Trends

In recent decades, a noticeable warming trend in temperature has been established in the Northwest Territories (NWT). This warming trend, the result of carbon dioxide emissions from human activities, is more pronounced in the NWT than in the south. For more information on trends, see the following documents:

• Canada's Changing Climate Report
• NWT Climate Observations - Temperature and Precipitation Observations in the NWT - 1957-2012

Projections

Projections into the climate future of the NWT vary, depending on emissions, as outlined in the University of Alaska Climate Biomes 2012 Report (full report; summary). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections range considerably depending on the level of greenhouse gas mitigation to take place in the near future. Therefore, predictions on the impacts of climate change in the NWT also range considerably.