Canada and the climate crisis: a state of denial 3

As temperatures rise and desertification spreads, Africa could instead play a major role in dealing with climate crisis problems if the developed world invests in it. Africa has some of the world's greatest potential for solar and wind generation of electricity and many of the vital minerals needed for renewable generation components, but would-be generators face large obstacles in the form of a high cost of capital for renewable energy projects. Many governments are urging institutions such as the World Bank to adjust their practices to make such development easier.

Desertification in Africa graph (https://desertification.wordpress.com/2017/03/05/desertification-in-afri...)

Alain-Richard Donwahi, a former Ivory Coast defence minister who led last year’s UN Cop15 summit on desertification, said the effects of drought were taking hold more rapidly than expected.

“Climate change is a pandemic that we need to fight quickly. See how fast the degradation of the climate is going – I think it’s going even faster than we predicted,” he said. “Everyone is fixated on 1.5C [above pre-industrial levels], and it’s a very important target. But actually, some very bad things could happen, in terms of soil degradation, water scarcity and desertification, way before 1.5C.”

The problems of rising temperatures, heatwaves and more intense droughts and floods, were endangering food security in many regions, Donwahi said. “[Look at] the effects of droughts on food security, the effects of droughts on migration of population, the effect of droughts on inflation. We could have an acceleration of negative effects, other than temperature,” he said. ...

Governments around the world signed a treaty pledging to combat desertification in 1992, alongside the UN framework convention on climate change, which is the parent treaty to the 2015 Paris climate agreement, and the UN convention on biodiversity, which aims to safeguard species abundance.

But the desertification treaty gains least attention, and last year’s Cop15 on desertification went largely unnoticed compared with the climate Cop27 and the biodiversity Cop15 last December.  Donwahi said the world could not afford to ignore desertification. “We need to solve all the problems together. Desertification and drought leads to climate change, leads to loss of biodiversity. And when you have climate change you have droughts, floods, storms. “It’s not only the poor countries, everybody is in the same boat [on food security]. Climate change, droughts, storms, floods don’t know any boundaries, they don’t need a visa to go into a country.” ...

Rich countries should look to Africa for the solutions to the climate crisis, he added. Africa enjoys many of the natural resources – from minerals required for renewable energy technology, to forests, sun and vast groundwater reserves – needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve food security and preserve biodiversity.

“Africa is a continent of solutions. It’s a continent where you have the most natural resources. The people who have the finance should help the people who have the natural resources. It’s a win-win situation, a partnership situation,” he said.

He called on Africans to seize these opportunities. “If the Africans realise that Africa is a solution, they will act differently – they will come with a more positive attitude, that you’re fighting to find solutions together. That’s how we should think – you don’t want to always be the one waiting for the help, for the handout, waiting cap in hand.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/12/global-heating-likel...

As the weather around the world is already breaking all kinds of records in 2024, "New Research Puts This Winter’s Wild Weather In Frightening Context". 

GOES-West GeoColor satellite image shows a storm system approaching the U.S. West coast on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.NOAA / AP

 

Since the start of 2024, countless scientific studies have been published with big repercussions for our understanding of climate change and weather events. I read through as many as I could and have rounded up some of the most telling:

We might need to expand the hurricane rating system.

Hurricane strength is generally rated on a scale from 1 to 5, based on wind speeds. Category 3 hurricanes have wind speeds between 111 to 129 mph, for instance, and category 4 goes from 130 to 156 mph. Category 5, however, is flexible, and includes storms with wind speeds ranging from 157 mph to infinity. The trouble is, with climate change, the wind speeds just keep increasing. 2015’s Hurricane Patricia, for example, saw wind speeds up to 215 mph. 

That huge range is dangerous, researchers explained recently in a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences. “The open-endedness of the Saffir-Simpson Scale can lead to underestimation of risk,” the authors wrote. “This underestimation becomes increasingly problematic in a warming world.” 

In the paper, authors Michael F. Wehner, of the Berkeley National Laboratory, and James P. Kossin, of the nonprofit First Street Foundation, make the case for a Category 6 in the hurricane scale that would encompass winds greater than 192 mph. Wehner and Kossin found five storms that would fit into Category 6, and all of them occurred in the last decade.

While the researchers are not formally proposing changes to the scale, they hope “to raise awareness that the wind-hazard risk from storms presently designated as Category 5 has increased and will continue to increase under climate change.” Communication is a key way to mitigate that danger, Kossin emphasizes. “Changes in messaging are necessary to better inform the public about inland flooding and storm surge.” 

The world may have already surpassed the warming we thought we’d hit in the year 2100.

In a study published by the journal Nature Climate in early Feburary, researchers from the University of Western Australia looking at sea sponges stumbled upon an inconvenient fact: The Earth is warming at a rate almost two decades faster than expected. In 2015, 174 nations came together to draft the Paris Accords, an international treaty on climate change, and agreed on one thing: it was crucial to stop the world from getting 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter by 2100. “One-point-five has become an iconic figure,” Sir David King, former lead negotiator from the UK Foreign Office at the UN climate summit, told BBC News. We have left that iconic figure in the dust though, as the study in Nature Climate estimates we passed the 1.5 threshold in 2020. 

The researchers were able to come to this conclusion through a close examination of sclerosponges, a slow growing ocean creature that can live for hundreds of years. The team used strontium to calcium ratios—how much of each element in each sponge—sampled from the creatures to calculate the water temperature of the ocean over time. Due to the slow-growing nature of the sponges, the team was able to look back to temperatures in the 16th century, something no other researchers have been able to do; the IPCC, the UN’s climate change body, had relied on research drawn from sailors’ hand written logs.

Outside scientists like Dr. Hali Kilbourne of University of Maryland say the new research should be validated by other records before it completely shifts our paradigm. But the researchers feel confident in the sclerosponges, which are located below the sea surface in an area of the Caribbean not affected by major ocean currents. They may be the perfect neutral watchdog for ocean temperature. “The changes in Puerto Rico mimic the changes in the globe,” Amos Winter, one of the study’s authors told the New York Times.

Climate change deaths since 2000 top 4 million. 

Last month, a climate change biologist at Georgetown estimated that 4 million people died due to climate change between 2000 and today.

Biologist Colin Carlson reached that conclusion using the McMichael standard, a 2000-era estimation that looked at deaths from malnutrition, floods, diarrhea, and malaria and used computer modeling to estimate how many of those deaths were from climate change. His commentary in the journal Nature Medicine, published at the end of January, was titled: “After millions of preventable deaths, climate change must be treated like a health emergency.”

Carlson’s count is “definitely an underestimate” says Wael Al-Delaimy, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Diego who pointed to a lack of mortality data in low income countries. Even researchers involved with the McMichael standard admit they knew their model was conservative when they were implementing it.

Around the same time Carlson’s article was published, the World Economic Forum released a research report titled “Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Human Health.” The report utilized a similar framework to the McMichael standard, considering how floods, droughts, wildfires, sea-level rise, tropical storms, and heat waves may affect health. Their calculation estimated that 14.5 million would die globally from climate change by 2050. “These staggering numbers are actually conservative,” Daniel R. Brooks, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto uninvolved with the research, told Grist. 

Living up to its name, the WEF calculated that these deaths don’t come cheap. The report predicts that health care systems will bear $1.1 trillion in medical costs from climate-induced impacts.

Snowpack—and freshwater—is at the lowest it has ever been.

Newsrooms across Washington, California, Montana, and more are reporting “record-low” levels of snowpack. While traditionally considered to be a concern of the skiers and snowboarders of the world, snowpack is a key element of the water cycle. As the EPA explains, “millions of people in the West depend on the melting of mountain snowpack for hydropower, irrigation, and drinking water.” (Our recent water package digs into the losses and dangers of this loss of H2O.)

A January study published in the journal Nature proved that global warming caused declines in Northern Hemisphere snowpack from 1981 to 2020. The researchers identified 17.6 degrees Fahrenheit as the “tipping point” where snowpack starts to decrease significantly and warn that “further warming is likely to have rapidly emerging impacts on snow water resources in the mid-latitude basins where people reside and place competing demands on fresh water.”

And the snowpack loss has nothing on the “rapid and accelerating” groundwater loss we published about last week, which reported on another study in Nature that concluded nearly a third of aquifers showed accelerating rates of decline in groundwater levels over the past four decades.

At this point in the climate apocalypse article, there is an impulse to start citing good climate news. There’s the rising renewable energy use, a toad that was saved from extinction, and the unlikely benefit of chat GPT fighting against climate change deniers, to name a few.

But when the numbers keep breaking the wrong records—2023 was the hottest year on record—sometimes we just have to tally it up.

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2024/02/climate-change-science-r...

Juneau Alaska is taxing tourists as part of its carbon offset program, something Canada should look at. 

Some 1.5 million tourists landed in Juneau aboard cruise ships this summer. Many of them visited Mendenhall Glacier, which has retreated about a mile in the past 40 years due to climate change. Photo by Getty Images/Grist

When Kira Roberts moved to Juneau, Alaska, last summer, she immediately noticed how the town of 31,000 changes when the cruise ships dock each morning. Thousands of people pour in, only to vanish by evening. As the season winds down in fall, the parade of buses driving through her neighbourhood slows, and the trails near her home and the vast Mendenhall Glacier no longer teem with tourists. ...

But Mendenhall is shrinking quickly: The 13-mile-long glacier has retreated about a mile in the past 40 years. Getting all those tourists to Juneau — some 1.5 million this summer by cruise ship alone — requires burning the very thing contributing to its retreat: fossil fuels.

In an effort to mitigate a portion of that CO2, some of those going whale watching or visiting the glacier are asked to pay a few dollars to counter their emissions. The money goes to the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund, but instead of buying credits from some distant (and questionable) offset project, the non-profit spends that cash installing heat pumps, targeting residents like Roberts who rely upon oil heating systems. 

Heat pumps are “a no-brainer” in Juneau’s mild (for Alaska) winters, said Andy Romanoff, who administers the fund. Juneau’s grid relies on emissions-free hydropower, so electricity is cheaper and less polluting than oil heat. They also save residents money — Roberts said she was paying around $500 a month on heating oil and has seen her electricity bill climb just $30.

Programs from Monterey, Calif., to Lancaster, Pa., have tried using similar models to finance local renewable or energy-efficiency projects, and carbon offsets for flying and other activities are nothing new. But most of the voluntary market for such things is run by large companies backing distant projects. The fund in Juneau is eager to capitalize on the massive tourist interest in its backyard.

The program, which until recently was called the Juneau Carbon Offset Fund, started in 2019 when members of the advocacy organization Renewable Juneau were discussing how to help Juneau achieve its goal of having renewables provide 80 per cent of the city’s energy needs by 2045. The organization’s existing heat pump programs were reaching only the “low-hanging fruit,” Romanoff said: People who had money and were ready to switch for climate reasons alone. It envisioned the fund as a way to get the devices — and the fossil fuel reduction they provide — to more residents. ...

The Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund uses three years of utility bills to determine how much oil a recipient was burning before getting a heat pump. It’s paid for 41 installations since 2019, at an average cost of $7,000, and estimates the devices will prevent 3,125 metric tons of carbon emissions over their 15-year lifespans. Those calculations, plus a subsidy from non-tourism donations, bring its carbon price to $46 a ton.  That’s more expensive than many voluntary credits, but in line with what Haya said are higher-quality projects. “That looks like the cost of real mitigation,” she said. A more fundamental issue is proving any offset project wouldn’t have happened on its own, Haya said. ...

Although the fund has money for future installations, Romanoff said the speed with which it can work is limited by a nationwide shortage of installers. Most of its donations came from the nearby gold mine and the Juneau guiding company Above and Beyond Alaska, but Allen Marine, a regional tour operator, started pitching the fund to passengers this summer and now offers an opt-in donation when booking online. The company considered the fund an opportunity to “give back to the communities that we operate in,” said Travis Mingo, VP of operations. As part of the partnership, the carbon reduction fund agreed to start funding heat pumps in other Allen Marine destinations, like Ketchikan and Sitka. A much smaller company, Wild Coast Excursions, includes the offset in its prices. When owner Peter Nave’s plan for summer tours on the local ski mountain fell through, he shifted to bear viewing and alpine hiking trips, some of which are far enough away to require helicopter rides.

https://grist.org/energy/in-juneau-alaska-a-carbon-offset-project-thats-...

A new study by Canadian federal scientists concludes that "Alberta tar sands pollution up to 6,300% higher than the fossil fuel industry reported."​

The tar sands upgrader plant at the Syncrude mine north of Fort McMurray, Alta.Ashley Cooper / Corbis / Getty Images

Aircraft flying over Alberta’s oil sands have found emissions of organic carbon — a primary driver of air pollution — between 1,900 per cent and 6,300 per cent higher than industry has reported.

That’s more than all the organic carbon pollution emitted across Canada combined, according to the new study, led by Canadian federal scientists and published in the journal Science Thursday. 

Drew Gentner, a researcher at Yale University’s Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and one of 24 co-authors of the study, said the previously unaccounted for emissions from the Athabasca oil sands were largely made up of volatile organic compounds overlooked in routine monitoring. He said they were surprised by the massive gap. 

“These compounds are important reactive chemicals in the atmosphere with implications for air quality and the environment,” said Gentner. 

Those compounds react with sunlight to produce fine particulate matter — which is linked to major health and climate effects — and gases like ozone, a key component of smog and leading cause of pollution in Canadian cities. 

Organic carbon pollution levels were found to be more than 1,500 per cent higher than U.S. mega-cities like Los Angeles, Calif., a city long known for smog.

Ozone has also been known to reduce wheat crop yields by up to a third, costing agriculture in East Asia up to US$63 billion a year, according to one 2022 study. 

“Depending on the pollutant, air quality impacts can span from nearby communities in the region (e.g., Fort McMurray, Indigenous communities) to downwind impacts on humans and the environment,” said Gentner in an email.

Past monitoring has failed to capture the full scope of organic carbon pollution because it wasn’t looking at a diverse enough range of molecular sizes often associated with heavy oil and bitumen deposits. Such deposits are expected to account for 40 per cent of global oil production by 2040, the study found. 

With an estimated 1.7 trillion barrels of oil, the Alberta oil sands make up most of Canada’s oil production and a large share of its carbon pollution. 

Study the latest evidence industry is underreporting emissions

In a study released last April, some of the same researchers at Environment and Climate Change Canada used aircraft, satellite and historical data to reassess climate changing emissions from the oil sands. 

They found the oil-producing region could be producing 31 million tonnes of unreported carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year — 65 per cent higher than industry reported. 

The latest study found organic carbon pollution to be 20 to 64 times greater than reported in Canada’s National Pollutant Release Inventory, which is required the report the entire range of volatile organic compounds. That’s 13 per cent more than Canada’s entire annual output of organic carbon emissions.

“Measured [volatile organic compounds] only account for a fraction of total measured organic carbon,” said the study.

“Thus, the oil sands sector alone represents a dominant fraction of country-wide gas-phase organic carbon emissions, even when only including the facilities studied here.” 

The researchers concluded that current surveillance of organic carbon pollution would need to change if Canada were to accurately report the full air quality and environmental impacts of the oil sands operations. 

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/highlights/alberta-tar-sands-pollutio...

In this CBC Early Edition podcast at the url below, Dr. Tim Takaro from UBC's University's Health Sciences discusses a new study into  possible negative health impacts from LNG projects, such as Squamish BC's Woodfibre LNG facility, while noting the long history of lies to coverup the extent of greenhouse gas emissions and their effect by the fossil fuel industry. 

Vancouver Coastal Health's chief medical officer Dr. Michael Schwandt joins scientists from University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto and Texas A & M in the first Canadian study on possible negative health impacts from LNG projects, including the Woodfibre LNG plant currently under construction near Squamish. We find out more from one of the study researchers Dr. Tim Takaro, professor emeritus with Simon Fraser University's Health Sciences.

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-91-the-early-edition/clip/1604366...

Currently there are 92 active wildfires in BC and many more across the country as the 2023-2024 hot, dry winter brings drought to BC and greatly increases the possibility of an extremely difficult 2024 wildfire season in the province. In 2023, more than 5,000 foreign  firefighters were brought to Canada by June 14 with well over a 1,000 coming to BC, raising serious questions about whether BC is ready for the 2024 fire season. 

The Donnie Creek wildfire, just one of 2,545 of wildfires in 2023 in BC grew to be larger than Prince Edward Island,(B.C. Wildfire Service)

A fire smoulders underground near Fort Nelson, B.C. There are still 92 active wildfires in British Columbia and another 54 in Alberta, despite frigid winter weather.  (Submitted by Sonja Leverkus)

After a gruelling eight months battling wildfires in British Columbia, Sonja Leverkus was looking forward to a break. But with many fires still smouldering, she worries it won't be long until she's fighting flames again. "It still feels like we haven't had enough time to get recovered, let alone get ready, because here we go again," said Leverkus, a wildland firefighter crew leader who lives in Fort Nelson, B.C.

There are still 92 active fires in British Columbia and another 54 in Alberta — holdovers from last year — according to the latest figures from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Others are also active in the Northwest Territories, experts said. 

Fires that simmer below the surface in winter are sometimes called "zombie fires" or "overwintering fires." Often, they are visible to the naked eye only by small plumes of smoke that billow into the winter sky. One of them is about 40 kilometres from Fort Nelson, she said. Concerned residents have been sending her videos and photos of smoke from the smouldering fires, which have persisted even through frigid weather. "A lot of people talk about fire season and the end of the fire season, but our fires did not stop burning in 2023," said Leverkus, who is also an adjunct professor researching wildfire at the University of Alberta. "Our fires dug underground and have been burning pretty much all winter." ...

'The dice are loaded'

Research suggests such fires are becoming more common as the climate warms. The hot, dry conditions that contribute to powerful wildfires during the summer can lead to deep burning in carbon-rich soils like peat. In such cases, a fire can simmer underground for days, weeks or even months after the flames subside.

Last summer's record-setting wildfire season, coupled with the drought-like conditions that persist in parts of British Columbia and Alberta, have made the situation this winter more worrisome, said Mike Flannigan, a wildfire expert and professor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. Over the summer, some fires grew so large they are nearly impossible to stamp out during the winter months, Flannigan says. The Donnie Creek fire in northeastern B.C., for instance, was larger than Prince Edward Island.

Jennifer Baltzer, a professor in the department of biology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, says the spike in overwintering fires in Western Canada is highly unusual.  "It's not something I've seen in any of the data sets," said Baltzer, who researches overwintering wildfires. "What we don't know is how many of these will actually translate to reignition in the spring."

The conditions in the coming months will go a long way in determining whether this will lead to another early start and major year for wildfires. "It depends on the day-to-day weather that we'll see in the spring," Flannigan said.  "The dice are loaded, the deck is stacked — whatever phrase you want to use, there is a high likelihood of a very active spring."

In a recent bulletin, the B.C. Wildfire Service said it is monitoring fires in the province, saying it has "protocols in place to patrol large fires when weather conditions could allow holdover fires to show themselves. Personnel are currently monitoring existing fires as conditions allow and are establishing response priorities," the statement said. "As additional resources return, appropriate actions will be taken when and where possible."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/wildfires-zombie-fires-canada-bc-alberta...

Some hopeful news for a change during the climate crisis.  Although the Trudeau and Furey Liberals have poured hundreds of millions into subsidizing an offshore oil industry, they have ignored wind as a source of energy despite "In the realm of renewable energy, Newfoundland stands out as a beacon of opportunity, particularly in the burgeoning field of wind hydrogen."

An example of an offshore wind turbine, of the kind Newfoundland is lacking because of Trudeau and Furey Liberal govrenment focus on offshore oil

 Newfoundland Emerges as a Premium Destination for Wind Hydrogen

In the realm of renewable energy, Newfoundland stands out as a beacon of opportunity, particularly in the burgeoning field of wind hydrogen. Nestled amidst the majestic landscapes of Canada’s eastern coast, this province boasts a unique blend of natural resources and strategic advantages that position it as a premium destination for the development of wind hydrogen projects. From its abundant wind resources to its forward-thinking energy policies, Newfoundland offers a compelling case for investors and stakeholders seeking to capitalize on the potential of clean hydrogen production.

Abundant Wind Resources

One of Newfoundland’s most prominent assets is its vast and untapped wind energy potential. The province’s rugged coastline and expansive offshore areas are blessed with strong and consistent winds, particularly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Grand Banks region. These favorable wind conditions present an ideal environment for the deployment of offshore wind farms, which can harness the power of the Atlantic Ocean to generate clean and renewable electricity.

Integration of Offshore Wind and Hydrogen Production

The synergy between offshore wind energy and hydrogen production holds immense promise for Newfoundland’s energy future. Offshore wind farms can serve as the primary source of renewable electricity, which can then be utilized to power electrolyzers for the production of green hydrogen through electrolysis. This green hydrogen, derived from renewable sources, offers a carbon-neutral alternative to traditional fossil fuels and holds the key to decarbonizing various sectors, including transportation, industry, and heating.

Strategic Geographic Location

Situated at the crossroads of North America and Europe, Newfoundland’s strategic geographic location offers significant advantages for the export and distribution of wind hydrogen. With its proximity to major energy markets in the northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada, as well as its access to established shipping routes and infrastructure, the province is well-positioned to become a hub for the production and export of green hydrogen to international markets.

