Launched today, ClimateWest is a new non-profit regional hub that will deliver credible climate information, data, and adaptation guidance tailored to the prairie region. ClimateWest will work with people, communities, businesses, and governments across the prairies to help address both the risks and opportunities generated by climate change.
Climate adaptation succeeds when it is anchored in the local context.
Dr. Ian Mauro
The University of Winnipeg’s Prairie Climate Centre (PCC), International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), and University of Regina’s Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative (PARC) co-founded ClimateWest with support from the Governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, as well as Environment and Climate Change Canada.
“ClimateWest is an innovative partnership supported by and bridging the prairie provinces and federal government, which will ensure that our region has high-quality climate services to address the challenges while creating opportunities and prosperity in an era of climate change,” said Dr. James Currie, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor, UWinnipeg.
ClimateWest offers innovative climate services by:
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- Providing climate analyses, guidance documents, training sessions, and other tools specific to the adaptation needs of different sectors.
- Hosting a help desk available to the public by email or phone to answer queries about climate data and information.
- Raising public awareness and knowledge of the value of climate change adaptation.
“Climate adaptation succeeds when it is anchored in the local context. As partners rooted in the prairies, we recognize that this region has many different realities when it comes to climate change. Core to ClimateWest’s work will be care and attention to both local challenges and local capacity,” said Dr. Ian Mauro, Executive Director of the PCC.
The ClimateWest initiative represents a significant step towards advancing climate resilience across the prairies, leveraging critical resources and partnerships which will help broaden policy discussions, knowledge sharing, and risk assessment and adaptation responses.
For more information about ClimateWest, visit ClimateWest.ca
