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Canadian Polar Bear Expert Awarded Lifetime Achievement Prize

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    CANADIAN G eographic A scientist who has spent more than 40 years studying the behaviour and ecology of Arctic marine mammals and is one of the world’s foremost polar bear experts, Ian Stirling, has been awarded the $50,000 Weston Family Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Northern Research . More here.

Faith vs. Science. Why Can't We Have Both?

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by Larry Powell  Do you ever wonder why so many people of faith, especially on the Christian right, still deny the science of climate change? There was yet another example of this in Ken Waddell's editorial, "Assessing change," before Christmas. It appeared in his newspaper, "The Neepawa (MB) Banner." As we all know, Ken has been a respected leader in our community for a long time, in journalism, politics and religion, sometimes adorning his articles with passages from the Bible. In his editorial, he refuses to accept the conclusion now long endorsed by an overwhelming consensus of scientists - that  the burning of fossil fuel by we humans is the major culprit behind our planetary climate crisis.  He even calls the federal and provincial governments "certifiably nuts" for the ways in which they've embraced the recent Paris climate accord.  No one could ever fault Ken for "beating around the bush!" And I don't either - just for bei

Farm Expansion Driving US Native Bee Declines

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The Ecologist Bumble bees on chives. PinP photo. Wild bee decline is closely associated with the advance of intensive farming and habitat loss, a new study shows. It follows an earlier paper that linked 'delayed action' decline of wild bees to exposure to pesticides including fungicides - previously considered 'bee-safe'. More here.

2015 Was The Costliest US Wildfire Season Ever

climate progress Burning through over 9.8 million acres — an area roughly the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined — the 2015 wildfire season was the most expensive on record. More here.

Need for More Disaster Planning in Rural Manitoba

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Manitoba Co-Operator Hoarfrost buildup on power lines has become all-too-common in Manitoba. This was the scene in Dec. 2012. PinP photo. A seminar Jan. 14 in Portage la Prairie will look at how the risk environment is changing in rural Manitoba. Details here.

Thanks, Climate Change. Extreme Weather Wreaking Havoc Across Globe

CommonDreams 'Biblical' flooding in the UK has forced hundreds of evacuations, while fatal storms in U.S. have killed at least 43 people. More here.