2019-12-11: News Headlines

Juan Cole (2019-12-11). Sizzling Arctic: Top 5 Climate Horror Stories in NOAA's Report Card. commondreams.org As a historian, I have taught courses on climate change and history, and one thing I can tell you, it is very unusual during the past million years for the Arctic to be hot. (Photo: Screengrab) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/sizzling-arctic-top-5-climate-ho.jpeg

Juan Cole (2019-12-11). The Scariest Climate Stories Emerging From the Arctic. truthdig.com This piece originally appeared on Informed Comment. | NOAA has issued its annual report on the Arctic. It is a big report, but there are some terrifying findings. | Because this point is not always made in journalism, it is important to underline why these monstrous things are happening. It is because you are driving your gasoline-fueled automobile and heating your house with coal and voting for politicians like Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. The wrecking of our beaut…

Staff (2019-12-11). Thunberg 'a Bit Surprised' to Be Time 'Person of the Year'. truthdig.com The Swedish activist who has sparked a youth climate protest movement after starting a solo protest is the youngest at 16 to earn the honor.

Staff (2019-12-11). Protesters Call for Climate Justice at the Peoples' Summit in Chile. truthout.org Overshadowed by events in Madrid, where the United Nations COP25 conference is taking place, activists in the Chilean capital, Santiago, are eager that social justice becomes more central to international climate discussions. On December 2, the first day of COP25, more than 100 environmental groups launched a parallel conference in Santiago. And on Friday, several thousand people participated in a series of marches organized by these groups and their allies. | The week-long Peoples' Summit drew climate…

Ruth Milka (2019-12-11). Exxon wins New York climate fraud lawsuit. nationofchange.org "Nothing in this opinion is intended to absolve ExxonMobil from responsibility for contributing to climate change through the emission of greenhouse gasses in the production of its fossil fuel products."

IMEMC News & Agencies (2019-12-11). AXA, Divest from Israel's Climate Apartheid: Day of Action Roundup. imemc.org December 10, 2019 / Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) / France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland The second global AXA Day of Action included mobilizations all around the world, on the same day as the UN Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and the 4th global climate strike. The second global AXA Day of …

Basav Sen (2019-12-11). Most Americans support phasing out fossil fuels. Isn't that worth a headline? nationofchange.org Polls aren't always trustworthy. But to the extent that they reveal public opinions, this one shows large majorities of Americans want serious governmental action on climate change.

William Minter (2019-12-11). How Africa Could Power a Green Revolution. counterpunch.org Just before this year's global climate summit opened in Madrid recently, researchers announced that emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels will hit a record high in 2019. Although the 0.6 percent rate of growth is less than last year's 2.1 percent, the total which must be cut to prevent the most catastrophic and irreversible More

Michael T. Klare (2019-12-11). When the Climate Replaces Our Forever Wars. thenation.com When the Climate Replaces Our Forever Wars…

commondreams (2019-12-11). Joe Biden Can Do Better on Climate: 350 Action Launches Biden 2020 Petition. commondreams.org ______________________________…

news.un (2019-12-11). COP25: Support business efforts to tackle climate change, urges Guterres. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General has called on business and civil society leaders to press Governments into articulating policies that support private sector efforts to address climate change.

Kairi Fleming (2019-12-11). Our terrible habits and how to end them. indybay.org Plastic pollution creates problems for wildlife and the human population. Every time we use plastic we are harming the environment by creating more garbage that eventually ends up in the ocean. Straws and plastic bags are one of the common types of plastic that are making sea turtles go extinct and harming other animals. Plastic is a huge danger for animals because they often mistaken it for food. To help reduce plastic pollution its important for everyone to start using reusable water bottles instead of plastic bottled water. Also when going grocery shopping taking reusable cloth bags would be a huge improvement…

Staff (2019-12-11). Billionaire Presidential Hopeful Mike Bloomberg Addresses Press at COP25 But Won't Take Questions. democracynow.org Former New York mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg spoke at the U.N. climate summit Tuesday, saying he came to the climate talks because "no one from the White House" was there. The event was billed as a media opportunity, but Bloomberg refused to answer questions from the press. Bloomberg entered the presidential race in November and has since spent tens of millions of dollars of his own money on the race. Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman followed Bloomberg through the conference venue, asking how he would address issues of inequality and whether his strategy to win the presidency was to outs…

Staff (2019-12-11). "The Most Extreme Fires We've Ever Seen": Record Climate-Fueled Wildfires Engulf Australia in Smoke. democracynow.org As world leaders gather to address the climate crisis in Madrid, massive wildfires have engulfed Australia in flames and smoke. More than 100 climate-fueled blazes have killed at least six people and pushed air quality levels in Sydney to 12 times hazardous levels. Thousands braved extreme air pollution Wednesday to protest the government's climate inaction outside Sydney Town Hall. As Democracy Now! broadcasts live from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, we speak with Australian environmental scientist Bill Hare, director of Climate Analytics and a coordinator of the Climate Ac…

Staff (2019-12-11). "Shame!" Indigenous Leaders & Delegates from Global South Stage Dramatic Protest at COP25 in Madrid. democracynow.org Democracy Now! was broadcasting live from the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain, when hundreds of climate advocates and people's movements at the U.N. climate action summit staged a protest inside the conference venue. As the demonstration unfolds, we speak with Tom Goldtooth, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; Karin Nansen, chair of Friends of the Earth International; Nigerian climate activist Nnimmo Bassey with Health of Mother Earth Foundation; and indigenous climate activist Daiara Tukano from Brazil.

