Climate Change
Climate change is the biggest environmental challenge that we face today. It is caused by human activity.
The layer of atmospheric gases surrounding our planet acts like a protective blanket. This blanket lets in just the right amount of heat and light from the sun. It also shelters the Earth from the deep cold of space, much like the panes of a greenhouse. This is why the gases that make up this atmospheric layer are also called greenhouse gases.
Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and farming have increased the level of some greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in our atmosphere. As this blanket of gases gets denser, less heat is able to escape from the planet. This is heating up the atmosphere and the oceans, causing the climate to change.
For more information, visit:
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
- Durham Region Climate Change and Extreme Weather
| Greenhouse Gas Reduction |
| Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions can help to reduce our impact on the environment. This is climate mitigation.
The City of Oshawa is committed to reducing its greenhouse emissions and energy consumption. The City is required to provide an Corporate Facilities Energy Management Plan to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. As a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Partners for Climate Protection program, the City has successfully completed Milestone 3, 4 and 5 of its Corporate Plan. the City is now developing its Milestone 3 Community Plan. These actions will help reduce the impacts of climate change on the environment and respond to the goal of Environmental Responsibility as outlined in the Oshawa Strategic Plan. |
| Climate Adaptation |
|
Climate adaptation is about understanding the impacts that the changing climate will have our city. This will help us develop plans to protect municipal investment and infrastructure, and create a more resilient city. The Oshawa Strategic Plan commits us to evaluate and implement climate change adaptation measures. These measures will strengthen the city's resilience to extreme weather events and reduce the impacts of climate change on the environment. Durham Region's Future Climate (2040 - 2049) Summary gives us some idea of what the climate will look like in Oshawa in the near future. Using these weather projections, the City has worked closely with our partners at the Region in the development of the Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan. The main goals of climate adaptation are to:
Successful climate adaptation will not prevent the impacts of climate change. With careful planning, these impacts can be less severe. Successful adaptation measures can also help us to take advantage of any long-term opportunities. Cities that invest in climate adaptation see many benefits. These include:
|