Government Support and Policy Framework

Newfoundland’s commitment to renewable energy development is reinforced by robust government support and a favorable policy framework. Provincial initiatives such as the Green Energy Plan and the Newfoundland and Labrador Hydrogen Strategy demonstrate a clear commitment to fostering the growth of the renewable energy sector, including wind hydrogen projects. Moreover, federal incentives and funding opportunities further incentivize investments in clean energy initiatives, creating a conducive environment for industry players and stakeholders.

Economic Opportunities and Job Creation

Beyond its environmental benefits, the development of wind hydrogen projects in Newfoundland holds immense economic potential. The establishment of offshore wind farms and hydrogen production facilities will stimulate economic growth, create job opportunities, and attract investment in the region’s burgeoning green economy. From engineering and construction to operations and maintenance, the entire value chain of wind hydrogen projects will generate employment and drive economic prosperity for local communities.

Newfoundland emerges as a premium destination for wind hydrogen, leveraging its abundant wind resources, strategic geographic location, government support, and economic opportunities. By harnessing the power of offshore wind energy and green hydrogen production, the province can lead the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future while unlocking significant economic and environmental benefits. As the world increasingly embraces clean energy solutions, Newfoundland stands ready to seize the opportunities presented by wind hydrogen and emerge as a global leader in the renewable energy sector.

https://theogm.com/2024/02/22/tina-olivero-newfoundland-emerges-as-a-pre...

The Tim Houston PC Nova Scoita government has retreated on its plan to develop wind power offshore. 

Canada and Nova Scotia share jurisdiction of waters extending from shorelines outside bays to the 200 mile territorial limit. Both levels are working together to create rules to approve and manage offshore wind farms in Nova Scotia. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The Nova Scotia government is tapping the brakes on its plan to fast-track wind farms inside bays where it has sole control of development. "We're pausing any consideration of waters within provincial jurisdiction until the framework for jointly managed offshore areas is in place," Natural Resources and Renewables Minister Tory Rushton said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Canada and Nova Scotia share jurisdiction of waters extending from shorelines outside bays within the country's exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 miles. Both levels are working together to create rules to approve and manage offshore wind farms in Nova Scotia that will produce electricity without creating greenhouse gases that cause climate change. ...

The decision to focus first on jointly managed waters — in essence a go-slower approach — capped several months of lobbying by fisheries groups concerned that wind farms inside bays would displace already crowded fishing grounds. "I would say that the fishing industry is very, very pleased that the province has listened to the many, many voices both within our industry and other industries," said Ginny Boudreau, executive director of the Guysborough County Inshore Fishermen's Association. Its members fish in Chedabucto Bay, at the entrance to the Strait of Canso. It was one of two bays the province had selected for potential development. "There are many industries that are already using that space. It's a very high traffic area for several industries including the fishing industry and I don't really think that there is space available for the type of development that would be necessary to generate enough energy to be beneficial," said Boudreau.

The province says the ongoing consultations "will help inform our decisions for the regulatory framework for both areas. Our decision to focus on jointly managed waters first reflects that we are listening to the feedback through this process," Rushton said. ...

Seabed leases for wind farms inside bays could be issued as early as next year, according to its offshore wind road map it issues in May. "In waters under provincial jurisdiction, early commercial-scale offshore wind could be developed closer to shore at relatively competitive costs, establishing a foundation for future larger-scale developments in joint-managed waters," the road map states. The provincial goal is to offer licences for five gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2030, about twice the total amount of power generated by Nova Scotia today.

Twenty percent of that would come from provincial waters. ...

In the meantime the joint federal-provincial effort continues. Ottawa has introduced legislation to empower a joint federal-provincial offshore board to regulate marine wind power. Nova Scotia will follow suit with mirror legislation once that passes.

A five-member panel has been created to lead consultations on how and where development should take place. ...

One of the representatives said he was pleased with the pause but is still opposed to ocean-based wind farms.  "Lobsters migrate into bays and shoal water when it's warm to reproduce and carry on their life cycle. The bays and inlets need just as much protection as the offshore waters,' said Dan Fleck of the Brazil Rock Lobster Association, representing lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia. "It's bewildering that a 450-year-old fishery, that has fed people for centuries, could be risked by dumping thousands of tons of concrete and other construction materials for the sake of a technology which could be obsolete in 15 years," he said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/government-retreats-offshore-...

Below is a look at renewable and non-renewable energy generation for electricity across Canada by province. But we need to do a lot more and quickly. Water accounts " accounting for 61.3% of total electricity production in 2022, followed by combustible fuels (19.2%), nuclear (12.9%), wind (6.1%) and solar (0.5%)."

Here in Canada, wind is generating far more power than the sun, but both are overshadowed by the power of water, fossil fuels and nuclear fission. Storing the energy of the wind and the sun when the “wind don’t blow and the sun don’t shine” is an important step in the transition to a world of lower greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly one-third of the utility companies in Canada employed energy storage systems to better harness the power of the wind and the sun in 2019.

Water is winning the energy battle of the elements in Canada

Canadian utilities and industrial producers generated 640.3 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity in 2022, with 89.8% directed towards keeping the stoves and lights on here in Canada and 10.2% exported to the United States. One megawatt hour is equivalent to the power needed to light two 60-watt light bulbs for an entire year.

Given that Canada has the fourth largest renewable water resources in the world, perhaps it is not surprising that water contributes the most to our electrical grid, accounting for 61.3% of total electricity production in 2022, followed by combustible fuels (19.2%), nuclear (12.9%), wind (6.1%) and solar (0.5%). In 2022, wind turbines across Canada generated enough electricity to light and power every home in Manitoba for almost one and a half years. Canadian solar farms generated enough power to light every home in Prince Edward Island for almost two years.

Ontario is Canada’s wind and solar leader

Wind turbines were feeding electricity to the grid in every province and the Northwest Territories in 2022. Nova Scotia wind farms generated the most electricity in Atlantic Canada in 2022, followed by New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. In Central Canada, Ontario topped Quebec in terms of wind generation (14.3 million MWh versus 10.9 million MWh). Alberta (7.2 million MWh) was the top wind energy producer in Western Canada in 2022, generating more electricity than the other three provinces combined. Nationally, wind power production has grown by over one-quarter (+26.4%) since 2017 to 39 million MWh. Solar power was feeding the electricity grid in seven provinces and two territories in 2022. Ontario (2.3 million MWh) generated the most solar energy in 2022, followed by sunny Alberta (851,374 MWh) and Saskatchewan (30,097 MWh).
Nationally, solar power generation has increased by over half (+55.7%) since 2017 to 3.2 million MWh.

Winter wind and summer sun

In Canada, the strength of the wind and sun are highly variable throughout the year. The wind is generally strongest from November to April and mildest in mid-summer. In November 2022, for example, wind contributed 4.2 million MWh to the Canadian electrical grid, double the electricity generated in August (2.1 million MWh) 2022. The days are long in the summer in Canada and the amount of solar power delivered was almost four times larger in July 2022 than in January (404,772 MWh versus 105,072 MWh). In Yukon, solar power delivered 150 times more electricity to the grid in May than it did in December (150 MWh versus 1 MWh).

Supply and demand are like night and day

The other conundrum facing wind and solar power is electricity storage. Currently (pun intended), most of the electricity generated by wind and solar power is delivered directly to the grid and cannot be stored for later use. The issue is that demand for electric power is highest early in the morning and from 5:00 p.m. onwards when most people are at home cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry. Supply, however, is strongest during mid-day when the wind blows harder, and the sun shines brightest.

Electricity storage capacity ramping up

For wind and solar to become reliable energy sources, storage capability is required to deliver the energy when it is most needed. We are currently tracking 112 electricity energy storage systems in Canada, of which 74 are operational. According to the 2022-2023 Energy Storage Report, Ontario leads with 38 operational electrochemical projects, followed by Quebec (9) and Alberta (8).

While 93.3% of Canadian industries have implemented clean technology practices, just under 1 in 30 have developed electric storage capabilities (3.4%).

Utilities are the leading sector for electric energy storage, with nearly one-third of the companies in the sector reporting storage capabilities (32.1%), followed by the management of companies and enterprises (9.6%) and the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (8.6%) sectors.

https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/3779-harnessing-power-wind-and-sun#....

"The burning question for today’s adults is how violent and unpredictable of a climate legacy are we going to saddle our children and future generations with."

Fuelling our rising horde of gas-guzzlers in Canada is burning down our nation’s climate promises and our kids’ future.

A stable climate was a beautiful thing.

It allowed civilization to develop and humanity to prosper. And it allowed all the planet’s majestic ecosystems we cherish and rely on to thrive as well.

But that’s now gone — cooked away over a few short decades by rampant fossil fuel burning. In fact, 90 per cent of all planet-heating gases humans have ever released from burning fossil fuels have been dumped into the atmosphere during the lives of the baby boomers. That’s my generation. We got to grow up under a stable climate. And we’ve spent our lifetimes helping to burn it down. ...

The burning question for today’s adults is how violent and unpredictable of a climate legacy are we going to saddle our children and future generations with. Historically, Canadians have been one of the world’s top 10 climate polluters — both in total and per capita. For the last 35 years, we’ve repeatedly promised to do something about it. How are we doing? ...

As the decades have rolled on and climate breakdown has grown ever more dangerous, Canadians have been out in front, leading our peers. But not in a good way.

My first chart shows what Canadians — and our peers in the Group of Seven (G7) nations — have done with their climate polluting since 1990. 

As you can see, every G7 nation now emits less than they did in 1990 — except Canada. We are the climate rogues in the group, still emitting far more.

Collectively, these wealthy, industrialized nations emit one-third of global climate pollution and produce half the world's GDP. These nations have the resources, talent and capacity to reduce their emissions.

And most have. For example, the chart shows that our German and British peers have been steadily reducing climate pollution for decades. As a result, they’ve cut their emissions in half.

Clearly, it has been possible for Canadians to reduce our oversized climate impact as well. We’ve just refused to act.

If we want to save our kids and future Canadian generations from a dystopian future, we have to stop fuelling the crisis. And a critical place we have to slam the brakes on is the amount of climate pollution we dump out our tailpipes. Few sources of Canadian climate pollution are larger and more out of control than the gasoline and diesel we pump into our cars and trucks. It’s arguably our nation’s single biggest climate impact. My next chart compares the immense scale of these emissions to those from other sectors of our economy and lives.

That tall orange bar on the right is tailpipe emissions from all the road vehicles in Canada — around 120 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) per year.

This “pump it and dump it” climate damage rises to around 150 MtCO2 when we include the additional emissions from extracting, refining and shipping all that gasoline and diesel.

