Climate Change

Climate Change in Grey Bruce

 

Climate change is a long-term shift in the average weather conditions of a region, such as its typical temperature, rainfall, and windiness. While some climate change is natural, current climate change is mainly caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases (GHG)  into the atmosphere, like the use of fossil fuels.

Some people are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and extreme weather events (poor air quality, extreme heat, extreme cold, flooding, drought etc.).

There are many factors that influence a person’s vulnerability to the health impacts of climate change. Some examples of these factors include1:

  • Income
  • Education
  • Housing quality
  • Physical environment, including the natural environment and built environment (buildings, roads and walkways)
  • Social environment, including social supports and community connections
  • Culture

Climate change vulnerability is a measure of how humans, systems, communities or ecosystems are susceptible to, unable to cope with or adapt to, adverse effects of climate change2.

Mitigation

Actions that reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Learn more

Adaptation

Actions that manage and reduce the negative impacts of climate change.

Learn more

Health Hazards and Impacts

Climate-related health impacts and vulnerable populations.

Learn more

Data and Additional Information

Links to data sources and resources on climate change.

Learn more

Mitigation

Climate change mitigation is about reducing greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.

What are some ways you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

In your home:

  • Switch from appliances and tools that burn fossil fuels to appliances that run on electricity.
    • Using a heat-pump is one option to address greenhouse gases emissions from heating and cooling your home.
  • Use active transportation, public transit, ride sharing or electric/hybrid vehicles.
  • Eat more plants, reduce food waste and increase your composting.
    • Plant-rich diets have the potential to lower GHG emissions. Public Health has shared a series of cookbooks from the Guelph Family Health Study that will help you include more plants and prevent food waste.
    • Diverting food and organic waste from landfills can greatly decrease household and municipal GHG emissions. Check with your municipality to see what composting options are available.

In your community:

  • Vote for candidates that represent your climate values.
  • Get involved in municipal planning and community-building initiatives.
  • Advocate for policies and action in your community that: create more opportunities for safe and active transportation, create more greenspaces and parks, plant more trees and protect wetlands, encourage composting and greater use of renewable energy.
  • Get involved in local groups that are taking action (e.g., supporting youth action, planting trees, maintaining trails, organizing active transportation activities and events, composting, etc.).

Adaptation

Climate change adaptation means planning for, and acting on, the expected impacts of climate change. Investing in adaptation ensures our communities are ready to respond to extreme events and are adjusting to anticipated changes before they happen.

What can you do to adapt to the impacts of climate change?

  • Get Inspired with Canada’s Map of Adaptation Actions. Explore examples of communities and sectors adapting to a changing climate across Canada. Learn about the steps Canadians are taking to understand how climate change affects them and the solutions they find to adapt and increase their resilience.
  • Make your home climate-ready. Review these infographics from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.
  • Make a plan for managing extreme heat events.
    • Your plan may include investing in a heat pump, fans, or air conditioning in at least one room of your home or knowing where your local Extreme Weather Relief stations are (Bruce County, Grey County).
  • Make connections. Check on family, friends, and those in your community who are at greater risk during a climate event.
  • Be prepared in case of emergency. See tips on our Emergency Preparedness webpage for how to prepare for different extreme weather events.
  • Use the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) to determine when the outdoor air quality is poor.
  • Make a practice of self care. Climate-related stress and anxiety are key risks to your health but there are steps you can take to help you manage.

Health Hazards and Impacts

Though climate change will affect everyone, it can also intensify existing health inequities. This means some people will be at greater risk of experiencing the negative impacts of the changing climate than others.

Climate change - Ven Diagram

People are more likely to experience health impacts from climate change when:

  1. They have greater exposure to climate hazards – such as extreme heat, severe weather events, and poor air quality – where they work, live, play, or rest; 
  1. They are more sensitive to climate hazards due to factors like age or health;  
  1. They are less able to make changes in response to a hazard (lower adaptive capacity). Adaptive capacity is often influenced by social determinants or factors like income, built environments, living and working conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, experience of colonization, education, ethnicity, race, and disability. Social determinants influence the vulnerability of health impacts for people across the life course. 

More research is needed to better understand exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity within certain populations like LGBTQ2S+, Indigenous, Amish, Old Order, and Mennonite communities.

Data and Additional Information

Climate data helps us better understand and track changes that are happening around us. Grey Bruce Public Health uses climate data and local health data together to monitor health risks and make recommendations to protect or improve community wellbeing. The following websites have data you can explore to see how climate is changing in Grey Bruce, Ontario, and Canada.

Where can I find climate projections?

The Climate Atlas allows you to explore many topics including data related to climate change. The Climate Atlas Map shows projections for climate change-related impacts for hot weather, cold weather, temperature, precipitation (e.g., rain, sleet, snow), and agriculture for many communities, including three in our region (Owen Sound, Kincardine, and Tobermory).

Where can I find climate change resources for patients and practitioners?

CAMH has a list of resources for patients and practitioners on Climate Change and Mental Health

Where can I find local research?

The Climate Project, developed by the Nuclear Innovation Institute and funded by Bruce Power, shares localized research on climate change relevant to people in this region–those in Bruce, Grey, and Huron counties and local Indigenous communities–all located within the Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory.

The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) provides data on wellbeing and the environment by region, including ecological footprint, conservation, climate change and commuting.

 

 

  1. Health Canada, 2022. Who is most impacted by climate change. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/populations-risk.html
  2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2022. Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Retrieved from: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/