Alberta tar sands project to test Trudeau’s climate pledge in 2020

Dec 27, 2019 – CBC News –

One of the first things Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has to decide in the new year is whether to give cabinet approval to the Teck Frontier mine project. That is a massive new tar sands project that environment advocates say is absolutely incompatible with reaching the “net-zero” target.

Tesla Trans-Canada Supercharger route goes live all at once

Dec 20, 2019 – Electrek –

Tesla Trans-Canada Supercharger route has gone live – all at the same time. Most of the locations have Tesla’s new 250 kW V3 Supercharger. These allow a Model 3 to add about 160 km range in seven minutes.

Australia’s heatwave registers new hottest day on record

Dec 18, 2019 – ABC News –

The average maximum temperature across Australia 40.9 degrees Celsius, breaking the mark of 40.3℃ set in January 2013. Even this record is unlikely to last for long as their heatwave continues.

Cop25: What was achieved and where to next?

Dec 16, 2019 – Climate Home News –

The latest climate conference ended with an agreement with all language on ambition removed. Countries are now “invited” to “communicate” by 2020 their mid and long-term climate plans. No language to “update” or “enhance”.

Trudeau will fuel the fires of our climate crisis if he approves Canada’s mega mine

Dec 10, 2019 – The Guardian –

If the Canadian government approves Teck Resources’ Frontier mine it will “effectively signal Canada’s abandonment of its international climate goals”. The mega mine would add 6 megatonnes of climate pollution every year. That’s on top of the increasing amount of carbon that Canada’s petroleum producers are already pumping out every year.

Scientists have gotten predictions of global warming right since the 1970s

Dec 4, 2019 – Vox –

For the first time, a systematic review of climate models has been published. Long story short: “We find that climate models published over the past five decades were generally quite accurate in predicting global warming in the years after publication.”

Moody’s downgrades Alberta’s credit rating, citing continued dependence on oil

Dec 4, 2019 – CBC News –

Trevor Tombe, an associate professor of economics at the University of Calgary, said the downgrade is pretty consistent in its assessment of Alberta’s risk due to the importance of the oil and gas sector to the province’s budget.

Environmental non-profits face plunge in provincial funding

Nov 25, 2019 – Winnipeg Free Press –

At a time when climate change awareness is increasing, three Winnipeg-based non-profits that provide environmental education say their funding from the provincial government is plummeting.

Federal government provides $1.6 Billion bailout for oil industry with little transparency

Nov 18, 2019 – CBC News –

Canada’s $1.6-billion bailout for Alberta’s battered oil industry is well underway, but with little transparency about who is getting the money and for what. Almost $1 billion of the package of loans, guarantees and government grants announced last December is in the hands of companies. The package is rolling out as pressure mounts on Canada to fulfill its promise to end all subsidies to fossil-fuel producers, and as European banks flee the sector altogether.

Climate crisis: 11,000 scientists warn of ‘untold suffering’

Nov 5, 2019 – The Guardian –

More than 11,000 scientists have declared that the world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society. “To secure a sustainable future, we must change how we live. [This] entails major transformations in the ways our global society functions and interacts with natural ecosystems.”

Keystone pipeline spilled 1.4 million litres of oil in North Dakota

Oct 31, 2019 – CBC News –

The cause of the rupture has not yet been disclosed but the initial estimate makes it one of the biggest onshore crude spills in the past decade. Pipeline operator Calgary-based TC Energy has been seeking to expand this pipeline system linking Western Canadian oil fields to U.S. refineries with its proposed Keystone XL project.

Greta Thunberg declined a climate award because the world needs more action, fewer awards

Oct 29, 2019 – CNN –

“…What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science. …There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita – if we include our consumption, our imports as well as aviation and shipping – then it’s a whole other story.“

New rapid bus lines could mean massive changes for Winnipeg Transit

Oct 29, 2019 – CBC News –

Winnipeg Transit has unveiled its Transit Master Plan. Plans for the new system would see passengers transfer buses more often but get them to their destinations faster, with more frequent service and fewer “pass-ups”.

