Supporting informed decision making to improve resilience of the Rideau Canal Skateway to climate change effects

自1971年以来，每年冬天，国家首都委员会(NCC)都会将冻结的里多运河变成世界上最大的溜冰场。里多运河空中通道是一条7.8公里长的冰路，蜿蜒穿过加拿大首都渥太华。运河本身是加拿大的国家历史遗迹，也是联合国教科文组织的世界遗产。最近的研究预测，到2050年，渥太华的冬天将缩短5周，零下10摄氏度以下的天数将减少35%。这样的变化将对里多运河门户产生严重影响。NCC和卡尔顿大学正在联手寻找解决方案。这项研究将做以下工作：(1)改进关于当地天气、冰层厚度和积雪的知识库；(2)评估Skateway对气候变化影响(如滑冰季节开始、冰层厚度)的脆弱性；以及(3)为NCC提供知识，以便就建立Skateway的复原力和缓解气候变化对Skateway的影响做出明智的决定。

Every winter since 1971, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has turned the frozen Rideau Canal into the world's largest skating rink. The Rideau Canal Skateway is a 7.8-km ice path winding through Ottawa, the capital of Canada. The canal itself is a National Historic Site of Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recent studies predict that, by 2050, winters in Ottawa will be five weeks shorter, with 35% fewer days below -10 °C. Such changes will have serious impacts on the Rideau Canal Skateway. The NCC and Carleton University are teaming up to look for solutions. This study will do the following:(1) improve the knowledge base on local weather, ice thickness and snow cover;(2) assess the Skateway's vulnerabilities to the effects of climate change (e.g. start of the skating season, ice thickness); and(3) provide knowledge for the NCC to make informed decisions on building resilience and mitigating climate change effects on the Skateway.