2019-09-12: News Headlines

patrick (2019-09-12). We've got a Plan to #ShutDownDC For Climate Justice. strikedc.org "This is definitely a next-level direct action. The urgency of climate change warrants such an attempt to disrupt business as usual… to make it impossible for people with decision making-power to go about their daily lives as if we are not in a climate emergency." That's what the New York Times printed about our plans to #ShutDownDC … | Continue reading "We've got a Plan to #ShutDownDC For Climate Justice"

David Swanson (2019-09-12). Nonviolence Denial Is As Dangerous As Climate Denial. counterpunch.org Persistent willful ignorance of necessary knowledge can be deadly. This is true of denial of climate collapse. It is also true of denial of the tools and power of nonviolent action. As evidence and knowledge pile up in each case, denial of the facts looks more and more intentional, reckless, and malevolent, or intentionally, recklessly, More

Amy Goodman (2019-09-12). "We are striking to disrupt the system": An hour with 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. nationofchange.org In her first extended broadcast interview in the United States, we spend the hour with Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist who has inspired millions across the globe. Last year she launched a school strike for the climate, skipping school every Friday to stand in front of the Swedish parliament, demanding action to prevent …

PIPER (2019-09-12). Why I'm Currently Blocking the Largest Oil Export Channel in the U.S. commondreams.org We're in a climate emergency and we must resist. (Photo: Twitter/Greenpeace USA) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/greenpeace.jpeg

Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area (2019-09-12). Swarming for the Global Climate Strikes! indybay.org Union Square, San Francisco…

Yue Stella Yu (2019-09-12). Democrats' rejection of fossil fuel money marks shift from previous presidential races. nationofchange.org The oil and gas industry has always favored Republican candidates over their Democratic opponents. Now, Democrats are pledging to break away from fossil fuel money for good. As climate change takes center stage at political debates, a Democrat-controlled House is pushing for legislation to combat the crisis and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Democratic presidential hopefuls …

Dr Michael J. Cohen (2019-09-12). Albert Einstein's unified field tool reverses climate change. indybay.org online via www.ecopsych.com/LNE.html…

commondreams (2019-09-12). OPIC Votes to Accelerate Climate Crisis. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Communities for Sustainable Monterey County (2019-09-12). Salinas Climate Strike March. indybay.org Salinas High School, 726 S Main St, Salinas | Salinas City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave, Salinas…

GMWatch (2019-09-12). "Low-quality Scientific Advice" on GMOs: New EU Study Endorses Monsanto's Genetically Modified Maize MON810. globalresearch.ca In a new peer-reviewed paper, the GMO Panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stands accused of giving "low-quality scientific advice" in its favourable opinion on the cultivation in the European Union of Monsanto/Bayer's GM Bt insecticidal maize …

F. William Engdahl (2019-09-12). The New American Oil Empire Built on Sand. The "Fracking Revolution" globalresearch.ca Over the course of the past decade the United States, following decades of relative stagnation in oil production, has surprised many to become the largest oil producer in the world, exceeding Russia as well as Saudi Arabia. | Latest daily production …

kathy_f (2019-09-12). The growth of Extinction Rebellion in Australia. greenleft.org.au climate action Extinction Rebellion Australia Jacob AndrewarthaIssue 1237 AustraliaSeptember 12, 2019What began as a series of symbols with cryptic messages about climate change plastered on poster poles in the suburbs and protests by as few as…

pip.hinman (2019-09-12). For climate solutions, listen to First Nations' peoples. greenleft.org.au Indigenous rights Pip HinmanIssue 1237 Australia Murray-Darling Basin crisis ecosystems First Nations peopleSep…

kathy_f (2019-09-12). Climate Strike: It's gunna be huge. greenleft.org.au Climate change Climate Strike climate emergency workers' rights & unions Kerry SmithIssue 1237 Australia

