Adapting to Climate Change

What is Adaptation to Climate Change?

Climate change poses a number of challenges for Canada's Aboriginal and northern communities. Adaptation allows Canadians to respond to and prepare for change. Climate change adaptation refers to any activity that reduces the negative impacts of climate change and/or positions us to take advantage of new opportunities that may be presented.

The goals of adaptation to climate change may include 1) alleviating current impacts; 2) reducing sensitivity and exposure to climate-related hazards; and 3) increasing resiliency to climatic and non-climatic stressors. Successful adaptation does not mean that negative impacts will not occur, only that they will be less severe than would be experienced had no adaptation occurred.

Not all communities experience the same level of vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Vulnerability refers to communities' (and their environment's) exposure and sensitivity to climatic stimuli and the capacity to respond to its effects.

Our ability to make adjustments to adapt to the impacts of climate change is called adaptive capacity or resilience. Some communities demonstrate incredible resilience through their ability to absorb disruptions caused by climate change, and to make adjustments while still retaining their functionality, structure and identity.

Communities interested in engaging in climate change adaptation first need to assess their vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity, and later can develop community adaptation plans, strategies and actions. Resources can be accessed by communities interested in this type of work; partnerships, risk management and science based tools are available to communities willing to undertake these types of initiatives.

Here are some examples of issues that can be considered when conducting assessments and planning for adaptation to climate change:

• Changes in Water Quality and/or Availability
• Changes in Ice Dynamics
• Increase in Extreme Weather Events
• Changes in Ecosystem Structure and Function
• Permafrost Degradation
• Coastal Erosion