That “wells to wheels” total is shown by an orange dot on the chart, way above everything else.

For scale, there are more than 140 nations that emit less than that for everything in their economy and society.

As the chart shows, it is also more climate pollution than from major sectors in our economy — like heavy industry, agriculture, electricity or all our buildings. In fact, even Canada’s notoriously polluting oilsands industry emits less (86 MtCO2) than our tailpipes.

Not only are our tailpipe emissions massive, we’ve also been increasing them twice as fast as our overall emissions. Canadian tailpipe emissions have risen 28 per cent since 1990 — versus a 14 per cent rise for everything else combined. This surge in tailpipe pollution has erased our climate progress in other areas and dragged our national emissions even higher.

What’s driving this trend? Lots more tailpipes — attached to the world’s worst gas-guzzlers. Let’s look at each of these problems in more detail.

Problem #1: Canada’s rising horde of burners.

The primary reason our tailpipe emissions are going up is that the number of fossil fuel-burning cars and trucks (a.k.a. burnermobiles) keeps going up. My next chart shows the relentless trend.

Back in 2000, we had 18 million burners on our roads. Now we have 26 million.

That means we have eight million more gas tanks we are filling. And eight million more tailpipes spewing climate pollution.

Canadians could choose pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) instead of burnermobiles. These run on made-in-Canada electricity, which is far less climate- damaging than gasoline.

In fact, gasoline engines are about as climate dirty as you can get — producing twice the climate pollution of coal power plants to do the same work. 

So far, however, less than one per cent of Canadian cars and trucks are BEVs. On the chart, they’re shown by the tiny green smear of frosting on top of that hulking black mountain of fossil burners.

That last chart showed the trend over the last couple decades. This next one focuses on what we did last year.

The height of each bar shows the percentage of new passenger vehicles that burn gasoline or diesel.

The red bar is Canada. Last year, when Canadians decided to buy a brand-new passenger car or truck, 92 out of 100 bought a burner. That’s according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada.

As you can see, that’s a higher rate than our peers in many other nations.

For example, last year in the cold, northern, oil-producing nation of Norway, new car buyers only picked burnermobiles 17 per cent of the time. They chose all-electric BEV 83 per cent of the time. As a result, total emissions from Norway’s passenger vehicle fleet have been plunging.

New cars and trucks last a long time. As each new one rolls off the dealer’s lot, it commits us to tonnes more climate pollution spewing out its tailpipe for the next decade or two. How many tonnes are locked in depends on how big of a gas guzzler each car is.

And here again, Canadians lead the pack.

Problem #2: Canadians choose the world’s most climate-polluting cars.

A second major reason for Canada’s huge tailpipe emissions is the sad fact that Canadians choose to buy the world’s most climate-polluting new cars.

This was true a decade ago, according to a survey I covered back then by the International Energy Agency (IEA). And it’s sadly still true today, according to a new report by GlobalFuelEconomy.org.

My next chart shows what this most recent report found.

Each bar on this chart shows litres burned per 100 kilometres (L/100km), for the average new passenger vehicle.

For example, at the top of the chart, we see that the French, Germans and British choose cars that burn five litres on average. In the middle of the pack, we see that the Chinese buy new cars that burn six litres on average. And the world average is a bit under seven litres.

Where are Canadians? Way down at the very bottom. Our new passenger vehicles average 8.3 L/100km.

Some common new Canadian vehicles that burn around 8.3 L/100km include the all-wheel drive versions of the Toyota RAV4 and Camry, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape and Subaru’s Impreza, Forester and Outback.

Cars and trucks last a long time and those litres add up. In Canada, the average new passenger vehicle requires the owner to pump over 20 tonnes of gasoline into it over its lifespan. At recent gas prices of around $1.50 per litre, it will cost more than $40,000 at the pump.

All that gasoline gets dumped out the tailpipe and straight into the environment as it’s burned. That will pump more than 75 tonnes of planet-heating gases into our already destabilized climate.

It is easy to appreciate the massive size and weight of our cars and trucks. But hidden from view are the vastly larger amounts of gasoline and climate pollution that come with them. They each weigh many times more than the vehicle itself.

All that future gasoline production, burning and resulting climate damage gets locked in the minute the new car or truck is purchased.

Driving off the climate cliff…

We’ve got the kids in the back seat. Are we really going to drive them off the climate cliff? Because that’s the direction we’re headed with our growing horde of the world’s most climate-damaging vehicles. If we want to give our kids and future Canadians a fighting chance at a decent future, we'd better reverse course quickly —  while there is still time.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/02/09/analysis/gasoline-climate-em...

A new study in the prestigous scientific journal Nature of the Amazon concludes that " Drought and heat driven by climate change and other factors threaten to cause the collapse of South America's lush Amazon rainforest system, scientists said on Wednesday in a study that found that nearly half of it could be pushed to a tipping point by 2050. ... Already, about 18% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed, according to Nobre. If that figure reaches 20-25%, Nobre said, the forest overall could shift to savannah. ... As the land dries out, more wildfires could erupt as they do in the drier pine forests of the U.S. West and Canada. ... Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva last year said saving the Amazon requires a global effort on scale with the post-World War Two Marshall Plan." Because the wind currents created in the Amazon affect the entire world's wind and precipitation, the destruction of the Amazon will have global impacts. 

An aerial view shows the Tumbira River, which has been affected by the drought of Negro River, at a Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve, in Iranduba, Amazonas state, Brazil, October 7, 2023.

 Drought and heat driven by climate change and other factors threaten to cause the collapse of South America's lush Amazon rainforest system, scientists said on Wednesday in a study that found that nearly half of it could be pushed to a tipping point by 2050.

"The region is increasingly exposed to unprecedented stress from warming temperatures, extreme droughts, deforestation and fires, even in central and remote parts of the system," the researchers wrote in the study published in the journal Nature.

The researchers estimated that 10% to 47% of Amazon's current forest cover will face these combined stressors by 2050. "Once we cross this tipping point, maybe we cannot do anything anymore," said ecologist Bernardo Flores of the University of Santa Catarina in Brazil, lead author of the report. "The forest will die by itself." It is time, Flores added, to declare a "red alert" for the Amazon, the world's largest tropical rainforest. ...

With warming temperatures sapping the region of moisture, the rainforest is steadily turning into savannah or other forms of degraded ecosystems more likely to burn in wildfires, according to experts. This transformation marks a major change for the Amazon, where most fires now are fanned by ranchers or farmers clearing land. As the land dries out, more wildfires could erupt as they do in the drier pine forests of the U.S. West and Canada.

For their analysis, the researchers looked at forested areas and considered climate and human factors, including past and projected temperatures and rainfall, forest road-building trends, and land management status such as whether a forest is a preserve or is maintained by Indigenous groups. "Our intention was to bring all the pieces of the puzzle to the table and try to understand the importance of each one of them for the whole picture," Flores said. The study marked the latest attempt to gauge whether - and when - the rainforest ecosystem might shift, which could be a catastrophic event given the Amazon's importance in absorbing large amounts of climate-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The researchers acknowledged some uncertainty in the projected outcomes, but said the trend detailed in the study was clear - that the ecosystem is approaching a shift.

Aside from the possible "savannization" of the rainforest, the researchers mentioned two other possible outcomes: the expansion of degraded forest, or an increase in open-canopy ecosystems dominated by fire-tolerant species. "The pathways are different, but they they're all connected to the loss of biodiversity," said study co-author Marina Hirota of Brazil's University of Santa Catarina. For Indigenous communities or others that rely on the forest for resources, these changes would spell disaster, Hirota said. "If you live from the forest," Hirota added, "... you won't have anything."

Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva last year said saving the Amazon requires a global effort on scale with the post-World War Two Marshall Plan.

The new research "shows how close the Amazon forest is to a tipping point," said climate scientist Carlos Nobre of Brazil's University of Sao Paulo, who was not part of the study. Deforestation is exacerbating the risk, with fewer trees generating moisture that rains back down to nourish the forest. Already, about 18% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed, according to Nobre. If that figure reaches 20-25%, Nobre said, the forest overall could shift to savannah. Speaking about the wide range of outcomes envisioned in the new research, ecologist Nicola Clerici of the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia's capital Bogota said more studies are needed to increase the level of scientific certainty.

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/global-warming-deforestatio...

When you start talking about putting a 100 km underwater curtain around an Antarctic glacier in order to save it you know you are entering the desperate stage of the climate crisis.

Scientists are working on an unusual plan to prevent Antarctic glaciers from melting. They want to build a set of giant underwater curtains in front of ice sheets to protect them from being eroded by warm sea water.

Ice in polar regions is now disappearing at record rates as global warming intensifies, and urgent action is needed to slow down this loss, the international group of ­scientists has warned. Their proposed solution is the construction of a 100km-long curtain that would be moored to the bed of the Amundsen Sea. It would rise by about 200 metres from the ocean floor and would partially restrict the inflow of relatively warm water that laps at the bases of coastal Antarctic glaciers and undermines them.

The Seabed Curtain project, if implemented, would be one of the biggest geo-engineering programmes ever undertaken. “It would be a giant project – but then we face a gigantic problem,” glaciologist John Moore of Lapland University told the Observer last week “The melting of glaciers in Antarctica would could trigger catastrophic flooding around the planet and result in hundreds of millions of people losing their homes. That will be incredibly bad for civilisation as we know it, so we need to do something.

The curtain proposed by Moore – who is working with scientists at the University of Cambridge and other ­centres in the US – would stretch along the seabed opposite the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. These act as plugs that prevent the giant ice sheets behind them from sliding into the ocean.

Scientists warn that the loss of the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers could be enough to raise sea levels round the world by three metres if they melted, a prospect now considered to be a real threat as global warming takes a grip of the region and causes sea temperatures to rise.

“Glaciers are affected by warmer air which melts their surfaces but they are also eroded at their bases by warm seawater,” said Shaun Fitzgerald, director of the centre for climate repair at the University of Cambridge, one of the partners in the scheme. And as the oceans warm as the planet heats up due to climate change, the more intense is the erosion of ice at the bases of these glaciers.”

Building a curtain that restricts the flow of warm water on to the Antarcticcoast could slow the undermining of these glaciers and so reduce the risk of their catastrophic disappearance, say the scientists. They envisage building a series of seabed curtains and are set to begin research to pinpoint the best materials for their construction.“We are not going to do this with a single sheet of fabric, and we are not looking at perfect, sealing membrane,” added Fitzgerald. One idea would be to use air as a barrier for protecting glaciers. A pipe – with holes drilled along it – would be laid down along the seabed and air pumped through it. The curtain of air bubbles that would rise from it might then be able to hold back the ingress of warm seawater.

