Climate change

Scientists are learning how to quickly estimate the contribution of climate change to extreme weather events like the wildfires, floods and heat waves sweeping much of the globe this summer. An aerial view of a burned section of the East Prairie Metis Settlement, Alta., Tuesday, July 4, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

‘You’ve got to move fast’: Science learns to quickly link extreme weather and climate

In 2003, a paper was published suggesting science could do better

Scientists are learning how to quickly estimate the contribution of climate change to extreme weather events like the wildfires, floods and heat waves sweeping much of the globe this summer. An aerial view of a burned section of the East Prairie Metis Settlement, Alta., Tuesday, July 4, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
A person tries to cool off in the shade as temperatures are expected to hit 116-degrees Fahrenheit, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Phoenix. The extreme heat scorching Phoenix set a record Tuesday, the 19th consecutive day temperatures hit at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Tornado damages Pfizer plant, as scorching heat and floods sock US

Large manufacturing complex was damaged by twister in North Carolina

A person tries to cool off in the shade as temperatures are expected to hit 116-degrees Fahrenheit, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Phoenix. The extreme heat scorching Phoenix set a record Tuesday, the 19th consecutive day temperatures hit at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Firefighters remove fallen tree branches from damaged parked car after a powerful storm, in Zagreb, Croatia, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. A powerful storm with strong winds and heavy rain hit Croatia and Slovenia on Wednesday, killing at least three people and injuring several others. (AP Photo)

Croatian firefighter 6th person to die after storm sweeps the Balkans

100s injured from fallen trees, objects blown by swirling winds though Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia

Firefighters remove fallen tree branches from damaged parked car after a powerful storm, in Zagreb, Croatia, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. A powerful storm with strong winds and heavy rain hit Croatia and Slovenia on Wednesday, killing at least three people and injuring several others. (AP Photo)
A general view of burnt forests on the mountains in Mandra, west of Athens, Greece, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Wildfire evacuations have continued for a third day outside the Greek Capital as a second heat wave hit the Mediterranean country from the west after days of record-high temperatures baked southern Europe. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

EU rushes firefighters to Greece as grueling Mediterranean heat takes toll

‘This underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible’

A general view of burnt forests on the mountains in Mandra, west of Athens, Greece, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Wildfire evacuations have continued for a third day outside the Greek Capital as a second heat wave hit the Mediterranean country from the west after days of record-high temperatures baked southern Europe. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Flares burn off methane and other hydrocarbons at an oil and gas facility in Lenorah, Texas, Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. New research on Canada’s methane emissions concludes it would be much cheaper for the energy industry to meet reduction targets for the potent greenhouse gas than it would be to pay carbon taxes on it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, David Goldman

Oil and gas methane reductions cheaper than paying carbon tax, study finds

‘The federal government’s target for 75 per cent reduction is achievable’

Flares burn off methane and other hydrocarbons at an oil and gas facility in Lenorah, Texas, Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. New research on Canada’s methane emissions concludes it would be much cheaper for the energy industry to meet reduction targets for the potent greenhouse gas than it would be to pay carbon taxes on it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, David Goldman
A soapstone carving is seen in front of the Western Arctic Regional Visitor’s Centre in Inuvik, N.W.T., Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Environment Canada says parts of the Northwest Territories are seeing record-breaking temperatures this summer as heat waves sweep the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Emily Blake

Record-breaking heat sweeps Northwest Territories

Environment Canada reports new highs in multiple communities in the far north

A soapstone carving is seen in front of the Western Arctic Regional Visitor’s Centre in Inuvik, N.W.T., Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Environment Canada says parts of the Northwest Territories are seeing record-breaking temperatures this summer as heat waves sweep the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Emily Blake
A thick smoky haze is visible over Williams Lake as resident calls for change. (Timothy Vant photo)

LETTER: Writing is in the sky

Haze in the air is an opportunity to find alternatives to unclean energy sources

  • Jul 15, 2023
A thick smoky haze is visible over Williams Lake as resident calls for change. (Timothy Vant photo)
Foot traffic accompanies air traffic, as human visitors carrying red flashlights walk the Little River Trail to observe synchronous fireflies in their annual mating ritual in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Elkmont Campground outside Gatlinburg, Tenn. on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. This photograph was made by “stacking” 123 long exposures shot over a 1.5-hour period. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Knoxville News Sentinel-Adam Lau

Fade into the night: Fireflies facing threats from climate change and light pollution

Overall numbers of these bugs have decreased by about 35 per cent over the last 5 decades

Foot traffic accompanies air traffic, as human visitors carrying red flashlights walk the Little River Trail to observe synchronous fireflies in their annual mating ritual in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Elkmont Campground outside Gatlinburg, Tenn. on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. This photograph was made by “stacking” 123 long exposures shot over a 1.5-hour period. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Knoxville News Sentinel-Adam Lau
A woman uses an umbrella to take shelter from the sun as she walks in downtown Rome, Thursday, July 13, 2023. An intense heat wave has reached Italy, bringing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius in many cities across the country.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Heat wave Cerberus has southern Europe in its jaws

Temperatures expected reach the mid-40s in some Mediterranean areas

A woman uses an umbrella to take shelter from the sun as she walks in downtown Rome, Thursday, July 13, 2023. An intense heat wave has reached Italy, bringing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius in many cities across the country.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Ottawa police say they are responding to a tornado in the city’s south end. A close-up of an Ottawa Police officer’s badge is seen on Thursday, April 28, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Ottawa officials say tornado touched down in city suburb of Barrhaven

