Vancouver
Canada
Vancouver is projected to face frequent heatwaves and heavy rainfall events, posing significant challenges for its climate resilience. In response, the city has developed and is implementing a portfolio of technology-enabled solutions. These include health-related initiatives like air quality measurement and filtration systems, as well as adaptation finance mechanisms to support resilience projects. Additionally, community engagement platforms are in place for planning, education, training, and crowd-sourcing, which foster collaboration among residents. Through these current and proposed initiatives, Vancouver seeks to strengthen its capacity to cope with climate hazards and safeguard its population's health and well-being.
Hazard Outlook
How will Vancouver's projected climate hazards compare to other cities under a 3.0°C future warming scenario?
Maximum Rainfall
Vancouver's projected maximum rainfall of 17 mm is among the highest of all cities globally.
Heavy Rainfall Days
With 11 days of heavy rainfall expected, Vancouver ranks higher than most cities for extreme precipitation events.
Longest Heatwave
Vancouver may experience heatwaves lasting up to 4 days, near the median of other cities.
Elevation
At 93 m elevation, Vancouver faces moderate risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise.
Maximum Temperature
Vancouver's projected maximum temperature of 8.1°C is lower than most cities globally under a 3.0°C warming scenario.
Exposure Summary
Adaptation Priorities
Vancouver faces high exposure to max rain and elevated exposure to heavy rain. These areas may warrant priority attention in adaptation planning.
Data source: Climate projections from the IPCC AR6 scenario analysis. See our methodology for details on how we process and interpret this data.
Deployed Solutions
Deployed climate adaptation technologies identified in Vancouver.
Recommended Solutions
Proven solutions from similar cities that could help diversify Vancouver's resilience portfolio
Citizen Science Mobile Heat Mapping with Vehicle-Mounted Sensors
93%With the help of the Museum of Science, volunteers attached temperature sensors to their cars and bikes to collect data in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline.
Integrated Metropolitan Meteorological Monitoring Network
86%The Lisbon Metropolitan Area established an integrated meteorological monitoring network in early 2022, consisting of 18 weather stations distributed across each of its 18 municipalities.
IoT Flood Monitoring and Early Warning System
84%TX Intelligence, a subsidiary of Grupo TX, joined forces with AWS and the National Civil Protection System of Panama (SINAPROC) to implement a flood monitoring and early warning solution for the Juan Díaz river basin.
Heat Risk Story Map and Vulnerability Index
84%Manchester developed a heat mapping tool to enhance understanding of the city's exposure and vulnerability to heat over time.
Local Climate Adaptation Tool (LCAT) for Evidence-Based Decision Support
84%The Local Climate Adaptation Tool (LCAT) is a UK-based national evidence-based resource designed to support local decision-makers, including public sector institutions, to take climate adaptation action.
Watershed-Specific Downscaled Climate Projection Modeling
90%Seattle's water utilities collaborated with federal and academic research institutions to develop downscaled climate projections specifically tailored to the watersheds supplying the city's water.
Integrated 1D-2D Hydraulic Modeling for Urban Drainage Systems
86%Mathematical modelling of wastewater and stormwater systems was undertaken with SWMM (1D) and Basement (2D), mostly in the downtown area (drainage catchments J&L).
Digital Surface Flood Warning System with Multi-Sensor Network
84%Manchester City Council has committed to investing in remote monitoring systems at known flooding sites to enable a more effective response.
Building-Scale Hydrodynamic Flood Modeling with Sea Level Rise Scenarios
82%New York City employs advanced building-scale hydrodynamic modeling to simulate coastal flooding induced by historical hurricanes under various 21st-century sea level rise scenarios.