Staff (2019-12-11). Indigenous Leaders and Delegates From the Global South Stage Walkout at COP25. truthout.org Democracy Now! was broadcasting live from the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain, when hundreds of climate advocates and people's movements at the U.N. climate action summit staged a protest inside the conference venue. As the demonstration unfolds, we speak with Tom Goldtooth, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; Karin Nansen, chair of Friends of the Earth International; Nigerian climate activist Nnimmo Bassey with Health of Mother Earth Foundation; and indig…

Staff (2019-12-11). Record Climate-Fueled Wildfires Engulf Australia in Smoke. truthout.org As world leaders gather to address the climate crisis in Madrid, massive wildfires have engulfed Australia in flames and smoke. More than 100 climate-fueled blazes have killed at least six people and pushed air quality levels in Sydney to 12 times hazardous levels. Thousands braved extreme air pollution Wednesday to protest the government's climate inaction outside Sydney Town Hall. As Democracy Now! broadcasts live from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, we speak with Austral…

RT (2019-12-11). Ronaldo irate after being GRABBED by selfie-hunting pitch invader at Juventus' final Champions League group game (VIDEO). rt.com Cristiano Ronaldo was incensed after being grabbed by a selfie-hunting pitch invader at the end of Juventus' UEFA Champions League group game against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, leaving the winger clasping his neck. | READ MORE: UEFA Champions League highlights – Salah's 200th goal & Barca's Fati becomes youngest goalscorer (VIDEO) | Ronaldo, who opened the scoring in the 75th minute of Juventus' 2-0 win in Germany, was accosted on the shoulder by a fan who had sprinted across the Bay…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2019-12-11). 'We Are Unstoppable, Another World Is Possible!': Young Climate Activists Storm COP 25 Stage. commondreams.org Protesters with Fridays for Future demand world leaders at the global climate summit urgent address the planetary emergency. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/protesters-storm-stage-cop25.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-11). 'Planetary Arsonists': Naomi Klein Points to Behavior of Autocratic Leaders Like Bolsonaro, Trump as Exacerbating Climate Crisis. commondreams.org "The fires of hatred are spreading from one country to the next," the author warns in new video. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/klein.png

Dahr Jamail (2019-12-10). Welcome to the Era of Climate Change-Induced PTSD. thenation.com Welcome to the Era of Climate Change-Induced PTSD…

Fight Back (2019-12-10). Milwaukee: People's Climate Coalition marches on Wells Fargo, Chase Bank. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI — Several hundred people gathered on the morning of December 6 in downtown Milwaukee at Zeidler Park to demand that the big banks like Wells Fargo, Chase and other corporations divest from the fossil fuel industry. | Several classrooms worth of children from local public schools attended the event in support of a safe and livable planet for their futures. The People's Climate Coalition, consisting of local climate justice groups, put out the call and organized the event. | All representatives from the coalition and its allies were given an opportunity to speak. Each highlighted in different wa…

Brian Tokar (2019-12-10). Climate Talks in Madrid: What Will It Take to Prevent Climate Collapse? counterpunch.org The two-week marathon of the annual UN climate conference is underway in Madrid, and the world's expectations have perhaps never been lower. The Amazon is burning and unprecedented storms are raging worldwide, but the world's climate diplomats are still mostly talking business-as-usual. Never mind that this year's 25th Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN More

NationAction (2019-12-10). Take Action Now: Stand Up for Our Climate. thenation.com Take Action Now: Stand Up for Our Climate…

news.un (2019-12-10). Deliver 'significant results now', UN General Assembly President tells COP25 climate conference. news.un.org It is "imperative" that the COP25 climate conference underway in Spain delivers "significant results now", Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the UN General Assembly (PGA), said on Tuesday.

