1. Welcome NW Atlantic Ocean Climate Change and Impacts 16-17 February, 2010 Bedford Institute of Oceanography February 10, 2010 Rising harbour sea levels worry city council By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE City Hall Reporter Wed. Feb 10 - 4:53 AM City hall wants to prepare for a potential water level rise, over the next several decades, on both sides of Halifax Harbour. Regional council heard Tuesday that many properties bordering the harbour — including sites with commercial and public works infrastructure — could be at risk of major flooding due to projected sea level change. In one scenario, during the next 100 years or so, the harbour’s water level is predicted to rise by at least 73 centimetres, council’s meeting of committee of the whole was told. It is part of a global trend prompted by climate change, municipal staff said ……..

2. Climate Change is a major societal issue for Canada … for DFO, it has the potential to influence virtually all of the Department’s management, policy and regulatory actions  “Threats to our environment are a clear and present danger that now confronts governments around the world. This is nowhere more evident than in the growing challenge of climate change … Speech from the Throne, 16 October 2007”  “Indications of changes in the earth's future climate must be treated with the utmost seriousness, and with the precautionary principle uppermost in our minds. Extensive climate changes may alter and threaten the living conditions of much of mankind … Nobel Peace Prize Committee, 2007”  “Climate Change is the Number One environmental issue of the 21st century … WWF”

3. Why this meeting and why now? 1.The climate change issue is not new for ocean scientists, however, there has been a growing awareness, concern, alarm about the pace of change, impacts on marine ecosystems and challenges due to complexity of the issue …. Source: UNEP

4. Why this meeting and why now? 1.The climate change issue is not new …. 2.Knowledge base of ocean climate change and impacts has dramatically increased – reviews have generally taken a global perspective ….

5. Why this meeting and why now? 1.The climate change issue is not new …. 2.Knowledge base of ocean climate change and impacts has dramatically increased …. 3.To address regional to local issues, climate change and it’s impacts must be “down-scaled” and assessments integrated across sectors ….

6. Why this meeting and why now? 1.The climate change issue is not new …. 2.Knowledge base of ocean climate change and impacts has dramatically increased …. 3.To address regional to local issues, climate change and it’s impacts must be “down-scaled”…. 4.This meeting’s goals are to: Describe the nature and scale of the climate variability, change and impacts in the NWA,Describe the nature and scale of the climate variability, change and impacts in the NWA, Outline how DFO Science and other regional organizations are addressing the climate issue, andOutline how DFO Science and other regional organizations are addressing the climate issue, and Explore how DFO Science can better coordinate its climate activities and address sector management issuesExplore how DFO Science can better coordinate its climate activities and address sector management issues

7. Structure Day 1 Session 1: Introduction, context, the “big picture” Session 2: DFO sector management issues Session 3: Observed NWA ocean and ecosystem variability Session 4a: Climate change scenarios, projections and impacts assessments for the NWA Day 2 Session 4b: Climate change scenarios, projections and impacts assessments for the NWA (cont’d) Session 5: DFO’s NWA ocean climate change research and assessment activities Session 6: Facilitated discussion on priority issues and gaps, future directions and opportunities for collaboration

8. Logistics Logistics RestroomsRestrooms CafeteriaCafeteria HospitalityHospitality Full agenda and tight schedule!Full agenda and tight schedule! Presenters – please leave/send us a summary of your talks!