Vulnerability of Eastern Quebec coastal communities to the impacts of climate change

The maritime region of Quebec is a vast territory with most of its population living on the coast of which lip to 50 % is sensitive to erosion. Risk management related to coastal erosion will be deeply effected by climate change (CC). Sea level, extreme events such as storms and exceptionally heavy rain, ice climate, thaw and frost cycles, unseen winter heavy rain. are all climate variables related to climate change potentially increasing erosion and coastal infrastructures. In 2005, a research project was initiated to assess impacts of CC on the coastal zone and to develop a methodology to facilitate the adaptation process of coastal communities. In order to ensure a solution driven effort the project was led by Ouranos, a research Consortium devoted to studying regional climate change in view of developing & adaptation strategies The project team addressed the issue though a multidisciplinary and integrated approach allowing a complete analysis of various interactions between changes in regional climate, oceanic conditions and recent evolution of the coastal zone. In addition to studying the physical aspect of this issue, a participative method of adaptation process selection was tested. This method was applied at three test sites selected on the basis of their specific coastal typology and human activities. The participative process was designed to facilitate the transfer of multi-dimension information, socio economic, environmental, technical and scientific, to the policy makers and deciders. A significant number of issues related to coastal management were addressed and debated by the three committees created in this research project that were instrumental in developing adaptation solutions to the experienced and future erosion of each of the sites selected in the project.