A proposed liquefied natural gas expansion in British Columbia could bring approximately 200 additional tankers annually to the province's West Coast, according to a recent environmental report released during the week of November 10-16, 2025.
Increased Marine Traffic Raises Environmental Concerns
The report highlights significant environmental implications of the projected increase in tanker traffic through sensitive coastal waters. This development comes as scientists who originally championed carbon capture technology are now issuing warnings about its limitations and implementation challenges.
Meanwhile, at the COP30 United Nations Climate Summit in Belem, Brazil, climate activists staged protests demanding more aggressive action against climate change. Photographs from the November 15 event show demonstrators participating in organized climate protests during the international gathering.
Charging Infrastructure Gaps Hinder Electric Vehicle Adoption
Separate research indicates that insufficient charging infrastructure in Metro Vancouver continues to hamper electric vehicle uptake across the region. The report suggests that the lack of accessible charging stations remains a significant barrier to widespread EV adoption, despite growing consumer interest in zero-emission vehicles.
At the COP30 summit, environmental advocates raised concerns about industry influence, noting that oil and gas lobbyists significantly outnumbered official delegates at the climate conference in Brazil. This imbalance has sparked criticism about corporate influence on international climate policy discussions.
Climate Science Context and Global Warming Trends
According to NASA climate scientists, human activities have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by 50 percent in less than 200 years. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has consistently warned that human activities, particularly fossil fuel combustion and livestock farming, represent the primary drivers of climate change.
As of November 13, 2025, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere measured 424.87 parts per million at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. While this represents a slight decrease from the previous month's reading of 425.48 ppm, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes a steady upward trend since 1960, when levels remained below 320 ppm.
The IPCC has issued what it describes as a code red for humanity, emphasizing that the window to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is rapidly closing. Scientists warn that exceeding this threshold would lead to increasingly severe climate impacts, including more intense wildfires, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise.
Recent Climate Records and Scientific Consensus
Climate data reveals that 2024 surpassed 2023 as the hottest year on record globally, with the global average temperature reaching 1.55 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The past decade (2015-2024) now stands as the ten warmest years ever recorded.
There exists overwhelming scientific consensus that Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate due to human activities. Current emission trajectories suggest the planet could experience temperature increases of up to 3.6 degrees Celsius this century without immediate and substantial intervention.
To maintain the Paris Agreement target of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, global emissions would need to decrease by 7.6 percent annually between 2020 and 2030. Staying below 2 degrees Celsius would require annual reductions of 2.7 percent.
The Earth is currently approximately 1.3 degrees Celsius warmer than during the 1800s, with human activities increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations by nearly 49 percent since 1850. In June 2025, global carbon dioxide levels exceeded 430 parts per million, setting another alarming record.
