Projects and Initiatives

Scientific research and analysis suggest that all Canadian communities will need, in various ways, to adjust to the effects of climate change and incorporate policies and tools into their day-to-day planning programs. The range of impacts across Canada is varied and extensive, including extreme weather events and the long-term implications of more gradual change, like sea level rise, melting permafrost, receding ice caps, and drought. These changes affect all aspects of community life and range from environmental through long-term economic, health and social implications. Communities need to understand these changes but, more importantly, must develop strategies and plans for adaptation and build these strategies into their day-to-day planning and decision-making processes.

Enhancing the understanding of climate change and incorporating adaptation and mitigation strategies in Canadian communities requires coordinated action on the part of climate change scientists and professional planners. Planners are one of the key professional groups that have the ability to mainstream climate change adaptation strategies in their communities.

Since 2007, CIP has been working in partnership with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and, more recently with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Government of Nunavut (GN), to bring climate change knowledge, adaptation strategies and plans, policies and tools to professional planners in all parts of Canada.

Specifically, CIP set out to do the following:

• Establish a national policy for the institute and its members
• Create educational learning modules to increase members', planning students' and stakeholders' awareness of planning related climate change issues
• Create tools and resources to better equip CIP members, students and stakeholders to deal with climate change impacts and adaptation

CIP gratefully acknowledges the vital funding and professional contributions of Natural Resources Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Government of Nunavut, which have made this work possible. In addition, we are thankful to the many CIP members who have volunteered their expertise and hundreds of hours of their time to make the project a success.

I want to know more about CIP's ongoing and past climate change Projects and Initiatives.

I'd like to visit the Climate Change Resource Library.