2019-12-07: News Headlines

The Canary (2019-12-07). Nobel science laureates stress urgency of addressing the climate crisis. thecanary.co Three of this year's Nobel Prize laureates have said addressing the climate crisis is of great importance.Winners of the prizes in physics, chemistry and economics issued the warning at a news conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm ahead of next week's presentation of the awards.Their remarks came as a global summit on climate chaos was taking place in Madrid.Nobel physics laureate Didier Queloz (Jonas Ekstromer/TT News Agency/AP)Didier Queloz, who shared the physics prize for discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star, took issue with people who shrug off climate breakdown on the…

Brenda Norrell (2019-12-07). 'No Spiritual Surrender: A Dedication to the Standing Rock Movement' Photos of Resilience. indybay.org Photojournalist Ryan Vizzions photos of Standing Rock Water Protectors in the camps and on the frontlines have appeared around the world. Vizzions' new book chronicles the resilience and resistance of Water Protectors and the militarized police they faced, with forwards by Joye Braun, Cheyenne River Lakota, and Pte San Wastewin, Hunkpapa Lakota.

Leon Kunstenaar (2019-12-07). SF Climate Strike at BlackRock and March to Senator Feinstein's Office. indybay.org Photos: Leon Kunstenaar, Pro Bono Photo | Message of climate urgency delivered where most needed in day of world wide protests…

some anarchists (2019-12-07). Water Is Life: Graffiti painted in solidarity with water protectors fighting Line 3. indybay.org In solidarity with water protectors fighting to stop Line 3 on stolen Dakota land, we set out to redecorate the city; transforming their drab walls into canvas for our messages.

Josue De Luna Navarro (2019-12-07). The Centuries-Long History of Extractive Greed. commondreams.org Any "climate action that doesn't connect the historic links between the carbon economy, colonialism, capitalism and ecological destruction would be oppressive to Indigenous communities," the author writes. (Photo: Joe Brusky/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/indigenous-liberation-extraction.jpg

RT (2019-12-07). 'People are flushing toilets 10 times': Trump mulls pouring conservation rules down the drain & Twitter cannot hold it. rt.com President Donald Trump is taking aim at water efficiency laws, arguing that they paradoxically encourage waste due to weak water pressure. He vowed to seek "commonsense" solutions to America's toilet troubles. | Despite ongoing Democratic impeachment efforts in Washington, a trade row with Beijing and another war of words heating up with Iran, the president took time on Friday to address a problem much closer to home — perhaps lurking in your very own bathroom. | "We have a situation where we're looking very strongly at sinks and showers, and other elements of bathrooms," the president said. "You turn on…

Staff (2019-12-06). Alternative Climate Summit Honors Victims of Corporate Crimes. truthout.org We broadcast from Madrid, Spain, where the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, began Monday and will continue through next week, as environmental leaders from around the world gather to negotiate global solutions to the climate crisis. Activists have converged on Madrid for the conference and are hosting an alternative summit of their own: Cumbre Social por el Clima — the Social Summit for the Climate. The alternative summit has been organized by social justice and environmental gro…

Staff (2019-12-06). Why Are Some of the World's Biggest Polluters Sponsoring UN Climate Summit? truthout.org A group of climate activists walked out of a panel at the U.N. climate summit in Madrid on Thursday to protest the presence of Shell, BP and Chevron. Representatives from the oil companies were taking part in an event organized by the International Emissions Trading Association. This comes as the Spanish government is facing criticism for reaching out to Endesa, Spain's biggest corporate greenhouse gas polluter, to sponsor the U.N. climate talks. We speak with Pascoe Sabido, a researcher and campai…

Linda Pentz Gunter (2019-12-06). Why Do We Punish the Peacemakers? counterpunch.org You're liable to run into trouble if you try to suggest there is a greater threat to planetary survival than climate change. But there is. It's called nuclear war. Granted — and thank goodness — climate change is finally all the rage now. Rage has taken over, and rightly so, especially among the young whose More

Dave Lindorff (2019-12-06). Conviction and Removal Aren't the Issue; It's Impeachment of Trump That is Essential. counterpunch.org A lot of pundit verbiage and Democratic Party internal debate as well is being wasted on the question of whether Trump could be convicted successfully in a Senate currently run by a lickspittle Republican majority afraid of their shadows and devoid of any concern for the fate of Constitutional government. Let's accept that the 20-plus More

Monika Zgustova (2019-12-06). Chernobyl, Lies and Messianism in Russia. counterpunch.org "How much are these lies going to cost?" asks the nuclear physicist Legasov, as played by Jared Harris in the American series Chernobyl. This HBO series, broadcast a few months ago and based partly on Svetlana Alexievich's book Voices from Chernobyl, reveals how the Soviet state tried to cover up the lethal explosion of the More

Manuel García, Jr. (2019-12-06). From Caesar's Last Breath to Ours. counterpunch.org Human Life is a sexually transmitted planetary disease, Climate Change is the disinfectant that will cure it. (I'll explain myself on this later.) Sam Kean's concluding 5 paragraphs, on CO2 in the atmosphere, from his book Caesar's Last Breath (And Other True Tales of History, Science, and the Sextillions of Molecules in the Air Around More

news.un (2019-12-06). Rise in Caribbean children displaced by storms shows climate crisis is a child rights issue: UNICEF. news.un.org The number of Caribbean children displaced by storms has risen approximately six-fold in the past five years, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reveals in a new report released on Friday.

commondreams (2019-12-06). Bernie Sanders Joins Des Moines Climate Strike, Young People In 20 States Begin Sit-Ins Demanding Green New Deal Support From Establishment Dems. commondreams.org ______________________________…

James Goodman (2019-12-06). goodman climate refugees teaser. progressive.org Climate change, pollution, and violence drive people to the U.S. border, even with no promise of a path to citizenship.

Staff (2019-12-06). "It's Our Future": Meet the Youth Activists Behind Fridays for Future Movements in Uganda and Chile. democracynow.org In Spain, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived in Madrid to take part in today's strike as well as a major march set for 6 p.m. local time. Greta began the climate strike movement last year when she started 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. We speak with two youth climate strikers: Hilda Flavia Nakabuye is the founder of Fridays for Future Uganda and Angela Valenzuela is a coordinator with Fridays for Future in Chile, where this year's U.N. clima…

Staff (2019-12-06). Why Are Some of Spain's Biggest Polluters Sponsoring U.N. Climate Summit? democracynow.org A group of climate activists walked out of a panel at the U.N. climate summit in Madrid on Thursday to protest the presence of Shell, BP and Chevron. Representatives from the oil companies were taking part in an event organized by the International Emissions Trading Association. This comes as the Spanish government is facing criticism for reaching out to Endesa, Spain's biggest corporate greenhouse gas polluter, to sponsor the U.N. climate talks. We speak with Pascoe Sabido, a researcher and campaigner for the Corporate Europe Observatory, who has been organizing toxic tours of Madrid to expose the corporations a…

Staff (2019-12-06). COP25: Alternative Climate Summit Honors Those "Suffering the Crimes of Transnational Corporations" democracynow.org We broadcast from Madrid, Spain, where the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, began Monday and will continue through next week, as environmental leaders from around the world gather to negotiate global solutions to the climate crisis. Activists have converged on Madrid for the conference and are hosting an alternative summit of their own: Cumbre Social por el Clima — the Social Summit for the Climate. The alternative summit has been organized by social justice and environmental groups to draw attention to the ongoing political repression in Chile, corporate influence on the climate su…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2019-12-06). As Press Swarm Greta, Fellow Youth Activists Stage 'Powerful and Strong' Silent Protest at COP 25. commondreams.org "We need climate action and we need change right now. And the time to act is now." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/silent-sitin-youth-climate-cop25.jpg

Jon Queally, staff writer (2019-12-06). Calling Him Only 2020 Candidate Whose Plan 'Can Save Our Planet,' US Youth Climate Strike Leaders Endorse Bernie Sanders for President. commondreams.org As sit-ins targeted establishment Democrats nationwide to demand the Green New Deal, Sanders stood with climate campaigners in Iowa on Friday and applauded striking youth worldwide who are saying: "Hey, we want a planet that we can grow up in and have kids in that is healthy and inhabitable." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/climate_strikers_bernie_sanders.jpg