Staff (2019-09-12). Another Flint? Newark, NJ, Faces Public Health Crisis over Lead Contamination in City's Water Supply. democracynow.org Thousands of residents in Newark, New Jersey, remain unable to drink their tap water in an enduring public health nightmare. Lead contamination has plagued the city for years, but lead levels have spiked even higher in 2019. The crisis recently came to a head following revelations that water filters distributed to residents may not have been effective. New Jersey's political leaders are facing mounting criticism for their handling of the water crisis. Advocates say the city downplayed the severity of the problem for years and has been slow on solutions, comparing Newark's water crisis to Flint, Michigan. We speak…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2019-09-12). 'Holy Smokes, This Thing Could Get HUGE': NYC Public Schools to Let Students #ClimateStrike. commondreams.org Climate advocates celebrated Thursday after New York City's public school system announced it would excuse the absences of students who have a parent's permission to participate in the global climate strike on Friday, Sept. 20. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11250674621.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-09-12). Sanders First 2020 Democrat to Pledge, If Elected, All Top Appointees Will Back Fracking Ban and Bold Climate Action. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday affirmed that if he wins the presidency, his administration will only include officials who share his opposition to all fracking and fossil fuel development. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-4956424981.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2019-09-12). Japan's New Environmental Minister Calls for Closing Down All Nuclear Reactors to Prevent Another Disaster Like Fukushima. commondreams.org Japan's new environmental minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, called Wednesday for permanently shutting down the nation's nuclear reactors to prevent a repeat of the 2011 Fukushima disaster, comments that came just a day after Koizumi's predecessor recommended dumping more than one million tons of radioactive wastewater from the power plant into the Pacific Ocean. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/koizumi.jpg

Evlondo Cooper, Ted MacDonald (2019-09-12). ABC's History of Poor Climate Coverage Doesn't Bode Well for the Next Presidential Primary Debate. commondreams.org Although broadcast TV news generally does a subpar job of covering climate change, ABC has fared considerably worse than its counterparts, airing less climate coverage than CBS and NBC every year since 2013, according to a Media Matters study. (Photo: Ceci Freed / Media Matters) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-09-12_at_3.52.38_pm.png

Staff (2019-09-11). Hurricane Dorian Shows the Need to Fund Climate Adaptation. therealnews.com President Trump says Bahamian refugees seeking refuge in the United States need proper documentation because some of them are "very bad people." Scholar Christian Parenti says that's just a taste of the horror the climate crisis will create…

Binoy Kampmark (2019-09-11). The Courage of Saying No: Children, Rebellion and Greta Thunberg. counterpunch.org There is something to be said of wariness when it comes to revolutionary voices. As Albert Camus argued in that beautiful tract of illumination and contradiction, The Rebel, "All modern revolutions have ended in the reinforcement of the power of the state." But he also argued that humankind were the only creatures refusing to be More

United Nations (2019-09-11). Climate crisis could see 'collapse' of some economies without diversification, warns UN trade chief. un.org Climate change poses an "existential threat to commodity-dependent developing countries", the United Nation's trade chief said on Wednesday, pointing to a newly released report highlighting the need to diversify economies and exports.

United Nations (2019-09-11). Is the world living up to its climate commitments? un.org As the United Nations gears up for the September Climate Action Summit in New York, one of its most high-profile climate conferences in recent times, what progress is the world making in tackling the climate crisis, and how is that progress being measured?

Staff (2019-09-11). "We Are Striking to Disrupt the System": An Hour with 16-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg. democracynow.org In her first extended broadcast interview in the United States, we spend the hour with Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist who has inspired millions across the globe. Last year she launched a school strike for the climate, skipping school every Friday to stand in front of the Swedish parliament, demanding action to prevent catastrophic climate change. Her protest spread, quickly going global. Hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren around the globe have participated in their own local school strikes for the climate. Since her strike began in 2018, Greta has become a leading figure in the clim…

Staff (2019-09-11). Headlines for September 11, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Ousts National Security Adviser John Bolton, Palestinians Say Annexation of West Bank Would Be "Paramount to a War Crime", Scottish Court Declares Johnson's Suspension of Parliament Ahead of Brexit "Unlawful", Japan Warns Radioactive Water from Fukushima to Be Dumped into Pacific Ocean, Republicans Win Two Special Congressional Elections in North Carolina, Study: 1,700 Polling Places Have Closed Since Gutting of Voting Rights Act, California Votes to Force Gig Companies to Treat Contract Workers Like Employees, Number of Uninsured Americans Jumps to 27.5 Million, CDC Warns Against Vaping Use as Sixth User D…

