2017 One of Hottest Years on Record, and Without El Niño

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Nine of the 10 warmest years on modern record have been since 2005. This was the warmest without El Niño's influence, and it was marked by climate-related disasters. Story here.

340 Billion Gallons of Sludge Spur Environmental Fears in Canada

Bloomberg

"Rainbow Lake" - Alberta tar sands. Photo credit - "Beautiful Destruction."

Amid the bogs and forests of northern Alberta, in the heart of the Canadian oil patch, lie some of the largest waste dumps of the global energy business. Story here.

To Save Oceans and Planet, Greenpeace Backs Plan to Create Largest Protected Area on Earth

Common Dreams

Mt. Herschel, Antarctica. Photo by Andrew Mandemaker.

"We are in desperate need for governments to come together and do what is best for these amazing ecosystems." More here.

The Snowy Owl is Placed on the "Vulnerable" List.

by Larry Powell

A "Snowy" swoops down on its prey (probably a lemming).

Photo credit - Government of Quebec.

The beautiful Snowy Owl, like so many other wild creatures on Earth, faces an uncertain future. The “Red List,” a British agency, has just put the graceful, white bird of prey on the “vulnerable” list for the first time. It has drastically downgraded earlier estimates of 200 thousand individuals, worldwide, to as low as 10 thousand. 

Snowy Owl numbers have proven hard to judge since they fluctuate so widely, depending on the availability of food. Factors in their decline may include illegal hunting, collisions with vehicles and power lines and climate change, which can affect the availability of prey. So the agency’s prognosis is a somber one. “This species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future.” 

Snowy Owls nest in the Arctic, but have a range that spans the northern hemisphere.” 

A conservation specialist, Andy Symes of Birdlife International urges, Snowy Owls must now be considered "a high priority for further research and conservation action."

"Red List" has been assessing the status of wildlife species for 50 years.

Warming ocean water is turning 99 percent of these sea turtles female

ScienceNews

Rising temperatures are skewing population ratios toward extreme imbalance. Story here.

Photo by Karla

The (US) Centers for Disease Control gets list of forbidden words: Fetus, transgender, diversity

The Washington Post

The Trump administration is prohibiting officials at the nation’s top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases — including “fetus” and “transgender” — in official documents being prepared for next year’s budget. More here.

New York City sues five oil giants for causing climate 'tragedy'

NATIONAL

OBSERVER

Five years ago, Superstorm Sandy ripped through the most populous city in the United States, spreading destruction fueled by climate change. Today, New York City's mayor said it was time to "break the cycle" by suing the culprits — fossil fuel companies. Story here.

As Climate Crisis Intensifies, $300+ Billion in Damages Makes 2017 Costliest Year Ever

Common

Dreams

Experts say this "historic and unprecedented year of disastrous extremes" reinforces "the fact that climate change is a threat to our health, and also a threat to our economy." More here.

Scientists warn of vanishing oxygen in oceans, including Canadian waters

NATIONAL

OBSERVER

A Mexican beach. PinP photo.

Almost two dozen marine scientists from around the world have issued a warning about an often-overlooked side effect of climate change and pollution. Story here.

New Study Showing Ozone Recovery Hailed as Model for Tackling Climate Crisis

Common

Dreams

"We see very clearly that chlorine from CFCs is going down in the ozone hole, and that less ozone depletion is occurring because of it." More here.

Corals are severely bleaching five times as often as in 1980

ScienceNews

Bleached coral off Florida. U.S. Geological Survey

Warming tropical waters are largely responsible, researchers say. Story here.