Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century - it threatens our livelihoods, security, and well-being. An increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) is warming the planet, and as global temperatures rise, climate patterns around the world are changing.
Brampton is already experiencing the effects of climate change, and this will only become more evident in the near future. Even if we drastically cut our greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, the City and the rest of the globe is 'locked in' to a certain degree of warming due to the impacts we have inherited from the past 150 years of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the Climate Trends an Future Projections for the Region of Peel, some of the changes in climate will include:
- Warmer annual air temperatures
- More extreme heat days with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius
- Less extreme cold days where temperatures are below -20 degrees Celsius
- More precipitation, particularly during the winter and spring seasons
- More extreme weather events (e.g. intense storms)
These changes will lead to significant impacts to Brampton and its communities including more flooding, loss of ecosystems and species, increasing numbers of pests and diseases (e.g., West Nile), more heat-related illnesses, higher frequency of power outages, and loss of winter sports such as hockey and skiing to name a few. As an urban area, Brampton will experience these impacts more acutely, particularly those related to heat and flooding.
To help prepare our communities for future climate change impacts, The City of Brampton is developing its first Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The Climate Change Adaptation Plan will be a five-year plan to make Brampton a more climate-resilient City. The Plan will help reduce our vulnerabilities to climate change through a series of recommended actions that will improve our resiliency and ensure communities are prepared for future impacts.
In late 2022, the City began work on the plan. The plan will be developed over the next year according to the following project stages:
Stay tuned for more information and to get updates on the progress of the Climate Change Adaptation Plan!
Thank you to all artists who submitted. The Competition is now closed. Congratulations to Khloe J., who was the winner of the Resilient Brampton Climate Change Art Competition!
From February 15th to March 31, 2023, individuals were invited to submit their artwork (i.e., drawings, paintings, or photos) to demonstrate what a climate resilient Brampton would look like to them in 2050. The City selected the best artwork to feature on the cover of our first Climate Change Adaptation Plan! All submissions were displayed at the Earth Day Celebration Event on April 22, 2023 at Norton Place Park.
