N.B. assessment finds flooding, wildfires and coastal erosion as top climate risks

New Brunswick has finished a first-of-its-kind climate change assessment.

New Brunswick has completed its first province-wide Climate Change Risk Assessment, which cited flooding, wildfires and coastal erosion as some of the top risks in the past year.

The province says the assessment is an important step in understanding the effects climate change hazards can have on communities, environment and the economy, and will help the province in planning ahead for those hazards.

The assessment found the province was already seeing effects from climate change through greater intensity and volume of storms, floods and heatwaves.

Led by the Climate Change Secretariat in partnership with the Climate Risk Institute, the assessment draws on several factors including climate data and scientific research, observed changes and past events in the province, and input from over 275 participants like government agencies, researchers, community grounds and First Nation communities.

Key findings from the report include:

• New Brunswick already seeing impacts from climate change through hotter summers, milder winters, heavier rainfall, rising sea levels and damaging storms.
• Climate hazards are expected to intensify in severity and frequency with many risks shifting from moderate to severe or critical by the 2050s and 2080s.
• Extreme heat and shifting seasonal conditions are expected by the 2080s, compounding risks to health, environment and economy.
• Impacts vary by region, with coastal areas facing rising seas and erosion, inland regions being more prone to flooding, forested zones are sensitive to wildfires, and urban areas are seeing greater strain from extreme heat. Vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected by these impacts.
• The need for inclusive planning is strong to address inequities and help support those most affected.

The province says priority departments will develop plans to address the top climate risks and reduce vulnerability.

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