El Niño on a warming planet may have sparked the Zika epidemic, scientists report

The Washington Post

In a world characterized by rising temperatures, deforestation and other human influences on the environment, the spread of infectious disease is a hot topic. Many recent studies suggest that environmental changes can affect the transmission of everything from malaria to the Zika virus — and it’s increasingly important to understand these links, scientists say. Story here.

Nearly 3,000 US Communities Have Lead Levels Higher Than Flint: Reuters

CommonDreams

Advocates hope new investigation will spur action from community leaders, as aid and attention have been slim. Story here.

UN: Huge emissions cuts needed to meet Paris climate goals

CTV News

The world is nowhere near on track to achieve the ambitious temperature goals adopted in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, the UN said Thursday in a sobering report that warned of a human tragedy unless governments stepped up efforts to fight global warming. Story here.

Arctic drilling ban reveals crucial difference between Obama and Trudeau on climate

Nation of Change

Prime Minister Trudeau continues to cling to an ideological and dangerous assertion that his government has no responsibility to restrict fossil fuel supply in the middle of a global climate crisis. Story here.

My Latest Letter. Will it Make You Angry? I Hope So! (But Not at Me!)

by Larry Powell

It’s like a nightmare in slow-motion.

Just when you think Trump has made the worst possible choice for his cabinet, he announces another who’s even worse. 

'It's their backyard': Inuit voice essential in Arctic climate studies, scientists say

CBCnews

Residents' knowledge of the fastest warming place on Earth fills gaps in scientific data. Story here.

California Forests Failing to Regrow After Intense Wildfires

 inside 

climate

 news

Huge, destructive fires are more common with climate change, and the loss of regeneration threatens to exacerbate global warming. Story here.

A Drive to Save Saharan Oases As Climate Change Takes a Toll

environment360

From Morocco to Libya, the desert oases of the Sahara's Maghreb region are disappearing as temperatures rise and rainfall decreases. Facing daunting odds, local residents are employing traditional water conservation techniques to try to save these ancient ecosystems. Story here.

Shameless: Public lands handed over to the coal industry

EarthJustice

This attack on wild forest land is just one example of the kind of threats  we will face in the next four years. Our public lands are under attack. Help us fight back! Help us fight back using the most powerful tool available—the law—and your tax-deductible gift will be matched $1-for-$1. Dear Larry, Christmas came early for Arch Coal this year. On Monday, the Obama  administration opened up 20,000 acres of wild Colorado forest to  bulldozing for coal mining. This was a shameful giveaway of our public lands, but we stand prepared to fight back.

A Changing Climate Hits Coffee Harvest on The Slopes of Kilimanjaro.

environment360

Rising temperatures and changing precipitation are taking a toll on coffee farms worldwide, including the plantations around Mount Kilimanjaro. If the world hopes to sustain its two billion cup-a-day habit, scientists say, new climate-resilient species of coffee must be developed. Story here.

Snow in the Sahara? Desert hit with snowfall for the first time in 37 years

comonews.com

It's not the first place that comes to mind when you think of having a white Christmas. Story here.