A recent report on climate change suggests that Canadians should prepare for a future with temperatures increasing by 5 degrees Celsius. The second edition of the Canada’s Changing Climate Report highlights the significant impact of human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels, on the planet’s warming trend. The federal government released a summary of the report’s findings, emphasizing the need for countries to fulfill their climate commitments to mitigate the effects.
The report projects a potentially grim future for Canada, depending on global climate policies. If current practices continue, the country could experience intensified warming, leading to significant changes in its climate conditions. Glaciers in western Canada are expected to lose over 75% of their ice, with a high probability of the central Arctic Ocean being ice-free in most Septembers. The report also warns of iconic landscapes transforming as glaciers in western Canada are forecasted to largely disappear by the end of the century.
In addition to the challenges in the North, southern Canada faces its own set of difficulties, including longer and more intense summer droughts, increased flash flooding, and atmospheric river events. The report indicates that the length of the fire season in Canada has been on the rise and is projected to continue growing with global temperature increases.
The report underlines that if countries abandon their climate policies, Canada could face a temperature rise of 6.9 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. However, achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions globally around 2075 could stabilize Canada’s climate, limiting the average temperature increase to 3.5 degrees Celsius.
While the report paints a concerning picture, the Canadian Climate Institute stresses that there is still room for action to avoid the predicted warming. The institute emphasizes that cutting emissions both in Canada and globally can significantly impact the future climate outcomes, potentially saving lives, homes, communities, livelihoods, and billions of dollars in the Canadian economy.
In response to the report, a climate advocacy group urged for more substantial actions to reduce emissions, linking recent severe weather events in Toronto to climate change. Canada’s environment minister reiterated the country’s commitment to reducing emissions and achieving net-zero by 2050, emphasizing the urgency of combating climate change while securing energy, industrial capacity, and strategic autonomy for Canada.