ECCC Launches Consultations on National Adaptation Strategy
On May 16, 2022, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Hon. Steven Guilbeault, launched a public consultation to develop a federal National Adaptation Strategy to address the impacts of climate change.
According to the government’s discussion paper, Preparing for Climate Change: Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy, the purpose of the strategy is to develop “a whole-of-society blueprint for coordinated action across the country,” to ensure that “Canadians are prepared for the impacts of climate change.”
This whole-of-society approach will involve the federal government, provincial and territorial governments, indigenous peoples and governing bodies, local governments, the private sector, academic institutions, researchers, scientists and various non-governmental organizations.
“For someone like me, who has spent decades fighting to raise awareness and stop the pollution that causes climate change,” said Minister Guilbeault, “adapting to the many impacts of our changing climate feels like fighting a two-front war.”
“We can and we must do both mitigation and adaptation—play both offence and defence—for a complete effort. It takes a National Adaptation Strategy that brings everyone in Canada into the conversation, especially vulnerable populations. Once finalized, the new National Adaptation Strategy will ensure we are preparing for both today’s climate and the climate of the future, and that we are taking action to protect the safety and well-being of our families, communities, and the environment.”
The discussion paper contains five key areas of focus: disaster resilience, health and well-being, infrastructure, the natural environment, and the economy.
The strategy aims to establish short, medium, and long-term objectives. This includes “transformational 2050 goals to provide a national destination for climate-resilience, 2030 objectives to “ensure accountability and progress” and 5-year action plans, which will be updated regularly to reflect the current effects of climate change on Canadians.
Members are invited to share their thoughts on the National Adaptation Strategy by visiting the online consultation portal at https://letstalkadaptation.ca by July 15, 2022.
The federal government has committed to releasing a finalized version of the strategy by fall 2022.
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