Building Capacity to Address Climate Change Impacts in Coastal Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is a coastal province. Over 92 per cent of the population live in communities adjacent to the coast and these areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts due to increased storm surges,... [ view full abstract ]

Newfoundland and Labrador is a coastal province. Over 92 per cent of the population live in communities adjacent to the coast and these areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts due to increased storm surges, coastal erosion, changing sea ice conditions and rising sea levels associated with changing climatic conditions. In addition to being vulnerable to these impacts, NL has the lowest population density of all provinces, and the majority of municipalities in the province have a population of under 5,000 people, which creates capacity challenges for addressing these impacts.

Climate change is projected to bring warmer, wetter and stormier weather conditions across the province, with the most significant temperature change growth expected in the winter season and in Labrador. Extreme precipitation and weather events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, with the most extreme change occurring along the south coast. This has implications for both infrastructure and public safety. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has taken innovative steps to deepen its understanding of how climate change is impacting NL, develop tools and resources to inform decision-making, and build capacity among decision-makers. This includes new climate projections down-scaled from regional climate models, coastal erosion monitoring, climate flood risk maps and sea-level rise data, as well as partnerships with academia, professional associations, and not-for-profit organizations.  This session will provide the latest information on how climate change is projected to affect NL and its coasts and what is being done to integrate this into decision-making to improve resilience.