RT (2019-09-10). Publishers beg Congress to save them from extinction at the hands of Big Tech. rt.com Newspaper executives are begging Congress to rescue their business model from predatory tech platforms, urging lawmakers to pass a bill that will allow them to bargain collectively and presumably restore their former glory. | Seven major newspaper publishers are lobbying for the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, which would give the newspaper industry four years of immunity from antitrust laws. That would enable them to bargain collectively with companies like Google and Facebook — which are, ironically, subject to several antitrust probes of their own, due to their outsize presence in the tech…

Lizy RD (2019-09-10). 'It is not too late' to solve the climate crisis. workers.org The climate crisis looms overhead like the Grim Reaper for us all, especially young people. We have been born into this crisis. Many of us are growing up in fear and anxiety about what will happen to us in a few short years. This fear is so strong and overwhelming . . . | Continue reading 'It is not too late' to solve the climate crisis at Workers.org

Staff (2019-09-10). Indigenous Leaders Fight To Save America's Largest National Forest. therealnews.com The Trump administration wants to open millions of acres of Alaskan forest for mining, logging, and development. Osprey Orielle Lake of Women's Earth and Climate Action Network explains how activists are trying to make sure that doesn't happen…

Eds. (2019-09-10). Climate minimizers don't deny climate change—but find endless reasons to reject Sanders' plan to stop it. mronline.org Climate change is an existential threat to human civilization. If only corporate media acted like it. | Source

Staff (2019-09-10). Headlines for September 10, 2019. democracynow.org Wilbur Ross Under Fire After Reports of Political Meddling at NOAA, Trump Says "Bad People" from Hurricane-Ravaged Bahamas Trying to Enter U.S., Boris Johnson Dealt More Blows over Brexit Plan as U.K. Parliament Suspended, U.N. Human Rights Chief: Climate Change Greatest Threat to Human Rights, French Summer Heat Waves Linked to 1,500 Deaths, Paraguay: Human Remains Found Under Former Property of Ex-Dictator Alfredo Stroessner, Bangladesh Imposes Mobile Phone Blackout on Rohingya Refugees, North Korea Fires 2 Projectiles After Proposing Renewal of Talks with U.S., Reports: CIA Extracted Russian Informant Who Prov…

Eds. (2019-09-10). No one to save us but ourselves. mronline.org Ahead of the September 20 Climate Strike, Eoghan àì'Ceannabháin breaks down the failings of the far right and the liberal establishment in tackling global climate change. | Source

United Nations (2019-09-09). Monday's Daily Brief: Suicide death every 40 seconds, rights chief on climate change link, Venezuela, Dorian updates, desertification summit latest. un.org A recap of Monday's top stories: Someone dies by suicide every 40 seconds says new report; UN rights chief highlights climate change threat, and "devastating toll" on Venezuela; deputy chief Amina Mohammed says halting desertification is a key part of climate action; health agency pledges millions to Hurricane Dorian response.

Staff (2019-09-09). Hurricane Dorian Was Fueled by Climate Change. Why Isn't the Mainstream Media Making the Connection? democracynow.org At least 44 people are dead, and the number is expected to rise dramatically, as the Bahamas continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Dorian last week. More than 70,000 on Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands have been left homeless, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, remain missing. As the Bahamas faces unprecedented destruction and thousands continue to seek shelter and aid, the island nation has been described as "ground zero" for the climate crisis. Despite this, the mainstream media has largely omitted any mention of global warming in its coverage of the disaster. We speak to Allison Fisher, o…

Patricia Gorky (2019-09-09). Hurricane Dorian: Climate crises and class society. liberationnews.org "My father, for example, had to stay behind, not because he wanted to, but because he had nowhere to go and couldn't afford a place to stay, or gas to leave."

