What is Climate Change?

So complex that even scientists are not agreed on all its aspects, climate change is a wide-scale change in the average weather, over a long period of time.

Alberta is taking action to deal with the risks of climate change.

Climate change usually refers to significant shifts from one climate system to another. This has happened in the past, sometimes slowly, sometimes more quickly.

Concern is growing because average global temperatures are rising. This seems to be occurring because of an increase in greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere. This is called “ the greenhouse effect .”

The natural greenhouse effect has made life on earth possible. It is the excess of greenhouse gases that causes concern.

The main gases linked with the greenhouse effect are water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane.

Most greenhouse gases occur naturally, but human activity adds to their overall volume, leading to the risk of global warming, climate change and impacts on our quality of life.

Each year, human activities are estimated to add at least six billion tonnes of carbon to the atmosphere. Taking action to reduce these emissions is a responsible way to reduce the risks of climate change.