2019-08-25: News Headlines

Staff (2019-08-25). The Rich Will Not Be Exempt From the Worst of Climate Change. truthdig.com Yet another study predicts economic loss as the world gets hotter. And the richer nations will also feel the pain.

Extinction Rebellion US & others (2019-08-25). Don't Drive on 9/5: Go Car-Free Day. indybay.org Across the United States and international…

Staff (2019-08-25). States With Fracking Bans Are Still Building Fracking Infrastructure. truthout.org | | Fracking bans have begun to sweep across the world, with Ireland, France, Germany and Bulgaria declaring a moratorium on the deadly fossil fuel process. While the U.S. is lagging behind in the effort to stop the ill effects of global climate crisis, states like Vermont, Washington, Maryland and New York have passed bans. Both Georgia and Florida have attempted these bans as well. | Banning fracking isn't enough, though. Fracking infrastructure is being built in states with bans and is continui…

Staff (2019-08-25). Could Climate Catastrophe Lead to Ecofascism? truthout.org | | White nationalists around the world are appropriating the language of environmentalism. | The white nationalist who allegedly massacred 22 people in El Paso in early August posted a four-page screed on the chatroom 8chan. In it, the shooter blames his attack on the "Hispanic invasion of Texas" and the impending "cultural and ethnic replacement" of whites in America. | The shooter also refers directly to the leng…

NBOP Petaluma (2019-08-25). Climate Equity, Hope & Action Forum: Climate Action Commission (Petaluma). indybay.org Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr, Petaluma 94952…

Climate Justice SF (2019-08-25). Strike for Climate Justice! indybay.org Montgomery & Market in downtown San Francisco.

Staff (2019-08-25). Why Monsanto Tried to Discredit a Book That Has No Factual Errors. truthout.org | | Janine Jackson: There's an old saying but true: "News is something somebody doesn't want printed. All else is advertising." And while many a reporter would tell you they are telling the truth and letting the chips fall where they may, relatively few seem to really tread on toes powerful enough, forcibly enough, to generate a response. | Our next guest is wearing that particular badge of honor at the moment. Carey Gillam is a veter…

Mathew Maavak (2019-08-24). "Child Actorvism" and the Extinction Agenda of Neoliberal Racists. dissidentvoice.org There is no shortage of social justice causes trumpeted by the West‚Ä with a revolving medley of "child actorvists" at the forefront. The logical observer may question whether these endless multi-billion dollar campaigns have had any tangible effect at all, except in serving as a stalking horse for mass-mediated interferences in the affairs of other …

Jaco Le Roux, Florencia Yanelli, Heidi Hirsch, José María Iriondo Alegría, Marcel Rejmánek, and Maria Loreto Castillo (2019-08-24). Plants are going extinct up to 350 times faster than the historical norm. nationofchange.org Modern plant extinction rates that exceed historical rates by hundreds of times over such a brief period will spell disaster for our planet's future.

Aída Chávez (2019-08-24). National Democrats Endorse John Hickenlooper, a Proponent of Fracking, in Competitive Colorado Primary. theintercept.com In Colorado, nearly a dozen Democrats are vying for the opportunity to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in 2020 — a race widely seen as the party's most promising pick-up in the Senate. One of the leading contenders, former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All and an aggressive plan to combat the climate crisis — and his campaign has already topped $1 million in fundraising. | But the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has thrown its weight behind former Gov. John Hickenlooper, a pro-fracking moderate. After months of rejecting calls…

Jake Johnson (2019-08-24). 'Game-changer': Sanders unveils Green New Deal plan detailing 10-Year mobilization to avert climate catastrophe, create 20 million jobs. nationofchange.org Calling the global climate crisis both the greatest threat facing the United States and the greatest opportunity for transformative change, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday unveiled a comprehensive Green New Deal proposal that would transition the U.S. economy to 100 percent renewable energy and create 20 million well-paying union jobs over a decade. | "This is a pivotal moment in the history of America—and really, in the history of humanity," Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, said in a statement. | "When we are in the White Hous…

Howie Hawkins (2019-08-24). On Day One, the Next President Should Declare A Climate Emergency. dissidentvoice.org The next president should declare a Climate Emergency, which will give the president powers to act rapidly and decisively to confront the climate crisis. The president should also create a cabinet-level Office of Climate Mobilization for the coordination of all federal agencies in mobilizing the nation's resources to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions and 100% …

WSWS (2019-08-24). Rift widens between Australia and Pacific Island states. wsws.org The Pacific Islands Forum has opened up a bitter dispute over the Australian government's refusal to agree to urgent measures to address climate change.