What a Liberal minority government means for Canada’s environment

Oct 21, 2019 – The Narwhal –

With the Liberals returned to government but with a minority of seats there’s much we don’t know yet. Here are a few things we can reasonably expect to happen on the environment file.

‘Our future is at stake’: Greta Thunberg tells climate rally in Edmonton

Oct 18, 2019 – CBC News –

By foot, by bus and by truck, hundreds of Albertans made their way to the provincial legislature grounds in Edmonton, drawn by a 16-year-old Swedish girl who is trying to change the conversation…

Thousands gather in Winnipeg for global climate strike

Sep 27, 2019 – CTV News –

Thousands of Winnipeggers gathered on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislative Building Friday to take part in a global strike for climate action.“This is a crisis, it’s serious, and we want politicians and world leaders to respond similarly – this is really serious,” said event organizer Meghan Mast.

‘How dare you’: At UN climate summit, Greta Thunberg slams world leaders in emotional address

Sep 24, 2019 – CBC News –

Teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg on Monday opened the United Nations Climate Action Summit with an angry condemnation of world leaders for failing to take strong measures to combat climate change. “How dare you?” she said.

Bill McKibben: This Climate Strike is part of the disruption we need

Sep 3, 2019 – Yes Magazine

“It can’t just be young people. It needs to be all of us.” It’s not a “strike” in the traditional sense, of course—no one is demanding better wages. But we are demanding better conditions.

Canadians are worried about climate change, but many don’t want to pay taxes to fight it: Poll

Jun 18, 2019 – CBC News –

While nearly two-thirds of Canadians see fighting climate change as a top priority, half of those surveyed would not shell out more than $100 per year in taxes to prevent climate change, the equivalent of less than $9 a month.

House of Commons declares a climate emergency ahead of pipeline decision

Jun 17, 2019 – CBC News –

The House of Commons has passed a non-binding motion to “declare that Canada is in a national climate emergency which requires…” that Canada meet its Paris Agreement commitments and make reductions “to keep global warming below 1.5℃.”

Alberta wildfires are ‘climate change in action,’ scientist says as summer heat looms

Jun 9 2019 – Canadian Press –

As another extreme fire season starts with more people on the run, scientists say they are already seeing signs that climate change is playing a role again.

‘The future is now’: Habitat for Humanity builds first net-zero homes in Winnipeg

May 30, 2019 – The new owners have just moved in to the first net-zero homes that Habitat for Humanity has built in Manitoba. With their rooftop solar panels, these buildings produce as much energy as they consume.

Manitoba students walk out of class to call for climate action

May 24 – CBC News –

In spite of the rain, there was a massive turnout of youth and their supporters for the Student Strike rally at the Legislature and march to Winnipeg City Hall on Friday.

Germany tests first eHighway autobahn

May 7 – DW.com –

Germany’s first real-time test of electrified trucks fed via overhead cables amid heavy motorway traffic has begun near Frankfurt. 

Canadian Teens Are Striking Over Climate Change

May 2 – Vice –

High school students have been using a Slack channel to organize school strikes this Friday in 64 different communities across Canada.

UK Declares Climate Emergency

May 1 – The Guardian –

UK members of parliament have endorsed a motion to declare a formal climate and environment emergency. The move has been hailed as a necessary response to school climate strikers and groups such as Extinction Rebellion.

Canada’s emissions target gets further away

Apr 17, 2019 – Canadian Press –

The return of oil and gas production following the devastating Fort McMurray wildfire and a colder than usual winter pushed Canada’s national greenhouse gas emissions up in 2017 for the first time in several years

Canada’s building code is getting a climate change rewrite

Apr 12, 2019 – CBC News –

Canada’s building codes are an extremely important tool to make real progress on climate change solutions and protecting us from its consequences. It’s nice to see that they are now planning to include aspects of adaptation and resilience into the code.

