ADAPTATION AUX CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES : UNE APPROCHE PANGOUVERNEMENTALE

The document argues that Canada has historically struggled to translate high-level climate adaptation aspirations into concrete action due to a lack of interministerial coordination and systematic integration. It proposes moving beyond voluntary, informal approaches toward a 'whole-of-government' approach. Key recommendations include enacting a national climate change adaptation law, issuing centralized policy directives, establishing a dedicated central adaptation policy unit, and utilizing ex ante evaluation tools. The paper highlights the UK's Climate Change Act as a successful model of legislative accountability and notes that most OECD countries possess specialized units for adaptation coordination, a feature currently lacking in Canada.

• Canada has experienced a significant gap between high-level climate resilience promises and tangible implementation over the last decade, mirroring a global trend where countries struggle to translate aspirations into concrete initiatives.
• Horizontal coordination is essential for climate adaptation because the issue transcends ministerial silos; without it, governments risk inefficient resource allocation, overlapping programs, and contradictory policies, such as providing mortgage insurance in high-risk flood zones while simultaneously trying to discourage development in those areas.
• Audits in Canada have consistently revealed weaknesses in interministerial coordination and the integration of adaptation into risk management. For example, a 2017 report found that 19 federal departments lacked adequate guidelines for coordinating efforts, and a 2016 Ontario audit showed the lead ministry lacked the power to coordinate other agencies.
• The author recommends that Canada adopt a national climate change adaptation law to clarify powers, impose obligations, and increase accountability, citing the UK's Climate Change Act of 2008 as a robust example that mandates clear adaptation objectives and periodic risk assessments.
• Canada is an exception among OECD countries because it lacks a specialized central entity dedicated to coordinating adaptation work, whereas countries like Germany, Australia, and Finland have established such units to harmonize sectoral goals and administrative procedures.

APA

Henstra, D. (n.d.). ADAPTATION AUX CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES : UNE APPROCHE PANGOUVERNEMENTALE. Canadian Climate Institute. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/adaptation-changements-climatiques-approche-pangouvernementale.pdf

Chicago

Henstra, Daniel. ADAPTATION AUX CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES : UNE APPROCHE PANGOUVERNEMENTALE. Canadian Climate Institute, n.d. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/adaptation-changements-climatiques-approche-pangouvernementale.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Henstra |first1=Daniel |title=ADAPTATION AUX CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES : UNE APPROCHE PANGOUVERNEMENTALE |publisher=Canadian Climate Institute |url=https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/adaptation-changements-climatiques-approche-pangouvernementale.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{henstrandadaptation, author = {Henstra, Daniel}, title = {{ADAPTATION AUX CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES : UNE APPROCHE PANGOUVERNEMENTALE}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, url = {https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/adaptation-changements-climatiques-approche-pangouvernementale.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }