would absorb most
  of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities.  This is now
  being questioned and scientists are placing more emphasis on the
  role of terrestrial biomass in the global carbon cycle.  More
  needs to be known about the sensitivity of boreal zones to
  climatic change and the possible consequences of ecological
  perturbation in these areas.  Much of the world's boreal area is
  located in Canada, providing an enormous opportunity to study the
  physiology of northern forests and to capitalize on
  long-established expertise in forest, soil and permafrost
  research.
 
Energy
 
  As a result of the Industrial Revolution, humans began tapping
  what appeared to be a limitless source of energy -- fossil fuels.
  The quantity of power stored in fossil fuels is finite, in fact,
  and at some point in the future we shall run out.  The CGCP is
  encouraging the development of strategies that address this
  problem, including efforts to conserve current supplies, reduce
  consumption and promote the use of alternative energy sources.
 
Human Health
 
  Several aspects of global change are threats to human health.
  Global warming may double the annual number of very hot days in
  temperate zones, putting the very young, the very old, and those
  of all ages with high blood pressure, chronic respiratory
  disease, and heart disease at risk.  Already, stratospheric ozone
  depletion may be increasing the incidence of skin cancer.  It
  could also increase the risk of cataracts and disrupt the immune
  system.  The adverse effects of acid precipitation on health
  include aggravation of chronic respiratory disease, and perhaps
  enhanced susceptibility to certain varieties of cancer,
  attributed to the ability of acid haze to block vitamin D
  synthesis.  The CGCP is exploring how these problems can be
  monitored and the implications for health clearly identified.
 
Past Environments
 
  Global change involves interaction and feedback over wide
  temporal and spatial scales.  Modern systems need to be examined
  and understood, but some insights can only be derived from
  looking at evidence found in historical and geological records.
  Canada and the CGCP have unique roles to play in this respect
  since high-latitude ecosystems clearly reveal the impacts of
  past global changes.
 
Renewable Resources
 
  Global change poses a number of questions aimed at renewable
  resource management.  For example, how will variations in climate
  affect the production of food, wood and wildlife?  How will
  commercial fish stocks respond to changes in freshwater and
  marine ecosystems?  Requirements for research in this area are
  particularly urgent in Canada where agriculture, forestry, and
  fisheries make large contributions to the national economy.
 
Security
 
  Global change may eventually dominate all factors affecting
  international relations.  Countries will argue and compete over
  unpredictable supplies of food and water; some disputes may lead
  to war.  The CGCP is attempting to identify mechanisms through
  which global change may lead to conflict, areas of the world
  where such friction is likely, and national policies that each
  country could adopt in anticipation of these dilemmas.
 
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June 1992