What's changed about climate change?

The document highlights a global consensus on the threats of climate change and the necessity of a massive energy transformation to limit temperature rises to below 2°C or 1.5°C. It notes that renewables became the second largest electricity source in 2014 and that costs for solar and wind technologies are falling rapidly. The briefing also emphasizes the health and economic benefits of decarbonization, specifically citing the potential for $300 million in annual health benefits from closing coal plants in Alberta and the growth of Canada's clean energy sector. Finally, it details Canada's 2013 emissions of 726 mega-tonnes and its targets to reduce these to 622 MT by 2020 and 524 MT by 2030.

• To limit global temperature increases to below 2°C or 1.5°C by 2100, the IPCC estimates that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 40% to 70% (for 2°C) or 70% to 95% (for 1.5°C) by 2050, relative to 2010 levels.
• Renewable energy is expanding rapidly, becoming the second largest source of electricity globally in 2014. The IEA forecasts that by 2040, renewable-based electricity will provide approximately 50% of electricity in Europe, 30% in China and Japan, and 25% in India and the United States.
• The cost of renewable technologies has decreased significantly, with solar PV module prices dropping 75% since 2009 and the real cost of wind energy falling 58% over five years, making wind competitive with coal and natural gas in many areas.
• Decarbonization offers substantial health and economic gains; for instance, closing six coal-fired power plants in Alberta is projected to generate $300 million in annual air pollution-related health benefits. In Canada, the clean energy generation sector grew by 88% in 2014, reaching CAD$10.9 billion.
• In 2013, Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions were 726 mega-tonnes, with the oil and gas industry (25%) and transportation sector (23%) being the largest contributors. Canada has set targets to reduce these emissions to 622 MT by 2020 and 524 MT by 2030.

APA

Perrotta, K. (2016). What's changed about climate change? Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/whats-changed-about-climate-change/

Chicago

Perrotta, Kim. What's changed about climate change? Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2016. https://cape.ca/whats-changed-about-climate-change/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Perrotta |first1=Kim |title=What's changed about climate change? |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=26 February 2016 |url=https://cape.ca/whats-changed-about-climate-change/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{perrotta2016whats, author = {Perrotta, Kim}, title = {{What's changed about climate change?}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://cape.ca/whats-changed-about-climate-change/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }