Climate change is not a future problem, it is the present reality.
Over the last 60 years, Canada has warmed at nearly double the global average, with average temperatures on land increasing by 1.5°C. Increasingly variable precipitation patterns have resulted in measurable decreases in glacial ice volume, reduced snow cover, and degraded permafrost. Simultaneously, shrub cover is increasing, the Arctic tree line is moving North, and birds and mammals are changing their historical distributions.
Climate change is also impacting the national economy and the human health of Northern communities. Perhaps the most startling effect is the already observed permafrost thaw on the ice-road network that connects the mines and towns of the far North with the rest of the country. Warmer temperatures could reduce the length of time these roads are open, isolate Northern communities and development and seriously degrade the economy and quality of life of these areas.
Over the last 60 years, Canada has warmed at nearly double the global average, with average temperatures on land increasing by 1.5°C. Increasingly variable precipitation patterns have resulted in measurable decreases in glacial ice volume, reduced snow cover, and degraded permafrost. Simultaneously, shrub cover is increasing, the Arctic tree line is moving North, and birds and mammals are changing their historical distributions.
Climate change is also impacting the national economy and the human health of Northern communities. Perhaps the most startling effect is the already observed permafrost thaw on the ice-road network that connects the mines and towns of the far North with the rest of the country. Warmer temperatures could reduce the length of time these roads are open, isolate Northern communities and development and seriously degrade the economy and quality of life of these areas.