Systemic underinvestment has left Northerners vulnerable as the North warms more rapidly than the rest of Canada.
A new report from the Canadian Climate Institute reveals that climate change will devastate Northern infrastructure, threatening lives and livelihoods across the territories and the northern regions of large provinces. Because of the accumulated impacts of colonial policies and historic underinvestment, the poor condition of Northern infrastructure leaves it uniquely vulnerable, particularly with the North warming three times faster than the global average. Due North: Facing the costs of climate change for Northern infrastructure analyzes the need and the opportunity to rethink infrastructure in the North, advancing policies and investments to better serve Northerners and to prepare Northern infrastructure for the effects of climate change.
Due North provides new analysis on the costs of permafrost thaw damage to paved roads, runways, and buildings, including the first permafrost thaw projections for the entire North. It also examines the impacts of warming temperatures on the future viability of winter roads. In recognition of the importance of understanding the experiences of those who are already living through climate change in the North, the report presents first-hand accounts of the social and cultural impacts of climate-related infrastructure failure and disrepair through interviews with Northerners in six communities.
Due North finds that early and ongoing investments in infrastructure adaptation can substantially reduce costs and protect communities. For example:
- Properly adapting paved roads could reduce annual costs by 38 to 42 per cent on average in Yukon and Northwest Territories.
- Adapting airport runways for climate change impacts could reduce annual costs by 74 to 88 per cent on average, depending on the global greenhouse gas emissions trajectory.
But in the long run, much of the North’s existing infrastructure cannot practically be protected from climate change. Governments must make transformative investments in new infrastructure that can sustain Northern lives and livelihoods for generations to come.
