Mapping the Future: How GIS Tackles Climate Change

What if you could see the invisible forces shaping our planet—like rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and changes in our environment? With the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), you can. This technology not only helps us understand the story of climate change but also empowers us to take meaningful action. Ready to discover how you can make a difference in our world?

To understand climate change, we need to be able to differentiate between climate and weather. Watch the video and consider these questions:

1. How might changes in one part of the climate system, such as the melting of polar ice, impact weather and climate in other parts of the world?
2. In what ways can human activities influence local weather patterns and contribute to broader climate changes? Can you think of examples where this has occurred?

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a certain time and place that describes conditions such as hot/cold, wet/dry, calm/stormy, and clear/cloudy.

Climate Change is the long-term changes in the average weather patterns on Earth, including shifts in temperature, rain-fall, and the frequency of extreme weather events.

Earth's climate has changed throughout its long history, but the current changes are unlike any before. Human activities are driving rapid, global changes at an unprecedented pace, with scientists observing a clear trend of overall warming. But what does this mean for our planet, and why should we care? Check out this story map to explore causes, consequences and consensus of climate change and what actions you can take to be a part of the solution.

97% of actively publishing climate scientists agree that humans are impacting climate change and global warming.

Climate change impacts are affecting natural and human systems. Some of these impacts are shown in the diagram below:

Further Your Thinking:

1. What other climate change impacts would you add to this diagram?
2. What impacts are related to natural systems? Which are related to human systems?
3. How could you show the interrelation between impacts with additional arrows on the diagram? (i.e. does flooding correlate with ecosystem stress?)

The diagram above shows a very simplified version of some of the many impacts climate change is having on Earth's systems. Climate change impacts are more like a web, where everything is connected. When one part of our environment changes—like when temperatures rise—it can affect other things too, like weather patterns, plant growth, and even animal behavior. These changes don't happen in isolation; they are all linked, making the effects of climate change complex and sometimes unpredictable.

Explore these resources to learn more about climate change impacts:

Myths, Misinformation, & Mindset Shifts: Watch this video to learn about Canada's impact and opportunity to take action on climate change.

Reflect: What change can you make today to lower your impact on climate change?

GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems.

G: WHERE Everything has a location. Whether it's an address (24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa ON), or a description (the Prime Minister of Canada's official residence), anything can be mapped. 

I: WHAT Information about what you're mapping. Is it your house? Is it the route you take to get to school? Is it all of the places where Lord of the Rings was filmed in New Zealand? 

S: WITH How are you making your map? Is it online? Is it with a tablet? Is it outside using a GPS device to record your location?

Climate action encompasses the efforts made by individuals, communities, governments, and organizations to combat climate change effects. These efforts fall under three categories: Adaptation, Mitigation, and Resilience. The diagram below depicts how climate resilience is an outcome of the combined efforts made when focusing on adaption and mitigation of climate change impacts.

“The Earth is a complex, interconnected system, and we have a responsibility to protect and preserve it”

Explore  National Geographic's Mapmaker: Climate Change Indicators  to see several layers of climate change indicators in one map.

• Read the background and summary information within the National Geographic resource to understand the data in the map.
• Open up the  map  and explore 2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Country and Land Surface Temperature change from 1985-2050.
• Discuss the questions listed in the National Geographic resource.

This collection of resources is geared toward students who want to explore various dimensions of climate change, including its impact, adaptation strategies, mitigation efforts, and resilience-building techniques.

1. How might GIS help visualize and understand the effects of climate change?
2. In what ways could GIS technology be used to support climate action in efforts to mitigate, adapt to, and build resilience against climate change?
3. How could YOU use GIS to explore and propose solutions to local and global climate challenges?

This story map was developed by Esri Canada's Higher Education team for a post-secondary audience. It provides greater depth and detail on how GIS can help us to understand and address climate change.