TORONTO — The Ontario government has selected a consulting team led by the Climate Risk Institute to conduct a climate change impact assessment for the province.
The study will gather resources “in an attempt to better understand how climate change is likely to affect communities, critical infrastructure, economies and the natural environment, while helping to strengthen the province’s resilience to the impacts of climate change,” stated an Aug. 14 release.
“Our government is committed to tackling climate change by reducing greenhouse emissions and helping communities and families prepare for the effects of our changing climate,” said Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Jeff Yurek in a statement. “I look forward to receiving the results of Ontario’s first-ever climate change impact assessment, which will help the province, municipalities, Indigenous communities and local partners make more informed decisions on planning and infrastructure investments to keep communities healthy and safe.”
As part of its work, the institute will be reviewing climate data, land use patterns and socio-economic projections. The institute will also develop an engagement plan to take in the perspectives of Indigenous communities, municipalities, key economic sectors and the public, states the release.
The assessment will be conducted over the next two years and it is expected that the final results will be released in 2022.
The climate change impact assessment is part of the province’s Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan. Last year Ontario also established an advisory panel to provide the minister of the environment, conservation and parks with advice on the implementation of the province’s climate change actions.
Key sectors to be studied include infrastructure, food and agriculture, people and communities, natural resources, ecosystems and the environment, and business and the economy.
Ontario has also finalized an emissions performance standards program for large industrial emitters to ensure polluters are accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions and proposed to begin transition to higher renewable content in gasoline in the coming years, without increasing gas prices, stated the release.
“Rigorous assessment of risk is an essential foundation for sustained, effective improvement in resilience to flooding, severe weather and other extreme climate events. The Government of Ontario’s provincial climate change impact assessment is an important and welcome step forward toward the building of climate resilience across the province,” said Paul Kovacs, chair of the Advisory Panel on Climate Change.
Recent Comments
comments for this post are closed