Climate Change: the Ontario Angle

Transcription

1 Climate Change: the Ontario Angle Webinar host: Climate Change Adaptation Community of Practice July 21, 2015 Ellen Schwartzel Environmental Commissioner (Acting)

2 Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Impartial Officer of the Legislature Environmental Watchdog Since

3 The ECO s Expanded Mandate Annual reports on: [the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009] Greenhouse Gas Emissions Energy Conservation 3

4 ECO s Greenhouse Gas Report

5 Ontario set targets in 2007 to cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions 6% below 1990 by 2014 (to 171 Mt) 15% below 1990 by 2020 (to 155 Mt) 80% below 1990 by 2050 (to 36 Mt) 5

6 Ontario s targets not arbitrary; International goals Assume we can keep within 2 degrees of warming Assume planet can cope with 2 degrees of warming 6

7 Ontario s Targets ? 7

8 Ontario s Targets 8

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10 Greenhouse Gas Emissions 10

11 Greenhouse Gas Emissions 11

12 Greenhouse Gas Emissions 12

13 Ontario s Emissions Profile 13

14 Options: Pricing Carbon British Columbia: Quebec: Ontario: Carbon tax since 2008; ~7 cents/litre of gas Cap and trade system for carbon credits Cap and trade announced April 13,

15 Ontario Action on Climate Change Cap and trade announced April 13, 2015 Climate Summit of the Americas July 7-9 Climate Change Strategy promised for

16 Cutting Greenhouse Gases; Ontario has options A price on carbon Use our low-carbon electricity for electric vehicles 16

17 Cutting Greenhouse Gases; Ontario has options 17

18 Cutting Greenhouse Gases; Ontario has options A price on carbon Use our low-carbon electricity for electric vehicles Compact urban development Strengthen the Ontario Building Code Incentives to retrofit existing buildings 18

19 Cutting Greenhouse Gases; Ontario has options Support the work of communities on energy conservation 19

20 Climate Change Adaptation 20

21 Adapting to a changing climate: the role of climate data 21

22 Climate Data Roundtable: the role of climate data 22

23 Check out the animated video Climate Data: Why should we care? 23

24 Climate data can be: Hard to find Proprietary Expensive Bewildering Hard to evaluate 24

25 Climate Data Needed now 25

26 Down-scaled data Climate Data: needs are diverse Long-term averages Extremes Accredited or standardized climate models Expert guidance 26

27 Climate Data: opportunities for innovation Helping companies find markets, manage supply chains, manage risk Enabling consumer access to data 27

28 Partnering between insurance industry and municipalities to: Share data Climate Data: opportunities for innovation Convey flooding risks house-by-house Improve decisions by homeowners 28

29 Climate Data Governance: learning from other jurisdictions Quebec s model: Ouranos User driven Two programs: climate science vulnerability impacts and adaptation Large network of practitioners Base funding plus project funding 29

30 Climate Data Governance: learning from other jurisdictions Quebec s model: Ouranos User driven Two programs: climate science vulnerability impacts and adaptation Large network of practitioners Base funding plus project funding 30

31 Climate Data Governance: Ontario s situation Funds academic climate modellers Makes data publicly available Offers some climate data training 31

32 Climate Data Governance: Ontario s situation Roundtable participants converged on these points: Status quo not adequate One-stop shop for climate data and climate services Climate data champion needed 32

33 Climate Data Governance: Ontario s situation New organization would need: Secure funding Good relationship with academic community Arms-length distance from government Focus on end-user 33

34 Climate Data Governance: Next steps? Expect an updated climate change strategy for Ontario by end of 2015 Access to credible, useful data on climate change will be critical 34

35 Climate Data Governance: Next steps? Uncertainty will be part of the picture 35

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38 Thank you! Ellen Schwartzel, Commissioner (Acting)