Climate Change	Fisheries & Aquaculture	Coastal Development	Aquatic Habitats	Eutrophication	Contaminants	Biodiversity	Emerging Issues

Climate change, or the altering of long-term weather patterns, is already happening and represents one of the greatest environmental threats facing the planet. The Fourth Assessment Report (2007) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that the Earth's average surface temperature has risen by 0.76 °C since 1850. The northern hemisphere is substantially warmer than at any point during the past 1,000 years. Most of the warming over the past 50 years is very likely to have been caused by emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other 'greenhouse gases' from human activities. Today's atmosphere contains 32 per cent more carbon dioxide than it did at the start of the industrial era. Levels of methane and carbon dioxide are the highest they have been in nearly half a million years.

Global temperatures are predicted to continue rising. Without action to reduce emissions, the global average temperature is likely to rise by a further 1.8 - 4.0 °C this century. This will cause changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as storms, floods, droughts and heat waves. Such climatic events can have major social and economic impacts including on households, businesses, critical infrastructure (transport, energy and water supply), and vulnerable people (elderly, disabled, poor income households), as well as having an impact on ecosystems and biota.

The Gulf of Maine Council recognizes the importance of climate change to the Gulf of Maine, its ecosystems and people. The Climate Change Network Task Force (CCN) was created in 2003 to develop adaptation strategies, encourage research and provide information to managers.

• Climate Change and its Effects on Humans (.pdf)
• Climate Change and its Effects on Ecosystems, Habitats and Biota (.pdf)

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