Ottawa, Ont. (Feb. 9, 2016) – Sustainable Prosperity is pleased to release a suite of policy tools that can inform policy-makers to help Canadians adapt to our changing climate. These policy tools are outlined in a new project named Tooling Up for Climate Change: Economic Instruments for Adaptation. This project is based on a suite of research projects and examines the ways different levels of government, as well as other decision-makers, can use economic instruments to support the uptake of adaptation actions in four sectors of importance to Canada: forestry, infrastructure, real estate and ecosystem services.
“As Canadians, we often take pride in our resourcefulness and our ability to be enterprising when faced with a challenge. Of course, part of being successful in tackling any challenge is to have the right tools for the task at hand” says Michelle Brownlee, Director of Policy at Sustainable Prosperity. “Adapting to climate change is one of those challenges. These “toolboxes” present some of the things policy-makers can do – or can do more of – to help Canadians adapt to the impacts of climate change.”
The “Tooling Up” economic instruments are grouped into 12 sets of tools and 3 toolboxes for each level of government: Provincial/Territorial, Municipal/local and Federal.
This research comes at an important time. Already, the impacts of climate change are affecting our forests, urban infrastructure, real estate and ecosystems. From increased frequency and severity of wildfires, to stressed water infrastructure, from cost increases in real estate, to altered ecosystems, these impacts present both risks and opportunities for businesses, governments, communities and individual Canadians. To reduce these risks and take advantage of opportunities, Canadians must adapt.
About the Project
“Tooling Up for Climate Change” is a project led by SP to share knowledge and policy findings to decision-makers across Canada on economic instruments for adaptation. The project is supported by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through Canada’s Adaptation Platform.
Made up of business, environment, policy and academic leaders, Sustainable Prosperity (SP) is a national green economy think tank/do tank, based at the University of Ottawa. SP harnesses leading-edge thinking to bring together decision-makers and advance innovation in policy, in the pursuit of a greener, more competitive Canadian economy.
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Media Contact
Melanie Coulson
Director of Communications
Sustainable Prosperity
(613) 562-5800 ext. 1189
mcoulson@sustainableprosperity.ca