Staff (2019-09-06). Candidates Don't Agree On How Much To Spend on Climate Plans. therealnews.com At CNN's marathon climate town hall, candidates detailed environmental plans that range from $1.3 to $16.3 trillion, but moderators failed to address the cost of inaction…

Julie Hollar (2019-09-06). CNN Town Hall Went Deep on Climate Crisis—but Was Anyone Listening? fair.org Given the Democratic National Committee's refusal to allow its party's presidential hopefuls to take part in a televised climate debate, CNN (and, later this month, MSNBC) agreed to host "town halls" on the climate crisis—events with one candidate at a time on stage, fielding questions from network hosts as well as network-selected audience members. | CNN's climate crisis town hall ( 9/4/19) showed that, when it's not setting up mock combat among candidates, the network can actuall…

Staff (2019-09-06). Climate Forum Shows Candidates' Key Differences. therealnews.com At CNN's seven-hour climate town hall, ten Democratic candidates disagreed about fracking, nuclear power, and how much to fund the Pentagon. TRNN's Marc Steiner, Dharna Noor, and Steve Horn discuss.

Staff (2019-09-06). How Do You Hold Fossil Fuel Industry Accountable? Candidates Disagree. therealnews.com Ten candidates at CNN's climate town hall explained how they'd hold industry accountable for climate change—but can we trust them?

Esha Krishnaswamy (2019-09-06). Climate Minimizers Don't Deny Climate Change—but Find Endless Reasons to Reject Sanders' Plan to Stop It. fair.org Climate change is an existential threat to human civilization. If only corporate media acted like it. | While the majority of corporate media do not outright deny the reality of the human-caused climate crisis, they are filled with another brand of insidious ideologues that I call climate minimizers. These downplay the threat that climate change poses to all of us by ignoring scientific data, avoiding discussion on the actual impact of climate change, and hyper-focusing on trivial details. | These tendencies were on display…

The Intercept (2019-09-06). The Right to a Future — With Naomi Klein and Greta Thunberg. theintercept.com The Intercept invites you to watch a special event in New York City hosted by Intercept senior correspondent Naomi Klein, author of the forthcoming book "On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal," and headlined by trailblazing climate activist Greta Thunberg, author of "No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference." | Together with youth leaders Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Xiye Bastida, and Vic Barrett, as well as Indigenous Amazon leader Tuntiak Katan, Thunberg and Klein helped us envision a just and sustainable future, confront our climate emergency, and discuss the emerging cross-generational, transnational m…

Kate Aronoff (2019-09-06). Exxon Mobil Is Funding Centrist Democratic Think Tank, Disclosures Reveal. theintercept.com The Progressive Policy Institute, a centrist Democratic think tank that grew out of the party's pro-business wing in the 1980s and '90s, received $50,000 from Exxon Mobil in 2018 via its parent organization, the Third Way Foundation, according to the oil giant's 2018 Worldwide Giving Report. | Exxon Mobil did not return The Intercept's multiple requests for comment. In an email, PPI Executive Director Lindsay Lewis said the money was used for general support and that "we only accept general support funding from corporate interests, we do not do paid for work/research or have any donor run programs." | Lewis also…

Staff (2019-09-06). Shut It Down: Veteran Organizer Lisa Fithian Offers a Guide to Resistance in Era of Climate Crisis. democracynow.org Lisa Fithian is a longtime organizer and nonviolent direct action trainer since the 1970s. She has shut down the CIA. She has occupied Wall Street, disrupted the World Trade Organization and stood her ground in Tahrir Square. She has walked in solidarity with the tribal leaders at Standing Rock and defended communities in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She joined us at the Democracy Now! studio to talk about her new book, which was published this week, titled "Shut It Down: Stories from a Fierce, Loving Resistance." Fithian is currently on a book tour and doing a new workshop called "Escalating Resistance: Mass R…