Using bricks for energy storage

Apr 9, 2019 – Fast Company –

Energy Vault uses cranes powered by renewables to lift giant bricks into a tower. When the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing, lowering the bricks back down creates new energy.

Shell quits major US oil lobby over climate change

Apr 2, 2019 – CNN –

Due to pressure from its shareholders, Shell has just quit the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers lobby group due to its resistance to the Paris Accord and carbon pricing.

Canada warming at twice the global rate, climate report finds

Apr 2, 2019 – The Guardian –
This new report says that if we fail to cut GHG emissions significantly Canada faces increases of 7-9℃ this century, and the Arctic faces 11℃.

‘Coal is on the way out’: study finds fossil fuel now pricier than solar or wind

Mar. 25, 2019- The Guardian-

Around 75% of coal production is more expensive than renewables, with industry out-competed on cost by 2025

Don’t know how to save the planet? This is what you can do

Mar. 25, 2019- The Guardian-

Should we become vegetarians? Is it OK to fly? The author of There Is No Planet B, A Handbook for the Make or Break Years, answers the big questions

How to make your home greener (and more efficient)

Mar. 22, 2019- CBC News-

Many of the prescriptions for making buildings more green naturally apply to homes, too.

Great Lakes are rapidly warming, likely to trigger more flooding and extreme weather

Mar. 21, 2019- CBC News-

Report also predicts more severe algae blooms will increase water treatment costs

Here’s a running list of all the ways climate change has altered Earth in 2019

Mar. 16, 2019- Mashable-

Eighteen of the last 19 years have been the warmest on record. Here’s the consequences of that…

I’m not old enough to vote, but I’m marching against climate change

Mar. 15, 2019- CBC News-

Student-led Strike 4 Climate scheduled for Friday around the world

The Big Picture: Car-free zones

Mar. 15, 2019- CBC News-

Studies find increased retail sales and hugely decreased air pollution

Ontario government ponders ban on single-use plastics

Mar. 10, 2019- CBC News-

Province asking the public for input on how to reduce litter and waste

‘Community’ fridges let people give food away to fight waste

Mar. 7, 2019- CBC News-

Fridges in community centres, church let restaurants, supermarkets, home cooks donate excess food

What is the Green New Deal — and why do Americans seem so obsessed with it?

Mar. 5, 2019- CBC News-

Republicans warn of hamburger bans as they fixate on the climate plan splitting Democrats

Forget the snowy winters of your childhood

Mar. 4, 2019- CBC News-

The vast, white fields of snow that blanket Canada are shrinking more every decade, particularly in Quebec.

Million litres of crude oil spilled in St. Lazare, Man., train derailment

Mar. 1, 2019- CBC News-

Too early to comment on environmental impact, Transportation Safety Board says

Canada gets closer to a right to repair law

Mar. 1, 2019- CBC News-

Canadian governments are starting to fight back with “right to repair” legislation

Climate change: CO2 emissions fall in 18 countries with strong policies, study finds

Feb. 25, 2019- CBC News-

‘You develop the policies, you fund them, and then you get emission decreases”

We’ve had an apocalyptic warning: now will we care about biodiversity?

Feb. 22, 2019- The Guardian-

A UN report on shrinking species turns the focus away from bumblebees and on to us. It’s time for humanity to take notice

City eases fleet into electric tech with planned vehicle purchases, charging stations

Feb. 18, 2019- CBC News-

Request for proposals asks charging station manufacturers for pitches as city studies feasibility

‘The beginning of great change’: Greta Thunberg hails school climate strikes

Feb. 15, 2019- The Guardian-

The 16-year-old’s lone protest last summer has morphed into a powerful global movement challenging politicians to act

Federal government, environmental groups take the stand in Sask. carbon tax challenge

Feb. 14, 2019- CBC News-

Groups in favour of the federal carbon tax will take the stand in Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal on Thursday morning.

