Canada's Permafrost Is Thawing 70 Years Earlier Than Expected, Study Shows. Scientists Are 'Quite Surprised'

TIME

Of course, "The Big Thaw" is not confined to Canada. This Alaskan
permafrost has melted, causing one of this lake's banks to collapse. 
As a result, its waters are draining into a river, then into the sea, 
perhaps leading to the lake's disappearance!
NPS Climate Change Response Photo (C.Ciancibelli)

The Canadian Arctic permafrost is thawing 70 years earlier than expected, a rate shocking a group of scientists who released the findings of their long-term study this month. More here.

Canada becomes first G7 country to ban shark fin imports

The Guardian

Shark fins for sale in Canada.
Photo by Hakai MAGAZINE 

• Measure which also bans sale of fins awaits royal assent. Story here.

"Artifishal." The fight to save wild salmon. (Video)

Deadly gas: Cutting farm emissions in half could save 3,000 lives a year

Bureau of Investigative Journalism

Spreading manure on a harvested corn field.
Photo by Chesapeake Bay Program.

Thousands of deaths could be avoided each year if air pollution from UK farms were halved, new analysis has revealed. But the government's failure to act means the most damaging sectors are under no obligation to cut their emissions. Story here.

More research on African swine fever is urgently needed: No cure, no vaccine and no treatment yet exists for this lethal pig disease

ILRI

The swelling around the kidneys & the muscle hemorrhages shown here
are typical of pigs with African swine fever. Karen Apicelli - USDA.

African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. It kills nearly 100% of the pigs it infects. The good news is that the African swine fever virus does not infect or harm humans. The bad news is that it devastates household and national economies. Particularly in Africa and now in China and Vietnam, it can destroy the livelihoods. More here.

An Alberta wildfire specialist links Fort Mac "megafire" and BC's 2017 fire season to climate change

The Energy Mix

On May, 2016, the Landsat 7 satellite (NASA) acquired this
false-colour image of the wildfire that burned through
Fort McMurray. Advanced technology allows it to
penetrate clouds and smoke to reveal the hot spots
associated with active fires. Smoke appears white
& burned areas appear brown.

More than two thousand wildfires hit British Columbia in 2017. Another massive one consumed much of Fort McMurray, Alberta a year earlier. Mike Flannigan, A University specialist in wildland fire, says both were connected to climate change. Story here.