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Have you stopped to wonder, recently about why Canadian's are enjoying above seasonal temperatures recently? The answer is simple and frightening. Although the warm March weather is beautiful for a patio lunch or walk in the park, it is a direct result of climate change.
According to NASA, 2020 is tied with 2016 as the warmest year to date. These warm weather trends are possible to continue into the year 2021 if officials don't act fast. On average, temperatures have been rising to approximately 1.02°C warmer than normal (NASA, 2021). Although, there is lots of work to be done to reverse this damage, it is possible to accomplish with mass reduction in green house gas emissions and being mindful of the ecological footprint we leave behind. It was seen that during the extreme lockdown measures that took place in March 2020 in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic, these green house gas emissions were reduced drastically. With this, the concentration of CO2 within the atmosphere was seen to decrease but this effort alone, was not enough. NASA reports that even with such a decrease in pollution, CO2 concentrations are still dangerously high thus causing the 1.02°C temperature increase last year.
CANADA'S RESPONSE
The Government of Canada shared information regarding the annual increase in temperatures and stated that Canadian's can help against the looming threat of climate change in various ways. It is stated that the largest influence of climate change in Canada is 'Human activity'. This harmful human activity is comprised of; the burning of fossil fuels in factories and vehicle emissions on one's daily commute. These activities and more contribute to 'the greenhouse effect' which in turn causes a warming of the Earth and its surroundings. The most influential greenhouse gas effecting global rise in temperature right now is CO2. The Canadian Government suggests that once CO2 gas emissions are eliminated completely, there is still work to be done due to the great presence of other greenhouse gasses within the atmosphere. These gases include Nitrous oxide, Methane, Ozone, and Fluorinated gases (Rafferty, n.d.). It is due to the concentrations of these additional greenhouse gases that makes climate change such a complex issue that requires commitment from government officials, scientists, and all individuals effected.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There are several ways Canadian's can help fight against climate changed as outlined by the David Suzuki Foundation;
Use energy wisely
Use renewable energy sources in place of fossil fuels
Eat according to a plant-based diet
Have conversations about climate change with peers
Switch daily commute to walking or riding a bike
Reuse, reduce, recycle
Use you vote
Top 10 things you can do about climate change. (2020, July 6). David Suzuki Foundation. https://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/top-10-ways-can-stop-climate-change/
Hey, great post!
I really liked how you choose the topic of climate change because it is one of the big topics we are talking about in one of my ecology courses. I completely agree with you on how we are the reason behind climate change. This is the sad truth, due to the number of global emissions we create and the rate at which we take resources from the environment it is inevitable that we will experience climate change. It's so crazy how rapidly climate change is occurring. Didn't this year's winter go by so quick? Canada's response feels very ineffective at this point because we cause a lot of our global emissions from agriculture and deforestation. I don't…
It's crazy to think that even with the pandemic and decreased greenhouse emissions 2020 was still one of the warmest years. It just goes to show how big of an issue global warming is and how important it is that we address it. In my opinion the best way to combat global warming is for governments worldwide to create more green policies and create laws that prevent big business from using nonenvironmentally friendly practices as these big businesses are the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
This is so so important!! Even though climate change has been a pressing issue and continues to be a problem, I feel like it often gets brushed against the rug.
Personally, I actively try to recycle and reduce my energy usage. The lights remain off during the morning and I often walk instead of hitching a ride.
Thank you so much for bringing awareness to this issue!
Thank you for such a refreshing read! Increasing warm temperatures due to high concentration of CO2 emissions have relayed massive ramifications on the entire Arctic ecosystem. The effects of climate change are much more pronounced in the Arctic ecosystem in comparison to other parts of the world. Loss of sea ice which is now down to 75% since the 1980s has relayed huge consequences for the animals that depend on ice for survival and livelihood. Specifically, mammals such as polar bears and narwhals are dying because their habitat is being altering at an alarming rate due to climate change. The problem is not just that the ice is disappearing but the ice that remains is becoming less predictable. Moreover, the…