Community climate change mitigation and adaptation: The role of Columbia Basin Trust

Local communities are on the front line of climate change adaptation and mitigation. Columbia Basin Trust, in the province of British Columbia, is a leading intermediary that is helping communities in the Canadian Columbia Basin address climate change mitigation and adaptation. They have done this through two programs: Communities Adapting to Climate Change Initiative and Carbon Neutral Kootenays. These initiatives have reduced barriers to community action on climate change by providing expertise and funding and engaging communities. Monitoring and flexibility have allowed these initiatives to adapt as needed to ensure successful results. As these CBT initiatives come to a close, opportunities continue for future partnerships between communities and CBT to address climate change. Recommendations are provided to help CBT move forward with their climate change agenda. This groundbreaking climate change work by CBT provides many lessons learned to help other communities and regions wanting to address climate change.