Keyword Climate models

In 2022, the Climate Atlas of Canada team -- in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Métis National Council (MNC), and numerous Indigenous collaborators -- launched Indigenous-focused data, knowledge, and resources developed by, with, and for Métis, First Nations, and Inuit communities. This launch made public climate data for all 634 First Nations communities, all 53 Inuit communities, and projects across the Métis homeland as well as new videos and resources to support Indigenous-led climate solutions. To celebrate this accomplishment and collaboration, the following Indigenous leaders share their perspectives and insights regarding Indigenous knowledges and climate change:

If you are a regular user of the Climate Atlas, then you’ve probably noticed that the climate data presented on the map and throughout the site has changed.

Dominique Paquin of Ouranos specializes in climate data, modelling & projections. Decision-makers and everyday Canadians need to understand how these highly technical tools can be used to facilitate real change. In this video, Dominique breaks down the different parts of a model and explains how her work can help us understand and prepare for the future.

Quebec’s huge territory means that its future under climate change is complex and varied. To better understand risks & responses, the provincial government created the research consortium Ouranos. Ouranos are now leaders in cutting-edge climate change research, working with many partners to address Quebec’s climate future.

In the past, trying to answer questions such as “how might summer temperatures in my town change in coming decades?” required a lot of technical skill and effort: climate data had to be found, selected, and downloaded; time periods and emissions scenarios had to be chosen; the data had to be computed, analyzed, mapped, graphed, and interpreted. The Climate Atlas has done all that work for you, freeing you up for the important business of exploring, learning, and responding.

The Climate Atlas allows you to explore how climate change is likely to impact Canada’s vast and diverse forest ecosystems. Much hotter summers, milder winters, and changes in precipitation will likely lead to more frequent and intense forests fires, new invasive species, and an increase in pest outbreaks. Climate change may also make it possible for trees to thrive in previously inhospitable areas, like north of the current treeline or near the tops of mountains. Understanding the magnitude of these various changes and risks allows forest managers, emergency response coordinators, citizens, politicians, and planners to take meaningful action to mitigate and adapt.

The Climate Atlas allows you to explore how climate change is likely to impact Canada’s agricultural sector. Hotter temperatures and changes in precipitation may introduce new risks, while a longer growing season with more heat accumulation and fewer frost days may have some benefits. Of course none of these changes is projected to happen in isolation: the positive likelihood of a longer growing season co-exists with possibly damaging changes in patterns of seasonal precipitation and very high heat. Understanding the magnitude of these various changes and risks allows farmers, citizens, politicians, and planners to take meaningful action to mitigate and adapt.

Earth has warmed by 1 °C in just over 100 years. Damon Matthews, a climatologist from Concordia University, describes how this change in temperature is both human-caused and unparalleled in geologic history. Taking us through the evidence of our warming climate, Matthews discusses what these changes mean for Canada and suggests that the case for a dramatic policy response is very clear.

Dendroclimatologist Dave Sauchyn studies tree rings to learn about climates of the past and what it means for the future. His research shows that there’s a “new normal” in the Canadian Prairies and that climate change is increasing the risk of extended and severe drought.