Key Messages
Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO) recognizes scientific evidence that climatic conditions have changed in Canada and that most research indicates the rate of change could continue to increase in the near future¹²³⁴. Responses to manage the risks associated with this rapid change have economic, social and environmental implications that directly relate to the practice of professional geoscience and PGO’s mandate of protecting the public.

As part of their professional practice, Professional Geoscientists should be appropriately informed of developments in scientific thought and best practice relating to changing climatic conditions, and are expected to take reasonable precautions to mitigate negative impacts created by the potential of accelerated climate change in their professional activities.

PGO is committed to supporting Professional Geoscientists in understanding and managing the implications of changing climatic conditions in professional practice, and in particular, in managing climate-related risk.

Changing Climate Conditions and Risks in Ontario
Changes in climatic conditions are complex, regionally variable, and evolving. In Ontario, PGO recognizes that, while changes in annual temperatures and mean precipitation have always occurred, the rate of increase has accelerated in recent times. More frequent and extreme storm events are anticipated, such as severe rain, ice and windstorms and prolonged heat waves⁵. Floods are the most costly natural hazard in Ontario⁶, and more intense rainfalls are likely to increase urban flood risk¹. 

Change in the pattern of extreme weather events, together with change in other climatic conditions, has direct implications for many professional geoscience-related activities, including implications for infrastructure, food and agriculture, people and communities, natural resources, ecosystems and the environment, and business and the economy. 

The Role of Professional Geoscientists
Professional Geoscientists have a direct role to play in responding to changing climatic conditions, including: 

• identifying climate vulnerabilities of infrastructure and natural systems,
• understanding and addressing changing natural hazards and earth system processes,
• understanding climate changes in the context of the geological record,
• participating in data gathering, risk/opportunity evaluation and dissemination of information,
• assistance with calculating greenhouse gas emissions,
• designing for future climate conditions,
• developing adaptive solutions to reduce climate risks and enhanced opportunities, and, 
• supporting climate risk/opportunity disclosures for due diligence and regulatory requirements. 

Professional Geoscientists need to understand and take reasonable precautions to address the effects of changing climatic conditions in their professional practice, in particular where future climate risks may impact public safety. 

Projections of future climatic conditions and associated risks will continue to evolve, both over time and with advances in scientific understanding. Professional Geoscientists are expected to base their work on appropriate available climate data, climate science, and best practice guidance on its application.

Where appropriate and reasonable, projects undertaken by Professional Geoscientists should identify potential future climate-related risks and opportunities and include an assessment of the resiliency of the project to an appropriate range of potential future climate conditions, based on best available information. 

The Role of PGO
PGO’s mandate is the protection of the public and the environment in the context of the practice of professional geoscience. PGO recognizes that scientific knowledge, training, guidelines and other information available to Professional Geoscientists relating to changing climate conditions is evolving and will continue to evolve. PGO is committed to supporting professional geoscientists in understanding and managing the implications of changing climatic conditions within the context of their professional practice, and for the purpose of protecting the public.

The PGO will identify key resources and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities that will assist Professional Geoscientists in addressing climate-related risks/opportunities. Professional Geoscientists are recommended to consult the Canadian Centre for Climate Services⁷, which helps users access and appropriately apply climate data. PGO committees and staff will also continue to explore how the impacts of changing climate conditions may influence the professional practice of geoscience and protection of the public. 

1 IPCC (2014): Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp. URL: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr 
2 Cook et al (2013) Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/8/2/024024 
3 Cook et al (2016) Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/11/4/048002 
4 NASA (2021) Scientific Consensus: Earth's Climate Is Warming https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/ 
5 Government of Canada (2019) Synthesis of Findings for Canada’s Regions; Chapter 8 in Canada’s Changing Climate Report, Section 8.4.2.3: Ontario region https://changingclimate.ca/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2019/01/CCCR-Chapter8-ChangesInCanadasRegionInANationalGlobalContext.pdf 
6 Government of Ontario (2021) Floods https://www.ontario.ca/page/floods 
7 https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/climate-change/canadian-centre-climate-services.html