Climate change

An international scientific consensus has emerged that our world is getting warmer. Abundant data demonstrate that global climate was warmed during the past 150 years. The increase in temperature was not constant, but rather consisted of warming and cooling cycles at intervals of several decades. Nonetheless, the long term trend is one of net global warming. Corresponding with this warming, alpine glaciers have been retreating, sea levels have risen, and climatic zones are shifting.

Climate scientists around the world agree that average global temperatures could rise by 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. This increase will not be distributed evenly around the globe; in Canada, this could mean an increase in annual mean temperatures in some regions of more than 5 degrees.

Climate change is more than a warming trend. Increasing temperatures will lead to changes in many aspects of weather, such as wind patterns, the amount and type of precipitation, and the types and frequency of severe weather events that may be expected to occur. Such climate change could have far-reaching and/or unpredictable environmental, social and economic consequences.

The 1980s and 1990s are the warmest decades on record, with 1998 the warmest year. The 10 warmest years in global meteorological history have all occurred in the past 15 years. The 20th century has been the warmest globally in the past 1000 years.

For more information on climate change, visit these websites:

Environment Canada - Canada’s GHG inventory

Climate Change Central - Programs
Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Research Network (C-CIARN)
Canadian Centre for Environmental Modeling and Analysis, Environment Canada, Surface Temperature Change Video, (Video) (Website)

Recommended Reading

Bulkeley, H. and Betsill, M. 2005. Cities and Climate Change Urban Sustainability and Global Environmental Governance. Routledge. New York.
Gardner, S. and Noble, D. 2008. Stepping Up to the Climate Change Challenge: Perspectives on Local Government Leadership, Policy and Practice in Canada. Municipal World. St Thomas.
Lindseth, G. 2004. The Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (CCPC) and the Framing of Local Climate Policy. Local Environment. Volume 9 No 4; Pg 453-479.
Lundprist, L. and Biel, A. 2007. From Kyoto to the Town Hall. Earthscan. London.
McAllister, M. 2004. Governing Ourselves: the Politics of Canadian Communities. UBC Press. Vancouver