Adaptive capacity, climate change & development equity : a critical analysis of Canada's approach to international climate cooperation

Abstract

Canada has responsibilities to mitigate climate-changing greenhouse gases that will disproportionately affect the developing world. This research comprehensively considers differential adaptive capacity to climate change and adaptation as a Canadian development equity issue, generally finding that much more could be done to support action on climate change through Canadian government development cooperation and international diplomacy efforts. It is absolutely imperative that Canadian development cooperation: 1. Work to decrease vulnerability to climate change impacts and enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of vulnerable populations in the developing world to the inevitable impacts of global climate change, while, 2. Supporting the need for alternative development trajectories, in the form of 'green' growth and sustainable prosperity in rapidly industrializing nations. Moral, international and inter-generational development equity dimensions of the climate change issue must inspire Canadian leaders and policy-makers to rise to the occasion of a new era of integrated, adaptive development cooperation.