Staff (2019-08-24). Can We Reach 100 Percent Renewable Energy in Time to Avert Climate Catastrophe? truthout.org | | Ten years ago, two climate scientists, Mark Jacobson and Mark Delucchi, published a groundbreaking article in Scientific American outlining a road map for becoming 100 percent reliant on energy generated by water, wind and sun by 2030. This was something that needed to be done "if the world has any hope of slowing climate change," the researchers warned at the time. | The article proved incendiary. "First of all, nobody believed…

Juan Cole (2019-08-24). Bernie Sanders' Manhattan project: The game-changing Green New Deal. nationofchange.org Sen. Bernie Sanders' breathtaking Green New Deal, with an advertised price tag of $16.3 trillion, is aimed at nothing less than saving the planet from the worst consequences of global heating. | The plan aims to create 20 million new, well-paying jobs. It should be noted that one possible outcome of big Federal R&D monies and a rapid shift to renewables would be to revivify the US industrial sector, which has fallen to only 12 percent or so of the US GDP. Although the price tag seems formidable, Sen. Sanders points out that climate inaction wil…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2019-08-24). While "The World Is on Fire,' DNC Kills Resolution for Climate Forum. commondreams.org Party had been reminded of its platform asserting it will combat the 'global climate emergency' | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/dnc-climate-res-vote.jpg

Justin Mikulka (2019-08-24). How an application for propane fracking attempts to circumvent New York's fracking ban. nationofchange.org Four years after New York announced the state was banning hydraulic fracturing (fracking), Tioga Energy Partners, LLC has filed an application with the state to frack for natural gas, but there's a catch. The company is proposing to swap propane into the industry standard mix that usually calls for water. | Environmental advocates consider this application to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and specifically a propane gel, an attempt…

Mark Gruenberg (2019-08-23). Climate change, Amazon fires come to France with G7 protests. peoplesworld.org BIARRITZ, France—The continuing controversy over international action — or lack of it — to deal with climate change, and the latest big threat to the environment, the massive Brazilian Amazonian wildfires, will descend on the G7 summit here this weekend. The object: To force the leaders of the world's top industrialized nations to do something …

Robert Hunziker (2019-08-23). Earth 4C Hotter. counterpunch.org A decade ago several prominent climate scientists discussed the prospects of a 4C Earth. Their concern was qualified "… if greenhouse gases do not slow down, then expect a 4C Earth by 2055." Of course, that would be catastrophic, and one can only assume those scientists must have recognized real risks. Otherwise, why address the More

Pete Dolack (2019-08-23). The Realism and Unrealism of the Green New Deals. counterpunch.org A problem facing advocates of serious action to deter global warming is that the costs of not acting aren't quantifiable and remain somewhat abstract. In contrast, calling for a phase-out of fossil fuels understandably leads to fears of job losses, especially since capitalism isn't going to offer new employment for those displaced. There will be More

Staff (2019-08-23). Bolsonaro May Send Army to Fight Massive Amazon Fires. truthdig.com France accuses the Brazilian leader of lying over his commitment to save the rainforest, which is seen as crucial to slowing global warming.

Staff (2019-08-23). Brazil Faces Global Outrage as Massive Fires Spread in Amazon Rainforest. truthout.org | | The United Nations is calling for the protection of the Amazon amid fears that thousands of fires raging across Brazil and some parts of Bolivia are rapidly destroying the world's largest rainforest and paving the way for a climate catastrophe. The fires have spread a vast plume of smoke across South America and the Atlantic Ocean that's visible from space. They're unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle…

WSWS (2019-08-23). Wildfires rage throughout the Amazon rainforest. wsws.org The Amazon rainforest supplies one-fifth of the world's oxygen and plays a key role in the planet's climate.

Tierra Curry (2019-08-23). Amazon Fires Put the Planet at Risk. counterpunch.org In Brazil, the Amazon rainforest is now burning at a record rate. The greedy, short-sighted policies of Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro are jeopardizing indigenous peoples and countless plants and animals. Indeed, in the midst of a climate emergency, Bolsonaro's policies to slash environmental protections and develop the Amazon for mining, ranching and farming jeopardize More

teleSUR, TR (2019-08-23). Mura Indigenous Tribe Vows to Protect Sacred Amazon Land. telesurenglish.net A record number of wildfires have raged for weeks and are decimating the Brazilian Amazon, the world's largest tropical rainforest whose protection scientists say is critical to the fight against climate change. | The blazes have nearly doubled this year compared with the same period in 2018, according to Brazilian officials, prompting a global outcry. | The wildfires come against the backdrop of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who has railed against environmental fines for farmers and called for indigenous reserves and other protected areas to be opened up for development. | The Mura tribe has long had…

