Thanks for your question! The polar vortex is a naturally occurring feature of earth's atmosphere that is present every year. In that sense, the polar vortex *by itself* cannot cause climate change, but if greenhouse gases are added to the system that can affect how winds blow including the polar vortex. Those changes in the polar vortex winds could then alter regional climate change at the surface, by changing weather patterns. So the polar vortex's *response* to climate change in theory can modulate how climate change is felt at the surface. [essentially, the total climate change response is equal to the part that comes from greenhouse gas warming plus the part that comes from changes in the circulation/winds, which may enhance the warming response in some areas and reduce it in others]. Unfortunately, climate models don't agree on what the Arctic polar vortex's response to climate change will be- some show it significantly strengthening, while others show it weakening.