Vulnerability Committee Overview

Regardless of the causes, our climate is changing and it will increasingly affect infrastructure over time, exposing Canada's infrastructure to conditions it was not originally designed to withstand. This can reduce its useable lifespan and may result in economic loss, disruptions to the lives and daily routines of Canadians, and increased risks to public health and safety. Engineers have a responsibility to prevent and/or minimize such disruptions and reduce risks by designing, building and maintaining resilient infrastructure that can adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This is a huge challenge.

The engineering profession is working to reduce greenhouse gases through standard engineering practice. Applying the principles of sustainability and energy efficiency to the design, building and maintenance of infrastructure, results in cost savings, increased reliability and the reduction of GHGs; these activities mitigate to reduce the magnitude and rate of climate change. Now, engineers are developing practices that will adapt to the negative impacts of climate change. Adaptation is a complement to, and not a replacement for mitigation.

Engineers have traditionally relied upon historical data to design long-lasting, safe and reliable infrastructure, but now they must develop new design and operational practices to withstand new weather conditions - both extremes and gradual changes. They must accommodate increased uncertainties because the data about future climate will never be as precise as the historical data. This creates a challenge to existing infrastructure design approaches and practices. As a first step, engineers must evaluate the vulnerability of Canada's infrastructure to the impacts of climate change from an engineering perspective; the findings will significantly contribute to a review of amendments to design, operation and maintenance codes, standards and practices.

To meet the climate change challenge, Engineers Canada and its partners have established the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee . Co-funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Engineers Canada, the Vulnerability Committee is a major Canadian initiative involving all three levels of government and non-governmental organizations. It is looking broadly and systematically at infrastructure vulnerability to climate change from an engineering perspective. The Committee's work will result in the First National Engineering Vulnerability Assessment.