Joanna Eyquem will be presenting about Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future at the Professional Geoscientists Ontario Members Webinar on May 26th, 2022.
Urban areas are the hot spots of global warming. Extreme heat, alongside flooding and wildfire, is a key risk to the health and well-being of Canadians. The situation is growing more dangerous, driven by irreversible climate change— Canada is warming, on average, at twice the global rate. Urgent action is required now to manage risk and avoid worsening impacts – and ultimately fatalities. The good news is that heat-related illness and death are largely preventable with knowledge, education, and adaptive action. However, resilience to extreme heat cannot be achieved by relying on air conditioning alone.
This presentation will provide an overview of new national guidance, representing input from over 60 subject matter experts, outlining practical actions that Canadians can undertake to reduce risks from extreme heat including: – changing behaviour (non-structural) – working with nature (green infrastructure) – improving buildings and public infrastructure (grey infrastructure) Individuals, building owners and managers and communities all have a role to play, and those most vulnerable will require additional support. The presentation will particularly consider how environmental health practitioners can contribute, by acting on their own and encouraging others to act.