Category Archives: Cost of Climate Change

Cost of Climate Change, Seniors

Five years after the heat dome, Vancouver’s hardest hit neighbourhoods are still vulnerable

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By Maddi Dellplain, Vancity Lookout, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The heat dome that has caused an estimated 20,000 deaths in Europe and North America over the past few weeks has served as a stark reminder of the 619 lives claimed across B.C. during the province’s heat wave five years ago.

“It all happened so fast that it wasn’t until afterwards that we were trying to catch up … [and able to understand] who was most impacted by it,” said Jeannie Furmanek of B.C.’s deadliest weather event. Furmanek is the director of the adult day centres at the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, but was a part of the organization’s Seniors Team at the time.

Continue reading Five years after the heat dome, Vancouver’s hardest hit neighbourhoods are still vulnerable →
Cost of Climate Change, Rivers & Oceans

50 years of data reveals true extent of climate change impacts on kelp forests

Originally published on UVic News

New research from the University of Victoria (UVic) has found that some kelp forests around Vancouver Island were disappearing far earlier than scientists previously thought, highlighting that climate change has been altering our ecosystems long before most people were aware anything was wrong.

“Most research has focused on recent kelp forest losses resulting from well-known marine heatwaves, like the record-breaking ‘Blob’ heatwave that hit our coast a decade ago,” says Brian Timmer, a UVic PhD student, National Geographic Explorer and lead author of the study, recently published in Ecological Applications.

“These recent changes to our kelp forests have been intense. But our research shows that some areas of the BC coast have been warming much faster than the global average, and associated kelp declines began decades ago. We’ve been underestimating the magnitude of ocean-warming impacts for years.” —Chris Neufeld, co-author and senior aquatic ecology at LGL Limited

Continue reading 50 years of data reveals true extent of climate change impacts on kelp forests →
Cost of Climate Change, Energy

Majority of Albertans don’t want taxpayer dollars used for pipeline; say province’s economy too dependent on oil and gas

Despite the latest spike in oil prices and months-long push by oil and gas industry for the stripping back of environmental regulations, Albertans are concerned about overreliance on single sector.

By Janetta McKenzie , News release from the Pembina Institute

CALGARY — A majority (61 per cent) of Albertans say they do not want taxpayer money to be used for a new pipeline, with even more (67 per cent) saying they think the province’s economy is too dependent on the oil and gas sector. 

New polling commissioned by the Pembina Institute and conducted by Probe Research in late April and early May suggest Albertans’ views on energy policies are not aligned with priorities being brought forward by the Government of Alberta and oil and gas industry leaders. These have included a broad push for environmental deregulation, as well as a proposal for a new oil pipeline that has so far been funded exclusively with Alberta taxpayer dollars, and has still yet to attract a private sector proponent.

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Cost of Climate Change, Politics

UN Says Nations Have a Legal Obligation to Address Climate Change; Trump Tweets Otherwise

The UN backed a world court opinion stating that countries have a legal obligation to address climate change. Canada, China and every EU country except Czechia were among the 141 nations that supported the resolution. The United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among the eight that voted in opposition. Twenty-eight countries abstained. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres tweeted, “I welcome the adoption of the General Assembly resolution on the @CIJ_ICJ’s (International World Court) advisory opinion on climate change – a powerful affirmation of international law, climate justice, science & the responsibility of states to protect people from the escalating climate crisis. Those least responsible for climate change are paying the highest price. That injustice must end.”

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Cost of Climate Change, Energy

Ottawa warned public funding for LNG and fossil fuel projects could trigger Charter challenges

By Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A BC citizens’ group and its lawyers are warning Ottawa it could face Charter challenges if it uses public money to support new or expanded fossil fuel projects, including major LNG developments in British Columbia.

Ecojustice lawyers, acting for Citizens for My Sea to Sky, recently sent a legal letter to federal ministers and Crown corporations, including the Canada Infrastructure Bank and Export Development Canada. The letter says new subsidies or financing for projects such as Ksi Lisims LNG, LNG Canada Phase 2 or a new oil pipeline, could violate Canadians’ constitutional rights — on the basis that public financing for these projects would worsen the climate crisis and increase risks to Canadians’ Charter-protected rights, including the right to life, security of the person and equality. 

“The subsidies drive the project; the project [drives] the emissions; the emissions drive the harms and the risk of harms,” said Ecojustice lawyer Charlie Hatt.

Continue reading Ottawa warned public funding for LNG and fossil fuel projects could trigger Charter challenges →