News of the North

Caribou and other indigenous species in northern Canada may be forced out of the tundra as the treeline begins to spread northwards and into higher elevations. This could lead to a feedback loop as the dark canopy of the growing forests absorbs more sunlight than the tundra, adding more heat to the atmosphere, which would then cause the forests to grow further.

As the ice recedes and the future looks uncertain in the North, many see the coming changes as an exploitable opportunity rather than a loss. New shipping routes and access to minerals are increasing traffic to the North as governments attempt to stake their claims. This brings with it an increased risk of oil spills, invasive species, and pollution - making a bad situation worse.

Stay posted on global warming changes at stopglobalwarming.org, and learn about initiatives you can join and actions you can take - from petitions that take mere seconds to sign, to ways you can organize your neighbourhood and your city to help fight climate change.

After killing the only brown bear to be spotted in Germany in 170 years, Bavarian hunters plan to stuff him and put him on display. "Bruno" was born in Italy, and a political scuffle has broken out over whether the bear's body should be returned to Italy or remain in Germany. Although initially the plan was to shoot the bear with a narcotic dart, attempts failed and eventually Bruno was killed.

Telll Bavarian Tourism's Public Relations that slaughtering and displaying rare wildlife is a disgusting way to attract visitors. You can find contact information here.

Despite environmental reports suggesting that gas from the Mackenzie Valley pipeline would be mostly used to fuel more oil and gas development, the debates continue, with a clause added to the project that could force development to begin within two years.

But what the oil companies want doesn't add up - the Mackenzie River region has been calculated to be worth ten times more, left untouched, than it would be if it were developed.

If you'd rather see Canada's wildest big river left as a priceless natural resource, say so at MackenzieWild.ca.

Surprise, surprise: the Alaska Oil and Gas Association is complaining that the measures needed to save the polar bear will be too inconvenient, and consulting with the Fish and Wildlife Service will create "delays and expenses". The decision on whether or not to list polar bears as "threatened" will not come until next January. Perhaps the US government has decided that if it waits long enough, the problem will go away - after all, by 2040 all the summer sea ice may have melted, and polar bears might no longer be an issue...?