FAQs

Climate is sometimes mistaken for weather. Weather is monitored and described based on what is happening day to day or from year to year, but climate is measured over longer periods of time through the use of ice core samples, and other techniques. Our region’s climate data monitors seasonal temperature, rainfall averages and wind patterns, even average growing seasons. It is important to remember that even if we have a particularly cold winter or cooler summer, historical data combined with projections from advanced global models, show our climate is still getting warmer over time.  

The cause of current climate change is largely from human activity, like burning fossil fuels for energy (natural gas, oil, diesel, and coal). Burning these materials releases surplus GHGs into Earth’s atmosphere. These additional gases cumulate in the atmosphere, blanketing the earth, preventing the sun’s radiation escaping back out into space. 

It is true that throughout Earth’s history, climate has continually changed. However, when climate changes naturally, it is a slow process that takes place over hundreds and thousands of years. Experts have confirmed that the changes we have seen since the mid 1990s are not a part of Earth’s natural cycles. In August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report summarizing decades of research that confirms, “climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying” and that it is unequivocally human-caused (IPCC Report, August 2021). To prevent dangerous or ‘runaway’ climate change it is important that we all work together - governments, businesses, and individuals around the world need to take action. The City of Colwood is aiming to do its part. 

In Colwood, we are already experiencing certain climate change hazards, like extreme weather, sea level rise, and erratic changes in temperatures and precipitation. What this looks like is hotter, drier summers, increased risk of wildfire and drought, damage to infrastructure (roads, sewer systems, etc) and ecosystems, and saltwater inundation into recreation and agricultural areas and historical and cultural sites. This past year we saw the cascading effects of climate change, with the 2021 heat dome, drought, wildfires, and floods; a vicious cycle of deadly and costly events. 

So while “weather” will change from day-to-day, the trend over the long term will be more dramatic shifts between hot and cold and wet and dry. For Colwood this puts our people and places at risk, including our forests, critical habitats, and waterfront recreation areas

The flooding that caused damage to the Malahat in the fall of 2021 was an extreme weather event that was made even worse given the heat dome, wild fires and drought that impacted Vancouver Island just a couple months before. (Image Source: Courtesy Emcon Services Inc.)

 

It can be unclear why residents in a small city like Colwood need to take action to prepare for climate impacts and reduce emissions. There are a few key reasons. First, although emissions are emitted globally, many of the impacts of climate change, like extreme weather and sea level rise, will be felt locally, affecting our citizens and municipal services and operations. This is therefore a community-wide concern and priority. 

In addition, Canada, particularly the northern parts, is warming twice as fast as other countries, and the impacts we feel will be amplified (Bush and Lemmen, 2019). Second, we, as a city and community, all have a role to play in reducing the GHG emissions that cause climate change. Across the region, the country, and the world, we all need to step up to this unprecedented challenge. Third, by acting in an integrated way, we can expand opportunities to meet other priorities. Many of the ways we reduce GHG emissions in our city can also save us money. For example, increasing the number of trees on our steets and in our yards reduces temperatures and provides shade, which can minimize the demand for air conditioning. In addition, street trees can store carbon, provide habitat and birdsong, and improve water quality by filtering stormwater. Applying an integrated lens moves climate action into every part of decision-making, and catalyzes an opportunity to reframe our priorities toward community resilience and sustainability.

Adaptation and Mitigation – Two Sides of the Same Coin  

Taking this integrated approach, examining climate vulnerability and risk both now and into the future and identifying diverse ways to prepare and adapt is of critical importance to ensure the resilience of our community (adaptation). Reducing GHG emissions (mitigation) is critical for shifting our communities toward more sustainable practices. Doing both together is called low carbon resilience. 

Adaptation and Mitigation
Community Energy Association

 

This LCR diagram illustrates the benefits of integrating adaptation and mitigation (upper right quadrant), rather than pursuing adaption or mitigation in siloes (top left, bottom right)
ACT, 2020, adapted from Cohen & Waddell, 2009).

 

The federal government uses national standards and funding in climate action because provinces have constitutional jurisdiction over both energy and local governments.

Local governments, like the City of Colwood, are on the frontlines of climate action because communities are where people live, work and play. Communities are also where both the climate impacts will be felt, and where individuals and businesses make day-to-day low carbon decisions. As a municipal government, there are specific ways we can help residents and business adapt to climate change and save energy, emissions, and money. 

There are three key ways the City of Colwood can do this:

• Shape choice through policy and regulation
• Enable choice through infrastructure decisions
• Support choice through engagement and outreach

Through the LCR plan we can create supportive climate-ready policies and decisions and ensure you have the information you need to make low carbon and resilient choices.