According to CIP’s 2019 “Perspectives on Climate Change” benchmarking survey, only 15% of planners feel they have access to the tools and information needed to incorporate climate change into their work. The survey concluded that training on how to use available climate change tools and datasets would help increase the profession’s understanding and confidence.
This presentation will discuss where and how to access and remain up to date with the latest climate data. Speakers from the Climate Risk Institute and Stantec Consulting will discuss ways of looking at climate data, highlighting challenges in collecting and using the data, and providing guidance on when to seek help from a climatologist. The presentation will direct planners to strategies and resources available to help determine climate risk. It will also guide planners on how to communicate with, and ask the right questions of, climate specialists. Material presented will help to clarify the planner’s role in collecting and using climate data. Key learning outcomes for the session are to increase planners’ capacity to identify climate data needs, increase their ability to acquire and incorporate that data into their work, understand when climate specialists should be consulted, and improve their capacity to engage with climate scientists.