Climate Change

What is Climate Change?

Climate is the long-term average of weather patterns observed for a particular region (Environment Canada, 2010). Climate change is defined as any change in climate over time, either natural or human influenced. Changes in climate are due to changes in the make up of the atmosphere, specifically the concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs). These GHGs trap heat and increase global temperatures through a process known as greenhouse effect (Figure 1). The rate of climate change on earth has dramatically increased since industrialization. Human activities have created new sources of GHGs (ex: intensive fossil fuel burning) as well as removed valuable GHG sinks (ex: deforestation) and it is the balance of sources and sinks which determines the amounts of GHGs in the atmosphere.

For further information, contact your GO Representative.