Climate Change

A container ship passes under the Lions Gate Bridge after leaving port, in Vancouver, B.C., on May 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Shipping industry looks at sustainable fuels chasing net-zero goals

Industry says green energy consensus needed as it looks to rebuild the fleet

 

A flare stack lights the sky from an oil refinery in Edmonton on Friday December 28, 2018. Executives of some of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies are expected to testify before a parliamentary committee Thursday about their efforts to reduce their sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Oil CEOs tell House of Commons committee they support carbon pricing

Meanwhile, they oppose an emissions cap on their sector

 

A 2023 report from Statistics Canada gives B.C. the lowest rate of access to air conditioning with 32 per cent. That figure varies across B.C. While 84 per cent of households in Kelowna have air conditioning, the rate drops to 26 of households in Vancouver and 19 per cent in Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

About 1 in 3 B.C. homes have air-conditioning, the lowest rate in Canada

Air conditioning access even lower among racialized and low-income British Columbians

 

A vehicle is seen among downed power lines and utility poles after a major storm on Merivale Road in Ottawa on Saturday, May 21, 2022. The Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative will offer up to $1 million to local governments for projects that upgrade or adjust their infrastructure and natural environment to be more protected from extreme weather events including floods, fires and major storms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

$530M federal fund aimed at helping communities adapt to climate change

2 streams of funding made available to local governments for projects and planning

A vehicle is seen among downed power lines and utility poles after a major storm on Merivale Road in Ottawa on Saturday, May 21, 2022. The Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative will offer up to $1 million to local governments for projects that upgrade or adjust their infrastructure and natural environment to be more protected from extreme weather events including floods, fires and major storms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A head of wheat amongst a crop near Cremona, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Scientists on a quest for drought-resistant wheat, agriculture’s ‘Holy Grail’

It is a staple food for 35% of the world’s population, but requires more water than other crops

A head of wheat amongst a crop near Cremona, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The Abbot Pass hut stood for decades in a rugged col between two iconic peaks, overlooking the limpid turquoise of Banff National Park’s Lake Louise — a destination for alpinists from around the world until the ground melted beneath it and forced its closure. The Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Parks Canada

‘Rotten rock’: Climate change altering the face of Canadian mountaineering

Where reliable glacier routes once lay, only unstable rock remains

The Abbot Pass hut stood for decades in a rugged col between two iconic peaks, overlooking the limpid turquoise of Banff National Park’s Lake Louise — a destination for alpinists from around the world until the ground melted beneath it and forced its closure. The Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Parks Canada
This image released by Netflix shows Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy in a scene from “Don’t Look Up.” (Niko Tavernise/Netflix via AP)

Researchers want Hollywood to reflect climate change more often

A majority of films in the climate change era do not frequently acknowledge its existence

This image released by Netflix shows Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy in a scene from “Don’t Look Up.” (Niko Tavernise/Netflix via AP)
RCMP escort evacuees from Fort McMurray, Alberta past wildfires that were still burning out of control Saturday, May 7, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Leaders must disaster-proof Canada’s hospitals against climate change: experts

Floods, fires, heat waves all increase emergency needs, while also threatening services

RCMP escort evacuees from Fort McMurray, Alberta past wildfires that were still burning out of control Saturday, May 7, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a black-legged tick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-CDC via AP

As Canada warms, infectious disease risks spread north

Canada becoming increasingly friendly to diseases such as malaria, dengue and Zika virus

This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a black-legged tick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-CDC via AP
A general view shows an entrance to the Pantex Plant, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Panhandle, Texas. The plant was briefly shut down during the early part of the Smokehouse Creek Fire on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Climate change increasingly threatens research laboratories, weapons sites and power plants across the nation that handle or are contaminated with radioactive material or perform critical energy and defense research. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Sites with radioactive material more vulnerable as climate change worsens

Increasingly common fires, droughts and floods all threaten the sensitive sites

A general view shows an entrance to the Pantex Plant, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Panhandle, Texas. The plant was briefly shut down during the early part of the Smokehouse Creek Fire on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Climate change increasingly threatens research laboratories, weapons sites and power plants across the nation that handle or are contaminated with radioactive material or perform critical energy and defense research. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
As more Canadians grapple with catastrophic impacts from climate-fuelled extreme weather, from wildfires to deadly heat waves, the question of how a person can keep up the fight for planetary health while tending to their mental health has extended beyond the environmental movement and become more urgent and widespread. A wildfire burns in northern Manitoba near Flin Flon, as seen from a helicopter surveying the situation, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

In the fight for planetary health, how do we preserve our mental health?

