B.C. to release `full' climate adaptation strategy
Ottawa, province putting together options to lessen effects from floods, wildfires
The B.C. government expects to release a climate adaptation strategy in the coming weeks, but it is unclear whether the plan will include elements that experts say are needed to make it effective.
A draft released in 2021 provided some high-level goals: increasing community climate resiliency, fostering a climate-resistant ecosystem and building a climate ready economy and infrastructure.
Canada is also putting together a national climate adaptation strategy, expected by the end of the year, that will have implications for British Columbia. Two months of public consultation on the national plan were launched last week.
Experts say that as B.C. and Canada put together strategies to lessen the effects from such emergencies as floods and wildfires — which are expected to increase in frequency and severity because of climate change — it's imperative to set priorities, clearly define the roles of different levels of government, increase spending, and track progress.
In a report last week, a leading Canadian independent climate-policy research organization says a national strategy must have explicit goals and priorities based on the most important climate risks, a comprehensive response plan with concrete steps and timelines, and one where progress can be tracked. Those principles are similar for provinces, including British Columbia, said Ryan Ness, a co-author of the report and adaptation research director with the Canadian Climate Institute.
“The ad hoc, reactive, and under-resourced approach to climate change adaptation of Canada's provincial and federal
governments has left Canadians unprepared for and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change that are already happening, let alone the additional changes that we can expect,” concluded Ness and co-author Sarah Miller, a research associate with the Canadian Climate Institute.
“As evidenced by the recent wildfires and floods in B.C. alone, the costs of failing to adapt are far too large for this fragmented and reactive approach to be allowed to continue,” noted the authors.
A Postmedia investigation earlier this month made a
similar finding: Government efforts have fallen short in B.C. of what is needed to properly protect communities from increased floods and wildfires expected from climate change.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development, based in Winnipeg, has also written reports on climate adaptation, including a 2021 report that found Canada is lagging globally and, among 13 recommendations, called for a clear framework and system for tracking progress in adaptation.
Jo-Ellen Parry, the Institute's adaptation director in
Canada, said an adaptation strategy must make clear who is responsible for doing what — and create a system to ensure national policy is helping the local level and the local voice is heard at the national level.
Legislation may also be necessary to establish reporting frequency and updates for risk assessment plans.
B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said last week the province's “full” climate preparedness and adaptation strategy will be released this spring. The province would not make an official available for an interview to
answer questions about elements of the strategy.
And Environment Ministry officials did not respond to questions on whether the strategy will set targets, for example, on how many kilometres of dikes will be upgraded or added, and set spending amounts and timelines.
But in a statement, Environment Ministry officials said the strategy will include expanding B.C.'s climate monitoring networks, outlining work with Indigenous governments to lead climate resilience programs, and developing an extreme heat response framework.
It will also expand the River Forecast Centre and provincial floodplain mapping program, build climate-ready transportation networks, and support nature-based climate solutions, Environment Ministry spokesman David Karn said in an email.
Ministry officials also noted the province is working on a flood strategy with First Nations, as well as talking to local and federal governments and partners to identify more opportunities to protect B.C. communities from flooding.
The B.C. government has said it will spend $2.1 billion over four years to recover from extreme floods and wildfires in 2021 that caused the evacuation of 46,000 people and destroyed homes, roads and bridges.
Most of that money is earmarked for response costs and human aid, helping individuals and communities restore buildings and infrastructure, and increased government operations spending.
It is not targeted at building climate-resilient infrastructure such as upgrading B.C.'s more than 1,100 kilometres of dikes or building new flood protection measures. Money earmarked for wildfire prevention would barely make a dent in the 11,000 square kilometres of forested land in and around communities the province has identified as needing thinning to reduce wildfire fuel.
Postmedia's four-month investigation found the cost of increased flood and wildfire protection was at least $13 billion. The cost is certainly much higher as only a third of 75 communities examined had a detailed, costed flood protection plan and analysis does not cover the entire province.