“We don’t know if that will work since we are only at a very early stage in our work,” added Fitzgerald. We need to study how salinity affects water flow and carry out all sorts of computer simulations and the testing of mathematical models. Then we will be ready for the first physical tests.” These tests are scheduled to be carried out on the River Cam later this year, when various models will be tested underwater. “After that we will begin to work on a bigger scale,” added Moore. “We might go to a fjord in Norway to build a prototype, for example. Certainly this is not going to be something that will be completed in a hurry. It will take many years. On the other hand, we do need to start planning now.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/04/how-do-you-stop-a-glacier-...–%20put%20up%20an%20underwater%20curtain,-A%20100km%2Dlong&text=Scientists%20are%20working%20on,eroded%20by%20warm%20sea%20water.

The climate crisis is also threatening the extinction of the great apes, man's closest relatives, according to research published in PLOS Climate (Public Library of Science Climate). 

 

Fig. 1

Global primate species richness, distributions, and the percentage of species threatened and with declining populations.

Geographic distribution of primate species. Numbers in red by each region refer to the number of extant species present. The bars at the bottom show the percent of species threatened with extinction and the percent of species with declining populations in each region. Percentage of threatened species and percentage of species with declining populations in each region from tables S1 to S4. Geographical range data of living, native species from the IUCN Red List (www.iucnredlist.org) are overlaid onto a 0.5° resolution equal-area grid. In cases in which a species’ range was split into multiple subspecies, these were merged to create a range map for the species. Mainland Africa includes small associated islands.

Recent research published in PLOS Climate has unveiled a distressing future for Africa's great apes, our genetically closest relatives, due to the escalating impacts of climate change. This comprehensive study, encompassing 333 ape habitats across the continent, reveals a grim scenario where all areas have witnessed temperature increases. The looming threat of a world heated by 2 C and 3 C above pre-industrial levels could subject these habitats to severe climate phenomena, including intense rainfall, extended dry periods, wildfires, droughts, cyclones, and heatwaves, jeopardizing the apes' survival. ...

The study's findings highlight not only the immediate threats to apes' food security but also the potential long-term effects on their social structures, which could induce generational trauma. While habitat destruction, driven by deforestation and hunting, remains the principal danger to these primates, climate change introduces an additional, critical challenge. The research underscores the immediate need for mitigative actions to safeguard these vulnerable populations from impending extinction. ...

Experts are calling for a multi-faceted approach to combat this crisis, emphasizing the importance of tackling both climate change and human encroachment on ape habitats simultaneously. The integration of community development into conservation strategies is highlighted as a pivotal element in this fight, aiming to establish a harmonious coexistence between human populations and ape communities. Such strategies include enhancing security in protected areas, fostering partnerships with local communities, addressing threats beyond protected areas, providing humans with alternative resources, and reducing the risk of disease transmission between humans and apes. ...

As the planet warms, the survival of Africa's great apes hangs in the balance. The collaborative efforts between conservationists, local communities, and international stakeholders are more crucial than ever to devise and implement effective conservation strategies. The research calls for an urgent reassessment of current methods and the adoption of innovative solutions to prevent the extinction of these magnificent creatures, who share so much of their DNA with humans. The time to act is now, to ensure that future generations can witness the majesty of Africa's great apes in their natural habitats.

https://bnnbreaking.com/world/africa/climate-change-threatens-extinction...

Canada because it has the longest coastline in the world (2.8 times longer than second place Norway) is particularly subject to the problems created by saltwater intrusion caused by climate crisis induced sea level rise. One example of that is the Lennox Island First Nation reserve that is part of PEI. Lennox Island is suffering from both saltwater intrusion into its freshwater supply and beach erosion so serious that eventually the small island may have to be abandoned by its people. Many other coastal communities could suffer similar fates in Canada as the following study outlines.

Lennox Island PEI beach erosion from climate crisis induced sea level rise

Due to their limited resources and adaptive capacity, small islands are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including saltwater intrusion. Freshwater needs on small islands are often sourced from small aquifers that are in delicate balance between conditions in the ocean, atmosphere, and land. In this study, we investigate the movement of saltwater into the freshwater aquifer of a small island that provides drinking water resources for an Indigenous First Nation. We consider climatic changes in the ocean (sea-level rise (SLR), storm surges, and related coastal erosion) and atmosphere (changes to net precipitation) and associated impacts to the island's fresh groundwater resources. We use field data paired with a mathematical model and demonstrate that the pressurized conditions of the layered island aquifer make it more resilient to SLR than unconfined aquifers in sandy islands are. However, the aquifer's freshwater volume is susceptible to coastal erosion and reduced precipitation, particularly when these happen at the same time. Results point to coastal erosion as a potential widespread driver of freshwater loss along eroding portions of the global coastline.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023WR036394

The record growth and intensity of wildfires in Texas is surprising even climate change scientists who warned of the increased risk of wildfires in Texas and elsewhere in North America. Not only are these wildfires killing a lot of wildfires, they are destroying crops and a lot of homes. 

An aerial view of wildfires spreading in the Texas panhandle on February 27. Patrick Ryan/Reuters

The past several years have brought some of the United States’ most devastating fires. The fire that ripped through Maui in August, whipped up by a combination of heat, drought and strong winds, killed at least 100 people and was the deadliest US wildfirein more than a century.

In California, 80% of the state’s largest wildfires have occurred in the last decade, including the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise.

But it’s not just the US grappling with alarming new fire behavior. Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2023, with flames scorching more than 18 million hectares (44.5 million acres) — more than double the previous record.

In Greece, winds and record temperatures led to deadly fires last summer, the largest ever recorded in the European Union. And in early February, wildfires tore through parts of Chile, killing more than 130 people. What ties many of these fires together, he told CNN, is “rapid rates of fire spread and a sense of surprise on how quickly individual fires grew — or in the case of Canada, their entire fire season.” In many cases, climate change is playing a role, he added, “enabling more active fire seasons and very large fire events.” ...

Hotter temperatures are the clearest climate change-fueled contributor to wildfires. Heat sucks the moisture from vegetation making it much more combustible. “Drier fuels are a critical part of fire, the drier the fuel the easier it is to start a fire,” said Mike Flannigan, professor of wildland fire at the University of Alberta. ...
As well as drying out vegetation, heat could also change the vegetation. In Hawaii, hotter summers have made it easier for fast-growing and more combustible invasive species to take hold, displacing native vegetation such as shady forests. Periods of drought, which are becoming longer and more intense as the world warms, also dry out vegetation and increase the likelihood of fires igniting and spreading rapidly. The Maui fires happened as a third of the island struggled with drought. ...
Research has found climate change is fueling the rapid intensification of hurricanes, pushing storms to explode at a deadly pace. Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm which passed about 700 miles south of Hawaii’s Big Island, enhanced the strong winds that helped drive the Maui fires. ...
Overall, however, climate projections “paint a future of more extreme fire weather conditions for the general region,” he added. It’s a picture that extends across the US, according to a recent report from Climate Central, a nonprofit research group, which found wildfire seasons are lengthening and intensifying as climate change increases the likelihood of the kind of extreme weather that favors fires.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/03/climate/texas-wildfires-climate-change/in...

Israel's war in Gaza has had a major impact on the climate crisis: "In just the first two months of Israel’s war in Gaza, the war generated 281,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than the climate footprint of 20 of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations combined". The url below includes a video discussion of this. 

About 2,500 American troops are stationed in Iraq and some 900 in Syria to help fight remnants of the Islamic State jihadist group.

A picture from October 24, 2023 shows Israeli Merkava tanks take part in a military drill near the border with Lebanon in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel  © Jalaa MAREY / AFP/File

Not only has Israel’s war in Gaza inflicted extreme human suffering and infrastructure damage, it has also caused an environmental catastrophe, activists warn.

In just the first two months of Israel’s war in Gaza, the war generated 281,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than the climate footprint of 20 of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations combined.

Watch the latest episode of The Stream discussing the broader environmental effects of the war, and Palestine’s connection to the global climate justice movement below:

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-stream/

A scientist with the Canadian Forest Service is warning Canadians should prepare for an even worse wildfire season because of the combination of the climate crisis and the El Nino effect than the record-setting 2023 season when wildfires burnt an area three times the size of Nova Scotia and caused 240,000 people to be evacuated from their homes.

A scientist with the Canadian Forest Service says Canada should be on "high alert" for the 2024 wildfire season. A hot spot from the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire burns in Scotch Creek, B.C., on Sunday, August 20, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada should be on "high alert" for 2024 wildfires, a scientist with the Canadian Forest Service said Friday, as he offered a sweeping view of last year's record-shattering season.

Research scientist Piyush Jain stopped short of giving a prediction for the upcoming season during Friday's briefing. But he presented a number of charts showing certain indicators, such as drought conditions and soil moisture, look similar to around this time last year. He also pointed to temperature forecasts that predict a hotter than normal start to the wildfire season. "I do not have a crystal ball," he said. "But, yeah, I guess most people will be able to piece together that we should be on high alert for 2024." Jain spent Friday's briefing going through a far-reaching and data-centric retrospective of the 2023 wildfire season. More people were evacuated and more area was burned last year than during any other Canadian wildfire season on record. Widespread drought conditions, early snowmelt and lower than usual precipitation were some of the drivers of last year's record-breaking season, he said.

Jain also pointed to research showing climate change, fuelled by the release of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels, is also contributing to longer and more intense wildfire seasons. ...

Quebec led the way with nearly 4.5 million hectares burned, followed by the Northwest Territories, Alberta and British Columbia -- a record for each province and territory.

About 240,000 people were evacuated due to wildfire. Five of the largest wildfire-induced evacuations since 1980 took place last year, including Yellowknife and West Kelowna.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-should-be-on-high-alert-for-2024-af...

New data from Copernicus, the European Union's climate change monitoring service, shows that not only was February the hottest February on record, but the oceans reached their highest temperature ever recorded. Because the oceans absorb 90% of the heat energy which spreads onto land this is virtually guaranteeing a global summer of extreme heat and wildfires in much of the world and all the problems associated with that as the climate crisis exponentially worsens. 

The world has marked yet another consecutive month of record-breaking heat. New data from Copernicus, the European Union's climate change monitoring service, shows that last month was the hottest February on record globally, with "exceptionally high" temperatures in both the air and sea. 

The record heat comes as the U.S. continues to battle weather extremes. In recent weeks, communities across the nation have seen spring- and summer-like temperatures, extreme rain and flooding, massive snowfall, and fire weather conditions that drove Texas' largest-ever wildfire that quickly became one of the biggest in U.S. history. Those kinds of extremes are a byproduct of the climate change-fueled rise in global temperatures, and are only expected to become more frequent and intense as warming continues. 

According to Copernicus, the average global surface air temperature in February was 13.54 degrees Celsius (roughly 56.4 degrees Fahrenheit). That is 1.77 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average for February, leading it to become the ninth consecutive month where each month was the warmest on record globally. That comes after 2023 broke the record for the warmest year.