Nick Cunningham (2019-08-23). U.S. to "Drown the World" in Oil. globalresearch.ca The U.S. could "drown the world in oil" over the next decade, which, according to Global Witness, would "spell disaster" for the world's attempts to address climate change. | The U.S. is set to account for 61 percent of all new …

Madeline Ostrander (2019-08-23). In 2020, Millennials and Generation Z Could Force Politicians to Deal With Climate Change. thenation.com In 2020, Millennials and Generation Z Could Force Politicians to Deal With Climate Change…

Robert J. Burrowes (2019-08-23). Our Vanishing World: Melting Glaciers. globalresearch.ca Something is causing the worlds glaciers and mountain ice fields to melt. And, despite your first thought, it is not the ongoing climate catastrophe. | It does not matter where on Earth the glaciers and mountain ice fields are located, they …

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-08-23). After Life of Incalculable Harm, Billionaire Climate Denialist and Right-Wing Villain David Koch Dead at 79. commondreams.org "Death is an escape hatch for David Koch while the rest of us are left scrambling for the emergency brake before we go over the cliff." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/koch_head.jpg

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-08-23). Warnings of Grave Climate and Human Rights Impact as US Export-Import Bank Approves $5 Billion for Natural Gas Project in Mozambique. commondreams.org "If there is a project with serious alarm bells, it's this one." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mozambique.jpg

pip.hinman (2019-08-23). Break the hold of the fossil fuel media mafia. greenleft.org.au climate emergency Sam WainwrightIssue 1234 Australia Extinction Rebellion fossil fuel mafia The West Australian

pip.hinman (2019-08-23). Climate rebellion continues. greenleft.org.au climate emergency Zebedee ParkesIssue 1234 Australia Extinction Rebellion Moreland City CouncilAugust 23, 2019Extinction Rebellion activists continue to hold disruptive actions ar…

Staff (2019-08-23). How Jair Bolsonaro Emboldened Brazilian Agribusiness to Torch the Amazon & Attack Indigenous People. democracynow.org The United Nations is calling for the protection of the Amazon amid fears that thousands of fires raging across Brazil and some parts of Bolivia are rapidly destroying the world's largest rainforest and paving the way for a climate catastrophe. The fires have spread a vast plume of smoke across South America and the Atlantic Ocean that's visible from space. They're unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. Indigenous people in Brazil have accused far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of encouraging the destruction. Bols…

Staff (2019-08-23). Headlines for August 23, 2019. democracynow.org U.N. Calls for Protection of the Amazon as Rainforest Burns at Record Pace, Indigenous Communities Say Brazil's President Is Encouraging Destruction of Forests, Bernie Sanders Unveils Ambitious Green New Deal to Avert Climate Catastrophe, Democratic Leaders Reject Resolution Calling for Candidate Climate Debate, French Authorities to Crack Down on Protest as 13,000 Police Mobilize for G7 Summit, Syrian Forces Encircle Last Major Rebel-Held Stronghold in Hama Province, U.N.: Burmese Troops Had "Genocidal Intent" in Targeting Rohingya for Sexual Violence, Indonesia Deploys Troops to Quell Independence Protests in W…

Janine Jackson (2019-08-23). GateHouse's Takeover of Gannett: Bad News for Journalism and the Planet. fair.org USA Today's "Just the FAQs" video ( 8/20/19) on the Amazon fires—which promises to explain, "How does this affect our planet?"—manages to avoid ever using the words "climate" or "global warming." (There is one reference to "carbon and greenhouse gases," not further explained.) | by Janine Jackson | USA Today ran a piece ( 8/20/19) on the Amazon fires in which "anthr…

Kate Aronoff (2019-08-22). Bernie Sanders's Climate Plan Is More Radical Than His Opponents' — And More Likely to Succeed. theintercept.com The $16.3 trillion plan would not only transition American society away from fossil fuels but renegotiate decades-old nostrums about the government's role in the economy.

