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Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation A View
from Canada

• Scotland and Climate Change
• Getting it Right International Perspectives on
  climate change and the Climate Change (Scotland)
  Bill
• The Scottish Parliament
• 27 March 2009

Ian Burton
Natural Resources Canada National Assessment
Environment Canada, Adaptation Impacts Research
Division Ontario Ministry of the Environment
and the Expert Panel Thea Dickinson, Burton
Dickinson Consulting Ltd.
Acknowledgements to
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From Impacts to Adaptation 2007 Canada in a
Changing Climate
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From Impacts to Adaptation 2007 Canada in a
Changing Climate

• A Balanced Response to Climate Change

• Mitigation
• Reduce emissions increase sinks of greenhouse
  gases to halt/prevent climate change
• Change light bulbs to cap trade program

• Adaptation
• Respond to impacts of changing climate moderate
  harm or exploit beneficial opportunities
• Water conservation to integrated water strategy

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From Impacts to Adaptation 2007 Canada in a
Changing Climate

• Goals
• Highlight advances made in understanding Canadas
  vulnerability to climate change in past decade
• Provide a knowledge foundation that informs
  adaptation decision-making and policy development
  in a non-prescriptive manner

• First national-scale assessment of climate change
  impacts and adaptation in Canada since the Canada
  Country Study (1997)

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From Impacts...

• Vulnerability greater owing to high climate
  sensitivity of resources, limited economic
  diversification, more restricted access to
  services, strong linkages to the land.
• In North, rates of warming have been, and will be
  greatest in world - impacts already significant.
• Adaptive capacity is also being eroded by other
  stresses (social, political, cultural and
  economic).

• Resource-dependent and Aboriginal communities are
  particularly vulnerable to climate changes. This
  vulnerability is magnified in the Arctic.

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From Impacts...
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From Impacts...

• Impacts of recent extreme weather events
  highlight the vulnerability of Canadian
  communities and critical infrastructure to
  climate change.

Ice Storm (1998) 5.4 billion in estimated
costs 945 injuries
Wildfires (2003) 700 million in estimated
costs 45 000 evacuations
Hurricane Juan (2003) 200 million in estimated
costs 8 deaths
Saguenay Floods (1996) 1.7 billion in estimated
costs 10 deaths
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The Adaptation Imperative
With the best case emission scenario (B1 green
line) global surface mean temperature continues
to rise up to and beyond the end of the century.
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Weather Disasters Overall and Insured Losses
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The Three Myths of Adaptation

• Adaptation is only local and regional and
  environmental
• No, it is also global and strategic.
• 2. Adaptation is antithetical to Mitigation
• No, the better Adaptation requirements are
  understood the stronger the case for mitigation.
• 3. Adaptation is Defeatist
• No adaptation builds social resilience. 

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Ontario Response

• Establish Climate Secretariat in Premiers Office
• Establishment of an Ontario Expert Panel on
  Climate Change Adaptation.
• Mainstreaming adaptation into all agencies
• Water
• Natural resources/ecosystems
• Infrastructure
• Energy
• Agriculture
• Health
• Emergency management
• Education

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Ontario Expert Panel

• Development of a long term Adaptive Strategy
• Enhancing Provincial Government Capacity
• Working with Communities/stakeholders
• Developing tools, incentives and regulations

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Canadian Communities Guidebook

• Adaptation, Mitigation and Sustainable
  development are often developed separately at the
  local government and community level.
• Recognition of the need to integrate climate
  risks into development priorities and decision
  making is the principal driving force behind the
  development of this project.
• The Guidebook provides a method for integrating
  adaptation and mitigation and sustainable
  development.

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Further Information

• Natural Resources Canada - National Assessment
• http//adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/assess/2007/index_e.
  php
• Environment Canada Adaptation Impacts Research
  Division
• http//www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/airg/index_e.cfm
• Ontario Ministry of Environment
• http//www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/air/climatechange/inde
  x.php
• Contact us Burton Dickinson Consulting Ltd.
• www.burton-dickinson.com

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Thank you
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