The Time to Act is Now
The global climate is changing, leading to increased hazards, extreme weather conditions, and transformations to the physical environment in Canada and beyond. Preparing for the unavoidable impacts of climate change requires a drastic shift in the way we build our communities, and requires immediate and committed action at every level of government, society, and across all sectors.
CIP envisions a future in which Canadian communities are planned, designed, developed, and managed to contribute to climate stability and to be more resilient in the face of unavoidable changes in the climate. In the process, they will become more liveable, prosperous, and equitable.”
Aspiring for More
Planners are in a unique position to bring together decision-makers, allied professions, and the public in an integrated and collaborative approach, and in a program of careful, equity-oriented planning to help combat climate change and its negative consequences.
CIP has undertaken the following actions to ensure the organization contributes to the advancement of climate change-informed planning:
- Promoting climate change planning in our communications, policy advocacy, educational standards, professional development activities, and our work with other professions
- Developing and deepening partnerships with other professional organizations, as a priority in our approach to climate change planning
- Ensuring that practicing planners have access to the resources, data, training, and other support they need to fully integrate a climate-change lens into their work
- Advocating for international and federal policies and actions that contribute to more robust climate change planning
- Considering additional implementation priorities, based on an annual environmental scan and membership survey
Taking Action
Our Climate Change Work
The complexity and scope of climate change demands an integrated and collaborative approach. Planning informed by climate change must balance varying, and perhaps conflicting, aspects. We’ve been working hard to work within and adapt to our changing climate.
Climate Change Policy for Planning
Our Climate Change Policy defines the role that planning has in meeting the complex challenges of climate change, and calls planners to action to create communities that are resilient and contribute to climate stability.
Commitment to Carbon Neutrality
We recognize that climate change is the greatest threat to our world and the communities we live and work in. Therefore, we pledge to continue our action and advocacy on this issue, and to implement new measures to reduce our own carbon impact.
Climate Adaptation
It is crucial that the planning profession possesses the climate adaptation competencies necessary to address the imminent consequences for the built, natural, and social environments. The Government of Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy established a goal for 70% of planners to have the capacity to apply climate adaptation tools and information.
Benchmarking Survey of Professional Planners
To understand the planners’ needs regarding the climate adaptation knowledge and skills, CIP surveys planners regularly – with the first survey conducted in 2009. In partnership with Natural Resources Canada in the framework of the National Adaptation Strategy, a new survey was released in 2023 – the new report is now available.
More Resources
Check out our latest blog posts on climate change.
Watch our latest webinars on climate change.
Read more resources on climate change.
See who we’re working with on climate change.