Priority Climate Change Impacts

The Community Task Force and City of Windsor Administration concurrently worked to develop a list of local climate change impacts to their organizations and departments. The climate change impacts were based on subject matter expertise of each stakeholder involved, who considered what climate-related impacts the community has already experienced and what impacts may occur given future climate projections.

The community and corporate climate impacts were then prioritized based on Vulnerability and Risk Assessments conducted the Community Task Force as well as by Administration. Based on the results of the Vulnerability and Risk Assessments, a number of impacts were identified as priorities. Impacts were prioritized based on the total social, economic, and environmental consequence scores, the cumulative risk ranking and the vulnerability scores.

The priority community and corporate climate impacts have been combined as summarized below. For a detailed analysis of the risk and vulnerability assessment completed for each corporate impact, please consult Climate Change Impacts in Windsor – A Technical Analysis.

An increase in extreme weather events increasing the health and safety risk to the community.

An increase in extreme weather events causing strain on emergency response and community service providers.

An increase in extreme weather events leading to basement flooding, and without proper restoration allowing mold growth.

An increase in extreme heat causing potential heat-related health issues at facilities servicing vulnerable populations including schools, homes for the aged and medically compromised individuals.

Increasing summer temperatures causing a decrease in air quality.

Increasing annual temperatures leading to an increased risk for vector borne disease and new infectious diseases.

Increasing winter precipitation leading to an increased risk of ice conditions.

An increase in rainfall and temperature causing increased algae growth in our water bodies.