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The 28th conference of the parties COP-28 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sparked strong and divided reactions. On one hand, the influence exerted by the fossil fuel industry, through the choice of the host country and the conference president, was sharply criticized. On the other hand, the progress made on losses and damages, and most of all the final declaration calling for a transition away from fossil fuels were favorably received, despite some drawbacks. We will examine the conference through the eyes of four influent media from four different countries (Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom), bringing to the fore the opinions voiced by these media and the actors expressing themselves in them, regarding the process and results of COP-28.

In the context of the sustainable management of the Mulet River watershed, a set of conservation and restoration measures have been identified through a participatory and contributory approach supported by scientific literature. In order to assess these measures according to their overall performance and to bundle them into robust baskets of measures, a multi-criteria decision aid approach in a multi-stakeholder context was employed. This approach allows comparison and ranking of the identified measures while considering the values and the preferences of the various actors involved, in order to facilitate negotiations towards the building of a consensual and shared solution, consisting in baskets of measures. Through the application of this approach leading to a good level of agreement between the actors of the watershed area, several measures of agronomic, plant, mechanical, socio-cultural and socio-political categories were selected, and structured into intervention baskets according to the degredation levels of the watershed. The implementation of these measures aims at making the watershed better adapted to the impacts of climate variability and change, while improving the living conditions of the local communities.

The vulnerability of coastal zones to the impacts of climate change and risks is the result of the synergy of natural and human impacts on the natural environment, which together create a vulnerable socio-ecological system. In order to account for that duality, theoretical approaches such as the exposition/sensitivity or risk/hazard couples have been developed for the evaluation of climate vulnerability indices or in risk management. Often, these approaches are only implemented in a punctual manner and do not integrate the historical evolution of the territory and of its vulnerability. Here, we address the historical dimension of vulnerability, that is how the planning, use and vocation of the territories have contributed to create vulnerability. We will describe how the climate vulnerability of certain territories in France, Senegal and Atlantic Canada is determined by the evolution of land use, of demographic, economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects that evolve on different time scales, secular in some cases, more recent in others. It can be observed that different historical trajectories, e.g. the development of coastal tourism, the opening of the territory through new transport means, the evolution of coastal activities such as fishing or demographic change resulting from adverse climatic conditions in the hinterland can make a territory vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and hazards. The synergy between these different transformations of the coastal zone and the new element of climate change draw the portrait of a constantly evolving vulnerability.

We describe the experience of creating online contents on climate change adaptation in coastal zones in a global perspective and the context in which the project took place. The objective of the project was information, communication, support to research-action projects in the field and networking. The use of internet and information and communication technologies (CIT) allows in theory to favour the dissemination of pilot projects and reach out to the numerous coastal communities in the world. However, the national and local contexts vary, especially regarding the capacity of communities to access online content. Furthermore, aiming the content at diverse audiences with different knowledge and interests requires to evaluate the legibility and usefulness of the content. In this context, it is very helpful to associate field actors in the process. Adaptation to climate change and variability in coastal zones is well suited for such a project, since environmental challenges and adaptation solutions are similar all over the world, and knowledge can therefore be used at a global scale.

This article will present case studies of collaborative action research projects on adaptation to climate change, erosion and sea level rise in coastal and riverine communities in New Brunswick. Those communities are Bathurst/Bayshore, Shippagan, Le Goulet, Cocagne, Grand-Digue, Shediac and Perth-Andover. The projects were lead by researchers from the University of Moncton, in collaboration with other establishments, adopting a participatory research-action approach. The analysis of the case study will aim at understanding the importance of the participation of communities in the elaboration of adaptation strategies and identify certain recurrent themes in the empirical corpus.

Following the climate conferences of Copenhagen and Durban, the international climate politics are at a turning point. On one hand, a continuation of the Kyoto protocol beyond the first commitment period ending in 2012 remains uncertain. On the other hand, a new global climate treaty for the period after 2020 is to be negotiated by 2015. The sharing of the effort will be determined by ethical, pragmatic and political considerations. Ultimately, all countries will have to make compromises if the climate stabilisation goals laid out in Copenhagen are to be achieved. Nevertheless, climate justice considerations need to be taken into account.

Quebec’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are, on a per capita basis well below the Canadian average and close to those of developed European countries. The availability of zero-emission hydroelectric energy enables Quebec to keep its emissions at the level of those European countries, although its per capita energy consumption is twice as high as theirs and similar to that of Canada or the United States. However, hydroelectricity only partly explains the lower emissions of Quebec with respect to the Canadian average. The absence of a fossil fuel extraction sector and lower emissions in other sectors such as transport, agriculture and industry also contribute to this trend. An analysis of energy sector indicators over the past two decades suggests that advances in industrial technology, as in the case of the aluminum and magnesium industry and oil prices are far better regulators of greenhouse gas emissions than government policies designed to incite emission reductions. The low energy efficiency and experiences of other countries lead to believe that economic incentives would uncover a significant potential of greenhouse gas emissions through the reduction of energy consumption. In the forthcoming Canadian plan for the implementation of the Kyoto objectives, Quebec should be credited for its lesser emissions and their increase rate and be compelled to follow a less steep emission reduction curve than other provinces with less advantageous GHG budgets.