Is Montréal a “Climate Haven”?

Could Montréal be a climate haven? This is the central question posed by PhD candidate, Concordia public scholar, and tree scientist Alex Pace at “Montréal: 2050: A Climate Haven?”

Kalden Rangdröl Dhatsenpa – Local Journalism Initiative

This week’s episode of Metropolis host Kalden Rangdröl Dhatsenpa speaks with Alex Pace to uncover what exactly is a “climate haven”, Montréal’s performance in achieving its climate targets, and the ways he hopes his event and others like it can relieve the paralysis of eco-anxiety.

As Alex describes for the show, a climate haven is a city or region safe from the most extreme weather events caused by climate change. Think forest fires, floods, hurricanes and droughts. According to Pace, the term climate haven is met with hesitation by some as its deployment has been seen as a greenwashed tactic by real estate figures who want to greenwash property sales in their neighbourhoods or cities. Alex uses Asheville, North Carolina, as an example of a supposed climate haven devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Despite the contention regarding the term, Alex believes it can be a valuable framework to help guide the city toward further building up its capacity to withstand extreme climate events, especially considering some of the more ambitious climate targets set by the municipality in their 2020-2050 climate plan.

Hello, Good Byline is back! CUTV’s very own Aude Simon hops on the mic to talk about her recent coverage of protests organized by Sudanese Montrealers who want provincial and federal governments to help reunite the families currently experiencing violence amidst the war in Sudan.