Axios

The extent of Canada's worst wildfire season on record continued to grow this week after a combination of extreme heat events, unusually dry weather and lightning strikes stoked hundreds of out of control wildfires across the country.

Why it matters: Multiple studies show human-caused climate change is a key driver behind increased wildfire risk and that heat waves are more likely to occur, be more intense and last longer due to this. And the scale and scope of these fires is likely to exacerbate climate change in a positive feedback loop.

Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who will lead the COP28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates, unveiled the most detailed look yet at his country's priorities for success at the meeting.

Why it matters: The UAE’s goals for the talks, which are the result of a months'-long listening tour, may shape the summit’s outcomes.

A $239 million climate tech investment fund brings an atypical structure — and ambitious goals — to the startup arena.

Driving the news: Azolla Ventures, launched out of the nonprofit Prime Coalition, focuses on early-stage hardware startups with outsized impact if their tech scales.

El Niño conditions are only slowly gathering strength in the tropical Pacific Ocean, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects the event is likely to peak at a moderate to strong intensity by the fall and winter.

Why it matters: The natural climate cycle is already boosting global average surface temperatures and contributing to unprecedented extreme weather events. These trends are likely to be even more noteworthy into next year.

Amid record heat in Phoenix and the Southwest, fears are ratcheting up that U.S. cities aren't doing enough to mitigate extreme heat — including appointing "chief heat officers."

Why it matters: It's still early in the summer, and too many cities are getting caught flat-footed — without a heat action plan, or with uncoordinated response efforts siloed in different departments.