Globe Climate: Even deep-sea species are feeling the heat of climate change

If you’re reading this on the web or someone forwarded this e-mail newsletter to you, you can sign up for Globe Climate and all Globe newsletters here.

Good afternoon, and welcome to Globe Climate, a newsletter about climate change, environment and resources in Canada.

We already know the ways that a warming Earth is affecting nature and wildlife, such as this story about the how the loss of Antarctic ice is affecting the survival of emperor penguin chicks.

But recently, we’ve been seeing more stories about agriculture and climate change affecting the foods we eat. For example, olive oil prices rise as climate-related catastrophes shrink Mediterranean harvests. Also, a rice shortage is sending prices soaring across the world, and things could get worse. We’ve also got a story about Canada’s wildfires hurting the Okanagan wine region further down in this edition.

Now, let’s catch you up on other news.

Noteworthy reporting this week:

1. NWT wildfires: Ottawa commits to improve infrastructure in fire-ravaged NWT after criticism from Premier, meanwhile NWT mulls financial aid for evacuees who arranged their own way out. Hay River mayor says evacuated town in better shape than feared the night before. Also, a former BBC reporter kept NWT local news alive with Cabin Radio.
2. B.C. wildfires: Pause in tourism, wildfire smoke add to woes for B.C.’s hard-hit wine industry. B.C. mayors welcome decision to lift some travel restrictions after rain douses wildfires
3. Alberta renewables: Moratorium is affecting more than 100 projects worth $33-billion, think tank says. Alberta Utilities Commission will continue to process renewable energy applications during moratorium
4. Insurance: Canadian insurers weathering wildfire costs but prices for consumers keep rising
5. Innovation: The Vancouver company that wants to bring protein from fungi to Mars
6. Global warming: Glaciers in the Alps are melting as temperatures hit zero degrees at record-high altitudes
7. Investigation from The Narwhal: LNG Canada wants to go electric. The B.C. government wants taxpayers to cover the cost

A deeper dive

Broiling in the deep: meet the plainfin midshipman fish

As Shane Gross, a marine conservation photographer and co-founder of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective, moved from rock to rock along the beach, the stench of death was putrid in the air.

It was 45 degrees, a new record for that part of Vancouver Island, and the heat of the day coincided with an extreme low tide. With every couple of steps, he found another dead crab, sea star or fish. In between, hundreds of barnacles were starting to rot. Among the dead fish were plainfin midshipman, a curious little fish he had planned to photograph that day.

Open this photo in gallery:

What’s interesting about plainfin midshipman? Where to even begin? This is a venomous, deep-sea species that can emit their own light, and swim all the way up to the shore each spring to spawn. Males dig out the sediment under flat rocks, preparing their nests and then sing to attract females.

Finding out a fish sings may be just another fun fact, but for the midshipman it’s survival. And our ocean is becoming a noisier place, which makes it harder to live.

You might not have heard of the plainfin midshipman before this newsletter, but Gross and his colleagues want to raise awareness about the issues facing a fish species very few have heard of. Here are things we can do to help.

• Advocate for coastal marine protected areas, and for better waste management.
• If you find a midshipman nest under a rock be careful to not harm the fish or eggs as you put the rock back.
• If you notice declining conditions or dramatic changes to a coastline near you, report it to DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans).
• And even if you don’t live anywhere near the ocean, you can advocate with your wallet and with your ballot

All reporting, photos and videos for this story are by Shane Gross. Read and watch the full version today.

Open this photo in gallery:

Open this photo in gallery:

What else you missed

• Canadians unified on forest protection, but divided on wildfire cause, poll suggests. Fear, falsehoods and conspiracy theories ignite
• Canada’s weather alert system should account for wildfires, expert urges
• Germany set to miss net zero by 2045 target as climate efforts falter
• Canadian ministers vow to accelerate action at global environment conference in B.C.
• California mountain and desert towns dig out of the mud from first tropical storm in 84 years
• The quest for an ancient colossus, in the wild rainforest of B.C.
• How climate change threatens the hidden diversity of aquatic ecosystems like coral reefs
• Firefighters in Greece struggle to control wildfires, including EU’s largest blaze on record
• Environmental campaigners threaten EU with legal action over bloc’s climate policy

Opinion and analysis

Courtney Howard, Nicole Redvers, Sarah Cook: The awful fires in the Northwest Territories can light the way to a better, healthier future

Chris Turner: The difficult necessity of claiming climate victories

Editorial board: Oil companies need to be pushed on climate

Elliott Cappell: Canada’s climate adaptation plans were built for a world that no longer exists

Marcus Gee: Time to do away with gas-run leaf blowers

Arno Kopecky: After years on the sidelines, I’m joining the climate protests this fall

Kevin Yin: Suncor’s climate pullback is the latest sign federal incentives are not enough

Green Investing

Expert panel tells Ottawa to move faster on corporate disclosure of climate risks

An expert panel advising Ottawa on sustainable finance is calling for mandatory corporate reporting of climate-related information “without undue delay,” but a report it commissioned shows companies still face big gaps in data, including risks tied to physical damage after a year of destructive wildfires, heat waves and floods.

“In terms of what we’ve been hearing from our stakeholders, like the consultations we have been having with investors and regulators, they are demanding the data be available,” said Anik Islam, senior research associate with Smart Prosperity, a think tank based at the University of Ottawa.

• Canadian pension funds and BlackRock team up for US$1.2-billion EV battery maker financing
• Opinion: The energy transition is the new gold rush and investors play an essential role

Making waves

Each week The Globe profiles a Canadian making a difference, but we are taking a little break for the rest of summer. We’ll be back to showing off everyone’s great work in a few weeks.

Do you know an engaged individual? Someone who represents the real engines pursuing change in the country? Email us at GlobeClimate@globeandmail.com to tell us about them.

Photo of the week

Open this photo in gallery:

Guides and Explainers

• Want to learn to invest sustainably? We have a class for that: Green Investing 101 newsletter course for the climate-conscious investor. Not sure you need help? Take our quiz to challenge your knowledge.
• We've rounded up our reporters' content to help you learn about what a carbon tax is, what happened at COP 26, and just generally how Canada will change because of climate change.
• We have ways to make your travelling more sustainable and if you like to read, here are books to help the environmentalist in you grow, as well as a downloadable e-book of Micro Skills - Little Steps to Big Change.

Catch up on Globe Climate

• Western Canada’s unrelenting wildfires showing signs of reprieve but tough days remain ahead
• Noise pollution drowns out voices under the sea, threatening marine life
• Why is Alberta putting a pause on renewables?
• Can Tuvalu be saved for future generations?

We want to hear from you. Email us: GlobeClimate@globeandmail.com. Do you know someone who needs this newsletter? Send them to our Newsletters page.