PLANET IN PERIL

CommonDreams Temporary reversal on pesticide will allow farmers to access harmful chemicals for 120 days. Story here.

THE LANCET Heatwaves, periods of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and usually humid weather, are among the most dangerous natural hazards. Because of climate change, heatwaves are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, with 14 of the 15 warmest years on record all occurring in the 21st century. In 2003, the European heatwave resulted in deaths of more than 70 000 people. Story here.

The New York Times PinP photo More than 70 percent of pollen and honey samples collected from foraging bees in Massachusetts contained neonicotinoids, a type of insecticide that has been linked to colony collapse disorder, researchers are reporting. Story here.

by Larry Powell For simplicity, I'm putting the series of events discussed below, in chronological order. First, I wrote the letter, immediately below,   published in the Brandon Sun, Neepawa Press and Roblin Review in recent weeks. ===== Forest fire smoke (from as far away as BC) over southern Manitoba.  PinP  photo. Dear Editor,  It's time to wake up and smell the smoke! As wildfires rage around us on the Canadian prairies, forcing thousands of poor souls from their homes, we click our tongues and complain about sore eyes and reduced visibility on the roads. (Trust me, reduced visibility is the least of our worries.)   We apparently lack the brain power to listen to and actually  hear  what the world's scientific community has been warning us about for over a generation. If we do nothing to curb our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, we can expect more and worse heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and a host of other extreme weather events whic

climateprogrerss Limiting climate change to 2°C is not going to protect us from devastating sea level rise, a new report has found. Details here.

Common Dreams PinP photo. ...and 2016 may likely be even hotter, scientists warn. Story here.

Climate Action Network Premiers have agreed to a Canadian Energy Strategy that fails to strongly steer the country toward the clean, renewable energy system needed to cut carbon pollution and protect the climate. Details here.

The New York Times WASHINGTON — The United States and four other nations that border the Arctic Ocean pledged on Thursday to prohibit commercial fishing in the international waters of the Arctic   until more scientific research could be done on how warming seas and melting ice are affecting fish stocks. Details here.

Common Dreams Rupture near Fort McMurray may be one of province's largest. Story here.

UN News Service. Many parts of Europe have been impacted by a severe and unusually early heatwave since 27 June, the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said, warning of record-breaking temperatures and wildfires in North America and torrential downpours and widespread flooding in southern China. Story here.

Climate Central PinP photo Climate change is causing wind patterns to change over the Pacific Ocean, leading to longer commercial airline flight times and causing airplanes to burn more fuel and emit more greenhouse gases. Story here.