The Department of Environment is the lead
provincial department on climate change policy and program development. The
Department also works closely with the Department of Natural Resources
on this file.
What is Climate Change?
Carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapour
are “greenhouse gases”
that help insulate the Earth and maintain a temperature that can sustain
life. The gases allow radiation from the Sun to pass through the
atmosphere and heat Earth. The gases also prevent this heat from escaping
back into space. This "greenhouse effect" is natural but scientists
believe that human activities have led to an increase in atmospheric
greenhouse gases (GHG), upset the natural balance and is impacting the
global climate.
Activities such as the
burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have led to 30 per cent rise in
CO2 levels since the Industrial Revolution. Carbon dioxide,
as a product of combustion, is by far the most abundant greenhouse gas
released by humans. But other gases, such as N2O, have more
heat-trapping potential and a longer lifespan in the atmosphere.
As heat is trapped within
the atmosphere, changes occur in the the global climate by impacting the
Earth's water cycle, ocean temperatures, wind patterns and soil moisture
levels.
Greenhouse Gas
Emissions in Newfoundland and Labrador
Impacts of Climate Change on Newfoundland and Labrador
There is evidence that the
climate is already changing. The last two decades were the warmest
decades on record worldwide and the last century was the warmest in 1000
years. Already, impacts of a changing climate are noticeable throughout
Canada, especially in the North. Ice is breaking up on most rivers and
lakes earlier in the spring and glaciers and polar sea ice are shrinking.
Canada’s large size means that changes in climate will vary from region to
region.
In the Atlantic region,
temperatures are predicted to increase 3-4°C over the next hundred years.
However, there is more to climate change than temperature.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Red Bay, Labrador and Placentia, Newfoundland have
almost the same average annual temperature but very different climates.
In the Atlantic region, winds, precipitation, storm activity and sea ice
are all important in determining local conditions and are influenced by
global climate changes.
Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment
Climate
Change Indicators Initiative
Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network
Newfoundland and Labrador Initiatives
What Can You Do?
Climate change is a global issue, but there are
many actions that individuals can take at the local level to reduce their
personal greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the environment. For
some suggestions, see the following websites:
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More Climate Change Information
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