"Mother is ill." Earthwatch - Video.

I Get My First Response to My Proposal to Take Climate Action in Fort McMurray

Alberta's Premier, Rachel Notley, has responded to my proposal to replace all buildings destroyed in the Fort McMurray wildfire with the most energy-efficient ones possible (see letter, below). While her answer to my specific suggestion seems to be a polite "no," she outlines other steps her province is taking to achieve a carbon-free future.

Larry 

For the background to this story, click here.

Norway Becomes the First Country to Ban Deforestation

Nation of Change

A clearcut in BC. Wikimedia Commons.

The Norwegian Parliament has pledged to be deforestation-free. They are the first country in history to ban deforestation. Story here.

Nasa to Map Coral Reefs From the Air to Show Impact of Climate Change

theguardian

Scientists hope large-scale maps will offer new insight into effects of warming and pollution as previous studies have almost always been done up close in the water. Story here.

Shell Relinquishes Canadian Arctic Drilling Rights

NATIONAL

OBSERVER

One of the planet’s largest oil companies has just walked away from a large swath of oil and gas reserves in the Canadian Arctic. But it says it hasn't given up altogether on the prospects of drilling for the fossil fuels in the pristine waters of the North. Story here.

RELATED: "Shell’s Retreat From Canadian Arctic Creates Space for Arctic Protection"

Increased Extreme Weather Events Predicted Due to Effect of Climate Change on the Arctic

Greenpeace

MADRID - The effects of climate change on the Arctic — including melting ice and sea level rise — may possibly alter weather patterns in the northern hemisphere. These effects could include hotter, drier summers in some areas, wetter summers in other areas, and cold, stormy winters in others, according to studies compiled by the Greenpeace Research Laboratories in the report, “What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic” which is published today. Story here.

Norway to 'Completely' Ban Gasoline-Powered Cars By 2025'

The Independent

Norway will ban the sale of all fossil fuel-based cars in the next decade, continuing its trend towards becoming one of the most ecologically progressive countries on the planet, according to reports. Story here.