28 May 2014 IRIACC Mid-Term Meeting

Partnership for Canada-Caribbean Community Climate

Change Adaptation

ParCA Research Framework Current Exposures and

Sensitivities

Current Adaptive

Strategies

Future Exposures and

Sensitivities

Future Adaptive Capacity

Expected Changes in Natural + Social Systems • Socio-economic, climate,

SLR scenarios • Coastal change modelling

Governance Assessment

(multi-level networks,

transformations)

Community Adaptation Visioning and Evaluation Against Maladaptation Criteria

Knowledge Integration and Scale-Up

Co

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un

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Bas

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Vu

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Focus on Small-Medium Sized Coastal Communities

ParCA was established to contribute to the research

and practice needs of small/medium-sized coastal communities that are at higher risk to climate change because of dependency on highly vulnerable economic sectors (fisheries, tourism) and have lesser adaptive capacity (limited technical-planning capacity and tax base, and are often undergoing socio-economic restructuring pressures).

• i.e., the communities some have suggested will be ‘triaged’ as sea level rise adaptation costs escalate in the decades ahead

A 2012 survey of Canadian municipalities confirmed this need, with less than 10% of communities with less than 10,000 people in the process of adaptation planning.

• Adaptation gap more pronounced in thousands of smaller communities worldwide

In the last two years, three of ParCA’s study areas have also experienced damage from extreme events (Jamaica, Nova Scotia, PEI flooding and storm surge damages), strengthening the near-term relevance of the research program.

With negative impacts on (among

others)... • Tourism

• Recreational

sailing & diving

• Key marine

ecosystems (e.g.

coral reefs)

• Inshore fisheries

• Coastal

infrastructure

• Human health &

quality of life

Training HQP and Networks

ParCA set out to recruit/train 29 highly qualified personnel (HQP) and through success in external scholarship competitions, this number has been exceeded (currently at 32).

Furthermore, ParCA has engaged over 30 additional students in ParCA research program through courses at UW and UWI.

ParCA / GIVRAPD have established a Community of Practice platform to connect practitioners and researchers in Small Island States (C-CHANGE, CCCCC, GIVRAPD, SEA-ARK, C-FISH)

Insight Development Grant

Evolving Network

C-CHANGE

PROJECT OVERVIEW

by

C-Change Team

2010

Published by the C-Change Secretariat (Canada)

Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

C-Change ICURA Working Paper Series No. nn

This document is prepared as a public discussion document among C-Change communities as part of the C-Change ICURA Project 2009-2015 (www.coastalchange.ca) and with the permission of the C-Change Secretariat (Canada). This paper has not been subjected to peer review or other review processes and does not necessarily represent the position of individual C-

Change Community Partners or researchers. This work is presented to encourage debate and enhance awareness of environmental change among coastal communities in Canada and the Caribbean.

© C-Change

Correspondence on this paper should be directed to the C-Change Secretariat, c/o C-Change Administrator, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa,

55 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1N 6N5 email: administrator@coastalchange.ca Telephone: +1 (613) 562-5800 x2933

Page 1 | C-Change Project Overview

www.coastalchange.ca/index.php/the-project/description