Global Climate: Decline of Chinook salmon in the Yukon River is a cultural and spiritual loss

If you are reading this on the web or someone has emailed you this newsletter, you can sign up for Globe Climate and all Globe newsletters. here.

Good afternoon, and welcome to Globe Climate, a newsletter on climate change, the environment and resources in Canada.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners went deep to see the inner beauty of our planet. From the depths of the ocean to your own backyard, Earth is home to many mysterious creatures. The contest honors those who go the extra mile to show us how they live, and the fragility and beauty of our planet.

The work is on display at the Natural History Museum in London, virtually and in person, from October 14 to July 3. Photos will also be at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto from November 12 to April 23.

Now we’ll catch up with you on other news.

Tony Wu watches the electrifying reproductive dance of a giant starfish in Kinko Bay, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.Tony Wu / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Noteworthy report this week:

First Nations: BC Indigenous Conservation Plan Gains Private Support to Protect, Restore and Support Self-Reliance Initiatives
Reuse: Aiming for zero waste includes repurposing store fixtures – displays, lighting and shelving
Explanation: Nuclear energy is making a comeback. What’s happening in Canada and abroad
Food: This farmer-turned-biologist wants to put Quebec truffles on the culinary map
Energy: Western powers must cooperate to develop business case for energy transition, says former German minister
From the Narwhal: “Nature has no borders”. Why Americans Care About Canadian Mines

A deeper dive

More Than Fish: Why Chinook Salmon Indicate Loss of Culture and Connection

Declining salmon populations mean more than just the loss of fishing opportunities or food insecurity in Yukon and Alaskan communities where groceries are not widely available or are prohibitively expensive. . For First Nations, the loss goes beyond the wallet or the freezer, but also culturally and spiritually.

The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, whose traditional territory includes the Dawson City area, is just one of many First Nations in the Yukon and Alaska that have traditionally relied on the Yukon River Chinook. They have resorted to using frozen chum salmon instead of Yukon River chinook at their annual fishing camp, which aims to teach traditional skills to young people. Chum salmon have experienced similar population declines.

“Many First Nations have depended on Chinook salmon for millennia, and it’s really hard to live without traditional foods,” said Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Chief Roberta Joseph.

The current mainstream theory has nothing to do with what happens in the river, but in the Bering Sea, where salmon spend up to five years of their life.

“Over the last few years we’ve seen an increase in temperature in the Bering Sea, and the latest hypothesis is that it’s doing several things to the ecosystem there,” says Marc Ross, director of Treaties, Fisheries. and Salmon Enhancement for the Yukon River with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Freelance writer Lori Fox wrote about what’s happening with the salmon and the loss that leaves “a hole in people’s hearts”.

Read the full story today.

The Whitehorse Fishway allows returning Chinook salmon to bypass the Whitehorse Rapids hydroelectric dam during their annual spawning run on the Yukon River.Mike Thomas/The Globe and Mail

What else did you miss

Opinion and analysis

Michael Bernstein, Dale Beugin, Blake Shaffer: Canada should try to take advantage of the United States’ transition to a low-carbon economy

First Person Series: I Thought A Leaf Blower Was The Answer – But I Looked Ridiculous

Editorial Board: Oil sands companies are finally investing real money to reduce their emissions. And liberals suddenly talk nice about oil and gas

Green investment

RBC Green Advertising Survey Launched

Canada’s Competition Bureau has launched an investigation into whether Royal Bank of Canada made misleading claims about its actions to fight climate change after the watchdog received a request from a group of concerned citizens supported by environmental groups. In a letter dated September 29, he seeks “to determine the facts relating to the allegations that RBC breached the [Competition] Acting by making false or misleading environmental representations.

The investigation stems from a complaint first filed in April by six individual plaintiffs which alleges that RBC’s claims that it supports the principles of the Paris Agreement and is committed to achieving net zero emissions of here 2050 are false, and that the company is currently working against these goals. providing billions of dollars in financing to the oil and gas industry, and says the bank “has no credible plan” to achieve its stated goals.

make waves

Each week, The Globe will profile a Canadian who is making a difference. This week, we highlight the work of Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa on climate law.

My name is Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa (40) located in Washington. By training, I am a lawyer and now Director of Sustainability at Coeuraj: a Canadian consultancy that advises global business and governance and brings together diverse stakeholders to design inclusive and resilient solutions to the greatest systemic challenges of our time.

The climate challenges we face require nuanced and more intersectional consideration and action. As a lawyer, I have been inspired by the class action I have seen taken so far. I also closely monitor the evolution of policies, laws and courts over time. For example, the revocation of oil and gas exploration rights from Shell in South Africa due to corruption related licensing issues is an example of the scrutiny associated with natural resource rights.

This case shows not only how society is using the legal system for climate justice, but also the collective action we are taking to change. Although there is still a lot of work to do, I am hopeful that we will continue to see progress.

-Muna

Do you know a committed person? Someone who represents the real drivers of change in the country? Email us at [email protected] to tell us about it.