Global warming is happening because human activity is increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere. It is a dramatic change from temperatures that have been typical for the past 10,000 years. We know what's happening and why thanks to the diligent and rigorous work of climate scientists.
1 Climate change is happening.
2 It's being caused by us.
3 If left unchecked, the impacts will be serious.
4 We must take action.
Science is very clear on the facts and the causes of climate change. The world is warming, and human activity is the cause.
The climate threat is real, but so are the exciting possibilities to find new and creative approaches to living together with health and prosperity within the limits of the natural world.
In order to take meaningful action, we need to understand how climate change works. Learn more about the basic science of climate change.
Earth has warmed by 1 °C in just over 100 years, a change in temperature unparalleled in geologic history. Climatologist Damon Matthews from Concordia University unravels what these changes mean for Canada, which is already warming at more than double the global rate.
Ancient people from all cultures took note of the weather and recorded it in many different ways, such as is in their oral histories, diaries, literature, and works of art. And once weather instruments were invented we have been able to accurately measure and record observations in a more scientific way.
Earth’s climate has changed many times and many ways. We know a lot about the natural causes and effects of ancient climate change, and this knowledge helps us state with confidence that modern climate change is a product of human activity.
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.
The most powerful computers on Earth are used to run climate models. Scientists use these models to understand how Earth’s climate works and to make predictions about how it might change in the future.
Climate models have successfully helped reconstruct climates of the distant and recent past, answering important questions, such as “what caused the last ice age?”.
The proven ability of climate models to describe Earth’s past and present climates gives us confidence that they can simulate the planet’s future climate, too.
New climate models are constantly improving our understanding of the climate system and our improving understanding of the climate system is improving the models. The overall conclusions of the models have not changed—human greenhouse gas emissions are driving global warming
The Climate Atlas presents over thirty different climate variables, and you can display, graph, and download the data for 500 municipalities across Canada and for 1400 regional areas covering the entire country from coast to coast to coast. Us our “Find a location” page to find your community and explore the data yourself.
Climate change touches all of our lives, one way or another. Because it affects all aspects of modern life, there are many kinds of meaningful choices we can make that will help.
Climate change solutions start close to home, with simple actions in our own homes and families, but also involve new ways of thinking, planning, and acting in workplaces, neighbourhoods, and communities across the country.
See our "Take Action" topic for ideas and examples of innovative climate action taking place all across Canada.
Join our mailing list to stay informed about Climate Atlas updates, including new maps, research, and videos, as well as outreach and educational activities by the Prairie Climate Centre.
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Stories and explanations about climate change, and local climate data that can be explored using maps and graphs.
High-resolution climate data to help decision makers build a more resilient Canada.
Advanced tools for academia, climate scenario developers, and other expert users.
This project was undertaken with the financial support of:
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