Science Talks - Urban planning: Building climate-resilient communities through adaptation planning

While climate change is a global issue, impacts are felt locally. Local governments (municipalities) are well situated to lead climate adaptation action, however a variety of challenges slow adaptation implementation in practice. Hear from Jeff Birchall, assistant professor in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, as he highlights some of the localized impacts associated with climate change, and the way local government decision-makers cope with these impacts, whether through ad-hoc planning, strategic long-term policy, or in some instances, no action at all. Showcasing examples from across Canada, this presentation demonstrates that action isn’t always straightforward, and buy-in for action isn’t always a guarantee, even when extreme events take place on a regular basis, and even when these impacts have a cost on the community.