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2019-12-06). Even as 500,000 March in Madrid, Greta Thunberg Warns Climate Movement Has 'Achieved Nothing' Until Emissions Fall. commondreams.org "We cannot afford more days going by without real action being taken." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-12-06_at_4.14.02_pm.png

Rachel Shabi (2019-12-05). It's a Race Against Time for Labour in Next Week's Momentous UK Elections. thenation.com It's a Race Against Time for Labour in Next Week's Momentous UK Elections…

Staff (2019-12-05). Edward Snowden: If I Came Back to the U.S., I Would Likely Die in Prison for Telling the Truth. democracynow.org The Right Livelihood Awards celebrated their 40th anniversary Wednesday at the historic Cirkus Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, where more than a thousand people gathered to celebrate this year's four laureates: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg; Chinese women's rights lawyer Guo Jianmei, Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa and the organization he co-founded, the Yanomami Hutukara Association; and Sahrawi human rights leader Aminatou Haidar, who has challenged the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara for decades. The Right Livelihood Award is known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize." Over the past four deca…

Fight Back (2019-12-04). Activists decry Minnesota investments in border militarization, climate destruction. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) held its quarterly meeting at the State Capitol December 2 and got sharp criticism from immigrant rights and anti-war activists, as new documents revealed a nearly $1 million increase in investment in a controversial military technology company. Youth climate strikers also highlighted the SBI's inaction over state ties to environmental destruction. Both groups were met with vacillation and excuses from the board which is tasked with the responsible investment of public pensions and related funds. | At issue was Elbit Systems, an Israel-based manufacture…

news.un (2019-12-04). Greener tourism: Greater collaboration needed to tackle rising emissions. news.un.org The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is calling for enhanced cooperation between the transport and tourism sectors to combat climate change.

William Astore (2019-12-04). Want to Stop Climate Change? Start With the US Military. thenation.com Want to Stop Climate Change? Start With the US Military…

Staff (2019-12-04). "Alternative Nobel Prize:" Right Livelihood Award Celebrates 40 Years Honoring Grassroots Activists. democracynow.org The Right Livelihood Award is marking its 40th anniversary. The award was established in 1980 to honor and support those "offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us." It has since become known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize." Over the past four decades, the award has been given to activists and grassroots leaders around the globe. A number of them have gone on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This year's winners are: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg; Sahrawi human rights leader Aminatou Haidar, who has challenged the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara for decades; Chi…

Staff (2019-12-04). Headlines for December 4, 2019. democracynow.org House Impeachment Report Accuses Trump of Soliciting Foreign Interference in 2020 Election, Report: Europe Could Face Annual Extreme Heat Waves Due to Climate Change, Kamala Harris Ends Her 2020 Presidential Campaign, ProPublica: McKinsey Helped Trump Speed Up Mass Deportation Program, Detained Asylum Seekers Protest in Winnfield, Louisiana, House Votes for Bill to Punish China over Mass Imprisonment of Muslims, ICC Begins Hearing over Alleged U.S. Military Torture in Afghanistan, Rikers Island Officers Stood By as Teenager Attempted to Hang Himself, Today Marks 50th Anniversary of Assassination of Fred Hampton…

news.un (2019-12-03). Tuesday's Daily Brief: climate crisis reports, renewal in Iraq, Zimbabwe's hunger crisis, Disabilities Day. news.un.org A recap of Tuesday's stories: New climate change reports on human health and global warming; Zimbabwe's 'worst hunger crisis in a decade'; protests and civil unrest show 'renewed sense of patriotism' in Iraq; UN 'determined to lead by example' on disability rights.

news.un (2019-12-03). Decade ending 2019 likely to be hottest on record. news.un.org Exceptional global heat driven by greenhouse gas emissions mean this decade will most likely go down as the warmest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) which released its provisional statement on the State of the Global Climate on Tuesday.

