Look Who it Was Random video

Hans Schreier - Drivers of environmental change: the case of the mountains

1,455 views · Published 4 February 2011 · 1:03:11 · Indexed 21 October 2026

Channel: The University of British Columbia · 2011 · Education

Watch on YouTube

Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and hosted by St. John's College's Principal's Lecture Series.  Dr. Hans Schreier is Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Land & Food Systems, UBC.  Dr. Schreier's research focuses on watershed management, land-water interactions, non-point sources of pollution in urban and agricultural areas, stormwater management, water needs for food production, and climate change adaptation strategies.  He has worked extensively in the Himalayas and Andes and in the mountains of British Columbia.  In 2001, Dr. Schreier was awarded the King Albert International Mountain Award for scientific accomplishments of lasting value to the world's mountains.There is much debate swirling around the topic of environmental change; the discourse has most recently focused on floods and earthquakes in Pakistan and China, on changing sea ice conditions in the Arctic Ocean and on threats to the world's biodiversity. The blame is most commonly ascribed to the phenomenon of climate change. To what extent is climate the most important driver of environmental change? And to what extent is the news entirely negative? Scientists and scholars from France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada have been invited to share their expert perspectives on the topic.  This talk will discuss climate change, land use change, and the combined impact of both on mountains -- the water towers of the world.  Suggestions, adaptation strategies, and options and opportunities to protect water supplies and reduce the risk of flooding will be discussed as well as learning from mistakes:  i.e., channelization vs. natural channels.

More from this channel