Canada Warming at Twice the Global Rate, Climate Report Finds LEYLAND CECCO
Canada is warming twice as fast as
heat. But scientists say the retreat of
the rest of the world, a landmark
glaciers and disappearing sea ice
government report has found,
both contribute to a feedback loop of
warning that drastic action is the only
warming, which is one of the factors
way to avoid catastrophic outcomes.
contributing to Canada’s disproportionate temperature increase.
“The science is clear – Canada’s climate is warming more rapidly than
The report suggests the majority of
the global average, and this level of
warming felt in Canada and around
warming effectively cannot be
the globe is the result of burning
changed,” Nancy Hamzawi, assistant
fossil fuels.
deputy minister for science and technology at Environment and
Canada has already pledged to cut
Climate Change Canada.
emissions by 200m tonnes by 2030 – a cornerstone of Prime Minister
The report, released by Environment
Justin Trudeau’s national climate
and Climate Change Canada, paints
strategy – largely through a federally
a grim picture of Canada’s future, in
mandated carbon tax and shuttering
which deadly heatwaves and heavy
coal-fired plants.
rainstorms become a common occurrence. Forty-three government
Despite the urgency of the report,
scientists and academics authored
Canada remains mired in a political
the peer-reviewed report.
battle over climate policy.
While global temperatures have
Trudeau has pushed for a national
increased 0.8C since 1948, Canada
carbon pricing strategy, and on
has seen an increase of 1.7C – more
Monday the federal government
than double the global average.
imposed the tax on four provinces that refuse to implement one.
And in the Arctic, the warming is
Conservative politicians have
happening at a much faster rate of
pledged to remove the tax if they win
2.3C, the report says.
this fall’s general election, arguing
from the federal government to offset any added expenses from the tax – meaning costs to the average consumer are negligible. The report makes clear that Canada faces markedly different outcomes, depending on the policies it chooses to reduce emissions. Under a scenario in which global emissions are dramatically reduced, average temperatures will rise only 3C across the country by 2100, including the Arctic region.
that it is too much of a burden for While the increased warming in the
Canadians.
Arctic is not yet fully understood, snow and ice play a critical role in
But under the current plan, house-
reflecting the sun’s radiation and
holds will receive rebate cheques
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MBE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020
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