Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage trees, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Climate change
Climate change
PEC is experiencing the early effects of climate change – increasing weather volatility, wind storms, increasingly frequent polar vortices and ice storms; hotter, longer droughts, unpredictable thaws and extraordinary flooding events and predictable long-term effects of hotter climate and intermittent, sustained droughts and flooding like desertification, soil erosion and greater risk of grass and forest fires. (Prince Edward County, Climate change resolution, May 16, 2019, Item 6.11)
The average temperature in the Quinte Region is expected to rise by approximately 2 to 3 degrees Celsius by 2050 if climate change is left unabated, resulting in more frequent extreme weather events and risk to humans, wildlife and agriculture. (Research Gate. Recent climate change in the Prince Edward County winegrowing region)
Municipal action on climate change
Municipal action on climate change
Municipalities are tasked with land-use planning and management and are responsible for more than half of Canada’s infrastructure. They’re also the ones dealing most directly with the effects of extreme weather on their populations. Prince Edward County is forming a new Climate Action Plan Working Group under the Environmental Advisory Committee, which will focus on the community-based action plan (2023).
Municipal governments currently have direct or indirect control over approximately 44 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. (Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Partners for Climate Protection) Prince Edward County Council has committed to a 20 percent reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated as a result of the municipality’s operations and services by 2033, using 2019 as the baseline year. Council also endorsed the vision of the municipality becoming carbon neutral by 2050. (Quinte News)
Will the Great Lakes region become a climate haven?
Will the Great Lakes region become a climate haven?
With plenty of fresh water and a moderate climate, the Great Lakes region could be seen as a climate haven. Already, two American cities, Buffalo NY and Duluth MN have been declared as climate havens, and Toronto ON is looked at as a model for development that is preparing for the mass migration of popuations from areas most affected by climate change — coastal flooding, heat extremes, wildfires.
What will it take to build communities that can withstand emergencies to come? What economic opportunities and challenges are presented by this prospect?
Weather & Environment
Weather & Environment
- Weather conditions, forecasts, historical averages and extremes
weather.gc.ca/city/pages/on-27_metric_e.html - Air quality index
airqualityontario.com/aqhi/today.php?sites=54012 - Public Beach reports
hpepublichealth.ca/weekly-public-beach-report[page not found] - Flood alerts
https://www.quinteconservation.ca/Modules/News/en/flooding
Water quality
Green spaces
- 3 Provincial Parks
- 5 Conservation areas
- Municipal parks and beaches: 180 acres of parkland including a 46 km linear trail and a community beach, plus outdoor recreation amenities.
- PEC protected and conserved areas, areas of scientific and national interest (ANSI), and Ontario Trail Network (OTN) access points.
Nature & Conservation
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