B.C. issues primer for coping with rising sea levels

British Columbia has issued a report showing strategies for dealing with flood risks associated with rising sea levels thanks to climate change. Issued April 7, the report is called “Sea Level Rise Adaptation Primer: A Toolkit to Build Adaptive Capacity on Canada’s South Coasts.”

The primer was developed to support decision-making by local governments that regulate the development of shorelines and floodplains in B.C. But it will also be relevant in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador coastal areas, thanks to a cross-Canada partnership that was formed to direct the project.

The publication complements previous reports on sea level rise released by the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, including “Costs of Adaptation: Sea Dikes and Alternative Strategies” (December 2012) and “Climate Change Adaptation Guidelines for Sea Dikes and Coastal Flood Hazard Land Use” (May 2011).

The primer was prepared with $50,000 in funding from Natural Resources Canada’s Regional Adaptation Collaborative Program, as well as a contribution of $7,500 from the Atlantic Climate Adaptation Solutions Association (consisting of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) and $7,500 from Simon Fraser University’s Adaptation to Climate Change Team.

To view it, click here.