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The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen reacted to an update on climate change trends in the region Thursday, dubbed "alarming."
Gillian Aubie Vines of Pinna Sustainability, the company that produced a recent climate projection report for the region, walked the RDOS board through the bullet points, including stats about rising temperatures and increased risks of floods and fires.
"It's just a first touch to open the conversation," Vines said. "Education and collaboration are going to play a really important role in preparing for these changes. The projections are real and in some cases alarming."
Winter lows are expected to increase from coldest temperatures of about -25 C today to -19 C by the 2050s and -15 C by the 2080s.
And precipitation is projected to increase between 10 per cent and 20 per cent during that time span, with the largest increases in spring and fall, all of which could increase risks of natural disasters.
Vines urged the board not to fall into the trap of seeing local variability in weather, like an unusually cold summer, as evidence that climate change or its previous moniker "global warming" is a myth.
"We can't say that this is not climate change," Vines said. "In the future we will have variability ... there is no normal, it's a fluctuating change that is increasing over time."
She added that "the past is really no longer appropriate" to use to plan for the future.
Regional director for Cawston George Bush responded to the dramatic report with just one word: "Wow."
Director Ron Obirek of Okanagan Falls asked Vines about whether current conditions looked like another flood season is in the cards, given that snow pack levels are "similar to 2017, 2018."
"What we're doing in this report is talking about 30 year averages and trends," Vines said. "But by the sounds of it...I would let you draw those conclusions."
Director Subrina Monteith of Apex and Kaleden asked whether Pinna has been engaging youth with their findings.
"Our process has been work with the various stakeholders involved and give it to you," Vines explained, encouraging the board to find ways to share the report with local youth.
"Knowledge is power."