The highest February temperatures, deemed "exceptionally high," were seen within the first two weeks of the month, Copernicus found. Scientists with the group said that the daily global average temperature during that time reached 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average on four consecutive days, from Feb. 8 to 11. 

The world's oceans — which absorb 90% of Earth's heat — also saw record high temperatures. Copernicus found that the average global sea surface temperature for February was 21.06 degrees Celsius (69.9 degrees Fahrenheit), which the agency said is "the highest for any month in the dataset."

Such high ocean temperatures only add to the cycle of global warming. Warming oceans lead to melting sea ice, which is vital in reflecting the sun's rays to help maintain cooler temperatures. Without the ice, sea levels continue to rise and temperatures continue to increase, two factors that fuel extreme weather events. 

Warmer oceans also lead to rampant coral bleaching, further threatening marine ecosystems and economies.

Climate scientists have long warned of several climate thresholds that put the world at further risk of weather extremes that threaten people worldwide, primarily those who live along coasts and on islands. Those thresholds include reaching several years of global temperatures 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, or an even more dire 2 degrees of warming. January marked the first time on record that global average temperatures reached the 1.5 degree warming threshold over a 12-month period. 

February surpassing those milestones does not mean the world as a whole has surpassed the threshold, but it does indicate that human activities are continuing on a path of doing so. The recent records come amid an ongoing El Niño event that started last summer. The system occurs every two to seven years when the Pacific Ocean experiences "warmer-than-average" surface temperatures. The most recent El Niño peaked in December, and at that peak, the World Meteorological Organization said it was "one of the five strongest on record." ...

This El Niño in particular was at least partially fueled by human activity, she said, as humans continue to burn fossil fuels, releasing greenhouse gases that essentially blanket the atmosphere, trapping in heat from the sun. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/february-2024-hottest-on-record-global-temp...

By August 2023 "Wildfires in the N.W.T had emitted 97 megatonnes of carbon into the air so far this year — 277 times more than what was caused by humans in the territory back in 2021. Mark Parrington, a senior scientist working at the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), said the N.W.T. has contributed the most of all the provinces and territories to Canada's total wildfire emissions."

Drone aerial still photo of houses in Enterprise, N.W.T., on Aug. 24 that were burned by wildfire. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)

From the start of the year up until Aug. 23, wildfires across Canada have emitted 327 megatonnes of carbon into the air according to CAMS data. (For context, one megatonne is a million tonnes.)

More than a quarter of that has been generated by wildfires in the N.W.T., which began burning back in May and have displaced tens of thousands of residents across 10 communities this summer — including the capital city of Yellowknife. The fires have caused damage so far in Kátł'odeeche First Nation, Enterprise and Behchokǫ̀. Hay River and Kátł'odeeche First Nation have been displaced twice by wildfire in a matter of months.

Canada's North is warming faster than other parts of the planet, leading to more severe wildfires. It's also the reason why N.W.T., infrastructure is jeopardized by thawing permafrost, traditional ways of life are threatened as species come and go, and one N.W.T. community is at risk of washing away.

"We can all unequivocally agree this is climate change at the very root of this," said Jessica Davey-Quantick, a territorial wildfire information officer, during a press conference last week. 

"We're going to see more active fire behaviour, more extreme weather, more drought-like conditions — all of those factors have kind of combined. But it's really hard to say that there's one culprit that led it to communities this year, when it didn't in previous years."...

Let's walk through the math: 97.09 megatonnes of carbon emitted as of Aug. 23 this year is equivalent to 356.32 megatonnes of carbon dioxide. You can convert the rate of carbon into carbon dioxide equivalent by multiplying the figure by 3.67.  It's important to make that conversion because the territory reports its annual human-caused emissions in the form of carbon dioxide equivalent — which also take into account other greenhouse gases, like methane and nitrous oxide. In 2021, the territory emitted 1.287 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Now, we can compare those two numbers equally.  The carbon dioxide equivalent emitted by wildfires this year (356.32 megatonnes) is 277 times more than what was emitted by humans in 2021 (1.287 megatonnes). 

The N.W.T.'s vast boreal forest usually sequesters more carbon than it emits — except during big fire years.

Up until now, 2014 has been considered the territory's worst wildfire year. According to CAMS data up until Aug. 23, the current wildfire season has not quite eclipsed 2014 in terms of emissions. (It has, however, if you compare it to Natural Resources Canada data which says fires that year emitted roughly 94.5 megatonnes of carbon.

According to N.W.T. Fire, 2.96 million hectares of land have burned in fires so far this year, but it's calculating an updated figure. The agency said the territory is well on its way to beating the record set back in 2014 of 3.4 million hectares burned.

Wildfires emit more than just carbon

CAMS monitors where wildfires are around the world and how intensely they're burning. It also tracks emissions and forecasts the effect smoke has on the atmosphere. 

Parrington said they're able to do this using meteorology and satellite imagery. It's important to monitor wildfire emissions, he said, because of the effects it has on air quality and human health. 

"Fires release far more pollutants into the atmosphere than the usual activities like road  transport, energy production, industry," he said. "As well as the carbon gases, there's a lot of very harmful and hazardous constituents of smoke, including particulate matter, things like benzene, which a lot of people might associate only as an industrial pollutant." 

When fires stop and the wind shifts, Parrington said air quality improves — but pollution from wildfires can persist for a long time if it settles on rivers and water bodies too. 

The link between fires and climate change

World Weather Attribution, a U.K. based group that estimates the contribution of climate change to individual extreme weather events, recently released a study that found record-setting fires in Québec earlier this year were made twice as likely because of human-caused warming. 

The group says it's exploring options to study wildfires in other parts of Canada, but Yan Boulanger, a forest ecology scientist with Natural Resources Canada and one of the Québec study's authors, said its findings can be extrapolated to Canada's North. 

Given that climate change is having a bigger effect on British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Yukon, Boulanger said wildfires in those provinces and territories are probably made more than twice as likely by climate change.  "These are very, very conservative estimates," he said.  Still, Boulanger said he's shocked by the record number of people displaced across the N.W.T. and the evacuations that have taken place in Québec, B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Yukon. 

He said Indigenous people are over-represented among evacuees, and they will continue to be over-represented in the future because their communities are typically in very fire-prone environments.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-fire-emissions-2023-1.6948761

In the ever growing list of problems associated with the climate crisis, there is another one that is not often talked about: the growing length of the seasonal allergy season as the warmer climate brings on hot and dry conditions that trigger allergies. 

Gale Rettie, 71, says she has suffered with environmental allergies since she was a teenager but it has gotten worse. (Supplied)

Warmer-than-usual weather is causing allergy symptoms to flare up earlier than normal or even get worse for some allergy sufferers in Canada. In addition to a general warming that scientists have attributed to climate change(opens in a new tab) – last year was the planet's hottest on record – the impact of El Nino meant this winter was warmer than most in much of Canada. Canadians say they're noticing the change. 

Gale Rettie, 71, says she has suffered with environmental allergies since she was a teenager but it has gotten worse. … Scott Wagner, 51, from Yarmouth, N.S., says he, too, has seen his allergy symptoms get worse in the last 10 years. …  Rettie and Wagner are among environmental allergy sufferers in Canada who are experiencing exacerbated symptoms because of what an allergy expert notes are higher amounts of pollen in the air as a result of warmer or drier weather.

Mariam Hanna, a pediatric allergist, clinical immunologist and associate professor with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., says "when it's warm and dry, it's kind of the perfect environment for pollen to travel further and stay up in the air for longer and that will cause people more symptoms. … Year-over-year, when we compare the last five years, every year, we're adding a couple extra days, or now an extra week or two to our (allergy) season when we can detect pollens in the air,". "So if this mild winter that we just went through is any indicator of a warm summer ahead, that's concerning for a longer pollen season with higher counts than what we've seen in the past."

Environmental moulds also cause problems for allergy sufferers, she added. In these cases, moulds' spores travel like pollen in the air and cause allergic symptoms. …

Impact of climate change

At least about 20 per cent of Canadians have some degree of environmental allergies, said Hanna, "and certainly with our seasons being longer and counts being higher, those that have symptoms is only increasing."

Climate change is a factor in exacerbating allergy symptoms because of the warmer weather that promotes the spread of pollen, Hanna says.

"This is an unseasonably warmer winter that we've just gone through, but I would say the pattern for year over year of what we have experienced … has been that our pollen seasons have been longer, the pollen counts have been higher, kind of regardless of whether it's El Nino or not."

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/symptoms-are-starting-early-for-allergy-su...

Desmog has an extensive database from around the world of 643 climate change deniers from around the world, including Canada where one can review the denials of any of these bought and paid for deniers. These the individuals and organizations "have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." This database can be searched by continent and country and can be seen at 

https://www.desmog.com/climate-disinformation-database/

Below is an example of one such denier from Canada, Reynald du Berger. 

Reynald Du Berger

Reynald Du Berger

Credentials

• Master’s Degree in Geophysics, Laval University.1
• Bachelor of Geological Engineering, Laval University (1967).2

Background

Reynauld Du Berger is emeritus professor of geophysics at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi. His background is in geological engineering and seismology.3

Du Berger’s research interests while working at the University of Quebec were in the fields of applied seismology and ground water geophysics.4

He currently runs the blog, Le Blogue de Reynald Du Berger which covers “climate, science, and society.” Du Berger is skeptical of climate change, and questions the validity of the IPCC.5

Du Berger is also listed on the scientific committee of a group called L’association des Climatos-Réalistes (Climate Realists Association).6

Stance on Climate Change

September 23, 2019

Du Berger was listed as one of several “ambassadors of the European Climate Declaration,” an open letter created by the then-recently-formed group titled CLINTEL (The Climate Intelligence Foundation).7

That open letter, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, claimed “there is no climate emergency.” It is repoduced below. (The declaration and its attached claims has been debunked by the scientists at Climate Feedback).

“There is no climate emergency
A global network of 500 scientists and professionals has prepared this urgent message. Climate science should be less political, while climate policies should be more scientific. Scientists should openly address the uncertainties and exaggerations in their predictions of global warming, while politicians should dispassionately count the real benefits as well as the imagined costs of adaptation to global warming, and the real costs as well as the imagined benefits of mitigation.

“Natural as well as anthropogenic factors cause warming
The geological archive reveals that Earth’s climate has varied as long as the planet has existed, with
natural cold and warm phases. The Little Ice Age ended as recently as 1850. Therefore, it is no
surprise that we now are experiencing a period of warming.

“Warming is far slower than predicted
The world has warmed at less than half the originally-predicted rate, and at less than half the rate to be expected on the basis of net anthropogenic forcing and radiative imbalance. It tells us that we are far from understanding climate change.