Staff (2019-08-22). DNC Rejects Call for a Climate Debate. therealnews.com Democratic National Committee (DNC) officials reversed the previous ban on candidates participating in non-sanctioned climate forums, but Carmen Bouquin of the Sunrise Movement says that's not enough…

RT (2019-08-22). From 'felon' to 'justice-involved person': San Francisco fights crime with PC language. rt.com Amid a rising tide of crime, inequality, and literal human waste, San Francisco, California has chosen to sanitize — language. Felons, offenders and addicts will now have to be called new, more politically correct names. | The new "person-first" language guidelines were recently introduced by the city's Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. From now on, a convicted felon released from jail will be called a "justice-involved person"

United Nations (2019-08-22). Relentless sequence of disasters in Asia-Pacific 'sign of things to come', cautions UN regional body. un.org Changing patterns and worsening impacts of natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific, coupled with environmental degradation and climate change, are not only making efforts to predict such catastrophes more difficult, but are also a "sign of things to come", the United Nations development arm in the region has warned.

pip.hinman (2019-08-22). Tales from the Extinction Rebellion Chill Zone. greenleft.org.au climate emergency Amy WarneIssue 1234 Australia Extinction Rebellion arrests Declaration DayAugust 22, 2019Community activist A…

pip.hinman (2019-08-22). Bruce Shillingsworth: 'We are the last generation who can fix climate change'. greenleft.org.au river crisis Peter BoyleIssue 1234 Australia drought Murray Darling River systemAugust 22, 2019″I believe the numbers will change the game," said First Nations activist and artist Uncle Bruce…

pip.hinman (2019-08-22). Rivers in crisis: Killing rivers for mines and irrigators. greenleft.org.au climate emergency Elena GarciaIssue 1234 Australia Menindee Lakes Broken Hill water pipeline Rivers in crisisAugu…

Staff (2019-08-22). Headlines for August 22, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Administration Proposes Jailing Migrant Families Indefinitely, Federal Budget Deficit to Top $1 Trillion in 2020, Satellite Data Show Brazilian Amazon Burning at Record Pace, Brazilian President Bolsonaro Blames Environmentalists for Amazon Fires, Wildfires Rage in Alaska, Canary Islands, Siberia and Greenland, Gov. Jay Inslee, Champion of Climate Fight, Drops 2020 Presidential Bid, Activists Disrupt Event Honoring House Speaker Pelosi to Demand Trump's Impeachment, Abdalla Hamdok Sworn In as Sudan's Prime Minister, Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Activists Mark Anniversary of Subway Attack, Mexico's Zapatistas Exp…

Naomi Klein (2019-08-21). Why the Democratic National Committee Must Change the Rules and Hold a Climate Debate. theintercept.com A girl holds a sign that reads "pull the emergency brake" at a ceremony to commemorate the Okjà∂kull glacier in Iceland, on Aug. 18, 2019. | recorded in human history. You are meeting on the same week that smoke from a record number of wildfires in the Amazon rainforest turned day into night in the Brazilian megapolis of Sà£o Paulo. And you are meeting just days after Iceland's prime minister led her country in its first susan_p (2019-08-21). The climate struggle is a struggle for social power. greenleft.org.au climate justice Asbjà∏rn WahlIssue 1234 Scotland trade unions just transitions climate changeAugust 21, 2019Humanity…

Staff (2019-08-20). Pope Francis Confronts the "Idolatry of Money" — RAI with Matthew Fox (7/8). therealnews.com With his criticism of excessive capitalism and of climate change, Pope Francis has become the target of the far-right, and especially of the secretive Opus Dei sect within the Catholic Church, explains former priest Matthew Fox…

Janine Jackson (2019-08-20). 'Monsanto Has Worked Very Hard to Discredit Me and My Work' – CounterSpin interview with Carey Gillam on Monsanto's attack on journalism. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed US Right to Know's Carey Gillam for the August 16, 2019, episode of CounterSpin, about being targeted by Monsanto. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…

United Nations (2019-08-20). Negotiating legally-binding agreement to provide future generations with a 'healthy, resilient and productive ocean'. un.org While the world's oceans contain some 200,000 identified living species, the actual numbers could reach the millions ≠ ≠— all exposed to the dangers of climate change, pollution and over-exploitation. To stem these threats, the United Nations is meeting to negotiate a treaty that would protect three-quarters of the earth's surface by 2030.

Janine Jackson (2019-08-19). On Gun Violence, 'We Need the Federal Government to Take Bold Steps' – CounterSpin interview with Ernest Coverson on guns & human rights. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed Amnesty International USA's Ernest Coverson about guns and human rights for the August 16, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…

CounterSpin (2019-08-16). Ernest Coverson on Guns & Human Rights, Carey Gillam Under Attack From Monsanto. fair.org Media…