By 2080, the climate in these Canadian cities will look nothing like it does today

Feb. 12, 2019- CBC News-

A study looked at 540 cities across Canada and the U.S.

Carbon offsets: Worth buying to fight climate change?

Feb. 7, 2019- CBC News-

What they are, what they do, when to buy and how to get the best value

‘Why aren’t we building for wildfire smoke?’ Air quality specialist calls for air filters indoors

Feb. 6, 2019- CBC News-

Sarah Coefield is in Vancouver for a wildfire workshop hosted by the B.C. Lung Association

Thawing of Earth’s ‘3rd pole’ could affect 1.9 billion people, study says

Feb. 4, 2019- CBC News-

Lead author calls melting of glaciers in Asia ‘the climate crisis you haven’t heard of’

Rising CO2 won’t make trees grow more, study suggests

Feb. 4, 2019- CBC News-

Research into ancient cedars in Quebec shows we may need to change predictions of vegetation, water cycle

Australia’s extreme heat is sign of things to come, scientists warn

Feb. 1st, 2019- The Guardian-

How climate change is behind this week’s extreme cold snap

Jan. 31, 2019- CBC News-

With wind chill values, it could feel like –51 C in some parts of Canada and U.S.

Trump used the polar vortex to mock global warming. This map shows how wrong he is.

Jan. 29, 2019- Vox-

Trump tweeted, “What the hell is going on with Global Warming?” Well, it’s still happening.

How green are avocados? (Yes, that’s a trick question)

Jan. 25, 2019- CBC News-

Also: More alternatives to road salt

Playing for the planet: How scientists use gaming to talk about climate change

Jan. 24, 2019- CBC News-

Using video games to make the impacts of climate change “tangible,” aims to help politicians make informed decisions.

What can we do, right now, about climate change?

Jan. 21, 2019- The Guardian-

Global environment editor, Jonathan Watts, describes the shifts needed to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5C.

Australia heatwave: overnight minimum of 35.9C in Noona sets new record

Jan. 18, 2019- The Guardian-

On fifth day of record-breaking extreme weather, temperatures in parts of Victoria, ACT and NSW forecast to soar above 40C, including in Sydney’s west

Wind power making gains as competitive source of electricity

Jan. 16, 2019- CBC News-

Recent contracts awarded in Alberta and Saskatchewan will keep electricity prices low

Coal-fired plants shutting down, despite Trump’s promises

Jan. 14, 2019- CBC News-

With cheaper natural gas and renewables, aging coal generators too expensive to keep up

Winnipeg lacks the financial dexterity to deal with mundane climate change

Jan. 13, 2019- CBC News-

Rather than a catastrophe, new and numerous financial headaches threaten the city

Carbon emissions up as Trump agenda rolls back climate change work

Jan. 8, 2019- The Guardian-

Last year’s 3.4% jump in emissions is the largest since 2010 recession and second largest gain in more than two decades

Climate change was the driving force behind destructive 2017 B.C. wildfire season, study says

Jan. 8, 2019- CBC News-

Researchers suggest global warming increased area burned up to 11 times

Wildfire soot darkening glaciers could speed up melt rate, scientists fear

Jan. 7, 2019- CBC News-

Soot and smoke contribute to melting of glaciers, as darkening ice absorbs more sunlight

2018 was 4th warmest year on record, EU climate change report finds

Jan. 7, 2019- CBC News-

This year will also likely be hot, Copernicus Climate Change Service says

A new climate deal has entered into force. It could change the course of our warming planet

Jan. 3, 2019- National Observer-

While celebrating our joint efforts and ultimate success, the world has to now brace itself for a new climate reality

Winnipeg Transit wants to know cost of buying up to 20 electric buses

Jan. 2, 2019- CBC News-

Estimate for ‘test fleet’ a baby step toward electrification; No source of funding yet known

Here’s what’s on the radar for climate change in 2019

Jan. 1, 2019- CBC News-

Could this year be a tipping point — for better or for worse?