Climate Change and Community Health: Lessons from Canada's East and West Coasts

Abstract

Over the past decade and more, Canada’s east and west coast communities have been under considerable stress from the impacts of interacting environmental, industrial, political, and social changes. Because most Canadian coastal communities are in some way resource dependent, they are especially vulnerable to ecological degradation and associated political responses, as well as to the pressures of globalization. Responses and adaptations to these stresses have varied as a result of differential exposures and adaptive capabilities. Of late, climate experts project that adverse environmental changes will likely challenge the health and well-being of coastal communities already under considerable stress. Researchers anticipate multiple direct and indirect community and population health consequences from climate change. These consequences will vary depending on differential exposures to environmental hazards and other risks combined with the diverse abilities of communities and people to respond effectively and to adapt. Drawing on recent case study work from an interdisciplinary research project, we demonstrate that understanding past experiences dealing with stress provides a basis for understanding the implications of climate change for the future health and well-being of coastal communities and people.