Jason Ho and Roy Brooke

Collaboration between communities and all levels of government is key to managing the impacts of climate change as governments grapple with the costs of a warming world. That was the message Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) delegates heard in Vancouver where local politicians gather to discuss a variety of topics. That message was coupled with the idea that the impacts of climate change are increasing and putting pressure on already limited resources. …Mother Nature herself cannot be forgotten in the mix, the services nature itself provides must be inventoried to help manage change and risk. The community of Princeton sits in both forest fire and flooding zones. …Roy Brooke, executive director of the Natural Assets Initiative, told delegates they must see nature as a service provider to their communities. He said forests, wetlands, riparian and coastal areas, plus floodplains, all have a role to play in mitigating climate change.