Decarbonizing the grid

Just about anyone in Canada who is older than 11 years old who wanted to get vaccinated for COVID-19 has been able to. And that leaves children unvaccinated and unprotected. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the process the vaccines are going through to be approved for children. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Dr. Karina Top, pediatric infectious disease physician and a vaccine researcher at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in Halifax

Governments have tried a variety of incentives to entice people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. But the more effective approach has been to add sticks to carrots. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at what approaches worked better to get a population vaccinated against COVID-19. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Amy Kaler, professor of sociology, University of Alberta Episode Resources: "Nobody wins when Alberta plays games with COVID vaccines" column

If Canada is to achieve its Paris climate goals, the country has to address what's driving growth in emissions. And driving is one of the problems. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the unique challenges transportation in a spread out country like Canada presents to decarbonization. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Josipa Petrunic, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium.

Oil and gas is the largest greenhouse emitter of Canadian industry. But given its place in the economy, politicians and policy makers are weighing how it fits in with the country's emission goals. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at what provincial and federal governments could and have done to address Canada's biggest emitter. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Chris Severson-Baker, Alberta director of the Pembina Institute

Electricity generation is one of the largest contributor to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. And while Canada is among the leaders in renewable electricity, there's still room for improvement. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at what steps are left for decarbonization of the electricity grid in the country. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Blake Shaffer, assistant professor of economics at the University of Calgary

The Delta variant has become a new foe in the fight against COVID-19. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at how the variant has changed the pandemic. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Dr. Daniel Gregson, infectious diseases physician and a medical microbiologist and associate professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary

Owning a home has been a common goal for Canadians for decades. And that might just be the reason why it's no longer achievable. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at some of the forces -- both market and policy -- that have shaped Canada's real estate sector. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Uytae Lee, creator, About Here

Napoleon is credited with comparing China with a sleeping dragon. But the country of more than 1 billion is now an economic and political force in the world. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at some of the topics covered by Jeff Semple in the China Rising podcast. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Jeff Semple, senior correspondent, Global National News, and host of "China Rising"

Cowessess First Nation became the first of its kind to repatriate its child welfare system, under a federal bill made into law almost two years ago, but it's not likely to be the last. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the landmark change Bill C-92 brings to Canada's child welfare system, and some of the surprising effects it could have. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Koren Lightning-Earle, lawyer with Wahkotowin Law and Governance Lodge at the University of Alberta

While it's easy to think that a one degree increase in average temperatures doesn't have a direct impact on our health, wildfire smoke and heat domes have proven how widespread effects of climate change can affect Canadians. On this episode of This Is Why, we go to the frontier of climate change -- Canada's north -- to hear how it is directly affecting the health of Canadians. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - [email protected] Guests: Dr. Courtney Howard, Yellowknife emergency physician, past president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, board member of the Global Climate Health Alliance and head of advocacy for the World Health Organization's Civil Society Working Group on Climate Change and Health