Environment Canada has issued a tornado warning for the entire National Capital Region

Ottawa police say they are responding to a tornado in the city’s south end. A close-up of an Ottawa Police officer’s badge is seen on Thursday, April 28, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Trees scorched by the Donnie Creek wildfire line a forest north of Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 2, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Noah Berger

Drought update follows minister’s call for B.C. residents to conserve water

Conservation measures across larger areas of the province anticipated as situation progresses

Trees scorched by the Donnie Creek wildfire line a forest north of Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 2, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Noah Berger
The San Antonio Fire spreads uphill west of Petaluma, Ca., Friday, June 30, 2023. The entire planet sweltered for the two unofficial hottest days in human recordkeeping Monday and Tuesday, according to University of Maine scientists at the Climate Reanalyzer project. The unofficial heat records come after months of unusually hot conditions due to climate change and a strong El Nino event. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)

For the third time in a week, Earth sets an unofficial heat record. What’s behind those big numbers?

Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high last Thursday, the…

The San Antonio Fire spreads uphill west of Petaluma, Ca., Friday, June 30, 2023. The entire planet sweltered for the two unofficial hottest days in human recordkeeping Monday and Tuesday, according to University of Maine scientists at the Climate Reanalyzer project. The unofficial heat records come after months of unusually hot conditions due to climate change and a strong El Nino event. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)
Richard Gordon tests out the virtual reality environment on Qikiqtaruk, Y.T., in an undated handout photo. The VR project Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk is transporting people to Yukon’s northernmost point without them ever having to leave home. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Isla Myers-Smith

‘Seeing is believing’: VR project immerses viewers in Yukon climate change

‘Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk’ transports people to the frontlines of far north environmental change

Richard Gordon tests out the virtual reality environment on Qikiqtaruk, Y.T., in an undated handout photo. The VR project Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk is transporting people to Yukon’s northernmost point without them ever having to leave home. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Isla Myers-Smith
Crews begin repairs to a washed-out section of Highway 170 in Rivière-Éternité, Que., Sunday, July 2, 2023. Climate change could lead to more landslides in Quebec, like the one that killed two people on Saturday, said a researcher who studies the phenomenon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

As Quebec gets wetter because of climate change, risks of landslides increase

Professor says climate change models predict southern Quebec will receive between 5% and 14% more rain by 2050

Crews begin repairs to a washed-out section of Highway 170 in Rivière-Éternité, Que., Sunday, July 2, 2023. Climate change could lead to more landslides in Quebec, like the one that killed two people on Saturday, said a researcher who studies the phenomenon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
A trench rainwater tree plant in Vancouver on Richards Street to help cool the surface area of the local environment. (Courtesy of PICS)

$180K B.C. project uses trees to combat extreme heat waves in Vancouver

‘Urban forests are essential for adapting to climate change’

A trench rainwater tree plant in Vancouver on Richards Street to help cool the surface area of the local environment. (Courtesy of PICS)
A dog peeks between the legs of a paddle boarder on the Toronto waterfront, Thursday July 6, 2023. A cold front passing through Ontario and Quebec is expected offer relief today after a multi-day heat wave. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Cold front to bring relief to Central Canada, coastal heat waves continue

Communities as far north as Inuvik forecasted to see temperatures around 30 degrees

A dog peeks between the legs of a paddle boarder on the Toronto waterfront, Thursday July 6, 2023. A cold front passing through Ontario and Quebec is expected offer relief today after a multi-day heat wave. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
A helicopter carrying a water basket flies past a smoke plume near Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Que., Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Natural Resources Canada says the country’s record-breaking wildfire season will continue to be greater than normal throughout July and into August. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season expected to burn hot for months

Atlantic Canada should see more normal conditions in August, the rest of the country likely will not

A helicopter carrying a water basket flies past a smoke plume near Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Que., Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Natural Resources Canada says the country’s record-breaking wildfire season will continue to be greater than normal throughout July and into August. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A security guard wearing an electric fan on his neck wipes his sweat on a hot day in Beijing, Monday, July 3, 2023. Heavy flooding has displaced thousands of people around China as the capital had a brief respite from sweltering heat. Beijing reported 9.8 straight days when the temperature exceeded 35 C (95 F), the National Climate Center said Monday. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

July 4 set unofficial record for hottest day on Earth, July 5 may break it

Globe’s average temperature reached 17.18 C on Tuesday, highest in at least 44 years

A security guard wearing an electric fan on his neck wipes his sweat on a hot day in Beijing, Monday, July 3, 2023. Heavy flooding has displaced thousands of people around China as the capital had a brief respite from sweltering heat. Beijing reported 9.8 straight days when the temperature exceeded 35 C (95 F), the National Climate Center said Monday. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey and Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King, left to right, field questions at the closing news conference at a meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers in Halifax on March 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Double whammy of new climate policies in Atlantic Canada fuel political battle

New regulations coming into force everywhere in Canada

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey and Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King, left to right, field questions at the closing news conference at a meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers in Halifax on March 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
B.C’s Health Minister Adrian Dix, here seen in Surrey, has announced $10 million for 8,000 air-conditioners for vulnerable populations. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. cranks up $10 million for 8,000 air conditioners for vulnerable citizens

Units will be provided through a BC Hydro application process over the next 3 years

B.C’s Health Minister Adrian Dix, here seen in Surrey, has announced $10 million for 8,000 air-conditioners for vulnerable populations. (Black Press Media file photo)