Ottawa, December 18, 2007
- The autumn of 2007 in Canada was neither
the warmest nor wettest on record but was
still warmer and wetter than normal.
Information on the autumn weather-that-was
is from Environment Canada's Climate Trends
and Variations Bulletin.
The Bulletin provides a cross-country look
at temperatures and precipitation for the
September to November, 2007 period and compares
it to climate data from the past 60 years.
A 30-year average is used for a reference
period, and is referred to as a "normal".
Highlights from The Climate Trends and Variations
Bulletin for Canada include:
Autumn 2007 in Canada was the 19th warmest
on record, since nationwide records began
in 1948, with temperatures 0.7° C above
normal (based on preliminary data). Most of
the country experienced temperatures within
one degree below and above normal, with only
the high Arctic and Great Lakes areas having
temperatures more than 1° C above normal.
The warmest autumn in Canada was recorded
in 1998, with temperatures at 2.3° C above
normal. The coolest autumn was recorded in
1986, with temperatures 1.8° C below normal.
The climate region in Canada with the highest
ranked above-normal temperature this autumn
was recorded in the region covering southern
Ontario and Quebec (+1.4° C, 5th warmest).
Nationally averaged seasonal temperatures
have been at or above normal for more than
10 years.
Overall, this autumn was the 12th wettest
on record in Canada, with precipitation at
9.7% above normal. There was considerable
variation in regional amounts, both wetter
and drier than the national average. The wettest
autumn was in 1981, with precipitation 24.1%
above normal. The driest autumn was in 1976
with precipitation 20.3% below average.
The climate region covering most of the Northwest
Territories (29.1% above normal) and the region
covering northern Ontario and Quebec (22.4%
above normal) both experienced their 4th wettest
autumns.
Because weather conditions can vary greatly
from one year to the next due to natural variability,
it is difficult to attribute this past season's
weather to a specific cause. However, the
warmer and wetter than normal conditions are
consistent with the types of changes that
are expected to occur in the Canadian Climate
as a result of global human-induced climate
change.
Environment Canada
Media Relations
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Canada Calls New UN Agreement an Important
First Step
NUSA DUA, BALI, INDONESIA - Canada's Environment
Minister, John Baird, stated Saturday after
the conclusion of the United Nations Climate
Change Conference that he was pleased to see
the world sign on to a new international agreement
that acknowledged all countries must play
a role.
"From the very beginning of these discussions,
Canada's position has been that we must have
an effective, binding international framework
that leads to real greenhouse gas reductions.
To reach that goal all major emitters, including
China, India and the United States, need to
be on board and the world moved closer to
that goal today," said Minister Baird.
"Our Government is proud of the principled
position we have taken. With the United States
now signed on to this framework the results
of this conference show progress and we see
that as an important first step. Now we need
further progress by other major emitters over
the next two years.
The agreement reached earlier today launches
a two-year effort to negotiate a global plan
to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute
to climate change.
"Make no mistake; the next two years
will be a challenge, with long and intense
negotiations. Canada looks forward to meeting
that challenge and to working with our international
partners to develop a global solution in the
fight against climate change," said Minister
Baird.
As the conference began Canada and the United
Nations set out with three main goals:
the world must come together and agree to
launch negotiations for a post-2012 agreement;
there must be an agreement on what the building
blocks for a framework should be, and;
there must be an end date for negotiations
of 2009.
Canada has been successful in achieving these
goals.
"Climate change is a global problem
requiring global solutions, and we've seen
that with today's agreement. We have a track
record of leadership on the environment at
the G8, APEC, the Commonwealth and the United
Nations." said Minister Baird. "Let
me be clear - Canada is committed to the United
Nations process, we are committed to a new
international framework driven by science,
and we are committed to action with our Turning
the Corner Plan. Now is the time to act."
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
