Public policy papers The governance of climate change adaptation in Canada Danny Bednar, Jonathan Raikes and Gordon McBean February 2018 ICLR Research Paper Series - No. 60
Abstract
In March 2017, two expert workshops were held in Toronto and Ottawa with participants from government, academia, private sector, and non-governmental organizations on the topic of climate change adaptation and governance in Canada. Particular attention was given to Canada-wide strategies for adaptation, risk reduction, and the intersection between them. This report is the product of those workshops and deals with both adaptation as a set of actions and their governance.
This report provides not only a state-of-play on adaptation governance in Canada, but also an effective introduction to the issues at its core. The insights of the expert workshop participants, as well as the additional research, provide a valuable reference document and resource for practitioners throughout Canada.
It is clear now that for Canada to adapt and thrive in the face of climate change, there is an onus, a shared responsibility, of all Canadians to do their part. As we move towards 2°C of warming, impacts will increase, surprises will emerge, and opportunities will present themselves. Hopefully, by that time, Canadians will have identified a best path forward.