Developing a climate change adaptation plan

This guide on best practices is consistent with Quebec government guidelines on climate change and complements the support tools for developing a climate plan provided by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) and the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (MAMH).

It aims to assist municipal organizations and the Quebec government in achieving their climate change objectives. It must be used in conjunction with other available tools, particularly those intended to support municipal bodies in developing greenhouse gas emission reduction plans. 

This guide provides a comprehensive methodology for assessing and addressing climate risks as part of the climate change adaptation planning process. Its design is based on many pre-existing methodologies in this field and mainly follows the ISO 14090, 14091 and 31000 standards, which set out guidelines for climate change adaptation and risk management. It also incorporates the MELCCFP’s directive on the assessment and integration of risks related to climate change. 

The methodology used to carry out the risk assessment is a risk matrix. It has already been tested by several agencies and organizations around the world and has proven effective in the development of adaptation plans.