What is Climate Change?

Due to the growing body of evidence that the Earth's climate is changing, "climate change" is now largely accepted as fact. More than simply "global warming," it refers to long-term fluctuations in temperature, precipitation, wind, and all other aspects of the Earth's climate.

Many factors influence climate, but the one of concern to scientists is the level of greenhouse gases—most notably carbon dioxide (CO₂)—in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases act in much the same way as the glass in a greenhouse, which allows in light and keeps heat from escaping, providing warmth for the plants inside. A similar process occurs when the sun's energy reaches the Earth; some of the energy is absorbed by the Earth's surface, some radiates back into space, and some is trapped in the atmosphere, keeping our planet warm enough for life to flourish.

While natural levels of greenhouse gases maintain ecosystem temperatures within a range that's suitable for existing life forms, higher levels cause the atmosphere to "thicken," trapping more heat and warming the planet, which is what we're seeing now.

Predictions vary as to what will happen next, but most agree that, unless humans do something to reduce our atmosphere's carbon dioxide concentration, our temperatures will continue to rise and our ecosystems will be impacted. The degree and severity of the impact depends on many factors, including where you live and the extent to which the impacts can be mitigated. However, given that temperatures are rising faster in the polar areas and Canada is a northern country, it is reasonable to expect that Canada's climate will be impacted more than most.