June 6, 2007, Novae Res Urbis

Adapting to Climate Change
Urban Regions Unprepared

Anne Marie Aikins

The Clean Air Partnership unveiled the results of the first study of climate change impacts and the response from urban regions this week—and the conclusions “do not look promising.” Most cities have followed along on the assumption that, like acid rain, solutions lie in international agreements and “mitigation” efforts. However, the study reveals that “adaptation” to climate change is essential for cities to reduce the vulnerability of its citizens to the impacts of this global threat. Municipalities must “grasp the threats and opportunities of climate change adaptation vigorously with both hands.”

“Our initial scan has shown that there are many aspects of the social and economic life of the city, as well as the environment that are at risk,” said CAP executive director Eva Ligeti.

“The impacts of failing to adapt will be much more costly than proactive measures to adapt.”

The report, which outlines a systematic process for municipalities to adapt, provides many examples of municipal policies and specific adaptation measures and actions from the experience of six early converts— London, New York, Boston, Halifax, Vancouver and Seattle. Leading cities are tending to integrate climate change adaptation (and mitigation) into overarching policy documents such as official plans or statements of principle. Some are also developing city-wide adaptation policies, as well as sector- or department-specific guidelines.

“A handful of cities in the developed world have started to address the issue of adaptation,” said Environment Canada scientist Ian Burton, who is a member of the advisory committee for the study. “The time is ripe for Toronto and other leading Canadian municipalities to join this small group of innovators.”

Adapting to a different way of thinking about climate change, however, will take “leadership, persistence and broad knowledge of urban systems and how they interact with climate and with each other to get and keep adaptation on the agenda of cities and to devise and implement adaptation strategies,” the report says.

Over te 15 years since the initial signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, it has become “painfully clear” that climate change and greenhouse gas emissions are not so amenable to international agreement and action, Burton said. The quantity and sources of emissions are much greater and are much more deeply embedded in the economy.

“It clearly will be important for cities to continue to share their experiences and to learn from each other as these processes continue.”

Under the guidance of research director Jennifer Penney, the report is the second part of a four-phase project, undertaken by the Clean Air Partnership in collaboration with the City of Toronto. The final two reports examine climate change impacts and adaptation options for the urban forest and the urban heat island.

“The primary task of municipal leaders is to care for their own citizens,” the report states. “With adaptation, the benefits occur where the money is spent. If a city protects itself from storms, floods, droughts, heat waves, invasive pests, species and diseases, it is the people of the city that benefit. Their environment is better, their health is more protected, and their economic activities are less liable to damage and disruption.”

Engagement of stakeholders—such as municipal government departments, utilities, transportation authorities, conservation authorities and financial institutions—is vital for adaptation processes, said Burton.

Although the research suggests the importance of a systematic approach to climate impacts assessment and adaptation planning, taking action does not have to wait for the conclusion of the process. On the contrary, several cities have set priorities and gotten started in areas of greatest concern—taking action to protect against future water shortages, flooding, heat waves and other climate-related problems.

“There is every reason for cities to begin incorporating concerns about climate impacts into long-lived infrastructure projects for energy, water, stormwater, transportation, green corridors and waterfront or floodplain developments that are currently in the planning stages and are likely to be affected by climate change during their lifetime. Similarly, repairs and reconstruction that follow major extreme weather events should incorporate extra protection for future climate changes that promise more of the same kind of event.”

“The experience of deliberately incorporating climate adaptation into current projects can be very helpful in developing a more systematic approach to adaptation planning for the city and can serve as a kind of project-based policy development,” the report concludes.

Cities that have clear institutional mechanisms for considering climate change impacts and adaptation strategies have made more progress in advancing a climate adaptation agenda than cities with a more ad hoc approach.