Getting to knowClimate Change Risks
Climate change is impacting communities across Canada, who are on the frontlines in planning and responding to climate impacts. However, adapting to a changing climate is often considered complex, inherently uncertain and involves managing competing interests to prioritize appropriate actions.
It is critical that decision makers across Canada understand and consider climate variability as part of planning and efforts. Climate change assessments are integral to achieving this, and as such, some funding programs even require climate risk assessments as part of the application process.
The purpose of a climate is to:
- understand climate conditions and how climate-related hazards are evolving;
- identify the most significant climate-related impacts; and
- prioritize adaptation measures based on identified hazards and risks;
Climate Insight now includes a Rapid Risk Assessment tool, designed to be an easy to use, online resource for community practitioners to begin to understand the level of risk which , , and projects may experience in a changing climate. This tool can help to prioritize which hazards are likely to be most impactful to the asset being reviewed, which consequences are likely to contribute most to the risks, and can help as a starting point for planning climate related infrastructure and housing interventions. The Rapid Risk Assessment tool is not a complete community risk assessment methodology, nor should it be relied upon for a final determination of climate related risks. Users are encouraged to use this information from this tool as a starting point for completing more in depth asset or housing related risk assessments. This tool is currently available as a prototype and may undergo further improvements and changes as it continues to be tested and refined.
