climate change

9I�� researchers track boulders’ influence on snow melt, watersheds using unique combination of methods

kay.pettigrew@mcgill.ca — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:03:35 +0000

Thanks to their use of a unique methodology, a 9I��-led research team has obtained new insights into how boulders affect snow melt in mountainous northern environments, with implications for local water resources.

The team found that snow near boulders melts faster, not only because rocks radiate heat, but also due to subtle processes that reshape the snow’s surface. This information will help researchers understand how small-scale processes affect downstream water resources.

9I�� researchers identify bacteria that could provide an early warning of blue-green algae toxicity

kay.pettigrew@mcgill.ca — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:19:51 +0000

Researchers at 9I�� have identified bacteria that can indicate whether a blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom is likely to be toxic, offering a potential water-safety early warning system. Blooms are becoming more frequent due to climate change, according to previous 9I�� research. They can produce various contaminants, known as cyanotoxins, that pose serious health risks to humans, pets and wildlife.

Experts: Hurricane Melissa

kay.pettigrew@mcgill.ca — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:27:57 +0000

Hurricane Melissa, now a Category Five tropical cyclone, has made landfall in Jamaica. It is the strongest storm to hit the island country in at least 150 years and the most powerful recorded anywhere in 2025. It has caused severe flooding and mass evacuations across Jamaica and along the storm’s projected path, which includes Cuba and the Bahamas.

9I�� experts are available to comment on this topic:

Integrating historic data stands to improve climate models in the Global South

katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:52:03 +0000

An international team led by 9I�� researchers has devised a way to improve the accuracy of climate change models for the Global South by integrating historical records kept by missionaries and other visitors.

Experts: Wildfires and air pollution

claire.loewen@mcgill.ca — Tue, 30 May 2023 16:25:57 +0000

Wildfires have burned through more than one million hectares in Alberta this spring and have forced thousands from their homes. Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories are also battling active fires (Globe and Mail).

Here are some experts from 9I�� who can provide comment on this issue:

Expert: Heat waves linked to climate change with Canada’s new tool

keila.depape@mcgill.ca — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 18:10:10 +0000

The Greater Montreal area is under a heat warning Monday as a warm and humid air mass could lead to a humidex value of 40. Environment and Climate Change Canada recently released the first results from its rapid extreme weather event attribution system, showing that human-caused climate change significantly increased the likelihood of recent heat waves in Quebec, Eastern Ontario, and Atlantic Canada.

How climate change is affecting where species live

katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:19:37 +0000

As the climate warms, many species are on the move, raising new challenges for policy-makers around the world. Shifts in the ranges of mosquitoes and disease-bearing ticks and bats are introducing illnesses such as malaria and Lyme disease into regions where health-care systems are unprepared. Movements of commercially important fish from one jurisdiction to another are shifting job opportunities and causing trade disputes.

Expert: Concerns over Canada’s hydro capacity

keila.depape@mcgill.ca — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 20:13:52 +0000

Lower-than-normal rain and snow have reduced Canada’s hydropower production, raising worries in the industry about the effects of climate change. In March, U.S. electricity exports to Canada reached their highest level since at least 2010. The increasing flow of power north is part of a worrying trend for North America. (New York Times)

Expert: Satellite mission to decode clouds’ role in climate change

keila.depape@mcgill.ca — Fri, 24 May 2024 16:11:06 +0000

The EarthCARE satellite, a groundbreaking mission set to enhance our understanding of clouds and aerosols in the climate system, is ready for launch. Scheduled to lift off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than May 28, 2024, this mission aims to provide invaluable data on cloud-aerosol interactions. These insights will significantly contribute to our knowledge of climate change and inform future strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation.

Surprising new evidence on happiness and wealth

katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:27:06 +0000

Global polls typically show that people in industrialized countries where incomes are relatively high report greater levels of satisfaction with life than those in low-income countries.

But now the first large-scale survey to look at happiness in small, non-industrialized communities living close to nature paints quite a different picture.

Looking at happiness in non-industrialized settings

Robert Fajber

lawrence.chiang@mail.mcgill.ca — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 03:28:09 +0000

Sarah Jordaan

lawrence.chiang@mail.mcgill.ca — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 04:10:18 +0000

Peter Douglas

shirley.cardenas@mcgill.ca — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:03:27 +0000

Mary Kang

frederique.mazerolle@mcgill.ca — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:48:56 +0000

Bruno Tremblay

shirley.cardenas@mcgill.ca — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:17:26 +0000