Global Warming

The seasonal anomalies experienced this year made me think the 2015 federal elections should be about choosing the government who will better care about the issue of global warming.

Weather, this year, looks exceptional. Spring looked like winter. At the beginning of May, we were still skiing, in Quebec City [here]. Conversely, winter looks like spring. It has rained, even on Christmas Eve. Snow was melting and one would not have any trouble riding a road bike. These seasonal anomalies are signs of global warming. 

The figures below show, for each of the four seasons in Canada, the departures of temperature from 1961 to 1990 normal.

Departures of temperature from 1961 to 1990 normal, Celsius Degree, Canada, 1948-2010

It emerges from analyzing these data that:

• The average departures of temperature is significantly above zero in summer, fall, and winter, which means these seasons are getting hotter.
• The departures of temperature are significantly higher in fall than in summer, which points to a prolongation of summer.  

These observations make me think global warming is anà pressant issue that should dominate debates during the federal elections taking place October next year. Which government to entrust with the future of Canada?

It should be a government encouraging innovation in energy use and the wide adoption of energy efficient technologies and renovation concepts. These actions are necessary to reduce the threats of global warming. In the same time, they will create jobs, boost growth, and improve our competitiveness. By then, as conscientious citizens, we can adopt environmentally friendly habits such as the use of public transit and active transportation.