The Greater Sudbury Climate Change Consortium (GSCCC), led by Conservation Sudbury (NDCA), recently brought community leaders together in an exciting and interactive workshop to build capacity around climate change adaptation. A focus of the gathering was a new tool, the Gateway, a web-based weather and water information database designed to better inform the development of climate change adaptation measures. The Gateway is funded through the Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative, a $7 M Federal-Provincial initiative. The workshop highlighted the importance of quality data that can be shared among different organizations working on adaptation planning.
Participants in the workshop engaged in a network mapping exercise developed by the Sudbury Social Planning Council. According to this map, Sudbury has activity-hubs around transportation, engagement of vulnerable populations, and source water protection, highlighting the potential to build linkages among groups working in these areas. The mapping also shows that many organizations are involved in education and awareness, suggesting a logical next step of developing a more coordinated approach. In terms of climate change adaptation planning, this exercise reveals opportunities where existing connections can be strengthened and where new connections can be built. Through a central portal group such as the GSCCC, the diverse network of community members who are interested in climate change adaptation in the Sudbury region can become more closely connected and coordinate their efforts. This will greatly increase our level of community preparedness for climate change.
Sudbury is widely seen as being the leader in climate change adaptation planning in Ontario. The GSCCC has engaged a wide variety of partners for a truly cross-sectoral approach, needed to deal with the impacts of our changing climate.
A full report of the workshop is on the website of the Greater Sudbury Climate Change Consortium www.sudburyclimateaction.ca.