After travelling through the Canadian prairies in the 1850s, British adventurer John Palliser deemed a large portion of the region to be a near desert and unfit for agriculture. That reportedly disadvantaged area became known as Palliser's Triangle.
In "Defying Palliser" farmers and ranchers from southwest Saskatchewan and southest Alberta--residents in the Palliser Triangle--tell how they have challenged Palliser's prediction. Incorporating the latest research on adaptive capacity and climate change, these stories of self-reliance, inventiveness and community solidarity reveal a remarkably resilient people who have adapted and survived in the driest, most drought-prone climate on the Canadian Prairies.

Although there is considerable historical literature describing the social and economic impact of drought on the prairies in the 1930s, little has been written about the challenges presented by drought in more contemporary times. The drought of 2001-02 was, for example, the most recent large-area, intense, and prolonged drought in Canada and one of Canada's most costly natural disasters in a century. Vulnerability and Adaptation to Drought on the Canadian Prairies describes the impacts of droughts and the adaptations made in prairie agriculture over recent decades. These adaptations have enhanced the capacity of rural communities to withstand drought. However, despite the high levels of technical adaptation that have occurred, and the existing human capital and vibrant social and information networks, agricultural producers in the prairie region remain vulnerable to severe droughts that last more than a couple of years. Research findings and projections suggest that droughts could become more frequent, more seveare, and of longer duration in the region over the course of the 21st century. This book provides insights into the conditions generating these challenges and the measures required to reduce vulnerability of prairie communities to them. This volume develops a greater understanding of the social forces and conditions that have contributed to enhanced resilience, as well as those which detract from successful adaptation and examines drought through an interdisciplinary lens encompassing climate science and the social sciences

A comprehensive and up-to-date overview of climate change in the Prairie provinces, along with strategies for adapting to the "new normal."
The present climate crisis shows no sign of abatement. On the contrary, it is becoming more intense, and there are increasing uncertainties and fears about the outcome of the process of climate transformation. The complexity of this transformation is, to a large extent, a product of the intricate relationships between natural and social systems, both of them complex systems on their own. There is a strong consensus that climate change is the product of human activities that raise the concentrations of greenhouse gases and, consequently, increase global average temperatures. Global warming has led to regional climate changes, which are increasingly impacting the dynamics of local natural and social systems and their interrelationships. These impacts, which are expected to increase, could bring serious risks and damages to ecosystems and livelihoods, disrupting the precarious balance between people and their environment. The natural and social systems of the Canadian Prairies are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
"The New Normal" brings together the work of 24 scholars representing various disciplines, who present their diverse knowledge and expertise about climate change and its impacts in the Prairie Provinces. In addition to providing information about and analysis of the multiple dimensions of the crisis, these scholars seek solutions to the problems and discuss options for taking advantage of new opportunities provided by a warmer climate.