MONTREAL, March 24, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The national symposium Adaptation Canada 2016 on preparedness for managing risks associated with climate change, to be held from April 12 to 14 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, will take off with a focus on the economic benefits of adaptation and forecasts of the extent of climate change.
This "day one" will give participants and speakers the opportunity to engage in and drive the debate on ways to advance prevention and intervention in a number of areas such as agriculture, city planning, energy and northern communities. The following sessions stand out:
- Cities Becoming Climate Resilient: Examples of Available Tools and Canadian Cities Taking Action (April 12 at 1:30 pm). How to make cities more resilient and better prepared for climate change and possible disasters, regardless of their characteristics and geography, using tools such as the disaster resilience scorecard based on the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction of the United Nations and the Canadian program BARC, as well as examples of cross-cutting initiatives from Toronto and Montreal.
- Adapting to Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic. (April 12, at 1:30 pm). With temperatures increasing in excess of 4C in the last 30 years, the Arctic is on the front lines of our changing climate. These changes have far reaching implications for Inuit. Adaptation can direct attention to the root causes of climate vulnerability and emphasize the importance of traditional knowledge regarding environmental change and adaptive strategies. In this session, research and leaders will reflect on challenges, opportunities and experiences of adaptation among Inuit communities.
- Producing Climate Information: for whom and for what purpose? (April 12, from 3:30 pm). The clear communication of climate data to support decision-making in adaptation is a challenge given the diversity of the users they must address. Building on the experiences of organizations, researchers and experts, participants will discuss best practices in this area and will reflect on ways to facilitate this transfer of knowledge so essential to our capacity to reduce impacts of climate change. The latest climate change scenarios for Canada will also be presented.
- Climate change adaptation and coastal zones: the cost-benefit analysis as a tool for decision-makers. Coastal communities face major challenges because of the changing storm patterns, rising sea levels and melting of the ice cover which lead to increasing the impacts of erosion and flooding. The research project studied 46 vulnerable coastal segments to assess the best ways to intervene from a technical and economical point of view. The general conclusions drawn from this project provide decision-makers with suggestions to choose more advantageous solutions for the society as a whole.
Reminder: The first day of the symposium will see the presence of many distinguished guests, including Catherine McKenna, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Canada, to give the opening remarks, and Katharine Jacobs, Director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions at the University of Arizona, as the keynote speaker.
MEDIA ACCREDITATION
Media representatives wishing to attend Adaptation Canada 2016 to do a live coverage or to prepare commentaries to be released on a later date must complete the accreditation form available at adaptationcanada2016.ca/media/. This document is required for entry into the premises of the symposium.
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SOURCE Ouranos
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