Some corals may survive climate change without paying a metabolic price

These resilient corals may dominate reef ecosystems of the future

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PENN STATE

 

IMAGE: RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT CORALS ASSOCIATING WITH THE DURUSDINIUM GLYNNII SYMBIONT (LEFT) ARE MORE RESILIENT TO WARM WATER TEMPERATURES THAN CORALS ASSOCIATING WITH THE CLADOCOPIUM LATUSORUM SYMBIONT (RIGHT). view more 

CREDIT: MATTHEW ASCHAFFENBURG

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — If, as the saying goes, ‘nothing in life is free,’ then corals might pay a price for being resilient to climate change. Indeed, the prevailing belief among scientists has been that corals must suffer reduced growth or other tradeoffs when they partner with symbiotic algae that help them tolerate warmer water. Yet, new research led by Penn State demonstrates that certain corals can have their cake and eat it too, and as a result, these coral-symbiont partnerships may come to dominate reef ecosystems in a climate-changed future.

“Our findings refute the general perception that reef-building corals with thermally tolerant algal symbionts grow poorly,” said Todd LaJeunesse, professor of biology, Penn State. “Instead, these warm-adapted partnerships better tolerate severe marine heatwaves and are likely to expand ecologically and dominate reef ecosystems in the future. While reefs of the future may not look pretty — with low diversity and greatly diminished ecosystem services — the resilient animals left behind will likely continue to provide food and habitat for other animals, and some reef growth to the ecosystems they’ve created.”

LaJeunesse explained that coral reefs are geologic structures created by coral colonies comprising tiny individual sea-anemone-like polyps whose tissues contain dense populations of photosynthetic algae, called ‘dinoflagellates.’ These dinoflagellates — which researchers call ‘symbionts’ — vary in their ability to tolerate high temperatures. When the ocean gets too warm, many symbiont species die, and their coral hosts die along with them. And when coral reefs collapse, fisheries, tourism and ecosystem services, such as hurricane buffers, are also at risk.

According to LaJeunesse, the first documentation of differences in coral mortality based on the species of symbiont present occurred in the Eastern Pacific Ocean following the 1997-1998 El Niño Southern Oscillation event when water temperatures were 2-4°C warmer than historical average temperatures. Following that event, he said, corals that hosted Durusdinium glynnii symbionts survived, while corals that hosted Cladocopium latusorum symbionts died.

“Clearly,” said Mark Warner, professor of marine science and policy, University of Delaware, “corals that associated with D. glynnii were at an advantage during that extreme heat event, but does hosting these temperature-resistant symbionts come at a cost? Previous research has suggested that the costs of thermal tolerance manifest as reduced nutrient translocation from symbiont to host and significant negative physiological tradeoffs, such as reduced growth and reproductive success. We wanted to know if a similar tradeoff could occur in corals and whether this could affect the fate of coral reef ecosystems.”

Kira Turnham, lead author of the study, which published today (July 19) in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, explained that to investigate possible tradeoffs in thermally tolerant partnerships, the research team compared the growth and reproduction of Pocillopora corals hosting the thermally tolerant D. glynnii symbiont and the more sensitive C. latusorum symbiont.

“These symbioses are common throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans, representing co-evolved and ecologically successful relations,” she said.

Specifically, the team measured skeletal growth, total mass increase and calcification rates — or the rate at which corals produce calcium carbonate, which is a measure of their growth. The team also measured reproductive output and response to thermal stress to assess the functional performance of these partner combinations.

“We found that D. glynnii provided the capacity to endure water temperatures that compromise most coral-dinoflagellate mutualisms without noticeable tradeoffs,” said Turnham. “This partner combination grows and reproduces just as well as the more temperature-sensitive partnership.”

Turnham noted that the differences in performance and function between the two partnerships were apparent only during experimental heating, highlighting the ability of D. glynnii to tolerate higher temperatures and provide heat tolerance to their hosts. The team is also studying similar coral-algal mutualisms involving numerous coral species in the Western Pacific nation of Palau to determine the breadth of these findings.

“This study highlights the contextual importance and incredible biology of coral symbioses,” said Turnham. “By investigating the coevolutionary history of the symbioses, providing a contextual lens and using improved symbiont species recognition, we can make more meaningful predictions about the persistence of corals as oceans continually warm from climate change.”

Other authors on the paper include Matthew Aschaffenburg, University of Delaware; Tye Pettay, University of South Carolina Beaufort; David Paz-García, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste; Hector Reyes-Bonilla, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur; Jorge Pinzón, University of Texas at Arlington; Ellie Timmins, Penn State; Robin Smith, University of the Virgin Islands; and Michael McGinley, University of Delaware.

The National Science Foundation supported this research.

Corals that associate with D. glynnii (right) are at an advantage during extreme heat events compared to corals that associate with C. latusorum (left).

CREDIT

David A. Paz-García

The researchers studied measured skeletal growth, total mass increase and calcification rates — or the rate at which corals produce calcium carbonate, which is a measure of their growth — in controlled tank environments under different temperature regimes.

CREDIT

Matthew Aschaffenburg

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences

From nature, a solution to save coral from climate change

Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – IIT and University of Milan-Bicocca have demonstrated the efficacy of a natural substance in protecting coral from the damage caused by climate change.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA - IIT

 

IMAGE: STYLOPHORA PISTILLATA CORAL COVERED WITH BIOMATERIAL DURING THERMAL STRESS TESTS view more 

CREDIT: IIT/UNIVERSITÀ MILANO-BICOCCA

Genoa (Italy), 19 July 2023 – Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology - IIT) and Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (University of Milan-Bicocca), in cooperation with Acquario di Genova (Genoa Aquarium) in Italy, have recently published a study in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, which demonstrates the efficacy of curcumin, a natural antioxidant substance extracted from turmeric, in reducing coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused primarily by climate change. The research group developed a biodegradable biomaterial to deliver the molecule without causing damage to the surrounding marine environment. Tests conducted at the Genoa Aquarium have shown significant efficacy in preventing coral bleaching.

