Abstract

This research report evaluates the utility of the ClimAdapt Guide. ClimAdapt is a partnership between the Nova Scotia Environmental Industries Association, six private companies, the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour, the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and C-CAIRN. The Guide incorporates climate change considerations into the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. It is applied to six Canadian case studies covering a wide range of project types and climate areas in Canada. The research tests the processes and procedures of typical environmental assessments to determine the effectiveness of the ClimAdapt Guide's risk-management approach to addressing the uncertainty of climate change impacts.

The report concludes that it was possible to apply the ClimAdapt Guide successfully to the six case studies. However, there is a need for further research to enhance current abilities to predict ecological change in response to climate change. Consideration could also be given to incorporating the Guide in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's training programs.