Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century - it threatens our livelihoods, security, and well-being. An increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) is warming the planet, and as global temperatures rise, climate patterns around the world are changing.

Brampton is already experiencing the effects of climate change, and this will only become more evident in the near future. Even if we drastically cut our greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, the City and the rest of the globe is 'locked in' to a certain degree of warming due to the impacts we have inherited from the past 150 years of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the Climate Trends an Future Projections for the Region of Peel, some of the changes in climate will include:

• Warmer annual air temperatures
• More extreme heat days with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius
• Less extreme cold days where temperatures are below -20 degrees Celsius
• More precipitation, particularly during the winter and s​pring seasons
• More extreme weather events (e.g. intense storms)

• Warmer: Average Annual Temperatures will increase by 5 degrees
• Wetter: Precipitation will increase by about 100mm/year
• Wilder: Extreme 1-day precipitation events will increase by 22%

These changes will lead to significant impacts to Brampton and its communities including more flooding, loss of ecosystems and species, increasing numbers of pests and diseases (e.g., West Nile), more heat-related illnesses, higher frequency of power outages, and loss of winter sports such as hockey and skiing to name a few. As an urban area, Brampton will experience these impacts more acutely, particularly those related to heat and flooding. ​