Coral bleaching is a phenomenon that, in extreme events, causes the death of these organisms with devastating consequences for coral reefs, which are crucial for the global economy, the protection of coastlines from natural disasters, and marine biodiversity. Most corals live in symbiosis with microscopic algae, which are indispensable for their survival and are responsible for their vibrant colours. Due to climate change, sea and ocean temperatures are rising, a condition that disrupts the relationship between these two organisms. When this happens, the coral, which turns white due to the loss of algae, literally risks starvation. 

In recent years, as a result of climate change, this condition has affected most of the world’s major coral barrier reefs, including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. However, to date there are no effective methods of countering this phenomenon and preventing coral bleaching without seriously endangering the survival of these habitats and the exceptional biodiversity associated with them.

Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and the University of Milan-Bicocca, in collaboration with the Genoa Aquarium, have demonstrated the efficacy of a natural molecule, curcumin, in blocking coral bleaching caused by climate change. Curcumin is administered to the coral in a controlled manner by applying a biomaterial based on zein, a protein derived from maize, a system developed by the partners themselves in order to ensure safety for the environment.

During the tests, performed at the Genoa Aquarium, overheating conditions in tropical seas were simulated by raising the water temperature up to 33°C. Under these conditions, all untreated corals were affected by the bleaching phenomenon as would occur in nature, while, on the contrary, all specimens treated with curcumin showed no signs of this tendency, a result that makes this technique effective in reducing the susceptibility of corals to thermal stress. A coral species (Stylophora pistillata) typical of the tropical Indian Ocean, included in the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of endangered species, was used for this study.

“This technology is the subject of a patent application that has been filed, and in fact the next steps of this research will focus on its application in nature and on a large scale,” said Marco Contardi, first author of the study, research affiliate of the Smart Materials group at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and researcher in DISAT (Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences) at the University of Milan-Bicocca. “At the same time, we will examine the use of other antioxidant substances of natural origin to block the bleaching process and thus prevent the destruction of coral reefs.”

“The use of new biodegradable and biocompatible materials capable of releasing natural substances that can reduce coral bleaching is something entirely new,” said Simone Montano, researcher at DISAT and deputy director of the MaRHE centre (Marine Research and High Education Centre) at the University of Milan-Bicocca. “I strongly believe that this innovative approach will represent a significant breakthrough in the development of strategies for the recovery of marine ecosystems.”

Stylophora pistillata coral covered with biomaterial during thermal stress tests

CREDIT

IIT/Università Milano-Bicocca

JOURNAL

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

DOI

10.1021/acsami.3c01166 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Biodegradable Zein-Based Biocomposite Films for Underwater Delivery of Curcumin Reduce Thermal Stress Effects in Corals

 

Palm oil plantations and deforestation in Guatemala: Certifying products as 'sustainable' is no panacea

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Cheap, versatile and easy to grow, palm oil is the world's most consumed vegetable oil and is found in roughly half of all packaged supermarket products, from bread and margarine to shampoo and toothpaste.

 

But producing palm oil has caused deforestation and biodiversity loss across Southeast Asia and elsewhere, including Central America. Efforts to curtail the damage have largely focused on voluntary environmental certification programs that label qualifying palm-oil sources as "sustainable."

 

However, those certification programs have been criticized by environmental groups as  greenwashing tools that enable multinational corporations to claim fully sustainable palm oil while continuing to sell products that fall far short of the deforestation-free goal.

 

Findings from a new University of Michigan-led study, published online in the Journal of Environmental Management, support some of the critics' claims—and go much further.

 

The U-M case study focuses on Guatemala, which is projected to become the world's third-largest palm-oil producer by 2030 after Indonesia and Malaysia, and an influential environmental certification system called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, or RSPO.

 

"Our results indicate the supply chains of transnational conglomerates drove deforestation and ecological encroachment in Guatemala to support U.S. palm oil consumption," said study lead author Calli VanderWilde, a doctoral student at the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability who did the work for her dissertation.

 

"In addition, we found no evidence to suggest that RSPO certification effectively protects against deforestation or ecological encroachment. Given that oil palm expansion is predicted to increase significantly in the coming years, this pattern is likely to continue without changes to governance, both institutionally and to supply chains."

 

The U-M-led research team tracked palm oil sourced from former forestland, and other ecologically critical areas in Guatemala, by several large transnational conglomerates that sell food products made from the oil in the United States. The corporations are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and have RSPO commitments and sourcing policies in place to ensure the sustainability of their palm oil supplies.

 

The study used satellite imagery and machine learning to quantify deforestation attributable to palm oil plantation expansion in Guatemala over a decade, 2009-2019. In addition, the researchers used shipment records and other data sources to reconstruct corporate supply chains and to link transnational conglomerates to palm oil-driven deforestation.

 

The study found that:

 

• Guatemalan palm oil plantations expanded an estimated 215,785 acres during  the study period, with 28% of the new cropland replacing forests.

 

• As of 2019, more than 60% of the palm oil plantations in the study area were in Key Biodiversity Areas. KBAs are sites that contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.

 

• RSPO-certified plantations, comprising 63% of the total cultivated area assessed, did not produce a statistically significant reduction in deforestation and appear to be ineffective at reducing encroachment into ecologically sensitive areas in Guatemala.

 

• Despite their RSPO membership and pledges to source palm oil from certified plantations, several multinational corporations predominantly sourced palm oil from noncertified mills in Guatemala.

 

• Even RSPO-certified palm oil plantations and mills are contributing to deforestation in Guatemala.

 

Guatemala is divided into 22 administrative districts called departamentos. The study focused on a 20,850-square-mile region in the three departamentos (Alta Verapaz, Izabal and the lower half of Petén) responsible for 75% of Guatemala's palm oil production.

 

The researchers used high-resolution satellite imagery to assess land-use change between 2009 and 2019, and a machine learning algorithm enabled them to distinguish between forests and monoculture plantations.

 

They found that oil palm expansion is encroaching on, and causing deforestation in, seven Key Biodiversity Areas and 23 protected areas.

 

Among the areas impacted, the Key Biodiversity Areas with the largest palm extent include the Río La Pasión, Caribe de Guatemala and Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve. The Río La Pasión is an especially rich area for endemic fish species, making it an important area for conservation.

 

Oil palm encroachment on the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve threatens animals such as the quetzal, Guatemala's national bird. Known as the jewel of Guatemala, the reserve is an irreplaceable gene bank for tropical reforestation and agroforestry and supports the livelihoods of more than 400,000 people.

 

The researchers identified 119 RSPO-certified plantations and 82 non-RSPO plantations. During the study period, 9% of the RSPO-certified plantation expansion resulted in, or contributed to, forest loss, compared to 25% of the noncertified plantation expansion.

 

"Environmental certification does not effectively mitigate deforestation risk, and firms cannot rely on—or be allowed to rely on—certification to achieve deforestation-free supply chains," said study senior author Joshua Newell, a geographer and a professor at the School for Environment and Sustainability.

 

By reconstructing the supply chains of the three conglomerates, the researchers revealed connections to palm oil-driven deforestation. Of the 60,810 acres of palm oil-driven deforestation across the study period, more than 99% was traced to plantations supplying palm and palm-kernel oil to mills used by two multinational conglomerates. Seventy-two percent of the palm and palm-kernel oil was linked to the subset of plantations supplying a third corporation's mills.

 

"Palm oil has attracted attention for its ties to widespread forest and biodiversity loss across Southeast Asia. However, the literature has paid minimal attention to newer spaces of production and issues of corporate supply-chain traceability," VanderWilde said.

 

"As it stands, environmental certification makes unjustified claims of 'sustainability' and fails to serve as a reliable tool for fulfilling emerging zero-deforestation requirements."

 

The authors recommend reforms to RSPO policies and practices, robust corporate tracking of supply chains, and the strengthening of forest governance in Guatemala.

 

In addition to VanderWilde and Newell, authors of the study are Dimitrios Gounaridis of the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability and Benjamin Goldstein of McGill University. Funding for the study was provided by U-M's Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship Program.

 

Study: Deforestation, certification, and transnational palm oil supply chains: Linking Guatemala to global consumer markets 

 

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JOURNAL

Journal of Environmental Management

Nuclear threat from Ukraine war prompts Ottawa to update plans for catastrophe

The Canadian Press
Wed, July 19, 2023 


OTTAWA — Canada is dusting off and updating emergency protocols to deal with fallout from a possible tactical nuclear exchange in Europe or the spread of radiation across the ocean from a Ukrainian power plant explosion.

Internal Public Safety Canada notes show the measures include updating a highly secret plan to ensure the federal government can continue to function in a severe crisis.

Ottawa was also taking steps to finalize a protocol for advising the Canadian public of an incoming ballistic missile, say the notes obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year prompted a series of federal discussions and initiatives aimed at bolstering Canada's preparedness for a catastrophic nuclear event.

Public Safety notes prepared in advance of an August 2022 meeting of senior bureaucrats involved in emergency management show much of the concern focused on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which was hit by shelling.

"Ongoing military activities have eroded safety systems, disrupted routine maintenance, weakened emergency response capabilities and impacted operating staff, increasing the risk of a severe accident," the notes say.

Officials anticipated the potential effects of an uncontrolled release of radioactivity, through direct exposure or eating contaminated food, would depend on proximity to the plant.

Global Affairs Canada procured potassium iodide pills as a precaution, with stocks distributed to Kyiv and neighbouring diplomatic missions in August 2022.

Officials also developed plans for a "significant surge in requests for consular assistance" expected after a power plant disaster.

No radiological effects to health were foreseen outside Ukraine following a major radiation release from Zaporizhzhya, nor any "appreciable risk" to people in Canada, the notes say.

"No immediate protective measures would need to be implemented, although there could be some controls put in place for imports from Ukraine and surrounding areas due to potential contamination."

Under the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan, Public Safety would co-ordinate communication to the public about an international nuclear event.

"A timely and well-co-ordinated response will be necessary to address public concern and high risk perception, and maintain trust in government."

The notes also say Public Safety and the Privy Council Office were doing a "rapid refresh" of the Continuity of Constitutional Government plan, intended to ensure essential executive, legislative and judicial processes can take place during a major calamity.

The plan sets out a process for relocating key institutions including the Prime Minister's Office, the federal cabinet, Parliament and the Supreme Court to an alternate site outside the National Capital Region.

The plan is a modern version of a Cold War-era program that would have seen members of the government move to an underground installation west of Ottawa now known as the Diefenbunker, a nod to Canada's 13th prime minister.

The internal notes also say a national Missile Warning Protocol had been ratified and "initial engagement" with the provinces and territories had taken place.

The federal government and Canadian Armed Forces developed the protocol in 2018 to set out how the public and key federal partners would be informed of an inbound intercontinental missile. On Jan. 13, 2018, a false ballistic missile alert sent terrified people in Hawaii scurrying for cover.

In a written response to questions, Public Safety Canada said both the constitutional continuity plan and the missile warning protocol are "constantly evolving" based on lessons learned from other events, ongoing input from partners and the changing risk environment.

It is not unusual for a crisis like the one unfolding in Europe to prompt officials to accelerate a review of emergency plans, said Ed Waller, a professor at Ontario Tech University who researches nuclear security.

"I think that shows a responsive system," he said in an interview. "It's actually very encouraging that they're taking a good, solid look at this now."

Overall, Canada has long had well-thought-out and developed plans for dealing with a nuclear emergency, given the number of power reactors on its soil, he added.

"I honestly believe that we're in decent shape. Can it get better? Yeah, anything can get better."

Although some sensitive material in the newly released notes was withheld from release, Waller said it "looked encouraging that they were addressing the right things."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

Four simultaneous heat domes break major records across the globe

Millions of people dealing with record temperatures under multiple heat domes


Nathan Howes
Wed, July 19, 2023 

Four simultaneous heat domes break major records across the globe

In similar fashion to the frequency and intensity of atmospheric rivers in 2021, heat domes are playing integral roles in driving extreme weather events in 2023, especially in recent weeks.

At the moment, there are four separate heat domes occurring across the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in extreme temperatures that have broken several significant records.

image3

SEE ALSO: After Earth's hottest week on record, extreme weather surprises everyone
Where are the heat domes?

In North America, a heat dome has had major impacts across the southwestern United States for more than two weeks.

Now an all-time record for the city, Phoenix, Ariz., has reached 43.3°C or higher for 19 days in a row -- from June 30 to July 18. However, that won't be the end of it as daytime temperatures are forecast to go above 43.3°C for the next seven to 10 days.

image6

The North Atlantic Ocean has seen its hottest temperatures on record. There are several different reasons for the heat, including the lack of wind, which allows the surface to warm faster with less upwelling. As well, a lack of Saharan dust with less light being reflected back to space, and of course, climate change.

The heat dome hasn’t had much of an effect over land, but it did help to usher in hot and humid conditions to Newfoundland.

Another heat dome over North Africa has been the cause of widespread records in Europe. The most affected countries are Spain, Italy, Morocco and Algeria. On Tuesday, Rome recorded a temperature of 42.9°C, which is the hottest reading the city has ever documented.

image1

The intense heat wave has been sizzling southern Europe during its peak summer tourist season, shattering records including in Rome, and prompting government warnings about an increased risk of deaths.

Wildfires have been burning for consecutive days west of the Greek capital, Athens. Erratic winds have helped spread the blazes, leading to dozens of homes being damaged or destroyed, and forcing hundreds of people to flee amid the thick smoke.

The fourth heat dome over Asia helped China achieve its hottest all-time temperature record of 52.2°C. on Sunday, July 16 in Sanbao Township in Xinjiang's Turpan Depression. However, the station is still new, so the data does not go back very far.

image2

It is only one of two all-time records that were set in China this year. On Jan. 22, Mòhé plummeted to -53°C, making it the coldest temperature ever observed in China.

The excessive heat occurred at a critical time as U.S. envoy, John Kerry, arrived in China for climate talks between the two countries.

Since it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere, there's nothing out of the ordinary about it being hot in this section of the globe. The ridges responsible for these heat domes are a typical configuration of our atmosphere, but it is their intensity that is surprising.

Another factor that fuels the phenomena is the length of the heat episodes. The southwestern United States, for example, has been experiencing excessively hot temperatures for several weeks. Under the dome, the atmosphere stagnates, which allows the heat to intensify.
What qualifies an event as a heat dome?

To meet the criteria for a heat dome, you need several factors. You need to look for a stalling high-pressure system that is cut off from the rest of the upper-level wind patterns surrounding it. With a heat dome stranded in place, the temperatures can stay warm day-after-day.

HEATDOME

While daytime highs can soar into uncharted territory in these events, the real threats are the overnight temperatures, according to Tyler Hamilton, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. This is because there is little heat relief, adding to the prolonged sizzle.

WATCH: Climate change is turning summer into a real bummer
Click here to view the video

With files from Matt Grinter, a meteorologist at The Weather Network, Reuters and MeteoMedia.

Follow Nathan Howes on Twitter.

British Columbia's record-breaking wildfire season, by the numbers

British Columbia's wildfire season is now the most destructive on record, with more than 14,000 square kilometres of the province burned, surpassing the previous high of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018.

Here are some statistics about the current season from the BC Wildfire Service website, as of noon Pacific time, July 19.

Total area burned: 14,279 square kilometres

Fires currently burning: 377, including 21 fires of note

New fires in past 24 hours: 15

Out-of-control fires: 237

Total number of fires this season: 1,210

Causes of all fires: Lightning, 65 per cent; humans (deliberate and accidental) 29 per cent; unknown, six per cent.

Biggest single fire: Donnie Creek fire, northeastern B.C., 5,831 square kilometres.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.


Drones, ATVs hamper B.C.'s wildfire fighting efforts during record-breaking season




Firefighters battling hundreds of blazes in British Columbia say they've been facing more than the usual obstacles when "irresponsible" members of the public interfere with operations.

The BC Wildfire Service says it has had to deal with several people riding all-terrain vehicles around active work sites, boaters interfering with helicopters trying to collect water and in one case, a drone forcing a halt to the air fight.

Fire information officer Donna MacPherson said Tuesday that the behaviour impacts efforts to put out fires and leaves both those interfering and firefighters at risk.

She said interference on the ground pulls resources away to deal with getting the unwanted visitors out safely, and any delays in air support can affect how well a fire is fought.

"So, there's multiple ways in which irresponsible public behaviour can impact the actual outcome that our firefighters are trying to achieve," she said.

In a statement, the service said there have been several reports of people riding ATVs around active work sites and getting in the way of heavy equipment operators and firefighters battling multiple fires in the Burns Lake area in northwestern B.C.

Last weekend, aerial firefighting operations in B.C's northwest were temporarily suspended due to a drone being flown near a wildfire.

MacPherson said that legally people need to stay away from fire sites in the same way that applies to places such as construction sites.

"Because the people that are doing the building are responsible for making sure that not only are their own people safe, but also that people don't enter into their work site without permission," she said.

"So for us, our work site is wherever we're working. So basically, if they see our equipment working, they need to get out."

Federal aviation laws ban drones from flying near wildfires, with penalties that include fines or even jail. Interfering with a wildfire work site could lead to a $1,150 fine under the provincial Wildfire Act, the service says.

MacPherson said firefighters are not focused on what motivates people to break the rules but make it clear to anyone they find that what they're doing is illegal.

They'll also collect names, if possible, as well as descriptions or other details to pass on to authorities including RCMP, conservation officers and Ministry of Forest personnel, who can issue fines.

Officials were not able to provide details Tuesday on how many fines have been issued this season.

MacPherson said it's difficult to know whether interference is a growing problem, but officials are making more of an effort to speak out publicly when it happens.

"I think a lot of what's happening is that we're being a little bit more forthright and assertive when it happens. We're saying when it happened, and we're trying to explain what happened, as best we can," she said.

"Where sometimes before, it would have just been a little bit more managed locally."

The province's wildfire season set a new record Tuesday for the total area burned in a year, with almost 14,000 square kilometres scorched and hundreds of fires burning across the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023.

Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press

First Nation loses homes in wildfire near Cranbrook, B.C., Eby says

The Canadian Press
Wed, July 19, 2023 


VANCOUVER — A First Nation community in southeastern B.C. has lost homes because of a fast-moving wildfire, and Premier David Eby says the provincial and federal governments are teaming up to provide emergency response.

Officials have not yet confirmed how many people or homes have been affected on the Aq'am First Nation near Cranbrook, however Chief Joe Pierre told the CBC several homes have been lost in the fire.

The BC Wildfire Service says the St. Mary's River fire was human-caused, is eight square kilometres in size and is considered out of control.

The Regional District of East Kootenay issued an evacuation order on Monday for 52 homes, and another 43 properties remain on evacuation alert.

Eby says the provincial and federal governments will help the First Nation with the eventual rebuilding and recovery process.

He says his government is also focusing on partnering with Indigenous people and firefighters to provide a more "prompt" and "effective response" to wildfires.

Hundreds of wildfires are burning in the province, fuelled by tinder-dry conditions promoted by weeks of drought.

A record has already been set for the total area burned in a year with about 14,000 square kilometres scorched across B.C., breaking the milestone established in 2018.

Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma told a news conference Tuesday that 75 military members were heading to Burns Lake, in central B.C., to help in the firefight.

They join 75 others who were sent to nearby Vanderhoofas part of a federal response to the record-setting season.

Ma said about 150 people in B.C. are under evacuation orders due to the wildfires as of Tuesday, while about 3,400 people are on alert and must be ready to leave at short notice.

Hot weather continues to blanket much of the province, with a heat warning issued by Environment Canada for the Fraser Canyon in southern B.C. where temperatures will reach 35 C with overnight lows near 18 C through to Friday.

Special air quality statements have also been issued by the forecaster for a large portion of the province as wildfire smoke makes breathing difficult and reduces visibility.

BC Wildfire Service officials have said the season has not yet hit its peak and this season's drought could roll into next year, potentially igniting an early start to the 2024 fire season.

A provincial drought bulletin shows 18 of the province's 34 water basins are at drought Level 4, meaning harm to ecosystems and communities is likely, while four more are at the highest Level 5.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.

Canadian wildfires hit Indigenous communities hard, threatening their land and culture

The Canadian Press
Wed, July 19, 2023 


EAST PRAIRIE METIS SETTLEMENT, Alberta (AP) — Carrol Johnston counted her blessings as she stood on the barren site where her home was destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire that forced her to flee her northern Alberta community two months ago.

Her family escaped unharmed, though her beloved cat, Missy, didn't make it out before a “fireball” dropped on the house in early May. But peony bushes passed down from her late mother survived and the blackened May Day tree planted in memory of her longtime partner is sending up new shoots — hopeful signs as she prepares to start over in the East Prairie Métis Settlement, about 240 miles (385 kilometers) northwest of Edmonton.

“I just can’t leave,” said Johnston, 72, who shared a home with her son and daughter-in-law. “Why would I want to leave such beautiful memories?”

The worst wildfire season in Canadian history is displacing Indigenous communities from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, blanketing them in thick smoke, destroying homes and forests and threatening important cultural activities like hunting, fishing and gathering native plants.

Thousands of fires have scorched more than 42,000 square miles (110,00 square kilometers) across the country so far. On Tuesday, almost 900 fires were burning— most of them out of control — according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre website.

Fires aren’t uncommon on Indigenous lands, but they’re now occurring over such a widespread area that many more people are experiencing them at the same time — and some for the first time — stoking fears of what a hotter, drier future will bring, especially to communities where traditions run deep.

“I've never seen anything like this,” said Raymond Supernault, chairman of the East Prairie Métis Settlement, where he said more than 85% of the 129-square-mile (334-square-kilometer) settlement burned in the first wildfire there in over 60 years. Fourteen houses and 60 other structures were destroyed by the intense, fast-moving fire that led to the evacuation of almost 300 people and decimated forested land.

“In blink of eye, we lost so much … it was devastating. I can't stress that enough,” said Supernault, who said he hasn't seen any elk or moose, both important food sources, since the fire.

“We don’t just jump in the car and go to the IGA,” for groceries, Supernault said. “We go to the bush.”

In Canada, 5% of the population identifies as Indigenous — First Nation, Métis or Inuit — with an even smaller percentage living in predominantly Indigenous communities. Yet more than 42% of wildfire evacuations have been from communities that are more than half Indigenous, said Amy Cardinal Christianson, an Indigenous fire specialist with Parks Canada.

As of last week, almost 23,000 people from 75 Indigenous settlements have had to evacuate this year, according to Indigenous Services Canada. More than 3,600 people from 15 First Nations reserves in five provinces were evacuated as of Thursday, the agency said.

It’s not uncommon for Indigenous communities to evacuate repeatedly, Christianson said. A recent analysis of the Canadian Wildland Fire Evacuation database found that 16 communities were evacuated five or more times from 1980–2021 — all but two of them First Nations reserves, said Christianson, who participated in the analysis by the Canadian Forest Service.

Fires now “are so dangerous and so fast-moving" that evacuations increasingly are necessary, a challenge in some remote communities where there might be one road in, or no roads at all, said Christianson, who is Métis.

Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and fire chief in Red Deer, Alberta — a province where about 7,600 square miles (19,800 square kilometers) have already burned, compared to just over 695 square miles (1,800 square kilometers) in all of 2022 — said some places burning again this year haven't fully recovered from previous fires.

“It’s going to take a long time,” said McMullen, calling it the worst fire season in Canadian history. “These are life-altering events.”

Christianson said the effects will be felt for generations, because the intense heat is burning the soil and making it difficult for trees and other plants to regenerate.

She said Indigenous communities are increasingly vulnerable because they're often left out of decisions about forest management and fire response, and often can't afford to hire emergency managers. What's more, when fires affect urban centers at the same time, fire suppression shifts to larger communities.

Indigenous communities “really want to be leaders in managing fires in their territory,” including a return to preventive burning that was long suppressed by the government, said Christianson.

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake in northern Quebec evacuated in June because of heavy smoke from wildfires that came within 9 miles (15 kilometers) of and almost surrounded the reserve where about 350 to 400 people live, often miles apart, said Chief Casey Ratt, who never experienced a forest fire before this year.

“Last year, me and my wife were talking about how many fires there were in Alberta, then boom! There were so many in Quebec this year,” said Ratt. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, now we’re dealing with wildfires like they are out west.’”

But it also wasn’t a total surprise, said Ratt, because summer heat is more intense and ice forms later in the winter and melts faster in the spring. That diminishes their ability to ice-fish and hunt for moose and beaver, which often requires crossing a lake to an island.

“Something is happening,” said Ratt, who believes climate change is largely to blame. “I think this will be the norm moving forward.”

The biggest concern is whether cultural traditions that have been passed down from generations of elders will survive into the future, said Supernault, from the East Prairie Métis Settlement.

“Our earth is changing ... and our traditional way of life is now put on hold,” said Supernault. “You can't put a price on culture and traditional loss.”

___

Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan.

___

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Tammy Webber And Noah Berger, The Associated Press

Wildlife group, Toronto Zoo push for increased regulations in Ontario

Author of the article: Kevin Connor
Published Jul 18, 2023 • 

Mila, the Toronto Zoo's Amur Tiger. 

PHOTO BY TORONTO ZOO /Toronto Zoo
Anyone can own a zoo in Ontario and this province has been ranked “dead last” in a zoo regulations report card.

On Tuesday, the World Animal Protection Canada and the Toronto Zoo released a report card of Canada’s zoo regulations.

The report card says Ontario has “weak and non-existent” regulations and enforcement for the use of wild animals in private zoos.

The report card looks at provincial licencing of zoo facilities, permit system for non-native wildlife, permit system for native-wildlife, animal welfare,and public safety and security.,

“In Ontario, you don’t need expertise, a reason or a licence to operate a zoo or buy dangerous animals like a tiger or lion,” said Michèle Hamers,campaign manager for World Animal Protection’s Wildlife. “This is why Ontario ranks dead last and why we are working with the government to get this done for once and for all. We are pushing the province to implement what other provinces like Alberta and Quebec have done already. We want to see a mandatory province-wide zoo licensing system and meaningful and enforceable standards to safeguard animal welfare and public health and safety.”

WAPC says Ontario has the largest number of roadside zoos in the country with up to 30 locations including backyard zoos.

Yet, there is no tracking of how many of these facilities exist or what animals they house.

Dangerous animals at these facilities put the public at risk, WAPC says.


Toronto Zoo says goodbye to grizzly bear Samson with Indigenous ceremony

“At your Toronto Zoo, our commitment to wildlife care extends beyond the Zoo site. There are far too many individuals and organizations operating without any regulation on how they care for animals,” said Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo.

“As an AZA accredited Zoo, your Toronto Zoo believes in our responsibility to meet animal wellbeing standards AND to push for the standards to continue to evolve. These animals deserve better, and we support the calls for stronger regulations in Ontario to protect exotic animals in unaccredited roadside zoos and in private ownership. We know better, so let’s do better, together.”

World Animal Protection has reported on hundreds of concerns at 11 roadside zoos that include animal deaths.

That includes the death of Kiska the orca and charges at Marineland.

“Our ongoing work has been driving the province to launch investigations at these facilities. But the patchwork system, where non-compliance is the norm, needs to stop, once and for all.” Hamers said.

Could Canada benefit from a national power grid?

Doug Johnson
Wed, July 19, 2023

Thumbnail image: Windmills are seen in Ontario at dawn in 2019.

 (Laura Penwell / Pexels)

Canada’s electrical grid mostly runs north–south, with individual provinces trading electricity with their neighbours in the United States, rather than other provinces nearby. But as renewable sources of energy become more common, there would be benefits in provincial grids sharing energy, experts told The Weather Network.

Over the years, the idea of nation-wide, east–west connectivity has been put forward as a way to improve the country’s energy grids. Among other benefits, this would enable the sources in one province to complement or fill in the gaps for power generation in another.

However, this level of connectivity might not be practical. And, experts said, it might not be necessary for Canada’s immediate net-zero goals as long as connections between the grids of regional partners with complementary sources of energy grow.

“We’re realizing the need to be more flexible. We need to take advantage of resources in different provinces,” Binnu Jeyakumar, the Pembina Institute’s electricity program director, told The Weather Network.
Teamwork makes the dream work

According to the International Energy Agency, there are 37 grid connections between Canada and the U.S. The number of connections between provinces vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Quebec has 15 connections with Ontario, New Brunswick and parts of the American Northeast, according to its profile on the Canada Energy Regulator website. (The profile doesn’t break down this number by where the connections are, nor does the site have this number for every province or territory).

According to Jeyakumar, increasing these inter-provincial linkages could come with some notable advantages, particularly as Canada works to decarbonize its energy production.

Transmission lines are seen near a windfarm located close to Hanna, Alberta.

 (Rachel Maclean / The Weather Network)

For one, doing so would increase the provincial grids’ flexibility. It allows connected provinces to take advantage of cheap wind and solar in one jurisdiction, and abundant hydro electricity in another, for example. This means consumers across provinces can have low-cost energy from the sun during the day, and wind when it’s windy out, and have access to hydroelectric power to kick in at night, or when there’s no wind.

According to Jason Dion, senior research director with the Canadian Climate Institute, solar and wind power from, say, Alberta could be used by hydroelectric dams in B.C. to refill their reservoirs with water, enabling them to generate more power, kind of like “charging a gigantic battery.”

Canada is kind of lucky in this regard, he said. Provinces such as Alberta, with the potential to decarbonize with solar and wind power happens to be right beside British Columbia, which has solid hydroelectric capacity. This also holds true for other parts of the country, like hydro-rich Manitoba and its neighbour Saskatchewan.

READ MORE: How climate change turns summer into a real bummer for Canada's youth

Another consideration is that wind power can only be generated when the wind speed is high enough to turn the turbines. As such, connecting grids increases the likelihood that a wind farm somewhere on one of the grids will be producing electricity, according to Nicholas Rivers, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s graduate school of public affairs.

Rivers’ research suggests that an increase in inter-provincial grid connections could, indeed, be vital for Canada’s rollout of renewables.

In one paper, Rivers and his team found that the right mix of renewable energy sources and optimized provincial connections made decarbonization much easier for Canada. In another paper, Rivers and his colleagues show that the value (such as the power it generates) of B.C.’s Site C Dam, currently under construction, will likely exceed its price tag in modeled scenarios where the province and Alberta construct additional transmission capacity, and both aim for 100 per cent decarbonized electricity.

WATCH BELOW: Residents generate own power in off-grid community

Click here to view the video

According to Jeyakumar, there’s an economic rationale for an increase in connectivity as well. For one, updating grids across the country could mean a good deal of jobs. Building more connections between provinces also increases connectivity with the United States, she said. For example, if Alberta increased connections with B.C., it would be able to sell power to California, with which B.C. has connections.
‘Inertia and quirks’

However, there are many barriers that might hinder deeper ties between Canada’s disparate grids. According to Dion, the reason Canada’s provincial grids are more closely linked with neighbouring parts of the U.S. is often because the major population centres in Canada are closer to those in the states — take Vancouver’s proximity to Seattle, compared to Edmonton, for example. She added that the cost of making new connections could be high, but consumers would enjoy savings on their power bills that would eventually overshoot this price.

Another reason is that the provinces’ energy systems are often governed quite differently from each other. For example, while B.C. has a single provider of energy, the publicly owned BC Hydro, Alberta has a notably deregulated market with multiple providers. This would make it harder to forge agreements between the two provinces to increase their energy transfers.

Plus, he said the provinces may see an economic benefit in selling power to the U.S., but not other parts of Canada. Other barriers include provincial governments aiming to keep energy sector jobs, rather than having some of those jobs covered by workers in another province. “There are lots of reasons. But just … inertia and the quirks of our institutions here are the main reasons,” he told The Weather Network.

READ MORE: Canada's oil production expected to drastically drop in net-zero future

Dion added that the U.S. has a national electricity regulator, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates the sale and transmission of electricity, but Canada has nothing with that level of jurisdiction. As such, he said, any changes will have to come from the provinces themselves. Rather, the federal government can provide funding and research to help electricity system integration, he said. “[The federal government] can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”

As for a totally national grid, Dion believes that it could be a “potential end state,” rather than a near-term goal. Rivers shared a similar sentiment. “It's not really part of the practical conversation at the moment,” he said.

Grassroots groups say Canada won't meet UN Sustainable Development Goals, lacks data




OTTAWA — A coalition of grassroots groups says Canada won't meet the Sustainable Development Goals it is trying to attain by 2030 as part of a United Nations initiative to bridge inequities around the world.

"Various issues continue to hinder progress toward a truly inclusive and effective path forward," said Siyu Chen, who spoke at a UN meeting Wednesday on behalf of Canadian non-governmental organizations in New York City.

"Canada is not set to achieve the SDGs within the next seven years."

The goals are a series of benchmarks around issues such as poverty and gender equality.

In 2015, the newly elected Liberal government was among 193 UN states that endorsed a goal to meet all 17 targets by 2030, with Canada putting a focus on gender equality, climate action and reconciliation.

In addition to pursuing improvements at home, the states agreed to fund programs that aim to help developing countries meet their own targets.

Now, just past the halfway point to those goals, the Canadian government says it is making good headway within its own borders.

"We've made important progress, but there is more to do," Social Development Minister Karina Gould told a voluntary review body in New York City on Wednesday.

Gould credited the Canada child benefit and daycare reform for helping drop poverty and narrow a gender gap in employment. She also highlighted measures to preserve areas with high biodiversity.

Yet a coalition of civil-society groups attending the review challenged Gould, telling the meeting that Canada lacks adequate data and consultation procedures to get a sense of how different groups are faring, particularly Indigenous Peoples and those with disabilities.

Chen spoke on behalf of non-governmental organizations, including several that attended the session, such as the Cooperation Council of Ontario and International Longevity Centre Canada.

The voluntary national review of Canada's efforts invited comments through an online process.

But Chen said that process only lasted 37 days and was not well-publicized. This created a "lack of accessible consultation designed to reach those furthest behind, especially people with multiple marginalized identities," she said.

"They have the lived experience needed to create holistic solutions and identify policy focuses."

Adam Houston, a humanitarian studies professor at Royal Roads University, said in an interview that Canada's tracking indicators show a regression in some areas, particularly around opioid usage and teens vaping.

"Health is really an area where Canada is not doing very well, in terms of meeting its own targets," Houston said.

Tuberculosis is on the rise in Canada, which Houston argued is the end result of insufficient housing and poor access to drugs deemed essential by the World Health Organization.

And Canada lacks sufficient data to assess its own goals on premature death rates and vaccine uptake.

"Often, the SDGs are framed … in this overseas aid and development context, and not so much as something that Canada actually needs to pay attention to itself," he said.

"It's really a sign that Canada needs to be paying attention at home as well. You'd think things like a pandemic would be a reminder that issues like health aren't things that are easily divided into domestic and global."

In New York City,Gould said she invites criticism from civil society and pledged to follow up with the groups.

"We have a very strong delegation from Canada," she said. "There are a lot of learnings from this (review) process."

Prior to Chen's comments, Gould offered that the government would "conduct our own review of the Canadian indicator framework and will draw on more data sources to reduce gaps in reporting on the SDGs."

Canada's auditor general includes an assessment of progress on the SDGs in recurring reviews of government programs.

Recent audits have found that Ottawa is not collecting certain data related to the goals. It is not counting the role of forests in its greenhouse gas tallies. Nor is it collecting detailed statistics on the rate of chronic homelessness in Canadian cities.

Heads of government are expected to gather at UN headquarters on Sept. 18 to take stock of the Sustainable Development Goals, which could include funding pledges from presidents and prime ministers for projects abroad and in their own countries.

United Nations agencies have said that countries were making momentum toward these goals before the COVID-19 pandemic. They were successfully lowering the death rate for newborns, pregnant women and people living in extreme poverty.

But the agencies and numerous charities are warning that because states have since diverted spending to respond to the pandemic, armed conflicts and a series of natural disasters linked to climate change, there have been fresh setbacks.

This spring, Canada joined many richer countries in cutting its foreign-aid budget.

The move has some charities warning they will be forced to shut down long-standing projects abroad, including ones that work towards development goals such as increasing the number of girls who attend school.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press

First white-tailed eagle in 240 years born in south of England

BBC
Wed, July 19, 2023 



A white-tailed eagle has been born in the south of England for the first time in 240 years.

Conservationists said it was a "landmark" moment in the mission to return the lost species to the country.

It was the first successful breeding attempt released by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation's project.

The location of the nest has not been disclosed for the birds' welfare, in case they return to breed there again.

White-tailed eagles are Britain's largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5m (8.2ft) and were once widespread across England.

Human persecution caused their extinction, with the last pair breeding in southern England in 1780.

A re-introduction project launched by Natural England in 2019 involves bringing young birds from the wild in Scotland over to the Isle of Wight.

Two of the birds released by the project in 2020, originally from the Outer Hebrides and north-west Sutherland, reared the male chick earlier this summer.



Foundation founder Roy Dennis said: "This is a very special moment for everyone who has worked on, supported and followed this ground-breaking project.

"Restoring a breeding population in southern England, where the species was once widespread, has been our ultimate goal. Many thought it was impossible.

"We still have a long way to go, but the feeling of seeing the first pair reach this stage is truly incredible."

The chick has been ringed and fitted with a satellite tag by licensed ornithologists from the foundation so the team can track its daily progress.

Steve Egerton-Read, from Forestry England, said it was an "incredible moment".

He explained: "It is evidence of just how well the eagles are starting to fit back into this landscape and how, with a little help, nature can begin to return and thrive.

"We are hopeful that one of the other pairs that has become established in southern England will choose to nest in a location that we can share with the public in future years."

Forestry England has confirmed plans to release more young white-tailed eagles later this summer from the project team's base on the Isle of Wight.