Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is climate change?
Climate change is the change in a region's average temperature and weather patterns. The rapid rate of climate change in the last 30 years will have a severely detrimental impact on the environment. Climate change is a global problem and will result in many long-term implications. One of the main causes of climate change is an increase of greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Is climate change really happening?  
There has been a noticeable change recorded in the Earth's climate over the passed 30 years. The 1980's and 1990's were the warmest decades recorded to date. The beginning of the 21 st century is experiencing an increase in the rate of climate change and not the decrease that was hoped for.  

3. What is the Kyoto Protocol on climate change?
The Kyoto Protocol on climate change is an international agreement designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to five per cent under 1990 levels by 2012. The Kyoto Protocol came into effect in February of 2005 and has been ratified by 129 countries. Two large emitters - the United States and Australia - have refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

4. Where does Canada stand on climate change?
Canada contributes only two per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but we have one of the highest per capita emissions rates in the world. Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in 2002 and, under the agreement we are obligated to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. Currently, our emissions our 20 per cent over 1990 levels.

5. What is green energy?
Green energy comes from natural sources that are renewable and do not damage the environment. Fossil fuels will eventually run out; they are not renewable. The sun and the wind will always be available; they are renewable resources. Many different energy sources contribute to climate change by generating greenhouse gas emissions. Other energy sources, such as nuclear energy, create different kinds of pollution such as radioactive waste. Green energy limits or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution. Green energy includes wind, solar and geothermal energy.

6. Is there enough green energy to really make a difference?
Yes. The total amount of energy irradiated from the sun to the Earth's surface is enough to provide more than 10,000 times the current annual global energy consumption. Greenpeace and industry research shows that with some government support, solar power could supply electricity to over two billion people globally in the next 20 years. Wind power also has incredible potential. Technically recoverable global wind resources are estimated to be twice as large as the projection for the world's entire electricity demand in 2020.