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"The Memorandum of Cooperation will become a model of how future problems like this will not happen again," states Chief Morris. "I think the province needs to recognize that our free prior informed consent is necessary or mining development in the north could become a very expensive failure."

Platinex has also agreed to drop its lawsuit against the province and KI First Nation. Last year, KI chief Donny Morris and five other residents were sentenced to six months in jail for disobeying a court order to allow Plantinex to explore on their territory.

"I consider the decision of Platinex to not proceed with mining exploration in our territory as a major victory. My community was determined to stop Platinex and the Ontario government from arbitrarily imposing a mine at Nemeigusabins Lake," says chief Morris.

In fall 2009 Greg Selinger became leader of the Manitoba New Democratic Party, and Premier of Manitoba. Mr. Selinger has long been supportive of protected areas establishment for our province. Mr. Bill Blaikie, former long time Winnipeg member of parliament, and new member of the legislature for Elmwood, was appointed minister for Manitoba Conservation, including protected areas decisions, consultations, and technical standards.

The Protected Areas Audit is followed by the Manitoba Protected Areas Grade, each year. The Grade is assessed based on existing provincial public policy, using the same technical and ecological criteria since 1993.

"We expect to see improvements in fulfillment of the many public policy commitments for protected areas from the new administration. This would include fulfillment of Mr. Selinger's protected areas promises made as minister of finance. Our boreal forest regions and forest licence areas require new protected areas as do our taiga regions. There are over 100 candidate sites designed by the government, and 10,000,000 acres approved by the Mining sector waiting for protection, in our province," commented Gaile Whelan Enns, director, Manitoba Wildlands.

Many sub national leaders from states, cities, and provinces around the world were in Copenhagen during the UN Climate Summit. These leaders were there to encourage country leaders to reach agreement on climate change, while also seeking recognition of their own climate change actions.

While in Copenhagen Premier Selinger committed Manitoba to legislation to create a cap and trade system to reduce ghg emissions in Manitoba, based on consultations during 2010. He also signed a memorandum of understanding with South Australia to share expertise on flooding, droughts, and ecological good and services for future climate change actions.

Dr. Pruitt was a member of the University of Manitoba Biological Sciences Department and founder of the Taiga Biological Station in Manitoba's eastside. Originally from Easton Maryland, Bill Pruitt started his ecology career at a young age and enhanced his learning with experiences from around the world. One primary focus was research north of 60 in Russia, Alaska, and Canada. Dr. Pruitt studied every part of the northern boreal ecosystems from the flora and fauna to the people and their languages. He wrote and published in the Russian language, contributing to many scientific journals. Many other books, academic papers, and advocacy pieces were written throughout his career.

Bill Pruitt will continue to be an inspiration to young scientists throughout the world. His students and friends continue his concern for the boreal forests of the northern hemisphere.

"I had the privilege to participate in project presentations by Bill's students, and to be able to ask his advice over the last 15 years. Earlier I had the challenge of editing an ecology primer Bill wrote. It was an impossible task because the writing was ecological, so we printed the entire primer as a series! We will all miss Bill," commented Gaile Whelan Enns, Manitoba Wildlands director.

The Yasuni ITT Trust Fund, managed by UN Development Programme will compensate the Ecuadorian government for keeping the oil in the ground with a payout of $350 million a year for 10 years. In exchange, the government guarantees the oil will never be extracted from the ITT area. This prevents release of 407 million metric tones of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, helping to prevent global warming. The fund will also help protect one of the richest sections of rainforest in the world, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to 23 threatened species, 3 isolated indigenous tribes and thousands of plant and animal species.

Five oil companies are already drilling oil in other parts of Yasuni Park and have submitted proposals to access the heart of Yasuni National Park. They have been turned down while the government launches this trust fund. So far, the trust fund has received support from Germany, Spain, the city of Guayaquil, Amazon Watch, and other NGO's.

RJC (voluntary) standards allow mines to operate in conflict zones and protected areas, dump tailings into lakes and oceans, and have no control protocol for emissions. They make no provision for community consent to mining. RJC certification also certifies a company rather than individual projects.

NGO's are recommending a third party, multi-stakeholder process. Several civil society organizations and industry participants are involved in creating this through the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).

This research is the result of an international project, involving 334 scientists from 34 countries, including Canada. The project was part of the census of marine life, an ambitious 10-year-effort recording 17,650 species living below 656 feet.

"Parts of the deep sea that we assumed were homogenous are actually quite complex," states Robert S. Carney, an oceanographer at Louisiana State University and a lead researcher on the deep seas.

The scientists say they could announce that a million or more species remain unknown. On land, biologists have catalogued about 1.5 million plants and animals.

"We want to show how proud we are of the doctors to have finally made this a provincial debate. Like it should be," states Marc Fafard, founder of a grassroots group opposed to uranium mining.

The doctors oppose a proposed uranium mine at Kachiwiss Lake, about 13 kilometres from Sept Îles, because they believe it will harm the environment and the health of area residents.

The Quebec government responded by stating it would create a special committee to study potential risks of uranium exploration and mining on health and safety. The government maintains that mining the radioactive heavy metal poses no public health hazard and Jean-Pierre Thomassin, director general of Quebec's mining exploration association, agrees.

"This is strictly a fear campaign," he said. "The doctors probably have cottages near the site and don't want to be bothered."

In 2009 above normal temperatures were recorded in most parts of all the continents. Only Canada and the United States experienced cooler than average temperatures. Many countries experienced climate extremes including flooding, drought, heat waves and coldsnaps. The extent of Artic Sea ice was the third lowest ever recorded (1st and 2nd being in 2007 and 2008).

This information is based on three sets of data maintained independently by Hadley Center and East Anglia University Climate Research Unit in the UK, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US, and the Goddard Institute of Space Studies in the US. All show the same results.

Manitoba Conservation and Manitoba Hydro ignored or circumvented requirements, and has failed to undertake consultations with Sagkeeng First Nation whose traditional lands include the proposed power corridor. Brush cutting for the corridor began December 4th despite written protests from the First Nation and local cottage owners opposed to the project.

"This process should have been handled in full public view. The land in question is in a protected provincial park, is traditional First Nations land, and yet Manitoba Conservation let a small group of pro-Hydro cottage owners lead the project," stated Kevin Lamoureux.

Whelan Enns called on Bill Blaikie, Manitoba's Conservation Minister, to remove the secrecy surrounding development decisions in provincial parks. "The new minister of conservation needs to return our parks system to consistent, fully public decision making. Secret developments in our parks must end."

The IGBP Climate-Change Index has been calculated from 1980 to 2007. It shows a steady increase over 27 years indicating significant global change. The index also has the ability to show major events that affect global climate change, such as volcanic eruptions.

This index was developed by scientists to make a comprehensive visual tool compared to climate change information sets that are difficult for people to understand. The Index can also be modified to include other variables in the future.

The IGBP Climate Change Index was launched at the United Nations Climate change negotiations in Copenhagen by the International Geosphere-Biosphere programme.

The Prairie Chicken once covered the prairies of Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario by the thousands but have not been seen for over 20 years. New genetic evidence suggests this bird had been in Canada for 9000 years and that in the 1900's there were estimated to be at least a million Prairie Chickens breeding in Canada.

The Prairie Chicken is still found in parts of the United States and conservation efforts are in progress.

The Grey Whale has not been seen in Canadian waters since the 1800's and the Dwarf Wedgemussel has been extirpated since 1999.