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Proactive disclosure Print version ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() Degrees of Variation : Climate change in Nunavut Climate change the basics
What is climate change?
Climate change is a change or variability in the 'average weather' of a region. This means a change in the temperature, precipitation, winds and/or storms that a given region experiences over a specific period of time. Global climate change refers to these changes over the Earth as a whole. The nature of climate change... Climate change can occur naturally. Our climate is controlled by a balance between energy received from the sun and radiation the Earth loses to space. Any changes in our environment, either natural or human-induced, that alters this balance can affect our climate. Climate change factors...Natural factors:
Human-induced factors:
The Earth's natural thermostat... The Earth's temperature is regulated by a natural system known as the 'greenhouse effect'. Naturally occurring greenhouse gases, such as water vapour, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone, trap radiation in the atmosphere which helps to keep the Earth warm enough to support life. Problems can arise when the concentrations of these naturally occurring gases are increased and new greenhouse gases like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are added to the system.
Did you know? Carbon is a part of the Earth's natural system. Within the Earth, it is present as fossil fuels and in sedimentary rocks. It is also stored at the Earth's surface in vegetation and soil, and in the oceans as inorganic carbon dissolved in the sea water. In the atmosphere, carbon occurs mainly as carbon dioxide (CO2). Before the Industrial Revolution, CO2 and other greenhouse gases such as methane (CH4),that were put into the atmosphere were balanced by processes of natural removal, so atmospheric concentrations of these gases did not vary much. Did you know? Since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have increased by 30%. Climate scientists predict that over the next 40 to 60 years these concentrations will double from their pre-industrial levels. The primary cause of the expected buildup of CO2 is from human activities.
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