Royal Roads' Climate Risk Assessment
Our climate is changing and impacting the Royal Roads community, both on and off campus where we work, live and study. More frequent and intense heat events, stronger storms and rising sea levels, larger wildfires and wider-spread wildfire smoke are just some of the impacts of climate change we are already experiencing.
The University is undertaking a climate risk assessment with a consulting team from Introba, SHIFT Collaborative and Focal Engineering. This one-year process (January to December 2024) will help us better understand our highest risks and establish a resilience roadmap to chart a path forward to prepare for and thrive under future conditions. The assessment is a critical precursor to future adaptation efforts by the University and is a priority identified in the Climate Action Plan 2022-2027.
By being proactive, we can more effectively safeguard the health and well-being of our students, staff, faculty, visitors and neighbours. We can also take measures to protect and better maintain our built, diverse cultural and natural assets. Planning now allows the University to strengthen the resilience of our programs and services so that we can continue to create a safe space for lifelong learning as our climate continues to change.
How we will get there
We are leading a climate risk assessment to develop a clearer picture of who and what could be most impacted by different climate hazard events so we can set priorities for where to focus efforts.
The assessment builds on and beyond existing regional data and frameworks by considering potential climate impacts to the local campuses (the Colwood location as well as the future Langford campus), offsite locations and the broader global context. During the process, there are numerous opportunities for community engagement which informs RRU's climate risk assessment and resilience planning.
Outcomes from the risk assessment will be summarized in a resilience roadmap to guide next steps for climate adaptation planning. During the adaptation planning, the University will identify specific, implementable actions to address priority risks and build on strengths to increase its climate preparedness and resilience.
Project timeline
The project was initiated in January 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in December 2024. The phases of the project are depicted on this timeline.
An inclusive approach
Engagement with the Royal Roads community at local, regional and global scales is being led through an equity-informed process to create space for the diverse experiences and priorities of the diverse Royal Roads community and meaningfully incorporate them into the risk assessment and the resilience roadmap.
The project also incorporates a low carbon resilience lens to understand how climate risks and resilience opportunities intersect with the University’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Engagement Process
We’d love to hear from you so we can better understand your concerns and priorities for addressing the impacts of climate change on RRU campuses. We are also interested in how you could personally be impacted by climate change hazards at home or on campus, whether or not you visit RRU campuses regularly.
Equipped with this knowledge, we will be better able to meet your needs and develop strategies that protect what you value most. Community inputs directly inform the climate risk assessment and the development and prioritization of future actions. The engagement process includes multiple opportunities for involvement including a survey, workshops and focus groups for key interest group holders.
Check out the Summary Engagement Report which captures the thoughts, inputs and priorities that emerged during the first phase of the engagement process.
There are various engagement opportunities throughout the climate risk assessment, including:
Survey
- An online survey about climate risks and opportunities for improving resilience was open to all Royal Roads University community members, including staff, faculty, students and alumni (SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED).
Workshops
- Virtual workshop – June 26, 2024. During this interactive, 2-hour virtual workshop participants were invited to share knowledge and experiences about how climate hazards could impact them and the University and discuss ideas for increasing resilience to these events.
- UPCOMING In-person workshop – November 6, 2024. This 2-hour in-person session will be open to all current Royal Roads staff, students and faculty to present a draft climate risk assessment and invite feedback on the resilience roadmap. The workshop will be held on campus and will include an opportunity for virtual participation.
Focus Groups
- These sessions included key interest group holders.