“Climate policy relies on inadequate models
Climate models have many shortcomings and are not remotely plausible as policy tools. Moreover, they most likely exaggerate the effect of greenhouse gases such as CO2. In addition, they ignore the fact that enriching the atmosphere with CO2 is beneficial.

“CO2 is plant food, the basis of all life on Earth
CO2 is not a pollutant. It is essential to all life on Earth. Photosynthesis is a blessing. More CO2 is beneficial for nature, greening the Earth: additional CO2 in the air has promoted growth in global plant biomass. It is also good for agriculture, increasing the yields of crops worldwide.

“Global warming has not increased natural disasters
There is no statistical evidence that global warming is intensifying hurricanes, floods, droughts and suchlike natural disasters, or making them more frequent. However, CO2-mitigation measures are as damaging as they are costly. For instance, wind turbines kill birds and bats, and palm-oil plantations destroy the biodiversity of the rainforests.

“Climate policy must respect scientific and economic realities
There is no climate emergency. Therefore, there is no cause for panic and alarm. We strongly oppose the harmful and unrealistic net-zero CO2 policy proposed for 2050. If better approaches emerge, we will have ample time to reflect and adapt. The aim of international policy should be to provide reliable and affordable energy at all times, and throughout the world.”

2011

Du Berger contended that global warming stopped fifteen years ago in a radio programme.8

Key Quotes

“I maintain my opinion on the oil sands. Environmental damage created by their operations are minor and insignificant compared to the benefits derived…” (Translated from the original with Google Translate).9

Key Actions

October 28, 2019

Laval University terminated the Reynald Du Berger Scholarship for Public Purposes due to comments that Du Berger had made at his blog relating to Islam.10

“After verification and analysis, Laval University concluded that the donor’s public comments were contrary to his values ​​of respect and inclusion,” Laval University spokesperson Andrée-Anne Stewart commented.

Du Berger said in defense: “I say, as I wrote on my blog, my right to publicly criticize the doctrine of Islam and if there is someone who wants to deny me that right, he will have to look at me.”

Du Berger has said he is worried about what he has described the “of Islamization from Europe to America.” He later went to Twitter, and commented “I made a five-year commitment to the Université Laval Foundation to offer a $ 1,000 annual scholarship to a student in geology or geological engineering. Until now I was proud of my alma mater.”11

On November 5, Du Berger went on radio to argue that he has a right to criticize religion.12

September 23, 2019

Du Berger was signatory to an open letter to Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change claiming “there is no climate emergency.”13

The letter describes itself as the European Climate Declaration and claims to represent “A global network of more than 500 knowledgeable and experienced scientists and professionals in climate and related fields.”14

Note that the letter has since been debunked by the scientists at Climate Feedback, who noted that the letter relies on a range of inaccurate claims. 

Du Berger is listed as one of fourteen “ambassadors of the European Climate Declaration” with others including Viv Forbes, Richard Lindzen, and Christopher Monckton.15

The letter claims:16

“Current climate policies pointlessly and grievously undermine the economic system, putting lives at risk in countries denied access to affordable, reliable electrical energy.

We urge you to follow a climate policy based on sound science, realistic economics and genuine concern for those harmed by costly but unnecessary attempts at mitigation.”

The letter appears to have been organized by Guus Berkhout, the leader of a European climate change denial group CLINTEL (The Climate Intelligence Foundation). 

March 14, 2012

Du Burger spoke at an event hosted by Équipe Autonomiste (“Team Autonomist”), a group that some have described as the new center-right political party in Quebec.17 18

He was described as a “fervant critic of the climate changes theory [sic],” and delivered a short speech discussing what he believed is a lack of proper education regarding climate change.19

January 2012

Du Berger presented his lecture, titled “Science du climat ou climatisme? Un doute qui dérange!” (Climate science or climatism? An Inconvenient doubt!) As part of a philosophy course at of a Quebec college.20

Du Berger was invited to repeat his presentation at a conference lunch, but was later rejected as a teacher contended his work would conflict with their course on Climate and Biodiversity.

After another of his presentations was cancelled, Du Berger’s appeared on Mario Dumont‘s television talk show to discuss how this was an example of the supposed censure of climate change skeptics. 

Du Berger wrote an open letter to one of the Colleges who cancelled his climate change talks.

An excerpt (translated from Berger’s blog):

“I wish to expose your students and your teachers to these facts, observations and many others, tell them about the methods used by the IPCC’s climate models to build, draw their attention to the weaknesses and shortcomings of models GCM thus generated, to explain the complexity of climate phenomena and the impossibility at the present state of our knowledge, to extract convincing evidence of any significant human influence through all the natural causes which govern the evolution of Earth’s climate. You deny me this privilege and I regret it.”21

January 4, 2012

Du Berger appears to be behind a petition against the Kyoto Protocol. In four months the petition appears to have received five signatures as of 2012.22

2011

Based on comments at his blog, Du Berger appears to be Pro- Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking).

He has written about his frustration with environmental studies required before developing new shale deposits.23

October 23, 2010

Reynald Du Berger was a guest (PDF) at one of the first conferences hosted by Freedom-Quebec Network (Réseau Liberté-Québec or RLQ).24

He co-hosted the workshop on climate-skepticism with Jacques Brassard who contends that the event will “provide a forum…perfect for holding an important speech that the media elite traditional refuses to release” and which will “undermine theories of global warming and challenge the influence of environmental groups in Quebec” (Translated from the original with Google Translate).

RLQ has been described as “Quebec’s Tea Party,”25 and has received support from the Fraser Institute, which has in turn received funding from Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, and numerous tobacco companies.26

Ezra Levant, another guest of the RLQ, recently published Ethical Oil, a book on the supposed virtues of the Alberta tar sands.

Affiliations

• L’’association des Climatos-Réalistes (Climate Realists Association — Member of the scientific committee. On Facebook, du Berger says he manages the association.27
• Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation — Member, Board of Directors (as of 2011)28
• Réseau Liberté-Québec, (RLQ) — Featured at Climate Skeptic conference.

Social Media

• @ Sismologue on Twitter
• Reynald Du Berger on Facebook
• Alternate Facebook profile
• LinkedIn

Publications

A search of Google Scholar returns six results for Reynald Du Berger, all in the area of seismology. He does not appear to have published research in peer-reviewed journals on the subject of climate.

Other Resources

• YouTube Videos featuring Reynald Du Berger.
• “Yellowstone and Climate Change,” Radio Ego.

  Reynald Du Berger

  

  Reynald Du Berger

  Credentials

• Master’s Degree in Geophysics, Laval University.1
• Bachelor of Geological Engineering, Laval University (1967).2

• Background

  Reynauld Du Berger is emeritus professor of geophysics at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi. His background is in geological engineering and seismology.3

  Du Berger’s research interests while working at the University of Quebec were in the fields of applied seismology and ground water geophysics.4

  He currently runs the blog, Le Blogue de Reynald Du Berger which covers “climate, science, and society.” Du Berger is skeptical of climate change, and questions the validity of the IPCC.5

  Du Berger is also listed on the scientific committee of a group called L’association des Climatos-Réalistes (Climate Realists Association).6

  Stance on Climate Change

  September 23, 2019

  Du Berger was listed as one of several “ambassadors of the European Climate Declaration,” an open letter created by the then-recently-formed group titled CLINTEL (The Climate Intelligence Foundation).7

  That open letter, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, claimed “there is no climate emergency.” It is repoduced below. (The declaration and its attached claims has been debunked by the scientists at Climate Feedback).

  “There is no climate emergency
  A global network of 500 scientists and professionals has prepared this urgent message. Climate science should be less political, while climate policies should be more scientific. Scientists should openly address the uncertainties and exaggerations in their predictions of global warming, while politicians should dispassionately count the real benefits as well as the imagined costs of adaptation to global warming, and the real costs as well as the imagined benefits of mitigation.

  “Natural as well as anthropogenic factors cause warming
  The geological archive reveals that Earth’s climate has varied as long as the planet has existed, with
  natural cold and warm phases. The Little Ice Age ended as recently as 1850. Therefore, it is no
  surprise that we now are experiencing a period of warming.

  “Warming is far slower than predicted
  The world has warmed at less than half the originally-predicted rate, and at less than half the rate to be expected on the basis of net anthropogenic forcing and radiative imbalance. It tells us that we are far from understanding climate change.

  “Climate policy relies on inadequate models
  Climate models have many shortcomings and are not remotely plausible as policy tools. Moreover, they most likely exaggerate the effect of greenhouse gases such as CO2. In addition, they ignore the fact that enriching the atmosphere with CO2 is beneficial.

  “CO2 is plant food, the basis of all life on Earth
  CO2 is not a pollutant. It is essential to all life on Earth. Photosynthesis is a blessing. More CO2 is beneficial for nature, greening the Earth: additional CO2 in the air has promoted growth in global plant biomass. It is also good for agriculture, increasing the yields of crops worldwide.

  “Global warming has not increased natural disasters
  There is no statistical evidence that global warming is intensifying hurricanes, floods, droughts and suchlike natural disasters, or making them more frequent. However, CO2-mitigation measures are as damaging as they are costly. For instance, wind turbines kill birds and bats, and palm-oil plantations destroy the biodiversity of the rainforests.

  “Climate policy must respect scientific and economic realities
  There is no climate emergency. Therefore, there is no cause for panic and alarm. We strongly oppose the harmful and unrealistic net-zero CO2 policy proposed for 2050. If better approaches emerge, we will have ample time to reflect and adapt. The aim of international policy should be to provide reliable and affordable energy at all times, and throughout the world.”

  2011

  Du Berger contended that global warming stopped fifteen years ago in a radio programme.8

  Key Quotes

  “I maintain my opinion on the oil sands. Environmental damage created by their operations are minor and insignificant compared to the benefits derived…” (Translated from the original with Google Translate).9

  Key Actions

  October 28, 2019

  Laval University terminated the Reynald Du Berger Scholarship for Public Purposes due to comments that Du Berger had made at his blog relating to Islam.10

  “After verification and analysis, Laval University concluded that the donor’s public comments were contrary to his values ​​of respect and inclusion,” Laval University spokesperson Andrée-Anne Stewart commented.

  Du Berger said in defense: “I say, as I wrote on my blog, my right to publicly criticize the doctrine of Islam and if there is someone who wants to deny me that right, he will have to look at me.”

