adapting infrastructure to climate change: the role of codes, standards and related instruments –...
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Adapting Infrastructure to Climate Change: The role of Codes, Standards and Related Instruments – a policy perspective
APEGGA 2008 ConferenceInfrastructure Integrity- Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Session Edmonton, April 18, 2008By Michael Mortimer Program Manager, Built Environment Standards
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Discussion outline
Introduction
• Civil Infrastructure - overview
• Implications of Climate Change
• Codes and Standards – Key concepts
• What makes “North of 60” unique?
NRTEE’s Climate Change Adaptation in the North Study
Specific Findings
Governance & Accountability
Information & Content
Economic and Regulatory policy
Capacity to adapt in Northern communities
Question and answer session
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Civil Infrastructure - Overview
The services provided by civil infrastructure works touch all of us in many ways…
ServicesShelter
Safety and security
Aesthetics
Heat, Light and Power
Mobility for people, goods and services
Health and recreation
Wealth creation
CategoriesHomes & Buildings
Transportation networks
Energy networks
Water, Waste, & Storm water networks
Industrial structures
Communications networks
Landfills and waste depots
Culture and recreational facilities
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Climate Change Impacts on Infrastructure
• Direct impacts: Changes in seasonality
and type of precipitation Intensity of precipitation More coastal and river
flooding Sea level rise More freeze-thaw cycles Melting permafrost
• Indirect impacts: Changes to peak energy
demand More frequent and severe
water shortages Reduced service levels or
product quantity/quality Critical failures
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Implications for Codes, Standards and Related Instruments (CSRI)
CSRI rely on climate information to determine design loads
Historical climate values are no longer reliable predictors of future climate conditions
Future-looking, site-specific climate data is needed to upgrade CSRI
Many codes and standards still use historical data
Environment Canada starting to address issues and current shortfalls in climate data but much more work is required
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Implications for Codes, Standards and Related Instruments (CSRI) cont’d
Possible options for “upgrading” Canadian based CSRI: Use climate information based on most
recent trends Choose and apply variables associated with
future scenarios Encourage the use of local climate
knowledge Creative approaches will be needed to
upgrade US and international CSRI used in Canada
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Adaptation responses differ and are local
- Needs vary between communities and regions; urban vs. rural; densely populated vs. remote; north of 60 vs. south of 60
- Climate change must be considered in combination with other factors; climate change cannot be considered in isolation
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What makes ‘north of 60’ unique
Unique bio-physical Climate issues Permafrost Rate of warming much greater than in other
Canadian regions Understanding rate of underground temperature
changes is a key issue in the North Climate regions are diverse even within the North Loss of reflectivity of the snow (i.e., reduced
albido) and increased precipitation Sea ice Many classes of infrastructure have similar
problems because of the above
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What makes ‘north of 60’ unique
Unique Community issues Isolation Population density ‘critical mass’ Limited inland mobility and access Increased access via sea Sea level rise; coastal erosion has a more acute
impact in North (risks ‘wipe out’ of entire communities)
Unique Economic issues Reliance on single industry in many cases More emphasis on Northern economic
development means increased pressure on Infrastructure systems that are already weak
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Northern Codes & Standards study
Part of a larger initiative by the National Round Table on the Environment and Economy (NRTEE) on Climate Change Adaptation Policy – variety of projects undertaken
Mechanisms investigated: Codes and standards Insurance and finance Disaster management
Final report expected to be released in June 2008.
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Situation Summary: Codes & Standards (CSRI)
Entrenched system yet, must respond to changing needs in 21st century
Re-thinking of CSRI core objectives and priorities occurring across both topics and jurisdictions
Climate change only one of many change- drivers
Updating process often slow, multi-year
Change is evolutionary, incremental; sufficient?
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Objective
How do CSRI enable or inhibit
adaptive capacity-building?
Infrastructure categories considered:
Buildings
Transportation
Containment structures (tailings ponds)
Energy
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Basic Principles
Definitions “CSRI” Codes Standards Examples of related instruments
Broad landscape and complex interrelationships
Representation and committee balance options Has implications for priority-setting and development of content
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Content of CSRI
Alternatives Prescriptive approach Performance-based approach
Has implications for assignment of accountability and risk transfer
Content must be locally relevant regardless of origin
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Content of Codes & Standards
Ultimate Goal Promote proactive management of risks related to Climate Change
Challenges
Prescriptive approach predominates
Prescriptions not always applicable to North
Professional judgement often used (good!) but…
Consistency of approach varies
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Governance & Accountability issues
Liability considerations
• CSRI intended to help manage risk & apportion accountability for risk amongst stakeholders
• Abandoned mines/de-commissioned tailing ponds used as an illustrative example
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Mine tailing ponds example
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Governance & Accountability issues
Abandoned mines example
Key consideration - Accountability for risk of failed structures and resultant consequences
Challenge
Climate change opens up new risks
Opportunity
Move to permanent closure versus monitoring in perpetuity
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Information and content issues
Key Considerations
• Permafrost degradation
• Changing intensity and duration: snow loads, precipitation
Challenges
• Limited historical data
• Limited permafrost data
• Existing information is very general; needs to be specific at the local level
• No central source for data – knowledge is disparate, fragmented
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Information and content issues
Opportunities
• Improve the capacity of agencies responsible for climate data development/analysis
• Data needs
Forward-looking rather than historical perspective
Sufficiently detailed for region and site-specific use
More robust; provide fact-based, tested evidence to drive precautionary measures, improve confidence of predictions
• Improved means to disseminate data & share knowledge
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Information and content issues
Example: Anecdotal perceptions of ‘Southern bias’
Challenges
• Northern data not as robust as in other regions
• Content sometimes not relevant to the North
Opportunities
• Nurture pan-Northern, circumpolar, international collaboration
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Economic and Regulatory policy
Challenge
Data and processes not always ‘locally relevant’
Opportunities
Move to performance approaches where feasible
Provide incentives to innovate and/or
Adjust risk-sharing arrangements
Introduction Key concepts Findings
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Capacity to adapt in the North
Challenges Risk of infrastructure failures due to Climate Change
could impede Northern development
Opportunities Pan-Northern and cross-sectoral approach Develop Northern-focussed technical institutes to
bring researchers together; pool/share knowledge Annexes and chapters to address unique Northern
conditions
Introduction Key concepts Findings
