Transitioning into a new year is often a time of gratitude, reflection, excitement, and planning. While 2022 saw some milestone moments for climate policy in Canada, 2023 will be even more important as Canada steps up implementation of climate actions.

So, to prepare ourselves for another year of hard work and progress, the WoC team has assembled a list of 10 big things in the climate and environmental realm you should watch out for in 2023!

Our Canadian wildlife is more diverse than we might realize, especially our avian friends - the birds. Though we're used to geese, ducks, chickadees, and the like, the species in Windsor-Essex County extend far beyond that. Besides being diverse and beautiful, birds are essential parts of the ecosystem and they have immeasurable value balancing the food chain. This Fall migration season, we shine a light on the importance of birds in our region, get wrapped in raptor-talk, and cue the drumroll for the upcoming Festival of Hawks at Holiday Beach!

Most of us have grown up with the Great Lakes in one way or another—from colouring them in during geography class to swimming in them during the summer. It can be easy to take for granted bodies of water we’ve known for a lifetime. But where do the Great Lakes fit in on a larger scale and how do they function? How are they doing? And why do we need to concern ourselves with governing them? Read on to learn about freshwater access, water governance, how our Great Lakes fit into the system, as well as what we can do to shape their future in a climate change future.

Eco-dread and climate anxiety are becoming a fast reality for many who are direct or indirect victims of climate change. This can be counter-productive in the fight against the crisis and can have profound implications. In the second and final part of our series on climate change and mental health, guest author and Policy Planner at the Town of Essex, Jeff Watson, writes about the changes we can make in our daily lives that will help with both alleviating mental health issues arising from climate change as well as climate change itself.

The conversation surrounding Canadian seniors and climate change has a very consistent tone: seniors are vulnerable. While care for older Canadians is one of the areas that we must seriously continue investing in, the focus on seniors’ vulnerability, puts them squarely in the category of passive victims. Emma Bider, draws from her work with the seniors-led group Climate Legacy, and writes about why and how institutions and agencies would be wise to include this demographic as active agents of change.

News of extreme weather events in Canada and beyond have plagued us this summer and in the past. The physical and economic damages from climate change impacts are quite well-documented; however, there remains one aspect of impacts that is possibly the least discussed and most overlooked - mental health. Over the upcoming weeks, Windsor of Change will share a series of articles on the toll of climate change on our minds and health, written by guest author and Policy Planner at the Town of Essex, Jeff Watson.

While experts are trying to find answers to the climate crisis through social, economic, and policy changes, some are betting on an unexpected ally. Could the genetic code in all living beings be the leg up we need to be resilient to such changes? WOC writer Prabarna Ganguly breaks down the latest in the intersecting worlds of climate science and genomics.

This story comes from the other side of the aisle. From across the Detroit River, Michele Arquette-Palermo from the Freshwater Forum at the Cranbrook Institute of Science, draws our attention to the failing state of Great Lakes infrastructure. In an era of climate change, rising lake levels, and increased precipitation in the region, is the Great Lakes region prepared enough for a surge?

What important lessons does the infamous pre-historic animated squirrel from the Ice Age movies have with respect to modern day climate change? Baird Langenbrunner takes us on an inter-epoch ride with his tales of what the Last Ice Age has to say about the adaptive capacities of plants today.

Originally featured on Massive Science, this article unpacks layers of information of what lies ahead, from what has already occurred!

This International Day of Action marked a milestone in the modern American climate movement. With the launch of the epic Global Action Climate Summit on the horizon, throngs of crowds marched in San Francisco as a part of the 'RISE for Climate' movement to push world leaders to act on climate solutions NOW. 

Motivated by wanderlust and a bid to get to the bottom of the climate crisis, WOC writer and Climate Reality Leader, Kim Michele, set off on an adventurous journey earlier this year to the mysterious ‘7th Continent’ - Antarctica. In the first of a series on the icy, distant landmass, she talks about the ‘Carbon Sink’ phenomenon, the effects of climate change, and the need to fight to protect Antarctica - like our world depended on it.

The Boreal forest of Canada is part of the largest land-based biome in the world. But, as with other biomes, it is under immense climactic threat. A recent study at the University of Alberta revealed how the clock is ticking on one of Canada's most vital assets.

The most popular repercussions of a changing climate are rising sea levels, a warming planet, drought and species loss, among many others. However, there is one other less discussed consequence : the relationship between resource scarcity and violence, one that will change society as we know it.

When it comes to climate change awareness, the current government of Justin Trudeau is quickly making up for the Harper government's inaction. But, as an open letter from Ottawa-based think tank Evidence for Democracy shows, improvement is still necessary.

If the world is in chaos, everyone loses. That’s the view that the founder of Earth on Board, Philippe Joubert adheres to. Learn more about why he believes corporations and governments need to work together for a sustainable future and tackle climate change.

In December 2017, the world was hit with a heart-wrenching imagery of a polar bear on the cusp of its last breath, from starvation and climate change. This now world-famous video, shot by National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen is the new poster for urgent climate action. So what changes must we adopt in 2018 in Canada to ensure escalated action to preserve and protect? Can we see the light at the end of this tunnel?

Climate change doesn't have two sides. Then why do some still think it does? "As if there were “two sides” to gravity, and whether we fall or float when we step off the cliff somehow depends on our perspective, our opinion, and our politics rather than on the facts." - states Dr Hayhoe, a climate scientist, on why the issue of politics is the biggest barrier to overcome in this fight.

Every catastrophic storm, flood and fire in 2017 has been significantly worse than ever before, and left thousands of people devastated as a result. And in every case our changing climate has directly contributed to the level of destruction, leaving us to bare a great deal of the responsibility. Read about how 2017 beat new records, here at home and the rest of North America.

Hollywood is turning the heat up with its latest gamut of sci-fi movies. Graeme Virtue of The Guardian discusses how changing times have meant more movies are incorporating the reality of climate change to their narrative, and how scientists are becoming the heroes and heroines we deserve, and the ones we need right now!

In an upsetting turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement in June 2017. Some continue to protest this action, some continue to be upset, but read on about how 3 brave New Zealanders, from a city not much bigger than Windsor, decided to turn things around.

Your green actions will go a long way in reflecting the changing consumption patterns and effects at an individual level. But is reducing our energy consumption the only way for us to mitigate climate change?

What about policy?

Windsor of Change (all pun intended), is a blog about climate change and how Windsor will be affected by it.  It hopes to put climate change in the context of our beloved city Windsor, and how we could/ would be affected by it. And most importantly, what we can do as a community.