class 9.2

Question 1

WHAT IS A HAZARD?

Answer 1

A natural or human-induced physical event or trend that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, as well as damage and loss to property, infrastructure, livelihoods, service provision, ecosystems and environmental resources. (IPCC)

Question 2

EXTREME HEAT EFFECTS

Answer 2

Deadliest and most direct impact of climate change.

During heat waves we see spikes in illness and deaths.

Very economically costly – urban heat stress is projected to reduce labor capacity by 20% during hot months by 2050.

Disproportionately affects certain groups: low-income, elderly, children, socially isolated, unhoused, outdoor workers, people with chronic illnesses or disabilities.

Question 3

IMPACTS OF EXTREME HEAT

Answer 3

• Higher rates of illness and death (elderly living alone, young children, mental illness, chronic illness, outdoor workers, unhoused)
• High demand for electricity and risks of power outages
• Stress on roadways, runways
• Buckling railway tracks
• Urban tree and vegetation stress
• Algae blooms and stress on aquatic ecosystems

Question 4

URBAN FLOODING

Answer 4

Fluvial flooding

Pluvial Flooding

Coastal Flooding

Question 5

QUALITIES THAT INCREASE FLOOD EXPOSURE

Answer 5

Impermeable surface coverage in urban areas

Clustering of economic assets, people, critical infrastructure

located along major bodies of water

Question 6

With no adaptation, total losses could amount to how much per year due to flooding in 2050?

what about with adaptations

Answer 6

without: $1T

with: $52B

Question 7

Rising sea levels driven by:

Answer 7

• Thermal expansion of ocean water
• Melting ice sheets (Greenland, Antarctica)
• Melting glaciers and ice caps (especially in the Canadian Arctic!)
• NOT melting sea ice or icebergs

Question 8

Local sea level rise is affected by regional factors like:

Answer 8

• Land subsidence
• Upward land movement

Question 9

examples of storms

Answer 9

• Hurricanes & tropical cyclones
• Ice storms
• Snowstorms
• Thunderstorms
• Tornadoes

Question 10

impacts of storms

Answer 10

• Public safety
• Buildings
• Infrastructure
• Electricity grids
• Food security

Question 11

Cascading event

Answer 11

happen when an extreme event triggers secondary types of impacts

These types of impacts are increasing in urban areas

Question 12

why do we need to adapt?

Answer 12

Funding for adaptation lags mitigation, even as the costs of climate change grow.

Proactive adaptation will save money in the long-run!

Federation of Canadian Municipalities estimates that every $1 spent on adaptation saves $6 in avoided damages.

Question 13

HOW ARE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION DIFFERENT?

Answer 13

mitigation:
- global goals
- shifting energy systems
- directly measurable

adaptation:
- regional and local goals
- shifting all systems
- no single metrics

Question 14

Impact and vulnerability assessment

Answer 14

major step in preparing an adaptation strategy

a systematic way to identify consequences of climate change, and risks to communities

Question 15

steps of Impact and vulnerability assessment

Answer 15

1. exposure: How will climate change affect a community?
2. sensitivity: What aspects of the community could be affected?
3. potential impacts: To what extent will the impact affect the community?
4. adaptive capacity: To what degree is the community prepared for
   the impacts of climate change?

Question 16

HEAT ALERT AND RESPONSE SYSTEMS

Answer 16

Issue public health alerts when temperatures exceed a certain threshold

Advise people on how to stay safe in the heat.

Mobilize cooling centres and wellness checks on vulnerable people

Question 17

Montreal Public Health Department’s heat response plan has been in place since when

Answer 17

2004

Question 18

City of Montreal created its own heat wave plan when

Answer 18

in 2019

Question 19

Urban greening

Answer 19

creates networks of public and private green spaces

Aim is to use nature-based solutions to reduce urban heat island effect and extreme temperatures

Vegetation provides shade and dissipates heat by increasing evapotranspiration

Question 20

examples of urban greening

Answer 20

Public parks

Urban tree canopy

Green roofs

Protection of natural spaces

Question 21

building designs that will counteract effects of heating

Answer 21

Building orientation

Reducing the ratio of interior space to exterior walls

Insulation

Shade structures and interior blinds

Reflecting surface materials

Cool roofs (green/white roofs)

Mechanical cooling (heat pumps)

Question 22

urban designs that will counteract effects of heating

Answer 22

Reducing/eliminating parking lot requirements improves albedo

Light-colored pavement

Ventilation corridors improves air flow and heat dissipation

North/south street orientation reduces sun exposure

Water features (e.g. splash pads, fountains)

Walkability to reduce waste heat from vehicles

Question 23

ADAPTING TO FLOOD RISK

Answer 23

1. Resist
2. Accommodate
3. Retreat
4. Avoid

Question 24

HISTORICALLY FLOOD MANAGEMENT
WAS ABOUT WHAT?

Answer 24

resistance

Question 25

WHERE DOES THE WATER GO?

Answer 25

Often it’s directed to:

1. Areas considered lower value.
2. Other communities.

Question 26

CAN FLOOD WATER BE ACCOMMODATED IN SOME WAY?

Answer 26

1. Raising flood construction levels of buildings
2. Building flood water storage capacity, like retention ponds or
   water plazas
3. Nature-based solutions like protecting and restoring wetlands

Question 27

autonomous retreat to flood

Answer 27

People relocate individually to safer places

Question 28

coordinated retreat to flood

Answer 28

Government programs to move people or assets.

Government buy-out programs

Question 29

HOW DO WE AVOID FUTURE RISK?

Answer 29

1. Strengthen land use regulations to prevent construction of new infrastructure in at-risk areas
2. Use pricing and mandatory disclosures to disincentivize construction and property purchases in high risk areas & share the costs of flood risk management with individuals and the private sector.

Question 30

Where is adaptation emerging?

Answer 30

Adaptation is emerging in most regions, particularly in Africa and Asia

Urban adaptation is mostly found in the Global North – Canada, Europe, US

–> urban adaptation is under-developed in the most quickly urbanizing regions

Question 31

WE’RE NOT SEEING LARGE-SCALE ADAPTATION (YET?)

Answer 31

No region shows evidence of widespread adaptation.

Most adaptation is very local, very small-scale.

Most actions deal with short-term risk management, rather than root causes of risk like urban development patterns.

Adaptation often doesn’t address the needs of groups who are most vulnerable to climate change (e.g. the urban poor, women, persons with disabilities, etc.) S