INSTITUTIONAL ADAPTATION OF WATER RESOURCE INFRASTRUCTURES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN EASTERN ONTARIO

Abstract. Institutional barriers and bridges to local climate change impacts adaptation affecting small rural municipalities and Conservation Authorities (CAs are watershed agencies) in Eastern Ontario (Canada) are examined, and elements of a community-based adaptation strategy related to water infrastructures are proposed as a case-study in community adaptation to climate change. No general water scarcity is expected for the region even under unusually dry weather scenarios. Localized quantity and quality problems are likely to occur especially in groundwater recharge areas. Some existing institutions can be relied on by municipalities to build an effective adaptation strategy based on a watershed/region perspective, on their credibility, and on their expertise. Windows of opportunity or framing issues are offered at the provincial level, the most relevant one in a federal state, by municipal emergency plan requirements and pending watershed source water protection legislation. Voluntary and soon to be mandated climate change mitigation programs at the federal level are other ones. “The concept of policy networks (...) is based on the observation that policy-making tends to be fragmented into specific issue areas, and that most issues are dealt with by a few actors within small groups of participants from governmental and nongovernmental agencies (...). It describes the close and consensual nature of policymaking and the often blurred relationship ‘between the governors and the governed ’ (...) through channels that are often informal and, almost always, extra-constitutional. ” (T. O’Riordan et al., 1998) “...risk perceived is risk acted upon. ” (J. Adams, 1995) 1.

Récupéré en direct depuis OpenAlex et désinversé. Les résumés ne sont pas conservés dans cette base de données : les index inversés représentent 8,6 Go des 9,3 Go de texte de la base, et le serveur dispose de 13 Go libres.