The NWT has experienced a warming rate that is two to four times faster than the global average. Increase in temperature can lead to more precipitation (rain, snow, hail) and a loss of permafrost and sea ice. Natural disasters like wildfires will be seen more frequently.
Increasing temperatures and precipitation potentially allow for the increase in diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease that are passed on by insects. Wildfires and other natural disasters would also directly and indirectly affect people’s health, from bad air quality to different types of infectious diseases.
To address these impacts, the Government of the Northwest Territories is developing a strategy for climate change that will help individuals and communities adapt. To learn more, see:
For more information on how climate change can affect your health, visit the Government of Canada’s website: