Greenland’s Ice Sheet Is Melting So Fast Right Now, Scientists Thought It Was an Error

Slatest - your news companion.

The margin of the Greenland ice sheets. Hannes Grobe, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. 1992.

On Monday, Greenland began to melt. Parts of Greenland melt every year and the whole thing freezes again each winter, but lately, thanks to global warming, the melting has come earlier and then peaked in the summer at higher levels than usual. Story here.

Mekong: A River Rising

theguardian

The Ya Ly Dam, one of the largest in Viet Nam, on a major tributary of the Mekong. A Wikimedia Commons photo. 

The fate of 70 million people rests on what happens to the Mekong river. With world leaders meeting in Paris next week for crucial UN climate talks,  John Vidal journeys down south-east Asia’s vast waterway - a place that encapsulates some of the dilemmas they must solve. He meets people struggling to deal with the impacts of climate change as well as the ecological havoc created by giant dams, deforestation, coastal erosion and fast-growing cities. Story here.

Greens Want a Manitoba Wildlife Area Protected

White-tailed deer in western Manitoba. PinP photo.

Winnipeg, April 14, 2016: “The Green Party urges the next government of Manitoba to uphold the law and protect the Whitemud Watershed Wildlife Management Area from the proposed Energy East pipeline,”  said David Nickarz, Green Party of Manitoba critic for Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship.

Wildfires, Once Confined to a Season, Burn Earlier and Longer

New York Times

The first Alaska wildfire of 2016 broke out in late February, followed by a second there just eight days later. Story here.

Two-Thirds of Europeans Support Ban on Glyphosate, Says Poll

the guardian

PinP photo.

Concerns remain chemical widely used in agriculture as a herbicide can kill all plants, algae, bacteria and fungi in a crop’s vicinity, affecting biodiversity. Story here.

RELATED: "Field of Nightmares - Ottawa continues to embrace the widespread use of Roundup on Canadian farms by letting corporate seduction trump scientific evidence."

The Great God of Growth - Is He Always Right? (Letter)

Dear Editor,

I still find political attitudes towards growth puzzling, to say the least. What kind of growth, you ask? Economic growth? Population growth? Well, it doesn’t really matter. Our politicians want it, in great dollops, as if it was the key to the Kingdom.

Ontario Government Scraps Proposal to Increase Hunting of Wolves and Coyote

Humane Society International Canada

PinP photo

Animal protection and conservation groups encourage responsible approach to wildlife management. More here.

Keystone Pipeline Mishap Has TransCanada Scrambling Again

the Desmog Blog

On Saturday afternoon, the worst fear of a landowner in South Dakota was realized. Loern Schulz found oil in surface water near the Keystone pipeline’s right-of-way and reported the spill. Story here.

World Health Day: Rapidly Rising Diabetes Closely Linked to Poverty

INTER PRESS SERVICE

Diabetes, which now affects more than 400 million people worldwide, is closely linked to poverty in most regions of the world, World Health Organization Medical Officer Alessandro Demaio told IPS Thursday. Story here.

Newfoundland Cod Achieves Sustainability Milestone

World Wildlife Fund

A Newfoundland cod fishery has for the first time  been certified sustainable, a significant achievement  that demonstrates how a science-based approach to  managing fish populations and fisheries delivers  conservation success. Story here.

White House: Climate Change Poses Urgent Health Risk

Climate Central

PinP photo.

Climate change is a major threat to human health, with extreme heat likely to kill 27,000 Americans annually by 2100, according to a report released Monday by the White House. Story here.