More Nova Scotia Communities Taking Action to Become Resilient to Climate Change – Government of Nova Scotia

Provincial Investment in Community Climate Resilience Aligns with Sustainable Development Goals

The Province of Nova Scotia has expanded its Community Climate Capacity Program, providing funding to nine additional communities to enhance local climate resilience. This initiative directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), by empowering municipalities to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of global climate change.

Program Expansion and Strategic Alignment with SDGs

The announcement was made by Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, at the Community Climate Capacity Summit. The government has invested a total of $7.3 million in the program, which is administered by the Clean Foundation. This collaborative approach exemplifies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), uniting provincial government, non-governmental organizations, and local municipalities to build adaptive capacity.

The program supports provincial legislative frameworks, including The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline plan and the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, integrating climate change measures into regional policies and planning in line with SDG Target 13.2.

Community-Level Projects and SDG Contributions

The latest cohort of participating communities includes towns and municipalities undertaking projects that address specific climate risks and contribute to various SDGs.

1. Town of Antigonish: Focuses on developing natural and general asset management systems and stormwater/flood management plans, contributing to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
2. Town of Lockeport: Will develop a climate adaptation plan centered on coastal hazards and create a causeway action committee, directly supporting SDG 14 (Life Below Water) by protecting coastal ecosystems and SDG 11 by making human settlements safer.
3. Town of Lunenburg: Aims to align its climate plan with municipal strategy and upgrade infrastructure like the Tannery Road culvert to reduce risks, advancing SDG 9 by building resilient infrastructure.
4. Town of New Glasgow: Will implement a corporate climate action plan and support equity-focused resilience measures, ensuring inclusive and sustainable urbanization as per SDG 11.
5. Town of Port Hawkesbury: Is developing a climate-resilience process plan and increasing community engagement to strengthen local climate action, fostering the inclusive and participatory decision-making outlined in SDG 11 and SDG 17.
6. Municipality of the County of Cumberland: Projects include aligning municipal planning with coastal protection and developing flood policy, directly addressing SDG 11.5 by reducing the community’s vulnerability to water-related disasters.
7. Municipality of the County of Richmond: Will develop a climate plan, advance clean energy strategies, and conduct flood mapping, contributing to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
8. Region of Queens Municipality: Is updating its capital investment plan to support climate-aligned projects and expanding community outreach, strengthening local institutions to implement the SDGs as per SDG 11.
9. West Hants Regional Municipality: Will integrate protections against flood risks into planning protocols and explore zero-emissions transportation, supporting SDG 7 and SDG 11.

Stakeholder Endorsement of Collaborative Climate Action

Stakeholders have affirmed the program’s effectiveness in building local capacity and fostering partnerships essential for achieving climate goals.

• Clean Foundation: Scott Skinner, President and CEO, highlighted the program’s role in helping communities build resilience through local solutions, a core tenet of SDG 13.
• Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities: President Pam Mood emphasized that such programs are vital for municipalities on the front lines of climate change, reinforcing the importance of local government in achieving SDG 11.
• Municipal Leaders: Councillors and mayors from Annapolis Royal and Pictou praised the program’s hands-on support, which has enabled them to advance critical projects like living shoreline restoration and coastal infrastructure protection, demonstrating successful implementation of SDG 14 and SDG 9.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• The article mentions that communities are working to “advance clean energy and fuel use strategies” and explore “zero emissions transportation options.” This directly connects to the goal of promoting clean and sustainable energy sources.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• The focus on protecting and upgrading infrastructure to withstand climate impacts is a key theme. The article cites projects such as “Tannery Road culvert upgrades” and protecting “important coastal infrastructure,” which aligns with building resilient infrastructure.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The core purpose of the Community Climate Capacity Program is to help municipalities and communities become more resilient to climate change impacts like “wildfires, drought and flooding.” Projects like “flood mapping,” developing “stormwater and flood management plans,” and aligning “municipal planning strategy with coastal protection” are all aimed at making communities safer and more sustainable.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• This is the most central SDG. The entire article is about taking “action to protect themselves from the impacts of global climate change.” The program supports communities in building capacity for climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience, directly addressing the need for urgent climate action.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• The article emphasizes the protection of coastal areas. It mentions a “living shoreline restoration project” and a “coastline protection plan” to manage and adapt to “coastal hazards.” These actions are directly related to the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The program is a collaborative effort involving the provincial government, the Clean Foundation (a community organization), municipalities, Mi’kmaw communities, and community groups. The article highlights this collaboration as essential for success, embodying the spirit of partnership to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The mention of advancing “clean energy and fuel use strategies” and exploring “zero emissions transportation options” in West Hants and Richmond County directly supports this target.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being. The article’s focus on projects like “Tannery Road culvert upgrades” and protecting “important coastal infrastructure” from extreme weather events is a clear example of building resilient infrastructure.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations. The projects involving “flood mapping,” “inundation modelling,” and developing “stormwater and flood management plans” are direct measures to reduce the impact of climate-related disasters on communities.
• Target 11.b: By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters. The program explicitly supports communities in developing and implementing “climate plan[s],” “climate adaptation plan[s],” and aligning municipal planning with climate priorities, which is the essence of this target.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The entire Community Climate Capacity Program is designed to achieve this target by helping communities plan for and protect themselves from flooding, wildfires, and coastal hazards.
• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. The article mentions projects that include “public education,” developing “public engagement materials,” and increasing understanding through “broader community engagement,” which directly contributes to this target.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. The “living shoreline restoration project” in Annapolis Royal and the broader “coastline protection plan” are concrete actions aimed at protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. The program’s structure, which involves collaboration between the Province, Clean Foundation, municipalities, and First Nations communities, is a model of a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Implied Indicator: Number of communities that develop and implement clean energy and fuel use strategies. The projects in Richmond and West Hants aim to create these strategies, so their creation would be a measurable outcome.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Implied Indicator: Number of climate-resilient infrastructure projects funded and completed. The article mentions specific projects like culvert upgrades, which can be counted to track progress.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Implied Indicator: Number of municipalities with updated municipal planning strategies that incorporate climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The article states that several towns are aligning their climate plans with municipal planning strategies.
• Implied Indicator: Number of communities with completed flood maps and management plans. The project list explicitly includes the development of these plans as a key activity.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Implied Indicator: Number of local governments with adopted and implemented local climate adaptation plans. The development of these plans is a primary goal for several communities mentioned, such as Lockeport.
• Implied Indicator: Number of public education and community engagement initiatives on climate change launched. The article mentions the development of “public engagement materials” and “broader community engagement” as project components.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Implied Indicator: Number and scale of coastal ecosystem restoration projects initiated. The “living shoreline restoration project” is a specific, measurable example.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Mentioned Indicator: Number of communities and organizations participating in the program. The article explicitly states that nine more communities have joined, adding to a previous group of “16 municipalities, one Mi’kmaw community and two community organizations.”

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: news.novascotia.ca