Conquering the Great North - Contribute to the ambitious Plan Nord

It is now five decades the Northern Studies Centre (CEN), focuses on the North and its vast expanses dotted with indigenous communities. Founded in 1961 by the geographer Louis-Edmond Hamelin, the Inter-University Centre of Excellence now has over 200 researchers, professionals and students from the world of biology, archeology, geography and geology, including . His mission? Contribute to sustainable development of northern regions by improving our understanding of environmental changes linked to global warming and their socio-economic issues. Look at what has been done several generations of curious scientists' northern-ness "and what others will perform as part of the ambitious development plan for Northern Quebec.

With 50 years of scientific research in Northern Quebec, the Centre for Northern Studies (CEN) intends to play its role and participate fully in development of this region, as proposed by the Charest government's Northern Plan.

"We recently signed a formal agreement and we are now one of 65 organizations that make up the network to support research and development knowledge to act as the interface between the Northern Plan and the scientific community," said Warwick F. Vincent, Director of the CEN.

The presence of the CEN in this network is fully justified, not only the relevance of scientific research conducted by CEN, but also by the quality of the links forged over the years. "Basically, the CEN is involved in all research in the North in Quebec and Nunavik. We work with all research organizations interested in one aspect or another of Northern Quebec. We have links with government departments and industries operating in the North. We even have international ties, such as with the CNRS, France, and even a Chinese laboratory specializes in permafrost engineering. In addition, over the years, we have established close links with Aboriginal communities, particularly the Cree and Inuit. Many of our research projects are in collaboration with these communities. And as the Northern Plan must be done in partnership with First Nations, the NEC is well placed to promote reconciliation between the public and private organizations that work to develop the Northern Plan and Aboriginal communities. "

Essential research

Among the contributions to the development of CEN Northern Plan, the first is probably to ensure that data and results of scientific research conducted by CEN are easily accessible to organizations, particularly businesses, who would like to highlight a development project associated with the North. The reason is simple: the scientific evidence is critical to the success of the Friendship Project.

Take, for example, research scientists Michel Allard, a researcher at NEC and permafrost expert. "A misunderstanding of what is happening today in regard to the permafrost could quickly make inoperative new infrastructure built in the North," said he.

Permafrost is defined as a basement containing 50% of ice that remains permanently in the North. When standing, it provides a solid foundation on which to build an infrastructure.

Now the permafrost is melting so fast because of global warming, which happens to be particularly high in the Eastern Arctic. "Global warming is phenomenal in Nunavik. The heat melts the ice sheets of permafrost, resulting in subsidence and settlement uneven. Any new infrastructure built on the foundation of permafrost would be badly damaged, particularly airport infrastructure, where the runways are bumpy enough to no longer allow the landing. "

Some roads and airstrips in Nunavik are damaged by the thaw. The Department of Transportation is well aware of this problem and seeks to better understand this phenomenon through the CEN in order to adapt its infrastructure present and future with this reality.

Another consequence of global warming, the insulating effect of snow that allows the soil to maintain a high temperature. "Snow is an insulator that prevents the soil cool and there is currently an increase in snowfall. Moreover, as the snow is wind driven, it accumulates along the embankments of the infrastructure, so that its insulating effect contributes to the degradation of the permafrost upon which this infrastructure. "In light of this scientific data, it is understandable that an organization or company that would consider the construction of infrastructure in the North would do well to take this into account before embarking especially adapted construction methods to the new realities climate.

In addition to making available data and research results, the NEC remains available for any agency or private company involved in the Northern Plan who wants to use its scientific expertise to realize that, alone or in collaboration, in particular research northern environment.

"The Northern Plan is intended as a project that is part of sustainable development, said Warwick F. Vincent. We made a priority of the CEN sustainable development in our scientific research. We are therefore well placed to provide the knowledge base for the Sustainable Development Plan of the North. "

The collection and management of scientific data could also be another area of ​​collaboration. "One of my fears is that the number of searches, and therefore the number of data increases because the Northern Plan. There would be more and more players and there is no guarantee that these new data would be collected and shared appropriately, says Michel Allard. This role could be assumed by the CEN. "An idea shared by Warwick F. Vincent. "We have the expertise necessary since we assume seven years of data management of the Canadian ArcticNet."

Finally there is the training component as one of the roles of CEN is to train the scientists of tomorrow. "The Northern Plan proposes a development that spans 25 years. This will require a new generation of qualified specialists for the Nordic area and the NEC will contribute to the training of new scientists, says Warwick. This is perhaps the most important contribution to the CEN Northern Plan, though, come to think of everything we do is relevant to the CEN Northern Plan. "

Source  ledevoir.com