Reading Time: 3 minutes A farmer-led group is hoping to cut through the politics surrounding climate issues by bringing together a diverse group of Prairie farmers and ranchers for discussions around sustainability. “There’s a number of loud voices that tend to dominate the conversations,” says Ian McCreary, a grain and cattle farmer from Bladworth, Sask. McCreary is co-leading the […] Read more
Coalition seeks farmers, ranchers to join climate change forum
Farmers for Climate Solutions aims to gather diverse viewpoints
Climate change made Quebec wildfires twice as likely, scientists say
Early snow disappearance led to earlier fires
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — The fires that tore through the province of Quebec between May and July were made at least twice as likely by climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, also made the fires as much as 50 per cent more intense, according to the […] Read more
More than half of world’s large lakes drying up, study finds
Gains in Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg come from runoff, rainfall
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — More than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s, chiefly because of climate change, intensifying concerns about water for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study published on Thursday found. A team of international researchers reported that some of the world’s most important freshwater […] Read more
World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Nino returns
New record highs 'more likely than not'
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brussels | Reuters — The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global […] Read more
Federal report shows farmer concerns remain regarding emissions targets
AAFC report polled farmers, industry for thoughts on fertilizer emissions policy
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) report shows farmers remain concerned about federal emissions reduction targets — and whether those targets remain voluntary. The “What We Heard” Report, released Wednesday, is the result of consultations between AAFC and the agricultural sector to gather feedback on how best to support farmers and producers to achieve […] Read more
An ounce (or more) of prevention…
Preparation is the best strategy for reducing the effects of climate change on agriculture
Reading Time: 5 minutes A growing contingent from research, agronomy and extension insists that rather than waiting for climate change to happen, agriculture should begin preparing for any contingencies of extreme weather now. The list of stakeholders is extensive, from university researchers, plant breeders, meteorologists to land-use planners, government bureaucrats, entomologists and plant pathologists. Some are interested in breeding […] Read more
Last year tied as world’s fifth-warmest on record, U.S. scientists say
Global CO2 emissions continue to rise
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brussels | Reuters — Last year was the world’s joint fifth-warmest on record and the last nine years were the nine warmest since pre-industrial times, putting the 2015 Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5 C in serious jeopardy, U.S. scientists said on Thursday. Last year tied with 2015 as the fifth-warmest year […] Read more
Feds open up consultations for sustainable ag strategy
Producer groups to have reps on advisory committee
Reading Time: 3 minutes The federal government has enlisted farm groups on the ground floor of consultations toward development of a long-term strategy to “amplify” the adoption and use of sustainable practices in agriculture over the next year. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Dec. 12 announced the launch of public consultations on strategy development, running from now through March […] Read more
NASA to conduct first global water survey from space
Data would bolster weather and climate forecasts
Reading Time: 3 minutes Los Angeles | Reuters — A NASA-led international satellite mission was set for blastoff from southern California early on Thursday on a major Earth science project to conduct a comprehensive survey of the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers for the first time. Dubbed SWOT, short for Surface Water and Ocean Topography, the advanced radar satellite […] Read more
Manufacturers brace for a changing climate
Machinery brands prepare for a future of uncertainty due to global warming
Reading Time: 5 minutes The images in early October were stunning. Hurricane Fiona had sent a record-breaking ocean storm surge against Newfoundland coastal communities, leaving death and devastation in its wake. It’s the kind of event climate scientists have warned would occur more frequently due to global warming. At the same time, across the globe record flooding was wreaking […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
