Abstract
As one of North America’s most significant transboundary water regions, the Great Lakes face significant climate-related water challenges at various scales. This paper provides a historical and current overview of the climate change and water governance challenges in the Lake Ontario region, outlines the climate and water changes anticipated by climate scientists, and focuses on how community-based responses can improve governance frameworks for building climate change readiness and resilience. An adapted version of the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) framework is used, including a broader range of environmental, political and social factors and both quantitative and qualitative data at the regional and community scales to outline the significance of baseline research related to resilience challenges and responses. The paper uses the Lake Ontario region as an illustrative case study of the need to integrate technical, political and social dimensions at various scales to address challenges at the climate change and water change interface. The paper outlines how this modified framework provides a foundation for understanding how baseline research, inclusive knowledge generation, and community engagement can enhance governance and policy transformations.
Presenters
Carolyn JohnsProfessor, Politics and Public Administration, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada Amanda Shankland
Postdoctoral Fellow, Politics and Governance, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Technical, Political, and Social Responses
KEYWORDS
Climate Change, Water, Governance, Policy, Great Lakes, Region, Lake, Community
