Toronto, March 7, 2012 - In his report Ready
for Change? An assessment of Ontario's climate change adaptation
strategy released today at Queen's Park, Gord Miller, Environmental
Commissioner of Ontario, said the Ontario government is off to an
encouraging start in preparing the province for the impacts of
climate change.
This is good news, says Miller, given the slow progress on other
climate change issues. "The government is facing challenges in
developing plans to further reduce the emission of greenhouse
gases, but is doing a lot better with its strategy to adapt to
climate change. We need actions to both reduce emissions and adapt
to the changes - they are complementary."
"Climate change is one of the
defining issues of our age and it's already having an impact on our
lives." Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of
Ontario While endorsing the government's plan,
Climate Ready, Ontario's Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan,
2011-2014, the Environmental Commissioner pointed out there are
gaps in its strategy to limit the damage that will be caused by
fiercer and more frequent ice storms, heavy rains, and heat
waves.
The Commissioner's report says the government must improve its
strategic plan by prioritizing the actions that are needed, setting
specific targets and timelines, identifying dedicated funding, and
outlining the responsibilities of key government ministries.
"For example, despite the importance of our energy distribution
and transmission system," says Miller, "the Climate Ready Plan
released in 2011 does not identify any actions to be taken by the
Ministry of Energy. This concerns me because scientists are
predicting an increase in devastating ice storms, like the one that
toppled power lines and transmission towers and caused blackouts in
1998. And the long-term decline in Great Lakes water levels could
reduce electricity generation capacity by more than 1,100
megawatts."
"Climate change is one of the defining issues of our age," insists
the Environmental Commissioner, "and it's already having an impact
on our lives":
It threatens thousands of tourism and recreation jobs and hundreds
of millions of dollars in revenue for the tourism industry. The
ice-fishing season on Lake Simcoe has been getting shorter for the
past two decades; the lake still hasn't completely frozen over this
year. Skiing and snowmobile touring have also been harmed by
warmer temperatures.
First Nations communities in the north, such as Attawapiskat, are
worried about the continued safety of winter ice roads that bring
in needed supplies. Northern Ontario faces more rapid and extensive
changes to its climate than the rest of the province.
In July of 2009, Hamilton got 109 mm of rain in two hours, one of
the biggest bursts of rain on record in Canada. Insurance losses
were between $200 and $300 million. Following unprecedented
rainfall in Peterborough in 2004, floods swept through the
downtown, causing more than $112 million in damage.
Miller says the province must take the lead in helping local
communities and municipalities adapt to climate change. "I was
pleased that Ontario funded a Community Adaptation Initiative and,
with the federal government, a Regional Adaptation Collaborative.
Unfortunately money for both programs runs out this month."
"I understand the Ontario government faces fiscal challenges right
now," says the Environmental Commissioner. "But the costs of
adjusting to climate change in the future will only continue to
increase if we don't take action now. The government itself has
indicated that the cost of extreme weather events could rise to
$5.66 billion per year by mid-century.
Download the report "Ready for Change? An assessment of
Ontario's climate change adaptation strategy" at http://www.eco.on.ca
Visit http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/resources/STDPROD_081665.html
to download the government's report: Climate Ready: Ontario's
Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, 2011 - 2014.
Climate
Adaptation: Building Resilience through Risk Management and
Insurance
How should companies and governments be preparing for the rising
risks from a changing climate? What financial tools are available
to help build long-term resiliency and what insurance products
exist to buffer against the risks? At GLOBE
2012 on March 14-16, international experts will
explore ways that the public and private sectors can work together
to address climate change adaptation opportunities and risks.
Speakers will include:
Blair Feltmate, Associate Professor,
University of Waterloo & Chair, Climate Change Adaptation
Project, Canada (Moderator)
Sarah Potts, Los Angeles City
Director, Clinton Climate Initiative / C40 Cities Leadership Group,
USA
Mark Way, Head of Sustainability
Americas, Swiss Re North America, USA
Robert Wesseling, Executive Vice
President & Chief Operating Officer, The Sovereign General
Insurance Company, Canada
Jeff Williams, Director of Climate
Consulting, Entergy, USA
Find
out more about GLOBE 2012 here