> SFU climate initiative launched
SFU climate initiative launched
Contact:
Deborah Harford, Program Director, ACT, 604.671.2449; adapt@sfu.ca
Deborah Harford, Program Director, ACT, 604.671.2449; adapt@sfu.ca
June 3, 2008
Simon Fraser University’s Adaptation to Climate Change Team (ACT) is partnering with BC’s Ministry of Environment to identify adaptation strategies for extreme weather events and natural hazards caused by climate change.
The ministry committed $125,000 towards an ACT initiative to develop policy and educational resources for decision-makers and the public. ACT will address climate-change impacts such as severe rain storms, mudslides, forest fires and gale-force winds.
This six-month program was launched on June 2 with a two-day conference, Extreme Events: Municipalities Adapting to Climate Change. It was chaired by Gordon McBean, policy chair for the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and ACT’s lead policy author.
The conference brought together community leaders, First Nations, governments, industry, researchers and NGOs, to consult municipalities that must actively implement adaptation planning, and explore the opportunities and constraints they face.
That will be followed by two further conferences on physical threats posed by climate change, to be held in fall 2008: one on Public Safety and one on Infrastructure.
A six-month policy development process, with McBean leading a team of SFU graduate researchers, will develop the findings from these conferences, explore current research and regulations, identify knowledge gaps, and developie options for sustainable adaptation. ACT will publish its findings in early 2009.
"ACT exemplifies how universities can interface with industry, government and community partners to solve real problems that face our province," says SFU President Michael Stevenson. "It leverages SFU's breadth of research expertise in environmental issues and its strength in creating engaging dialogue to work with our partners to develop solid policy recommendations."
The ministry committed $125,000 towards an ACT initiative to develop policy and educational resources for decision-makers and the public. ACT will address climate-change impacts such as severe rain storms, mudslides, forest fires and gale-force winds.
This six-month program was launched on June 2 with a two-day conference, Extreme Events: Municipalities Adapting to Climate Change. It was chaired by Gordon McBean, policy chair for the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and ACT’s lead policy author.
The conference brought together community leaders, First Nations, governments, industry, researchers and NGOs, to consult municipalities that must actively implement adaptation planning, and explore the opportunities and constraints they face.
That will be followed by two further conferences on physical threats posed by climate change, to be held in fall 2008: one on Public Safety and one on Infrastructure.
A six-month policy development process, with McBean leading a team of SFU graduate researchers, will develop the findings from these conferences, explore current research and regulations, identify knowledge gaps, and developie options for sustainable adaptation. ACT will publish its findings in early 2009.
"ACT exemplifies how universities can interface with industry, government and community partners to solve real problems that face our province," says SFU President Michael Stevenson. "It leverages SFU's breadth of research expertise in environmental issues and its strength in creating engaging dialogue to work with our partners to develop solid policy recommendations."