Understanding Climate Change Adaptation

Even though Ontario is actively cutting its greenhouse gas emissions, emissions already in the atmosphere are causing problems now and will do so for years to come. As we work to address the causes of climate change, we realize that weather patterns, water levels, outbreaks of disease, and growing seasons are already beginning to change. That's why Ontario has developed a two-phase approach to tackling climate change by creating a multi-faceted plan to fight it and taking effective actions to adapt to it.

WHAT IS ADAPTATION?

Adaptation is about taking actions to help people, communities and ecosystems adjust to a changing climate.  Adaptation means knowing which varieties of crops and trees are best suited to warmer temperatures and drier soil conditions. In fact, government researchers are already growing selected trees under controlled conditions to determine how they respond to increasing temperature and carbon dioxide. This will ensure that trees planted today can survive in a much different environment only a few decades from now.

WHY ADAPT?

Adaptation is a key part of a successful climate change plan and is necessary to address the impacts of climate change which experts tell us are no longer avoidable. According to the 2007 National Assessment on Climate Change intense rainfall, heat waves and smog are likely to become more frequent in Ontario. Investing now to improve climate change resiliency is safer and more cost effective than waiting for climate change impacts to happen.

HOW IS ONTARIO ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

To date the Ontario government's measures for addressing climate change adaptation include:

• Creating new rules for green energy projects to improve the climate resiliency of the province's electricity grid
• Considering the impacts of climate change on protecting sources of Ontario's drinking water
• Increasing public awareness of health hazards associated with extreme weather
• Considering climate change vulnerabilities and risk when developing the Northern Growth Plan
• Setting up research centres to look into developing pest and drought resistant crops
• Consulting on a plan to develop a water conservation and efficiency strategy for Ontario.