Staff (2019-09-06). "We Are on the Frontline": Despite Tiny Carbon Footprint, Bahamas Is Ground Zero of Climate Crisis. democracynow.org Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm over the weekend, lingering for days and leaving nearly unimaginable destruction in its path. The airport on Grand Bahama Island has been completely decimated, and entire neighborhoods have been razed. Hundreds, if not thousands, remain missing. We speak with University of Miami assistant professor Erica Moiah James about the climate change-fueled hurricane and how the people in the Bahamas are on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

Staff (2019-09-05). Last Night, Biden Touted His Climate Plan. Tonight, He'll Attend a Fossil Fuel Exec's Fundraiser. democracynow.org Former Vice President Joe Biden is facing scrutiny after being questioned about his relationship with the fossil fuel industry at CNN's town hall on the climate crisis Wednesday. An audience member asked Biden about his plans to attend a fundraiser hosted by fossil fuel executive Andrew Goldman the day after the town hall, despite taking a pledge to reject oil and gas money. Biden initially denied Goldman's ties to the fossil fuel industry, despite Goldman co-founding a natural gas company called Western LNG. When pressed by Anderson Cooper, Biden said he would look into the matter further. We host a roundtable w…

Staff (2019-09-05). Climate Crisis: Should U.S. Nationalize Fossil Fuel Industry? Warren Says No, Sanders Says Yes. democracynow.org While 2020 hopefuls Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders often aligned on climate policy at CNN's climate crisis town hall Wednesday evening, the candidates diverged on the question of nationalizing public utilities. Bernie is for the proposal, while Warren is against. We speak with journalist Kate Aronoff.

Staff (2019-09-05). After DNC Rejects Climate Debate, Candidates Discuss Green New Deal, Environmental Justice at Forum. democracynow.org Ten Democratic presidential hopefuls took to the stage in New York City Wednesday night for a climate town hall hosted by CNN. The event was held less than two weeks after the Democratic National Committee rejected a resolution that would have allowed candidates to participate in a debate focused on the climate crisis. For months, the Sunrise Movement and other environmental groups pushed the DNC to hold a climate debate, but the party refused. We host a roundtable with former EPA official Mustafa Ali, journalist Kate Aronoff and Sunrise Movement digital director Mattias Lehman.

Staff (2019-09-05). Headlines for September 5, 2019. democracynow.org 2020 Dem Candidates Talk Fracking, Green New Deal, Nuclear Energy & More at Climate Crisis Town Hall, Brexit Battle Heats Up as Lawmakers Vote to Block "No-Deal" Scenario, Trump Shows Doctored Hurricane Map as Dorian Hits U.S. Coast After Ravaging Bahamas, Report: FBI Tracking Immigration Activists Who Oppose Trump Policies, Aid Groups Uncover More Human Remains at Arizona-Mexico Border, State Dept. Official Offered Millions to Captain of Iranian Oil Tanker to Divert Vessel, Mexico: Main Suspect in 2014 Ayotzinapa Student Disappearance Acquitted, Denmark Bans PFAS from Food Packaging, Germany Announces Glyphosate…

Olivia Riggio (2019-09-05). NYT Remembers David Koch More as 'Philanthropist' Than Polluter. fair.org The New York Times' obituary ( 8/23/19) for David Koch, a "gregarious, socially prominent New Yorker who loved the ballet." | David Koch may be dead, but his legacy of support for far-right politics and climate change denial lives on. The New York Times, however, chose to focus more on his love for the ballet than on his pollution and profiteering. | In its obituary ( 8/23/19), "David Koch, Billionaire Who Fueled Right-Wing Movement, Dies at 79" the Times called Koch a…

Kate Aronoff (2019-09-04). Is OK Good Enough for an Incumbent in the Face of the Climate Crisis? theintercept.com The transformation of the American economy has taken a toll on this Illinois district. Rachel Ventura is challenging the incumbent Democrat, arguing that only a Green New Deal can turn it around.

Akela Lacy (2019-09-04). After Climate Forum, Biden Heads to a Fundraiser Co-Hosted by a Fossil Fuel Executive. theintercept.com Andrew Goldman, co-founder of Western LNG, was a top fundraiser for Biden's last presidential campaign and is raising money for him again.