Canada Releases National Issues Report on Climate Change Adaptation

July 12, 2021

The federal government has published Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues Report, a national perspective on how climate change is impacting our environment, economy and many aspects of our daily lives — and how we are adapting to these impacts.

The report provides Canadians with a comprehensive synthesis of knowledge of climate change impacts, as well as examples of adaptation efforts underway to address them, and provides a foundation to inform decision-making and measures as we develop Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy.

Key findings show that Canadian communities of all sizes are experiencing the impacts of climate change on their infrastructure, health, culture and economies, threatening Canada’s ecosystems and the vital services they provide, including access to freshwater. As these impacts will persist and intensify over time, urgent action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate change through adaptation.

The report is part of Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action, a collaborative national assessment process led by Natural Resources Canada, which forms the foundation for the ambitious action we need to take as we develop Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy.

In developing this report, Natural Resources Canada engaged experts from academic, government and non governmental organizations as authors to assess and synthesize knowledge from peer reviewed literature, government reports and Indigenous knowledge.

Alongside the report, Natural Resources Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Centre for Climate Services also launched the Map of Adaptation Actions, an interactive online searchable map of climate change adaptation case studies from Canada, to increase access to useful information and resources supporting adaptation action. 

Increasing climate action and the resilience of communities to the impacts of climate change is a top priority for the government. Canada has put in place a strengthened climate plan with 64 key measures to exceed our climate targets. Natural Resources Canada, together with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Public Safety Canada and Infrastructure Canada, is developing a National Adaptation Strategy that will be used to help protect Canadians across the country from extreme weather and emerging climate risk.
The government continues to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous organizations and communities, and other stakeholders to increase Canada’s resilience to a changing climate.

Download Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues Report here.