news.un (2019-12-03). Only one in five countries has a healthcare strategy to deal with climate change. news.un.org Protecting people's health from climate change dangers such as heat stress, storms and tsunamis has never been more important, yet most countries are doing too little about it, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Staff (2019-12-03). "We Are Facing a Global Emergency": Greta Thunberg Arrives Back in Europe to Attend Climate Talks. democracynow.org From Stockholm, Sweden, we're covering the 40th Anniversary of the Right Livelihood Awards, widely known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize." This year's recipients include 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who arrived Tuesday in Lisbon, Portugal, after traveling for three weeks across the Atlantic in the 48-foot catamaran La Vagabonde, refusing to fly because of the high carbon footprint of air travel. Thunberg was on her way to attend COP25 in Santiago, Chile, when the conference was abruptly relocated due to mass demonstrations against a proposed subway fare hike. She sounded a rallying cry to…

Staff (2019-12-03). My Generation Needs to Say "Enough": A Swedish Climate Striker Speaks Out About Fridays For Future. democracynow.org From Stockholm, Sweden, we're covering the 40th Anniversary of the Right Livelihood Awards, widely known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize." This year's recipients include 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, whose school strike for climate started in Stockholm when she began standing outside the Parliament building every school day to demand bold climate action more than a year ago. Her act of resistance soon became a global movement, with millions of youth around the world leaving school and taking to the streets to demand swift action to halt the climate crisis. Greta has just arrived in Lisbon,…

Staff (2019-12-02). Headlines for December 2, 2019. democracynow.org COP25 Opens in Madrid Amid Dire Warnings About Climate Change, House Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearing in Impeachment Inquiry, 3 Women Accuse Ambassador Sondland of Sexual Misconduct, Iraqi Prime Minister Resigns Amid Anti-Government Protests, Malta Prime Minister Resigns amid Probe of Journalist's Murder, Three More Egyptian Journalists Arrested, Attack on London Bridge Kills 2 Cambridge Graduates, Trump Visits Afghanistan in Surprise Thanksgiving Trip, Supreme Court to Hear First Major Gun Case in Nearly a Decade, Twitter Suspends Account of Ilhan Omar's Challenger, Sestak and Bullock Drop Out of 2020 Preside…

Staff (2019-11-29). David Byrne on His Broadway Show "American Utopia," Talking Heads, Reasons to Be Cheerful & More. democracynow.org An hour with David Byrne, the celebrated musician, artist, writer, cycling enthusiast, filmmaker and now Broadway star. He has a new hit Broadway show called "American Utopia." The show grew out of Byrne's recent world tour, which the British music publication NME said "may just be the best live show of all time." Byrne talks about the production, his time in the groundbreaking band Talking Heads, his website Reasons to Be Cheerful, Greta Thunberg and more.

Fred_F (2019-11-29). The answer to the climate crisis is obvious: ban climate protests. greenleft.org.au environment Carlo SandsIssue 1247 Australia Carlo's CornerNovember 29, 2019As Australia burns amid record-breaking temperatures and ongoing drought, and report a…

Fred_F (2019-11-29). School climate strikers sit down outside Liberal HQ. greenleft.org.au Climate Zebedee ParkesIssue 1247 Australia School Strike 4 Climate SydneyNovember 29, 2019School climate strikers sat down in front of the Liberal Party's Sydney headquarters on November 29, as par…

Susan Price (2019-11-28). China's contribution to climate change. greenleft.org.au Climate change Chris SleeIssue 1247 China greenhouse gas emissionsNovember 28, 2019China is the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2). It surpassed the Un…

Julie Hollar (2019-11-27). We're Still Waiting for 'Early and Often' Climate Debate Questions. fair.org As the Democratic Party prepared for its first presidential primary debates in June, climate activists pushed the DNC to schedule a single-issue debate on the climate crisis, given the urgency of the problem and the lack of attention given to it in previous debates. DNC chair Tom Perez refused, saying he had "the utmost confidence" that climate disruption would be discussed in the debates "early and often" (FAIR.org, 6/18/19). | Now that seven nights of debates have passed, and multiple…

David Cole (2019-11-26). We're Grateful for the Constitution. aclu.org Thanksgiving is here: that time of year when we pause to take stock of all we're grateful for. At the ACLU, we're saying thanks for all the crucial wins from our legal teams — and for the Constitution. | In just the last few months, we've racked up many essential victories in the ongoing battle to protect civil liberties and civil rights. The scope of these victories is breathtaking: they span criminal justice, privacy, religious freedom, reproductive rights, due process for immigrants, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and the right to protest the Keystone pipeline, among others. We've won crucial victories…

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …