We must prepare for decades more extreme, damaging weather

The document highlights findings from the 2026 federal assessment of Canada's changing climate, warning that Canada will be nearly 3 C warmer over the next two decades regardless of future emissions. It emphasizes that while some warming is unavoidable, failing to cut global emissions could lead to 5 C of warming by 2100, causing the near-total disappearance of glaciers and severe permafrost thaw. The author calls for immediate investment in infrastructure adaptation—noting that every dollar spent now avoids up to $15 in losses—and a swifter national transition to clean power to avoid uncontrollable devastation.

• Regardless of future global emissions, Canada is projected to be nearly 3 C warmer on average over the next twenty years compared to pre-industrial levels. Even if net zero emissions are achieved globally, Canada's warming is expected to level off at approximately 3.5 C around the year 2100.
• If global emissions are not significantly reduced, Canada faces an average warming of 5 C by 2100 relative to 1850-1900. This scenario would lead to the near-total loss of glaciers, winter warming exceeding 10 C in the North, the complete melting of Arctic Ocean ice most summers, and severe droughts in the Prairies occurring three to five times per decade.
• Proactive investment in climate adaptation is economically beneficial, with every dollar spent currently avoiding up to $15 in future losses. Necessary actions include protecting homes from flooding and wildfire, reinforcing hospitals, roads, and bridges, and moving new developments out of high-risk areas.
• Current Canadian climate efforts are insufficient; a progress report on the National Adaptation Strategy indicates the government has missed many objectives and funding for programs is expiring. Additionally, federal policy shifts have moved Canada's emissions trajectory away from the path to net zero.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2026). We must prepare for decades more extreme, damaging weather. https://climateinstitute.ca/we-must-prepare-for-decades-more-extreme-damaging-weather/

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. We must prepare for decades more extreme, damaging weather. 2026. https://climateinstitute.ca/we-must-prepare-for-decades-more-extreme-damaging-weather/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=We must prepare for decades more extreme, damaging weather |date=16 September 2026 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/we-must-prepare-for-decades-more-extreme-damaging-weather/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianclimateinstitute2026must, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{We must prepare for decades more extreme, damaging weather}}, publisher = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2026}, month = sep, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/we-must-prepare-for-decades-more-extreme-damaging-weather/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }