Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #5: Monitoring land cover/use changes and GHG fluxes over Canada's arctic/sub-arctic landmass  (Monitoring land cover/use changes and GHG fluxes over Canada's arctic/sub-arctic landmass)

Outline
Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic accounts for about half of Canada’s landmass and ~40% of the global arctic tundra. Very little information on land use changes and greenhouse gases fluxes over Canada’s arctic/sub-arctic, however, is available to meet the UNFCCC reporting requirements, exacerbated by the logistical difficulties and high cost of field measurements. In addition to the UNFCCC reporting requirement that Canada subscribed to, greenhouse-gas sinks and sources over Canada’s arctic/sub-arctic will also become a key focus of post-Kyoto policy discussions and negotiations because the potential release of a large amount of carbon stored in arctic soils has been identified by IPCC and international science community as a ticking “time bomb” that could dangerously accelerate climate change. Satellite remote sensing can monitor land surfaces from repeatedly and consistently over large areas, and thus enable us to avoid logistical difficulties and high cost of field measurements caused by the vastness and remoteness of Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic. When calibrated, validated, and integrated with a relevant field measurements, a satellite remote sensing-based system could provide credible and verifiable estimates of changes in land use and GHG fluxes over Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic, and thus provide a practical solution to this problem. The objectives of this project are thus to develop such a system to meet the needs of Canada’s UNFCCC reporting and post-Kyoto climate change negotiations and policy discussions, by addressing the following policy-driven science questions: 1.What are the total area and distribution of the four IPCC land use categories (grass land, wetlands, settlements, and other land) over Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic landmass? 2.What are the amount and distribution of carbon stocks (aboveground and below ground) for these land-use categories over Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic landmass? 3.How much land-use changes have occurred over Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic landmass since 1990 in Canada? 4.What are the carbon stock changes associated with the land-use changes that have occurred over Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic landmass since 1990? Early results have been produced, including permafrost thaw modelling, land cover mapping methodology, and field data collection for calibration/validation along a 1000-km Yukon-Northwest Territories transect in 2004.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project aims to quantify the state and trend in land cover, land use and greenhouse fluxes over Canada’s arctic and sub-arctic landmass. It thus addresses the first and second IPY theme, namely, • To determine the present environmental status of the polar regions by quantifying their spatial and temporal variability. • To quantify, and understand, past and present environmental and human change in the polar regions in order to improve predictions. The datasets produced by this project will be used only for Canada’s UNFCCC reporting, but also are useful for other IPY projects regarding freshwater, ecosystems, wildlife habitat, way of life, and human health.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Current linkages include the North American Carbon Program (US, Canada, and Mexico), and the Boreal-Machine initiative of European Union.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
We had collected field data of vegetation type, biomass, and other bio-physical and biochemical measures for calibration/validation along a 1000-km Yukon-Northwest Territories transect in 2004. More arctic field data collection along transects in central and eastern Canada will be conducted in coming years.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/04-08/04      07/05-08/05      07/06-08/06
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Facilities, equipments, and transportations for arctic field data collections.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Mostly own support, with some local supports

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
It’s a part of Earth Science Sector, NRCan, Climate Change Program. It is supported by the Greenhouse Gases Division, Environment Canada, which is responsible for the UNFCCC and Kyoto reporting, and Canadian Space Agency’s Government Research Initiative Program (GRIP). This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Ecosystems Terrestrial Processes

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
YES

It is a part of a project entitled “Monitoring methods and assessment of carbon sequestration over Canada’s landmass”, which is one of Earth Science Sector/ NRCan Climate Change Program, with starting 2003/04.

How will the project be organised and managed?
As a a part of a project entitled “Monitoring methods and assessment of carbon sequestration over Canada’s landmass”, which is one of Earth Science Sector/ NRCan Climate Change Program, it will be managed with the ESS management structure. Because it is also supported by the Greenhouse Gases Division/Environment Canada, which is responsible for the UNFCCC and Kyoto reporting, and Canadian Space Agency’s Government Research Initiative Program (GRIP), reporting will be made to these organizations as well.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Mainly through publication and data sharing. When opportunities arise, public presentations will also possible.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data products will be made available to public once data quality is assured.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Currently funded partially by the Canadian Space Agency’s Government Research Initiative Program (GRIP) at $140,000 per year and NRCan A-base at ~$100,000. Potential funds include from the new Group for Earth Observation GEO) initiative, and Climate Change Science Plan (CCSP) iniative.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Wenjun Chen
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Earth Sciences Sector, NRCan
588 Booth St
Ottawa, On
K1A 0Y7
Canada

Tel: 1-613-947-1286
Mobile: no
Fax: 1-613-947-1383
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation