Overview of federal climate change
impacts and adaptation activities
Matt Parry
Executive Director
Environment Canada
Prairie Regional Adaptation Collaborative Meeting
February 16, 2012
Regina, Saskatchewan
Table of contents
Purpose: to provide an overview of federal impacts and adaptation
activities, including the Federal Adaptation Policy Framework
• Federal impacts and adaptation activities
• Development and key elements of the Framework
• Overview of 2011-2016 federal adaptation funding
• Contact information
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The federal government has a long history working
on impacts and adaptation
• Research on physical impacts since 1978; socio-economic
impacts since 1984
– EC led a national assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation
in the 1990s, the Canada Country Study (1998)
• NRCan coordinated the federal Climate Change Impacts and
Adaptation Program from 1998 to 2006, which funded research
and facilitated collaboration across the country
• In 2007, the Government invested $85.9M over four years in six
adaptation programs through EC, NRCan, INAC, HC, and PHAC
• Recent federal products that provide an information foundation:
– EC’s climate change scenarios and impacts and adaptation research,
including guidance for disaster management planning and infrastructure
codes and standards
– NRCan-led national vulnerability assessment (2008)
– HC’s Human Health in a Changing Climate assessment (2008)
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The National Round Table on the Environment and
the Economy (NRT) Climate Prosperity program
• The NRT Climate Prosperity series features three (of six) reports
on climate change impacts and adaptation:
– Degrees of Change: Climate Warming and the Stakes for Canada
(December 2010) outlines the risks and benefits a warming climate
poses to Canada’s environment and economy and how Canadians
can adapt
– Paying the Price: the Economic Impacts of Climate Change for
Canada (September 2011) explores economic impacts at the
national level and for timber supply, marine coasts, human health,
and ecosystems
– Currently working on a report on business resilience, which will
include advice on how governments can encourage adaptation in
the private sector (due out in spring 2012)
• Contact:
– Jimena Eyzaguirre, Eyzaguirrej@nrtee-trnee.ca, 613-947-1127
– Suzanne Loney, Loneys@nrtee-trnee.ca, 613-947-0663
– http://nrtee-trnee.ca/climate/climate-prosperity
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EC’s role in helping Canadians adapt to climate
change includes the provision of science to inform
decision-making
• EC has a mandate to provide the science foundation for impacts and
adaptation research and planning in Canada
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Historical / observed climate data
Climate modelling and projections of future climate
Climate change prediction and scenarios
Climate information to ensure infrastructure resilience via updated codes
and standards
– Water quantity and availability information
• EC provides this information to Canadians, other departments, other
levels of government, and domestic and international organizations to
inform decision-making
• EC also coordinates environmental policies and programs for the
federal government, and is the federal policy lead on adaptation
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Other departments also have an important role to
play in helping to ensure Canadians can adapt
• Other departments and agencies, especially those with explicit
adaptation programs, are actively engaged with various
stakeholders in applied adaptation practices and research
• For example, AANDC, HC, and NRCan work with community,
public health, and professional practitioners
– AANDC helps enhance adaptive capacity in Aboriginal and northern
communities
– NRCan has supported tool development in the planning and engineering
communities (e.g., training modules, vulnerability assessment protocols)
– HC helps enable public health professionals to detect, assess, and
respond to climate change-related health threats
• Individual departments also have various ongoing activities relating
to adaptation, usually involving the development of tools and best
practices based on and tailored to their areas of expertise
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The Federal Adaptation Policy Framework was
ratified with the passage of Budget 2011
• The Framework was developed to support internal federal
adaptation planning and highlights the importance of incorporating
climate risk into decision-making (i.e., mainstreaming)
• It sets direction on domestic adaptation at a high level
– Recognizes the federal role must be limited and focused
– Emphasizes advancing scientific information, tools that underpin
adaptation decision-making, and sharing knowledge
– Assists in establishing priorities for future action
• Responds to Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable
Development (CESD) audit; EC has informed the CESD (and other
departments) of the Framework
• EC is developing guidance on how to conduct a departmental
climate change risk assessment to advance the mainstreaming
element of the Framework
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Origins of the Framework
• The CESD made a number of recommendations on how to
improve federal adaptation policy and activities:
– Activities in climate science should be organized to make sure
that federal departments and others obtain needed information
– Federal departments should clarify how they intend to manage
their own adaptation efforts
– The Government should develop a federal adaptation strategy
and action plan
• EC led the development of the Framework in consultation with
over 20 federal organizations
– In recognition that impacts vary across department, as well as
their knowledge of the subject and capacity to respond
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Overview of the Framework
• The Framework helps guide the Government’s efforts on
adaptation:
– Structures the government’s role with respect to adaptation and
assists it in establishing priorities for future action
– Applies to domestic policy and actions on adaptation
– Is an internal federal policy, with the option of future public
announcements or further public policy development
• However, the Framework is not a comprehensive adaptation
strategy. It does not:
– Identify specific priorities
– Establish or prescribe quantified measures, targets, or timelines
– Establish internal or external coordination mechanisms
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Objectives
• Canadians understand the relevance of climate impacts on their
quality of life
– Canadians adapt to a changing climate by taking action to reduce
negative consequences and to take advantage of new opportunities
• Canadians have the necessary tools to adapt effectively
– Including, for example, decision-support systems, maps, data and
information, and guidance
• The Government as an institution is resilient to a changing
climate
– Need better understanding of climate change implications for
federal policies and operations
– Significant federal infrastructure and resources at risk
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Federal Role
• Generating and sharing knowledge
– Providing information needed to support achieving objectives
– Identify and fill priority knowledge gaps, disseminate information
• Building adaptive capacity to respond and helping Canadians
take action
– Decision tools, assessing impacts and adaptation options
– Collaborative action across multiple sectors and jurisdictions
– Pool and manage risks
• Integrating adaptation into federal policy and planning
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Identify and respond to risks and opportunities
Fulfill fiduciary responsibilities
Demonstrate leadership by example
Wide range of domains; some directly impacted by climate (e.g.,
agriculture), others indirectly (e.g., immigration)
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New programs were developed in the context of the
Federal Adaptation Policy Framework
• In 2010, EC led an interdepartmental process involving 10
departments and agencies to develop adaptation program
proposals to replace programs that sunset in March 2011
• Proposals were closely tied to a clear federal role outlined in the
Framework, and are consistent with where the Government is best
positioned to act:
– Advancing scientific information and tools that underpin adaptation
– Capitalizing on federal strengths not replicated outside Government
– Supporting the integration of climate change considerations into
ongoing risk management procedures (mainstreaming)
• Programs based on knowledge gaps and organized around four
themes: science, health, the North, and economic competitiveness
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Budget 2011 announced funding to improve our
understanding of climate impacts and to support
adaptation planning and decision-making
• In November 2011, the Minister of the Environment announced
the Government will spend $148.8 million over the next 5 years
on 10 adaptation programs from 9 departments and agencies
– Expands the number of departments and agencies involved and
increases the overall level of federal funding for adaptation
• EC’s Climate Change Prediction and Scenarios program will:
– Enhance global and regional climate models and develop and
improve climate change scenarios
– Additional work will focus on the development of specialized
information on climate extremes for infrastructure design, codes and
standards
• Contact:
– Marjorie Shepherd, Marjorie.Shepherd@ec.gc.ca, 416-739-4230
– Greg Flato, Greg.Flato@ec.gc.ca, 250-363-8233
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Federal adaptation programs 2011-2016 ($148.8M)
1. Climate Change Prediction and Scenarios Program (EC,
$29.8M – continuation of an existing program)
2. Aquatic Climate Change Adaptation Services Program (DFO,
$16.6M – new program)
3. Understanding Climate-Driven Ecological Changes in Canada’s
North (PCA, $2.4M – new program)
4. Heat Alert and Response Systems (HC, $8.5M – continuation of
an existing program)
5. Climate Change and Health Adaptation for Northern First
Nations and Inuit Communities (HC, $10M – continuation of an
existing program)
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Federal adaptation programs 2011-2016 (continued)
6. Preventative Public Health Systems and Adaptation to a
Changing Climate (PHAC, $12M – continuation of an existing
program)
7. Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program for Aboriginals and
Northerners (AANDC, $20M – continuation of an existing
program)
8. Integrating Adaptation into Codes and Standards for Northern
Infrastructure (SCC and AANDC, $3.5M – new program)
9. Enhancing Competitiveness in a Changing Climate (NRCan,
$35M – continuation of an existing program)
10. Northern Transportation Adaptation Initiative (TC, $11M – new
program)
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Contact information
• For more information please contact:
– Matt Parry, Executive Director, Policy Development,
Strategic Policy Branch, Environment Canada,
Matt.Parry@ec.gc.ca, 819-934-0257
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Annex
Conceptual overview of the
Federal Adaptation Policy Framework
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The Federal Adaptation Policy Framework
Vision
Canada is resilient to a changing climate by successfully adapting to the
challenges and opportunities, and ensuring the health, safety, and security of
Canadians and Canada’s environmental, social, and economic wealth in a long
term and sustainable manner.
Objectives
1. Canadians understand the relevance of climate change and associated
impacts on their quality of life.
2. Canadians have the necessary tools to adapt to climate change effectively.
3. The federal government, as an institution, is resilient to a changing climate.
Federal Role
• Generating and sharing knowledge
•Vulnerability
• Building adaptive capacity to respond and helping Canadians take
action)
• Integrating adaptation into federal policy and planning (mainstreaming)
Criteria
• Nature of Impact: climate change + sensitivity
• Appropriate federal action
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Unique federal role and responsibility
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Unique federal capabilities
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Timeliness of action
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Effectiveness of action
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Mainstreaming ability
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Collaboration potential
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