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Good afternoon, and welcome to Globe Climate, a newsletter about climate change, environment and resources in Canada.
A Jasper, Alta., performance artist is calling attention to the planet’s shrinking glaciers by hanging precariously above them in silks, and capturing stunning portraits of what she calls “fleeting moments.” Alpinist Sasha Galitzki has combined her mountain-climbing skills with aerial dance to create a new kind of endurance performance, in which she dangles bare hand in sub-zero temperatures above frozen caverns, often with no safety net or rope.
Read her Q&A with The Globe about her art.
Now, let’s catch you up on other news.
Sasha GalitzkyPaul Zizka/The Globe and Mail
Noteworthy reporting this week:
- Wildfires: Last week, more than 20,000 residents of Yellowknife were ordered to evacuate by Friday at noon. While firefighter crews continued to fight the blaze and Northwest Territories officials tried to help the remaining residents leave in a safe and orderly manner, the hospital was still an area of concern where 38 patients remained waiting for a specialized evacuation flight. Meanwhile a fast-moving fire in British Columbia destroyed dozens of homes and threatened to engulf Kelowna where thousands were told to evacuate. All the while, Canada’s Heritage Minister redoubled her calls for Meta to end its ban on Canadian news content on Facebook and Instagram, adding that the social media giant is recklessly putting people’s lives at risk by blocking Canadian news articles on its two massive platforms. As of Monday, the BC Wildfire Service says weather across the province will be affected by a hurricane in Southern California, challenging firefighters already battling hundreds of fires. But wildfire smoke may help temper the flames as 2 to 3 millimetres of rain is forecasted in the region tonight.
- Politics: Canadian environment minister urged to quit Chinese government advisory body chaired by senior member of Politburo
- Clean energy: Renewable energy companies seek transparency on Alberta moratorium
- Wildlife: Alberta conservation program looks to change how ranchers deal with grizzly bear conflicts
- Pork production: Inside Quebec’s crumbling pork empire
- Oceans: Warmest summer ocean temperatures recorded off Vancouver Island coast, meanwhile oceanographers say warming waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence affecting animal life
- From The Narwhal: Greenbelt update – what’s happened since the auditor general’s report
A deeper dive
Red skies, smoke and the reality of climate change
Ryan MacDonald is a senior editor at The Globe heading the climate, environment and resources team.
Today, there is some cautious hope that the wildfire that destroyed neighbourhoods in B.C.’s Kelowna area and forced thousands of people out of their homes has been beaten back.
In Yellowknife, there has been some reprieve, as well. Cooler weather and firefighting mean the fire that forced the evacuation of the city was less of a threat over the weekend. But there are still many tough, hot, dry, windy days ahead.
Meanwhile, First Nations in B.C. and Alberta are rallying in the face of repeated fire and flood evacuations. The situation is a familiar one, but that doesn’t make it any less frantic and dangerous.
Nearly every part of Canada, it seems, has been touched by threat or the destruction wrought by an unprecedented wildfire season. It’s clear that summer of 2023 will be remembered as a time when Canada woke up to red skies, smoke – and the reality of climate change.
It’s a tense, sometimes confusing time. Here’s a quick guide to some of the Globe’s wildfire coverage:
- With fires exploding in British Columbia over the weekend, a team of Globe journalists asks: We have seen and smelled the future, now what do we do?
- The Globe’s podcast, The Decibel, is talking to the people most affected by wildfire smoke
- As David Parkinson explains, damages from wildfires will likely cloud the economic outlook for months
- Wendy Stueck discusses how to manage climate-related anxiety and stress with a psychologist from the University of British Columbia
- Mike Hager reports on how international firefighter departures leave provinces worrying about shortages as fire risk escalates
- Finally, you can find updates and resources for B.C. residents on The Globe’s wildfires page
The fire season is far from over. The urgency of climate change is forcing us to reconsider how and where we live.
-Ryan
The City of Kelowna, B.C., declared a state of emergency last week as fire crews responded to spot fires coming across Okanagan Lake from the McDougall Creek wildfire.Shawn Talbot/The Globe and Mail
What else you may have missed
- Ecuadorians vote against oil drilling in protected area in the Amazon in historic decision
- Renewables companies hit brakes on Alberta projects after provincial government delays approvals
- Yukon eyes connection to B.C. electricity grid as Minister of Energy says it would help with national move to renewable energy
- As temperatures in B.C. soar, advocates call for rules to keep rental housing cool, and province puts fish protection orders in place
- Calgary brings in water restrictions owing to ongoing drought conditions
- One year on, Biden still needs to explain his signature clean energy legislation
- Human activity, climate change having cascading effects on northern ecosystem, starting with the Arctic cod
- Access to electric vehicle charging getting better but not quickly enough
- Montana judge sides with young activists in first-of-its-kind climate change trial
- Singh mum on preferred target for net-zero grid as Alberta, Saskatchewan NDP split on date
- Landslides from torrential rain kill more than 50 in Indian Himalayas
- Firefighters in Spain battle smoke and heat to control a major wildfire in tourist island of Tenerife
- Conservationists say B.C.’s killing of spotted owl’s natural competitors is a misdirection
Opinion and analysis
Dave Sommer: Wildfires reveal social media as the new problem child for government communications
Kelly Cryderman: Alberta’s decision to freeze renewables was wrong – and complicated
John Vaillant: A wait-and-see approach won’t cut it for today’s intense wildfires
Gary Mason: The clean energy shift is happening, whether Alberta’s government likes it or not
Editorial board: The time to act on clean power is – now
Marsha Lederman: Maui’s devastation is a loss for Hawaiians – and people around the world, too
Jason Dion and Rachel Doran: Clean power is the ace up Canada’s sleeve – as long as we don’t waste it
André Picard: Cities need to make space for transportation alternatives
Sam Anderson: Walking in the shadow of the valley of death: What glaciers and grief leave behind
Green Investing
Companies keep mum on ESG initiatives as ‘greenhushing’ takes off
When it comes to what big business is doing to address climate change, corporate leaders would rather not talk about it, writes Tim Shufelt.
In the latest round of quarterly earnings calls, just 56 companies in the S&P 500 Index commented on environmental, social and governance initiatives, according to Axios. That number is down by 64 per cent from its peak in the fourth quarter of 2021, when the corporate sector was eager to bask in the reputational glow of corporate sustainability. Now, some companies seem to be distancing themselves from their own initiatives, at least partly as a result of the backlash against ESG.
- Montreal-based dcbel raises US$50-million for bidirectional EV charging
- Occidental Petroleum buying B.C.-based Carbon Engineering for US$1.1-billion
- U.S. to impose tariffs on some big solar companies for dodging China duties
- U.S. investor group clinches tax credit deal for $1.5-billion renewable power acquisition
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
Ducks are cleaned in a soap bath at the Toronto Wildlife Centre in Toronto on Aug. 15. After an industrial fire in Etobicoke, Ont., lead to contamination of Mimico Creek, nearly 80 ducks have been pulled from the contaminated water to be treated and housed at the Toronto charity.Cole Burston/The Canadian Press
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 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
- 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?
- Cowboys confront the threat of climate change
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.