TABLE OF CONTENTS ADAPTATION TO CLIMATIC VARIABILITY AND CHANGE READERS WRITE TEACHERS! CGCP NOW ECOLOGICAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT NETWORK OPINION TRENDS '93 WHERE'S THE WARNING? ONTARIO ROUND TABLE COLLABORATIVE TACKLES TRANSPORTAION AND CLIMATE CHANGE CLIMATE-HYDROLOGY- ECOSYSTEMS INTERRELATIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS (CHESMO) THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF CLIMATE AND CLIMATE POLICY INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE PLANNING GRANTS STEPS TOWARDS A GCTE, CASSAVA NETWORK CCP INFO CLIMATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES -- QUEBEC THE GREAT LAKES - ST. LAWRENCE BASIN PROJECT BOREAS SCIENCE WORKSHOP CCP UPDATE FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT SUMMER UNIVERSITY   THE CHALLENGE OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE—ACFAS Workshop INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ON-LINE RECENT PUBLICATIONS EVENTS CALENDAR

DELTA is published quarterly by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). It is named after the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, a universal symbol for incremental change. This issue was edited and produced by K. Mortimer. The members of the DELTA Editorial Board are M.R. Dence (RSC), F. Kenneth Hare (Trent University), J. Holmes (Parliamentary Centre for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade), L. Maillette, (Université du Québec à Trois Rivières), R.A. Price (Queen's University) and J. Watson (RSC). Desktop publishing and printing by Plantagenet Printing. We thank everyone who contributed. Your contributions or comments are always welcome. The next submission deadline is April 28, 1995. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers, and do not necessarily represent those of the CGCP. ADAPTATION TO CLIMATIC VARIABILITY AND CHANGE Report of the Task Force on Climate Adaptation of the Canadian Climate Program Barry Smit Department of Geography University of Guelph Societies have adapted to climate throughout history, with varying degrees of success. The international Framework Convention on Climate Change explicitly recognizes the role of adaptation, as does the World Climate Program, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and many national climate programs including Canada's Green Plan. Yet adaptation is poorly understood. The Canadian Climate Program Board established a Task Force to critically examine the concept of adaptation and to propose appropriate action. The Task Force Report is intended to inform individuals and organizations, businesses, government agencies and research institutions about adaptation to climate what it is, why it matters, and what might be done about it. The Report focuses on human adaptation, which would involve adjustments in social and economic activities to both reduce their vulnerability to climate and enhance their viability. An improved understanding of human adaptation to climate is needed for several reasons: to promote sustainability of economic activities and reduce vulnerability given current variability in climate; to more credibly assess potential impacts of climatic change; and to plan for adaptive strategies as part of a comprehensive response (along with mitigation) to the climate change issue. The Task Force Report gives some examples of adaptation in Canada: in Great Lakes property, power and transportation; coastal communities and the fishery in Atlantic Canada; forestry in Western Canada; agriculture on the Prairies; the construction, energy, recreation and insurance sectors; cities; and national defence and the Arctic. It also describes activities which are poorly adapted to climate, resulting in significant social, economic and environmental costs. Two examples are single crop agriculture in the face of repeated droughts and shoreline developments on the Great Lakes in the face of climate- induced, fluctuating water levels. Opportunities for improved adaptation to climatic variability and change are numerous, and are consistent with efficiency and sustainable development. The Report shows that adaptations take a variety of forms, depending on the nature of the economic activity and the characteristics of the climatic regime or event. Adaptations can be tactical or strategic, incidental or purposeful, reactive or proactive, small scale or sector-wide, autonomous or policy induced, technological or behavioural, or involving a buffer or system change. A typology of adaptation was developed, providing a basis for: understanding the evolution and nature of adaptation; evaluating conditions conducive to adaptation successes (and failures); and developing adaptation strategies for current and future climates. Most decisions on adaptation are taken in the private sector, but these decisions are greatly influenced by activities of governments, which can promote awareness of climatic variability, reduce policy and institutional impediments to adaptation, and provide examples of successful adaptation strategies. The Report provides recommendations to the private sector, governments and the research community. Copies of the Report are available, in English and French, from the Climate Program Office, Atmospheric Environment Service, 4905 Dufferin St., Downsview, Ontario, M3H 5T4. Canada: Adaptation to Climatic Variability and Change: Report of the Task Force on Climate Adaptation, B. Smit (editor), Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Occasional Paper No. 19 (1993). En Francais sous le titre Adaptation à la variabilité et au changement climatiques.