Canada in a Changing Climate is the national assessment of how and why Canada’s climate is changing; the impacts of these changes on our communities, health, environment, and economy; and how we are adapting. The assessment process depends on the collaboration of a broad partnership of subject-matter experts and assessment users from all orders of government, Indigenous organizations, universities, professional and non-governmental groups, and the private sector.
What’s new?
- Environment and Climate Change Canada is updating Canada’s Changing Climate Report
We’re excited to announce that Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is updating Canada’s Changing Climate Report (CCCR), building on the success of the 2019 edition. Launched in spring 2023, this national scientific assessment will assess how Canada’s climate has evolved, the underlying causes of these changes, and future climate projections. Led by ECCC’s Climate Research Division, the update is a collaborative effort involving Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Natural Resources Canada, academic experts, and Indigenous Knowledge holders.
The updated report will provide a comprehensive update of changes in temperature, precipitation, snow, ice, permafrost, freshwater availability and in oceans surrounding Canada. A focused chapter on changes in extremes will be included this time. The updated CCCR aims to provide comprehensive insights into changes in the physical climate system that have wide-ranging implications for both natural and human systems in Canada.
If you’re interested in being a reviewer, a self-nomination process to participate in the external review of the report (scheduled to begin in January, 2025) will become available soon. Stay tuned for updates as the assessment progresses!
- The National Assessment Secretariat is analyzing the results from their scoping process to plan the new reports on impacts and adaptation
Between July 2023 and June 2024, we hosted 9 in-person and virtual scoping workshops to ensure a wide range of participants had the opportunity to weigh in on themes and new approaches for the next Assessment cycle. This included workshops with youth, First Nations, Inuit and Métis from across the country. We are currently in the process of analyzing all input we have received in the scoping phase to develop a plan for reports, chapters and a timeline.
We also launched a call for Expressions of Interest for our future Advisory Committee to provide advice and guidance throughout the next Canada in a Changing Climate: National Assessment Process. The Advisory Committee will play a crucial role in shaping and guiding the assessment process.
- A new Health Assessment will be launched soon.
Stay tuned for our next update!
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The Past Assessment Cycle
Between 2019 and 2024, a series of authoritative, user-friendly, online reports were released. The first, Canada’s Changing Climate Report (2019), assessed how and why Canada’s climate is changing and what changes are projected for the future. Subsequent reports focused on impacts, adaptation, and resilience, These included: Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues Report (2021), Canada in a Changing Climate: Regional Perspectives Report (2020-2022), and the Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate (2022), the Synthesis Report (2023), and the Indigenous-led For Our Future: Indigenous Resilience Report (2024) which drew from Indigenous knowledges, perspectives, and experiences to explore the multidimensional and intersecting aspects of climate impacts and adaptation.
All reports include “case stories”, which are short, non-technical descriptions of concrete, on-the-ground examples of adaptation actions across Canada. Explore the case stories through the Map of Adaptation Actions.
These reports serve as a resource for Canadians, raising awareness of the issues facing our country and providing information to support sound decisions and actions that address climate change and adapt to its impacts.
