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Impacts of Climate Change

Climate change impacts are classified as being one of two general types: bio-physical impacts include physical changes to northern landscapes and ecosystems; socio-economic impacts arise from bio-physical impacts and are expected to change how all Yukoners live and work.

These impacts were outlined in some detail in 2004 in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, which also predicted the following for Yukon:

• Higher year round temperatures - winters warming more than summers, with winter warming being greater farther north; summers warming more in south and central Yukon than in the north, due to the moderating effect of the Beaufort Sea.

• More precipitation in the winter - with the change being greater farther north. There will be little change in average summer precipitation levels.

• More extreme weather events - both in winter and summer, including heavy summer rainfall and thunder storms.

Additional Resources

• Physical Impacts - Climate Change Fact Sheet 175 KB
• Ecological Impacts  - Climate Change Fact Sheet 211 KB
• Impacts on People - Climate Change Fact Sheet 234 KB
• Yukon Water: A Summary of Climate Change Vulnerabilities 3 MB
  
• Climate Change Action Plan 2.2 MB