May 6

Paul Egginton, Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Program, NRCan
http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/home_e.asp

Paul Egginton discussed policy considerations in looking towards the future. First, he said, international drivers such as the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol are important. Furthermore, national circumstances have influences on programs in place. Developing countries, for instances, are preoccupied with basics. Cross-border interactions will be very important in the future and have not yet been addressed, said Egginton.

Adaptation has been seen as a technological and engineering issue but it must incorporate human interests and expectations as well. The key roles for governments are to recognize and respond to others’ needs, and provide leadership and coordination.

Providing an overview of high-level policy, Egginton noted that mitigation and adaptation have both been positioned as policy responses sharing a number of instruments. The overall objective of both responses is to make Canada less vulnerable and more resilient to climate change.

“There is increasing talk about which tools to use, particularly the risk management approach, which is favoured,” said Egginton. Over time, he envisions a move from analyzing risks to taking action.

Egginton summarized commentary and questions posed by presenters at the conference so far. Barry Smit looked at the balance between the impacts of climate change and what to do about it. Egginton agreed that “yes, we need to walk before we run.”

In the opening plenary, Nola-Kate Seymoar asked why global warming has failed to drive a stronger agenda. She partially answered this in her discussion of changing human behaviour, said Egginton. Change only occurs because of emotional engagement, signal events, group make-up, and structures. Egginton suggested that there may be other reasons behind this failure as well.

Egginton said Don Lemmen noted that policymakers are beginning to take notice. The industry perspective was well presented by Paul Kovacs and Tom Rosser.

David Venema asked a good question, said Egginton—whether current policies are adapted or maladapted—and the only to answer it, he said, is to investigate department by department. Gordon McBean, in his discussion of water agreements, brought up the question of revisiting them given that they encompass territorial, provincial, national, and international governments.

Explaining the reason for “belabouring” policy, Egginton said that it underlies all other actions. Policy can act either as an enabler or a barrier.

Adaptation is an issue that covers all sectors, said Egginton, not only energy or environment. The question becomes how to position adaptation. If it is a question of development and economics, this may provide a way to push it ahead. The key is “to reach out to various institutions.”

If policies are to be developed around adaptation, comprehensive risk assessments are needed, said Egginton. As Birgit Isernhagen discussed in her presentation, the implications of climate change need to be reviewed at all levels of government and in all departments.

It is clear, commented Egginton, that adaptation is a horizontal issue and that “we can’t work in silos.” He noted four interesting foci emerging from the conference:

northern and traditional knowledge

health aspects of climate change

provincial programs that are leading the way

professional associations

Egginton said professional associations could offer a key in moving adaptation forward, through communication, education, continuing professional development, and networking of engineers and scientists. For example are there opportunities for adaptation when addressing Canada’s aging public infrastructure and engineering associations.

“We’ve come a long way,” said Egginton, “as we now know the sensitivities in Canada to climate change.” But there is still a long way to go. He concluded that the Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Program will be under review shortly and he would put forward many of the comments and issues brought forth at the conference.

2005-04-05