Sign-in
Invermere: ready to face up to climate change
Feb 20, 2010
Wildsight designs Climate Mitigation and Adaptation plans with community
Invermere has just taken an important step towards a future that’s more resilient to climate change.
Wildsight’s Climate Solutions program manager, Megan Walsh, assisted the lakeside community in developing its Climate Mitigation and Adaptation strategies.
The project took 12 months and finished up February 2, 2010.
It included a number of components:
- A baseline greenhouse gas emission profile;
- Community input and education;
- An engineering study and assessment for emission reduction opportunities;
- Identifying community vulnerabilities to climate change; and
- Compiling mitigation and adaptation strategies that are relevant for Invermere.
“These strategies will help Invermere face the challenges of climate change,” Walsh said. “Different weather, water and fire patterns are already observed by Invermere residents. So we asked the question: How can we create a community that is aware of, and prepared for, the changes inevitable with projected climate change?’”
Walsh said the importance of planning and preparing for the future can’t be understated. “The future will be different from the past,” she said. “We’re already seeing the effects of climate change. So our planning has to be different than it was in the past as well.”
For example, Walsh said it is now crucial for local governments to take a dual approach to climate change.
“The District of Invermere will be integrating both climate mitigation strategies—things like lowering greenhouse gas emissions—with climate adaptation planning into its existing policies and bylaws,” Walsh said.
“The outcome will be a greater capacity to adapt to future change—with lower energy consumption and with the ability to recognize opportunities for community sustainability.”
Walsh said the type of work Invermere took on with Wildsight is in direct support of the Province’s initiatives, namely the Climate Action Charter, and recent amendments to the Local Government Act, Bill 27.
“Invermere is contributing to a larger process that will help all of British Columbia adapt to climate change and reduce its GHG emissions,” Walsh said. “Cumulatively, communities in British Columbia have the opportunity to make a real difference.”
As for the need of such work, Walsh noted that Invermere residents are seeing changes in their environment already. “Natural- and human-caused climate change are affecting global systems: freshwater runoff, snowpack, forest fire, soil moisture—even wildlife patterns are changing. And residents of Invermere have noticed changes in their own backyards.
“It’s vital to be aware of these changes—as they occur—so we can develop plans and respond proactively.”
Walsh said this approach—planning adaptation strategies—naturally leads people to want to reduce their carbon footprint.
“It’s easier to take our own individual GHG emissions seriously when we understand what the overall impacts are,” she said. “When we know what’s changing and what our options are to deal with it, we’re inspired to contribute on a personal level to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”
Both the District of Invermere and the Province of B.C. have set GHG reduction targets and this project is the kind of support needed to meet them, said Walsh.
“This is a beneficial project for the people of Invermere,” said Walsh. “It’s good news.”
The documents, the District of Invermere Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Plan and the Invermere Climate Adaptation Report are available from the District of Invermere office, and will available online soon.
VISIT: Wildsight Climate Solutions for more information.