‘It’s not abnormal to be distressed when you’re watching a world around you evaporate’

As more Canadians grapple with catastrophic impacts from climate-fuelled extreme weather, from wildfires to deadly heat waves, the question of how a person can keep up the fight for planetary health while tending to their mental health has extended beyond the environmental movement and become more urgent and widespread. A wildfire burns in northern Manitoba near Flin Flon, as seen from a helicopter surveying the situation, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski
The Canadian Society of Nephrology is calling for environmentally sustainable kidney care to reduce the large amounts of wastewater, energy and single-use plastics involved in dialysis. Francis Silva undergoes dialysis treatment at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Doctors, patients want options to reduce dialysis waste adding to climate change

In Vancouver, the clinic does about 800 dialysis treatments a week

The Canadian Society of Nephrology is calling for environmentally sustainable kidney care to reduce the large amounts of wastewater, energy and single-use plastics involved in dialysis. Francis Silva undergoes dialysis treatment at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Harris Creek, on the Pacific Marine Circle Route between Port Renfew and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island. (John McKinley file photo)

‘Precipitation deficit’: rivers recede as B.C. feeling ongoing drought trend

Rivers across the province running narrower and shallower than this time last year

Harris Creek, on the Pacific Marine Circle Route between Port Renfew and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island. (John McKinley file photo)
Fish-shaped crayon rubbings made from collagraph plates form part of Project 84,000, an art project and environmental awareness campaign that honours thousands of steelhead, trout and other fish that died in a kill on the Cowichan River last summer, in a handout photo taken April 23, 2024, at Vimy Hall near Duncan, B.C. Eleven participants worked together to create nine collagraph plates and rub 960 fish prints during the event. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Jennifer Shepherd

B.C. mourning 1,000s of fish lost as drought risk looms large again

Project 84,000 depict steelhead and trout that died in drought-stricken river last year

Fish-shaped crayon rubbings made from collagraph plates form part of Project 84,000, an art project and environmental awareness campaign that honours thousands of steelhead, trout and other fish that died in a kill on the Cowichan River last summer, in a handout photo taken April 23, 2024, at Vimy Hall near Duncan, B.C. Eleven participants worked together to create nine collagraph plates and rub 960 fish prints during the event. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Jennifer Shepherd
Siblings Ella Pringle and Aidan Ridley play baseball at a park in a handout photo as part of their parents’ “conscious” effort to get them out of the house and away from their screens for regular exercise as recommended in a ParticipAction report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

Smoke, heat keeping Canadian kids indoors instead of exercising: report

Participaction says climate change is not helping in the push to move kids away from their screens

Siblings Ella Pringle and Aidan Ridley play baseball at a park in a handout photo as part of their parents’ “conscious” effort to get them out of the house and away from their screens for regular exercise as recommended in a ParticipAction report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO
Retired fruit farmer and agricultural economist Don Low, who advises the Regional District of Central Kootenay on water issues in the Creston Valley, says the Arrow Creek water plant expensively treats water to a level far beyond what is needed for irrigation. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

MELTDOWN: As water dries up, Creston Valley’s farmers worry for the future

RDCK is studying the feasibility of additional water sources for the area

Retired fruit farmer and agricultural economist Don Low, who advises the Regional District of Central Kootenay on water issues in the Creston Valley, says the Arrow Creek water plant expensively treats water to a level far beyond what is needed for irrigation. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Canada’s latest greenhouse gas emissions report shows progress toward meeting its next target in 2030 but there is still a very long way to go. A man fills up his truck with gas in Toronto, on Monday, April 1, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Canada’s emissions their lowest in 25 years, still have long way to go

Latest national emissions report shows signs of progress toward Canada’s 2030 goal

Canada’s latest greenhouse gas emissions report shows progress toward meeting its next target in 2030 but there is still a very long way to go. A man fills up his truck with gas in Toronto, on Monday, April 1, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
James Baxter holds shore-spawning Kokanee fry in his hand. The West Kootenay’s low snowpack as well as annual Kootenay Lake’s levels dictated by power operations is impacting where Kokanee can spawn. Photo: Tyler Harper

MELTDOWN: West Kootenay wildlife rely on a disappearing snowpack

Snow is a means of survival for some species

James Baxter holds shore-spawning Kokanee fry in his hand. The West Kootenay’s low snowpack as well as annual Kootenay Lake’s levels dictated by power operations is impacting where Kokanee can spawn. Photo: Tyler Harper
Wally (left) and Levi Huser stand with Salmo Ski Hill in the background. The community hill was open only 14 days last season. Photo: Tyler Harper

MELTDOWN: West Kootenay ski hills struggled without reliable snow fall

The unpredictable winter played havoc with local recreation

Wally (left) and Levi Huser stand with Salmo Ski Hill in the background. The community hill was open only 14 days last season. Photo: Tyler Harper
A view from Red Mountain near Rossland. The depth of the snowpack in the West Kootenay was 72 per cent of normal as of April 1, 2024. Photo: Tim Hart/ Unsplash

MELTDOWN: Low West Kootenay snowpack threatens drinking water drawn from creeks

Watershed vulnerability depends on size, aspect and amount of precipitation

A view from Red Mountain near Rossland. The depth of the snowpack in the West Kootenay was 72 per cent of normal as of April 1, 2024. Photo: Tim Hart/ Unsplash