CHANGE CanMexUS: 2009 Workshop

Climate-Related Water Constraints and their Implications for Relations Across North American Boundaries

March 5–6, 2009 | México City, D.F., México

The CHANGE workshop is a first step towards creating a knowledge exchange network between academic researchers and experts from non-governmental organizations. Knowledge from CHANGE will be communicated to policy-makers working on issues related to water stress, drought impacts, adaptation to changing water regimes due to climate and land use changes, and monitoring water-related issues.

The explicit goal of the network is to foster cross-border cooperation to enhance the use of climate and hydrologic research and better inform North American water policy challenges. 

This workshop will be led by an academic research team whose members are committed to communicating the network’s findings to improve decision-making and policies which affect all North Americans.

On the first day of the workshop, we will use plenary talks, panel discussions, and facilitated dialogues to delve into the following topics:

• Drought, Climate Change, and Water Availability;
• Cross-border Cooperative Water Resources Management, Economics, and Policy;
• Drought Characterization and Monitoring; and
• Implications of Climate and Land-use Changes for North American Water Resources and Bilateral Treaty Agreements.

The second day will be devoted to identifying research priorities and action items for various sectors and integrated themes.  We will conclude with priorities and action items for creating a permanent exchange network of researchers.

The workshop will be hosted in México City by Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).  We will provide simultaneous interpretation in English and Spanish.

Although attendence to this first workshop is by invitation only, larger workshops will be held in the future that will be open to a much broader audience.

Organizing Committee Contact Information

Gregg M. Garfin
The University of Arizona, Institute of the Environment
715 N Park Ave, 2nd Floor
Tucson, AZ  85719
Telephone: 520-622-9016
Fax: 520-792-8795
gmgarfin@email.arizona.edu

Nancy Lee
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
408-1800 Hamilton St.
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 4L2
Telephone: 306-780-6166
Fax: 306-780-5018
leen@agr.gc.ca

Victor Magaña
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera
Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria
Del. Coyoacán, 04510 México D.F
Telephone: 011 +52 (55) 56224088
Fax: 52(55)56224090
victormr@servidor.unam.mx

Ron Stewart
University of Manitoba, Department of Environment and Geography
213 Isbister Bldg.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R3T 2N2
Telephone: (204) 474-9081 ronald_stewart@umanitoba.ca

Funding Sources

The CHANGE workshop was funded by the North American Research Linkages Program of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT), with matching funds from: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the National Integrated Drought Information System (U.S.), the Drought Research Institute (Canada), Instituto Nacional de Ecología (Mexico), the Arizona Water Institute (U.S.), and Public Works Canada.