OTTAWA—Canadians can expect more floods, storms and other damaging extreme weather events as global warming inevitably gets worse, says a federal government report that also says governments are lagging in efforts to adapt to this climate change shift.
The 292-page report, released with little fanfare on the Natural Resources Canada website, says “more work is needed” by governments to help Canadians cope with the far-reaching health, economic and environmental threats posed by global warming.
It says the response so far in Canada has failed to live up to this country’s capacity to adapt to change and the ever-growing knowledge base on the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The report says barriers to adjusting to climate change include lack of scientific knowledge, “limited motivation” and “issues related to governance.”
To date, Canada has seen “relatively few examples of implementation of specific changes to reduce vulnerability to future climate change, or take advantage of potential opportunities,” the study notes. “As such, adaptation implementation in Canada is still in its early stages.”
Most examples of actions in Canada to prepare for impact of a changing climate so far can be found at the municipal level, the study adds.
The report, “Canada in a Changing Climate,” is an update of a 2008 examination of Canada’s efforts to recognize and cope with global warming.
“Over the last six decades, Canada has become warmer, with average temperatures over land increasing by 1.5 degrees Celsius between 1950 and 2010,” it says.
The rate of warming in Canada is double the global average, the study says.
“Further changes in climate are inevitable,” the study says. “On average, warmer temperatures and more rainfall are expected for the country as a whole, with increases in extreme heat and heavy rainfall events, and declines in snow and ice cover. Sea levels along many of our coastlines will continue to rise, and warmer waters and ocean acidification are expected to become increasingly evident in most Canadian ocean waters over the next century.”
Negative impacts on the economy, human health and biodiversity are expected to grow, particularly as a result of increasing extreme weather events such as storms, droughts, forest fires, heat waves and floods, the report says.
The government report is likely to provide more ammunition for critics who complain the Harper government is lax on addressing global warming. The federal government committed to reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent below 2005 levels by the year 2020. But Environment Canada reported last fall that Canada is not on track to meet that target.
Responding to Tuesday’s report, a spokesperson for Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford said Ottawa is reacting to climate change with concrete actions.
“Through our support for energy efficiency, climate change adaptation and clean technologies, we are helping increase the resilience of Canada’s communities and enhancing the competitiveness of our industries,” Chris McCluskey said.