Almost two years after asking staff to figure out what Halifax can do to make the city more electric-car friendly, HRM’s environment and sustainability standing committee will see what’s being proposed. The report, which will be discussed by the committee and then passed forward to regional council as presented or with specific amendments on Thursday, […]
Climate change
Posted inNews + Opinion
What can we do about endangered species?
BC is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a captive breeding program to protect spotted owls. With an estimated six of the owls left in the wild in Canada, all in BC, that seems like good news. But while the program includes some habitat protection, the province is also approving logging in habitat the owl needs […]
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Deniers deflated as climate reality hits home
Climate science deniers are becoming desperate as their numbers diminish in the face of incontrovertible evidence that human-caused global warming is putting our future at risk. Although most people with basic education, common sense and a lack of financial interest in the fossil fuel industry accept what scientists worldwide have proven through decades of research, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Why Nova Scotia is the perfect place to fight for climate justice
Nova Scotia is a perfect battleground for the fight for climate justice. This place is not characterized by ease or sensationalism. The ways that our gentle hills rise from our 7,400 kilometres of coastline became spectacular to me only after years of reflection. The wealth of plant life that inundates everything only became remarkable when […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Climate protection is not a partisan issue
Media and politicians often regard environmentalists as a special interest group with political priorities served by “green” parties. If a Green politician isn’t present or allowed to participate in a public debate, journalists tend to eschew environmental questions, considering them the purview of the absent party. It’s absurd to think an issue like climate change […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Avoiding climate chaos means zeroing in on emissions
We’re caught in a bad cycle. Global greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, causing more extreme weather events and temperature swings. Hotter than normal weather in some places and colder in others means more people are using heat and air conditioning, which creates more emissions… According to a statistical review by oil and gas company […]
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Climate change and biodiversity should be top headline news
When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report in October warning of how quickly we’re advancing toward irreversible climate chaos, it led the —for a day. A massive study in May by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services about rapid wildlife extinction met a similar fate. In Canada, issues […]
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Time for Canada’s own green new deal
We have just 11 years to cut global emissions in half in order to avoid climate catastrophe. Young people like myself are justifiably scared for our futures. This year is critical—and terrifying—as the federal election is under 180 days away. Our prime minister, who was elected mostly by young people on a platform of climate […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: What do we do when the cathedral burns?
When Paris’s Notre Dame caught fire on April 15, the flames threatened more than eight centuries of culture and history. The fire evoked shock, horror and grief worldwide. While the cathedral burned, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed determination to rebuild what the French regard as a sacred site. Beset by divisive “yellow vest” demonstrations, the […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Cities hold the key to reversing bee decline
If there’s one thing bees and many city dwellers have in common, it’s a love of gardens. That’s good news for both because it means there’s hope for reversing the decline of bee populations worldwide. Cities are important refuges for these critical pollinators and could ultimately hold the key to their survival. Canada is home […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Government should heed Unist’ot’en message
I visited the Unist’ot’en camp near Kitimat, BC, a year ago. The people, led by Chief Freda Huson, are trying to re-establish a sustainable relationship with territory that has enabled them to flourish for millennia. Ever since colonization and settlement, much of that traditional way of life has been lost or seriously constrained. These are […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: You may not like insects, but you need them
An alarming scientific review has found human activity is driving insects to extinction. When the bottom of the food chain is endangered, so too is everything up the chain—including people. Insect declines threaten birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians that eat insects, as well as the many plants that require them for pollination. Insects are also […]
