Action on climate change adaptation preparation for Canada

By Susan Evans, Conservation Science Advisor
This week, I attended the launch of the Climate Change Adaptation Project final report.  The presenters specifically called it a launch,as it is intended to be the first step in a journey towards getting Canada better prepared to adapt in the face of climate change.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This project, led by Dr. Blair Feltmate of the University of Waterloo and funded by Intact Financial (Canada’s largest property and casualty insurer),  set out to ” identify and operationalize practical, meaningful and cost-effective adaptation solutions to the most challenging impacts of climate change facing Canada”.
The top five areas in need of urgent action were identified by an advisory group made up of 80 leaders from across Canada representing the private sector, various levels of government, aboriginal communities, NGOs, and academia.
As the list was unveiled, I was excited to see biodiversity and freshwater sitting as priority two and three, sending a clear message that nature and the services it provides to people are a priority for Canadians.  The set of recommended actions ranged from  changing building codes to reduce impacts from severe weather events to increasing habitat connectivity and restoring wetlands.
What was even more exciting was the announcement that Intact Financial was committing $1 million towards the implementation of these recommendations!  This is a huge step towards seeing action on the ground and hopefully the start of more to come.
Of course, there are limits to adaptation success, and we must remember that it is essential to complement these efforts with strong action to reduce GHG emission.  This will ensure our investments in projects like this remain sound over the long-haul, and that future impacts don’t become unmanageable.
It was clear from the list of attendees and energy in the room that the private sector is taking climate change impacts seriously, and wants to get Canada on track to better prepare and prosper through the anticipated changes ahead.
I look forward to hearing more about this project as they report annually on their progress towards adaptation action on the ground.