Environment
Extreme heat waves broiling the planet in 2024 aren’t normal
More than a month into summer 2024, the vast majority of the U.S. population has experienced an extreme heat wave. Millions of people were under heat warnings across the western U.S. in early July or sweating through humid heat in the East. Death Valley hit a dangerous 129 degrees Fahrenheit… Read
Flirting with disaster: When endangered wild animals try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose
Fatal attractions are a standard movie plotline, but they also occur in nature, with much more serious consequences. As a conservation biologist, I’ve seen them play out in some of Earth’s most remote locations, from the Gobi Desert to the Himalayan Highlands. In these locales, pastoralist communities graze camels, yaks… Read
Climate change is causing marine ‘coldwaves’ too, killing wildlife
The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Surface temperatures can plummet rapidly — by 10ºC or more over a day or two. When these conditions persist for several days or weeks, the… Read
How global warming is reshaping winter life in Canada
As we begin to emerge out of yet another mild winter, Canadians are once again being reminded of just how acutely global warming has changed Canada’s winter climate. The impacts of this mild winter were felt across the country and touched all aspects of winter culture. From melting ice castles at… Read
From New York to Jakarta, land in many coastal cities sinking faster than sea levels are rising
Sea level rise has already put coastal cities on notice thanks to increasing storm surges and even sunny day flooding at high tide. These challenges will continue to grow because global projections point to a mean sea level rise of at least one foot above year-2000 levels by the end of this century. However,… Read
Japan has a big plastic waste problem
Since the first synthetic plastic was invented in 1907, an explosion in the world’s population and increased consumerism over the last century have led to a massive demand for — and the production of — plastic. We’re beginning to grapple with just what to do with all this plastic now… Read
The Sahara Desert used to be a green savannah – new research explains why
Algeria’s Tassili N’Ajjer plateau is Africa’s largest national park. Among its vast sandstone formations is perhaps the world’s largest art museum. Over 15,000 etchings and paintings are exhibited there, some as much as 11,000 years old according to scientific dating techniques, representing a unique ethnological and climatological record of the region. Curiously,… Read
Genetically modified crops aren’t a solution to climate change, despite what biotech industry says
The European Commission launched a proposal in July to deregulate a large number of plants manufactured using new genetic techniques. Despite extraordinary attempts by the Spanish presidency to force a breakthrough, EU members have not yet reached a consensus on this plan. But if the proposal were to be approved, these plants… Read
Kanazawa's urban Japanese gardens look to the future, water, well-being and youth
In recent months, both the Japanese and international press have extensively covered the Jingu Gaien Redevelopment Project. People have recently protested at the redevelopment site, concerned about the future of this historic urban green space and the potential negative environmental impacts of the project. The controversy around this project illustrates… Read
Here’s how your cup of coffee contributes to climate change
Global coffee consumption has been increasing steadily for almost 30 years. With a daily average consumption of 2.7 cups of coffee per person, coffee is now Canada’s most popular drink. It is estimated that around two billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide. This demand has led to considerable diversification in the… Read
