Stephen Harper Hates Me (Video)

Extending Indonesia’s Forest Moratorium Is a Win for Business

World Resources Institute

Indonesian President Joko Widodo reaffirmed his commitment to climate leadership this week by renewingIndonesia’s national forest moratorium, which prohibits new licenses to clear key forest areas. While the environmental benefits are well-recognized, the move should also be hailed as a win for businesses and local producers. Story here.

More Weird Weather on the Prairies. It May Have Left Significant Crop Damage in its Wake. (Story & Video)

by Larry Powell

Wintery conditions returned to take another swipe at southern Manitoba on the Victoria Day long weekend. The Colorado low dumped 90 millimetres of precipitation on the Town of Melita in the southwest (more than 3 1/2 inches), mostly in the form of rain. But there was also snow, ice pellets, freezing rain and wind. Lots of wind. The City of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Beach and Gimli were all hit with wind gale-force winds of more than 90 kilometres an hour. They brought down trees, tree branches and power lines, knocking out power to thousands in various communities across the south. Manitoba Hydro repair crews were taxed to the limit.

The rain left farmland along the Trans Canada Highway, west of Winnipeg, sodden and submerged. I shot this video from our car as we returned home to Neepawa from Winnipeg on Victoria Day, May 18th, along the north side of the Trans Canada Highway, west of the Portage junction.

PinP photos.

High winds are believed to have caused these accidents along the same section of roadway.

Farmers who've already done significant field work in preparing for this year's planting season must be extremely nervous, given the terrible damage they've already suffered so frequently in recent years. Record, torrential rains and flooded crops have become tales that are all-too familiar as climate change seems to tighten its grip.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pegs Canada's Fossil Fuel Subsidies at $34 Billion

The Tyee

Pump jacks in southeastern SK. PinP photo.

In such giveaways we're a world leader, a fact rarely noted when federal budgets are debated. Story here.  Story here.

Related: "Governments Giving Fossil Fuel Companies $10 Million a Minute: IMF"

Washington State Declares Drought Emergency

HuffPost

Drought isn't just a California problem, folks. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide drought emergency on Friday, with snowpack and stream flows dramatically below normal. Story here.

Canada Announces Climate Commitment and it’s Weaker Than it Looks

Climate Action Network

Canada has announced it will cut carbon pollution by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 as part of this year’s international climate negotiations in Paris. While any action is an improvement, the proposed target is….Story here.

The Alberta-Based Think-Tank, the Pembina Institute, is Skeptical About Canada's Latest Greenhouse Gas Targets

The Pembina Insitute

The Koch Brothers fertilizer plant in Brandon, MB: At one time, 

Manitoba's largest single source of greenhouse gas pollution. (PinP photo.)

Given Canada’s history of setting climate targets while failing to implement regulations to meet them, today’s announcement doesn’t mean much without a credible plan of action to back it up. Story here.