  Du Berger has said he is worried about what he has described the “of Islamization from Europe to America.” He later went to Twitter, and commented “I made a five-year commitment to the Université Laval Foundation to offer a $ 1,000 annual scholarship to a student in geology or geological engineering. Until now I was proud of my alma mater.”11

  On November 5, Du Berger went on radio to argue that he has a right to criticize religion.12

  September 23, 2019

  Du Berger was signatory to an open letter to Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change claiming “there is no climate emergency.”13

  The letter describes itself as the European Climate Declaration and claims to represent “A global network of more than 500 knowledgeable and experienced scientists and professionals in climate and related fields.”14

  Note that the letter has since been debunked by the scientists at Climate Feedback, who noted that the letter relies on a range of inaccurate claims. 

  Du Berger is listed as one of fourteen “ambassadors of the European Climate Declaration” with others including Viv Forbes, Richard Lindzen, and Christopher Monckton.15

  The letter claims:16

  “Current climate policies pointlessly and grievously undermine the economic system, putting lives at risk in countries denied access to affordable, reliable electrical energy.

  We urge you to follow a climate policy based on sound science, realistic economics and genuine concern for those harmed by costly but unnecessary attempts at mitigation.”

  The letter appears to have been organized by Guus Berkhout, the leader of a European climate change denial group CLINTEL (The Climate Intelligence Foundation). 

  March 14, 2012

  Du Burger spoke at an event hosted by Équipe Autonomiste (“Team Autonomist”), a group that some have described as the new center-right political party in Quebec.17 18

  He was described as a “fervant critic of the climate changes theory [sic],” and delivered a short speech discussing what he believed is a lack of proper education regarding climate change.19

  January 2012

  Du Berger presented his lecture, titled “Science du climat ou climatisme? Un doute qui dérange!” (Climate science or climatism? An Inconvenient doubt!) As part of a philosophy course at of a Quebec college.20

  Du Berger was invited to repeat his presentation at a conference lunch, but was later rejected as a teacher contended his work would conflict with their course on Climate and Biodiversity.

  After another of his presentations was cancelled, Du Berger’s appeared on Mario Dumont‘s television talk show to discuss how this was an example of the supposed censure of climate change skeptics. 

  Du Berger wrote an open letter to one of the Colleges who cancelled his climate change talks.

  An excerpt (translated from Berger’s blog):

  “I wish to expose your students and your teachers to these facts, observations and many others, tell them about the methods used by the IPCC’s climate models to build, draw their attention to the weaknesses and shortcomings of models GCM thus generated, to explain the complexity of climate phenomena and the impossibility at the present state of our knowledge, to extract convincing evidence of any significant human influence through all the natural causes which govern the evolution of Earth’s climate. You deny me this privilege and I regret it.”21

  January 4, 2012

  Du Berger appears to be behind a petition against the Kyoto Protocol. In four months the petition appears to have received five signatures as of 2012.22

  2011

  Based on comments at his blog, Du Berger appears to be Pro- Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking).

  He has written about his frustration with environmental studies required before developing new shale deposits.23

  October 23, 2010

  Reynald Du Berger was a guest (PDF) at one of the first conferences hosted by Freedom-Quebec Network (Réseau Liberté-Québec or RLQ).24

  He co-hosted the workshop on climate-skepticism with Jacques Brassard who contends that the event will “provide a forum…perfect for holding an important speech that the media elite traditional refuses to release” and which will “undermine theories of global warming and challenge the influence of environmental groups in Quebec” (Translated from the original with Google Translate).

  RLQ has been described as “Quebec’s Tea Party,”25 and has received support from the Fraser Institute, which has in turn received funding from Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, and numerous tobacco companies.26

  Ezra Levant, another guest of the RLQ, recently published Ethical Oil, a book on the supposed virtues of the Alberta tar sands.

  Affiliations

• L’’association des Climatos-Réalistes (Climate Realists Association — Member of the scientific committee. On Facebook, du Berger says he manages the association.27
• Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation — Member, Board of Directors (as of 2011)28
• Réseau Liberté-Québec, (RLQ) — Featured at Climate Skeptic conference.

• Social Media

• @ Sismologue on Twitter
• Reynald Du Berger on Facebook
• Alternate Facebook profile
• LinkedIn

• Publications

  A search of Google Scholar returns six results for Reynald Du Berger, all in the area of seismology. He does not appear to have published research in peer-reviewed journals on the subject of climate.

  Other Resources

• YouTube Videos featuring Reynald Du Berger.
• “Yellowstone and Climate Change,” Radio Ego.

https://www.desmog.com/reynald-du-berger/

But ExxonMobil is going beyond blaming the public for the climate crisis. In late February it sued two small groups of climate activists that embarrassed its failure to deal with its greenhouse gas emissions. Its goal is punish these activists "Three years after oil giant suffered historic defeat at the hands of shareholder activists, Exxon turns to conservative Texas courts to silence climate investors. Growing numbers of multinational corporations are taking advocacy groups to court in so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP suits. The London-based Business and Human Rights Resource Centre identified 437 SLAPP suits brought or initiated by 144 companies or business organizations between 2015 and 2023."

ExxonMobil Corporation is dragging two small shareholder groups to court as part of a new and aggressive strategy to stave off activist investors calling on the global oil giant to reduce its carbon emissions.

In January, ExxonMobil launched a lawsuit against U.S.-based Arjuna Capital and Netherlands-based Follow This. The shareholder advocacy groups had filed a proposal calling on ExxonMobil to set targets and to reduce its Scope 3, or end-use, carbon dioxide emissions. The two organizations represent small shareholders in the company.

In response to the suit, the shareholder groups withdrew the proposal, but ExxonMobil continued its action.

“Exxon is sending a clear message – dissidents will not only be fought, they will be punished,” legal blogger Zachary Barlow writes.

The lawsuit is unusual because companies ordinarily appeal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for rulings on the permissibility of shareholder resolutions. In this case, which is a first for ExxonMobil, the company asked the U.S. District Court rather than the SEC to rule that the Arjuna and Follow This proposal falls outside of normal shareholder proposals, which can be disallowed if they deal with day-to-day company business.

In recent years, the Biden administration has loosened Trump-era regulations that made it easier for companies to ask the SEC for permission to exclude shareholder proposals. There has been an increase in proposals on climate change and other environmental, social and governance issues as a result of the Biden reforms.

In a media statement, ExxonMobil characterized this increase as a “breakdown of the shareholder proposal process, one that allows proponents to advance their agendas through a flood of proposals.” In its lawsuit, the company also asked the court to direct the shareholder groups to cover legal costs for both sides, a burden that could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The request for fees and costs “exacerbates the perception that Exxon’s intention is to utterly silence dissenting investors,” said Christina Herman, program director for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), a U.S. coalition of faith-based investors that file shareholder proposals and engage with corporations on social and environmental issues.

Growing numbers of multinational corporations are taking advocacy groups to court in so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP suits. The London-based Business and Human Rights Resource Centre identified 437 SLAPP suits brought or initiated by 144 companies or business organizations between 2015 and 2023.

“This aggressive action is nothing less than a SLAPP suit intended to intimidate perceived opponents,” said Josh Zinner, CEO of ICCR, in regard to the ExxonMobil lawsuit.

Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norway’s US$1.5 trillion national oil fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund and one of the world’s largest stock market investors, said ExxonMobil’s action is a worrisome development. “We think it’s very aggressive and we are concerned about the implications for shareholders rights,” he told the Financial Times.

ExxonMobil filed the lawsuit in a U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas, which has a reputation for conservative legal rulings. Judge Mark Pittman was assigned to hear the case. Pittman, appointed to the court by former president Donald Trump, has made notable rulings against student debt relief and restrictions on the rights of 18- to 20-year-olds to carry handguns.

ExxonMobil has faced a number of investor actions in recent years, including a Follow This proposal voted down by investors at last year’s annual meeting to adopt a medium-term greenhouse-gas-reduction plan. Three years ago, ExxonMobil suffered a historic defeat on a proposal from hedge fund Engine No. 1, which was successful in ousting three of its directors on a demand for more stringent climate change action.

https://www.corporateknights.com/category-climate/exxon-lawsuit-more-pun....

Climate change is also having a major impact on New Brunswick. With the article I have included an article on the impact of the climate crisis on every province and the Northwest Terrritories on this page 21 of the thread.

What difference does a degree or two make?

Climate change is already affecting our physical and mental health

The climate crisis is already harming the most vulnerable in our society: the working poor, seniors, and single mothers to name a few who have fewer social and financial resources to protect themselves from extreme events like heat waves or floods. We all know someone affected by spring and winter flooding on the St. John River, or storm surges and erosion on our coasts. Heatwaves from Bathurst to St. Andrews are harming our health and crops. Power outages in winter and summer put our safety and food at risk. 

Extreme weather in New Brunswick

From the recent record-breaking flooding along the St. John River, the 2017 Ice Storm, Hurricanes Arthur and Dorian, to the heat waves, drought and low river levels we’re seeing in the summer, we feel the effects of climate change in our communities. 

You can read about the impact extreme weather is having on New Brunswickers’ physical and mental health in our 2019 series, After the flood. Looking for a deeper dive? See how acting on climate change will also make New Brunswick communities healthier in our 2019 report, Healthy Climate, Healthy New Brunswickers. 

In New Brunswick, and Canada, we have warmed at more than double the global rate over the last 70 years: almost two degrees of warming compared to about 1 degree Celsius globally. Sounds like a small increase, doesn’t it? What most of us don’t realize is that it takes a vast amount of heat to warm the oceans, land and air by one degree. 

Global heating is causing big changes to the weather. Weather patterns are changing. Weather is becoming extreme. Hotter air absorbs more water, fueling more intense storms that release more rainfall or snow. Flooding disrupts our lives and contaminates soil. Heat waves harm our health. Drought makes it harder to get a good crop and lowers the nutrient value of our food. Hotter temperatures increase the risk of disease from ticks and mosquitoes.

 

How has the climate (the long-term average of weather) changed in New Brunswick since 1970?

Hotter: Double the level of average warming globally

Wetter: We are getting more rain and snow per precipitation event

More unpredictable: More floods, heatwaves, dry periods between extreme rain or snow events

• From 2000 to 2010, there were more extreme rainfall events (50 millimetres or more of rain over a 24-hour period) in Fredericton and Moncton than any other decade on record. Climate models project that New Brunswick will experience less frequent, but more intense, precipitation events, increasing the annual total precipitation throughout the province.
• The increase in annual precipitation can take the form of more snow, increasing snow depth and adding to spring freshet worries and flood risk. It can take the form of more winter rain-ice events causing winter flooding and ice jams and ice-on-snow cover making walking dangerous, especially for seniors.
• New Brunswick experienced record-breaking floods in 2018 and 2019, partly caused by an above average snowpack and rain partly due to a changing climate, but also by other factors such as land-use, and housing development in flood plains. It is getting hotter, wetter, extreme, and less safe because  greenhouse gas levels are not where they need to be and we are not changing the way we do things.

https://www.conservationcouncil.ca/how-and-why-climate-change-is-affecti...