As a kid, I loved thunderstorms. They were an exciting and rare phenomenon that gave the sense that there are much bigger forces at work on the planet. As I grow older, however, fear has replaced my excitement about these storms. I now not only fear what they can do in the moment, as they have become more frequent and more dangerous, but also what they represent for the future of our weather.

This was the topic of discussion at our latest Green Neighbours 21 meeting, where Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) Franz Hartmann gave a fascinating talk. Hartmann presented the key findings in a new report from the Toronto Environment Office, the first of its kind, that details the kind of weather patterns the City of Toronto can expect as a result of climate change. By 2040, we can expect hotter summers. A lot hotter. As in, 66 days of extreme heat in 2040, versus the 22 we’ve had as a yearly average for the last decade. As temperatures rise, we need to be prepared to care for vulnerable populations within the City that might not have access to air conditioning or green spaces to cool off, which will become increasingly necessary to survive. It’s also going to rain. And rain. Maximums of 166 mm of rainfall per day by 2040, versus the 66 mm maximums of the last decade – our infrastructure in Toronto simply cannot handle it. Those figures are just some of what we have to expect, and you can read more in the report. We are woefully unprepared for the consequences of this shift and change must start now.

So how do we start? Hartmann’s message was clear: Tell someone about this. Tell everyone about this. Tell your Councillors, your MPs, your neighbours, and friends. Hartmann suggests talking face-to-face, as we are so inundated with information online. Together we can make this our legacy as Torontonians. We can make a difference now, and leave a better world for the future.

Read the report: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-51653.pdf

Find your ward and Councillor: http://app.toronto.ca/wards/

For more information on TEA: http://www.torontoenvironment.org