Final Report
November 2010
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The ADM of the Science and Technology Branch accepts the evaluation and all of its recommendations. Provided the Improved Climate Change Scenarios Program and associated funding is renewed, the following management actions have been developed in response to these recommendations to improve on activities related to climate modeling, climate change scenarios and hazards and extremes research.
Develop and implement a plan forward that considers the best utilization of the Program's capacity when establishing priority commitments.
Management agrees with the recommendation.
The evaluation showed that the Program is, by and large, on track to being implemented as planned; however, in order to allow completion of work on hazards and extremes that was delayed at the outset, the Program plans to meet all of its remaining priorities by seeking program renewal beyond March 31, 2011 given that the evaluation has confirmed the relevance of the program. A plan for priority commitments will be established, wherein commitments will focus on the continuation of climate model development and further increases to the resolution of regional climate model projections to meet target audiences' information needs. Priorities will be provision of climate data and information to specific regions, including the North, bridging and translation of new climate science on scenarios, hazards and extremes into relevant and accessible data products and tools for decision-makers, and continuation of partnerships to complete program deliverables on hazards for disaster management and infrastructure codes and standards. As part of this process, the Program will also consult with other sections within Environment Canada on cross-cutting activities that could be included in the plan forward under renewed funding. In addition, this consultation will address the broader issue of how best the federal government can facilitate the uptake and application of climate and adaptation science by target populations.
Should the Program not be renewed beyond March 31, 2011 the Program will continue to focus on its current priorities, taking into account the Program's current capacity, from now until March 31, 2011.
Timeline
March 31, 2011
Deliverable(s)
Assessment of Program's current capacity and delivery of priority commitments.
Responsible Party
Director General, ASTD
Within one year of commencement of new funding (pending future funding decisions)
A plan for addressing priority commitments under renewed funding.
Evidence of consultations within Environment Canada (e.g., meeting minutes, memos, briefing notes).
Director General, ASTD
The Program should consider ways to increase their reach to target audiences and enhance their ability to meet target users' climate change information needs, within the context of the Program's capacity.
Management agrees with the recommendation as a suitable expectation for a renewed Adaptation program.
The Program will continue to monitor stakeholder and partner information needs, and consider ways to increase its reach to target audiences and enhance its ability to meet target users' climate information needs. These may include investing more heavily in delivery mechanisms, such as improved and more comprehensive provision of climate change information and supporting scientific data via web sites that have improved user interfaces, and by strategic implementation of user training workshops to reach target populations ready and capable of assimilating the information.
It is important to note, however, that, to date, targeted stakeholder consultations with codes and standards agencies and provincial disaster management agencies have been completed. Training sessions on the use of climate change scenarios also continue to take place across Canada, including sessions provided upon request to stakeholders. In addition, over the coming months the new regional climate model will be in a position to provide more detailed region-specific information for all Canadians.
Working within the broader EC community, will ensure that programs are developed to meet information and training needs of target populations, taking into consideration both resource and staffing issues. It would not be realistic to expand Program activities to increase its reach to target audiences and enhance its ability to meet target users' climate change information needs without renewed funding.
Timeline
March 31, 2011
Deliverable(s)
Consultations with stakeholders and partners about information needs.
Responsible Party
Director, CRD, ASTD
Director General, ASTD
Within one year of commencement of new funding (pending future funding decisions)
Co-lead the development of an intra-interdepartmental strategic plan for improved client service through participation in meetings and decision-making processes.
Improved delivery and accessibility of outputs to enhance user up-take of information in target populations.
Director, CRD, ASTD
Develop a performance measurement framework that includes a clear strategy for ongoing data collection for reporting.
Management agrees with the recommendation as a suitable expectation for a renewed Adaptation program.
On April 1st, 2010 the Department instituted a new Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) which includes detailed performance measurement reporting for both outcomes and outputs. The 2010/11 PMF outlines targets at the Output, Expected Result, and Strategic Outcome levels.
At the Strategic Outcome, Expected Result and Output levels performance indicators have been identified for the hazards and extremes components of the Program e.g.: science input to new infrastructure/building codes, and climate projections and climate data sets on various time and spatial scales. These indicators are in line with the recommendations from the 2006 report by the Office of the Auditor General (CESD). At the Output level, a performance indicator for the climate modelling and projections component has also been identified. Accordingly, the data collection needed to report on these PMF indicators is now integrated within this overarching Departmental structure.
Should the Program be renewed, it will seek additional opportunities and mechanisms to meet the near and longer term information needs of target populations, particularly in the context of climate service delivery, to which the Program would be an important contributor.
The Program will carefully consider how to measure the performance of climate scientific research programs in a manner that takes into consideration the fact that the impacts of this research often take many years to manifest, and are dependent upon the capacity and abilities of target populations to assimilate. Therefore performance measurement strategies must focus on longer term performance measures dependent on capacity of target populations to change behaviour, and not solely individual programs.
Timeline
Completed
Deliverable(s)
PMF for 2010/11.
Responsible Party
WES Board Secretariat
March 31, 2011
Fully populated PMF for 2010/11 for the Output, Expected Result
Evidence of continued data collection and reporting under the recently adopted PMF (e.g., web use statistics, surveys, stakeholder evaluations).
Director, CRD
Within one year of commencement of new funding (pending future funding decisions)
The Program will develop a performance measurement framework encompassing longer time frames, in the context of Canadian adaptive capacity.
Director General, ASTD