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By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello,

This week, wildfires have been blazing around the world from the expansive landscapes of Canada to the tropical paradises of Hawaii and the dry mountainous terrain of Spain.

In Canada, fire crews battled early to prevent wildfires from reaching the northern city of Yellowknife, where residents are leaving after an evacuation order was declared. Water bombers flew low over Yellowknife as thick smoke blanketed the capital of the vast and sparsely populated Northwest Territories.

Meanwhile, the idyllic shores of Hawaii have been marred by deadly wildfires that destroyed part of the island and killed at least 111 people. Maui County Emergency Management administrator Herman Andaya resigned after being criticized by residents and media over the island’s response to the wildfires.

Across the ocean on the Spanish island of Tenerife, traditionally known for its hot summers, wildfires have surged, putting communities and livelihoods at risk. The wildfire is the most complex the Canary Islands has faced in the last 40 years, according to the region’s leader, Fernando Clavijo.

The emergency services are expecting temperatures to rise on the island over the weekend and a change in winds from the early hours of Saturday morning could push the fire westwards from northeastern Tenerife.

1. Canada wildfire: all 20,000 Yellowknife residents evacuating

Canadian fire crews battled to prevent wildfires from reaching the northern city of Yellowknife, where 20,000 residents are leaving after an evacuation order was declared. The deadline for residents to leave the city is noon local time on Friday (1800 GMT). The Territories, with a population of just 46,000 people, have limited infrastructure and there is only one road out of Yellowknife to the province of Alberta to the south. 

Smoke rises during the wildfire in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada August 17, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Bonita Kay Summers/via REUTERS 

2. Wildfire on Spain’s Tenerife spreads across island’s north

A wildfire that broke out in a mountainous national park on the Spanish island of Tenerife on Wednesday spread to 1,800 hectares (4,450 acres) in 24 hours as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze amid difficult terrain conditions. Europe is battling the effects of scorching temperatures which have reached worrying levels globally, with July being the hottest month recorded on both land and sea. Click here for a list of the most recent blazes and heat-related warnings issued in Europe.

3. Maui’s chief of emergency management resigns amid criticism

Herman Andaya’s resignation takes place one day after he made his first appearance in a press conference, which came more than a week after the catastrophe destroyed or damaged 2,200 buildings and caused some $5.5 billion in damage. Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for.

4. India landslides block trucks taking supplies to strife-torn Manipur

Landslides in India have stranded hundreds of trucks carrying fuel and essential items to the violence-hit state of Manipur, police said on Thursday, after heavy rains caused devastation that killed at least 84 people. Earlier this week, rescuers pulled out bodies after landslides in India’s Himalayas buried homes and buildings, killing at least 57 people and leaving 10 still trapped or missing, officials said.

5. Pacific island sea levels rising faster than global average, WMO says

Sea levels in the South-West Pacific are rising faster than the global average, threatening low-lying islands while heat damages marine ecosystems, the U.N. meteorological agency said.

Weather conditions around the globe this year have affected food production and prices. In some places, droughts and rains have damaged crops and experts are worried that it will add more pressure to global food inflation. Read about ballooning costs of food. Click here or on the image for the video.

China’s plan to set up a recycling system for obsolete wind turbines and solar panels is likely to be a lucrative market in the country, which is well placed to become a global hub for the recycling of several forms of outdated green energy equipment.

China has been the clear leader in renewable energy production for more than a decade, and in 2022 generated over twice the amount of electricity from solar power and 75% more wind-powered electricity than the United States, the second largest green energy producer, according to Ember.

37%

Officials point out that the European Union was supportive of green industries much earlier than the United States and that 37% of its massive post-pandemic recovery fund of 800 billion euros ($868.96 billion) is earmarked for climate friendly investment.

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