Staff (2019-12-10). The U.S. Has Almost No Official Presence at COP25 But Is Still "Obstructing Any Progress" democracynow.org This week, Democracy Now! is broadcasting from inside the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, where representatives from almost 200 countries have gathered to negotiate solutions to the climate crisis. Known as COP25 for "conference of parties," the summit offers a rare opportunity for all countries, especially those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, to have an equal say in negotiations. It comes four years after the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to "well below 2 degrees Celsius," or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But as the summit heads into its final days, represen…

pip.hinman (2019-12-10). Real climate action requires cutting coal exports. greenleft.org.au climate emergency Zane AlcornIssue 1248 Australia coal exports Adani Carmichael coal mineDecember 10, 2019On December 9, Labor leader Anthony Albanese reaffirmed his party's support f…

Staff (2019-12-10). Asad Rehman on the U.K.'s "Climate Election" & Explosive Afghanistan Papers Revelations. democracynow.org We get response from London-based Asad Rehman, executive director of War on Want, on two major news developments: The United Kingdom — which will head the COP next year — is set to vote Thursday in what some are calling "the climate election," and the Washington Post has published a confidential trove of documents that reveal how senior U.S. officials have lied throughout the 18-year war in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history, while hiding evidence the war had become unwinnable.

Staff (2019-12-10). "Listen to Mother Earth": Indigenous Youth Leaders at COP25 in Madrid Protest Fossil Fuel Extraction. democracynow.org "Our movements must be bigger than recycling and braver than holding signs," said Rose Whipple, a member of the Santee Dakota and Ho-Chunk, and youth delegate with SustainUS, who joined a panel of youth climate activists at the United Nations climate summit in Madrid, Spain. Indigenous peoples from Canada and the United States are at the summit, speaking out against extraction, new pipeline projects and the environmental devastation of their territories, and calling for movements to center the rights of indigenous peoples.

Staff (2019-12-10). Headlines for December 10, 2019. democracynow.org House Democrats to Unveil Articles of Impeachment Today, WaPo: Secret Afghanistan Papers Reveal How U.S. Officials Lied About War, Sanders & Khanna Urge Lawmakers to Vote Against National Defense Authorization Act, Russia and Ukraine Agree to Ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine, India's Lower House Passes "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill, Protests Continue in Madrid, Spain, Amid COP25, Denmark Passes Climate Act to Reduce Emissions by 70% by 2030, More Than 100 Blazes Rage Across Australia Amid Worst Fire Season in History, Iraq: One Journalist Killed and a Second Disappeared After Covering Protests, Aung San Suu Kyi Arri…

Fight Back (2019-12-09). Arizona educators, progressives confront ALEC summit and Betsy DeVos. fightbacknews.org Tucson, AZ – On December 4, a coalition of union educators, immigrant rights, police crimes, and climate change activists confronted the agenda of corporations like UPS and energy industry giants and billionaires like Charles Koch and Sheldon Achelson. At its height the crowd numbered around 200 with signs reading: "ALEC: Oligarchy in progress" and "Privatization, criminalization, incarceration, climate change, imperialism: #ALECisBehindIt." | The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a notorious organization of hardcore conservatives, was holding its States and Nation Policy Summit in Arizona. ALEC hoste…

news.un (2019-12-09). COP25: Global investors urge countries to meet climate action goals. news.un.org More than 630 investors who collectively manage over $37 trillion in assets are calling on governments across the world to step up action to address climate change and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

news.un (2019-12-09). Monday's Daily Brief: increasing inequality, human rights and climate, civil war crimes, Ethiopia reforms. news.un.org New UN development report warns global inequality breeding a "new generation of inequalities"; human rights linked to climate change by senior UN official; intentional starvation in civil wars classified as a war crime, UN rights expert calls for Ethiopia reform support.

Staff (2019-12-09). Greta Thunberg, Rose Whipple & Eriel Deranger on Listening to Indigenous People Amid Climate Crisis. democracynow.org At the end of Friday's major climate rally in Madrid, a group of indigenous activists took the stage to sing and give speeches, but after some speeches their microphone was cut and the lights on stage were shut off as they spoke. Democracy Now! spoke to Eriel Deranger of Indigenous Climate Action and later asked Greta Thunberg and Rose Whipple about the importance of listening to indigenous voices.

Staff (2019-12-09). Meet the Climbing Kids: 8- & 11-Year-Old Siblings Who Rappel from Bridge Demanding Climate Action. democracynow.org As hundreds of thousands marched to the main stage during Friday's climate march in Madrid, two young children — a brother and sister aged 8 and 11 — staged an act of civil disobedience from a bridge overlooking the protest. While demonstrators marched beneath them, the two children rappelled from an overpass, dangling from ropes in mid-air to hang a banner calling for climate action. Democracy Now! briefly spoke to them after their action.

Staff (2019-12-09). Indigenous Leader Sà¥nia Guajajara: The Amazon Is Burning & Its Defenders Are Being Assassinated. democracynow.org Speakers at Friday's climate march in Madrid included Brazilian indigenous leader Sà¥nia Guajajara. A day after she spoke, two indigenous chiefs — Firmino Prexede Guajajara and Raimundo Guajajara — were gunned down in a drive-by shooting Saturday in Brazil.

Staff (2019-12-09). Spanish Actor Javier Bardem: We Need Urgency, Ambition & Reduction to Confront Climate Crisis. democracynow.org Speakers at Friday's massive climate march in Madrid included the actor Javier Bardem. In 2007, he became the first Spanish actor to win an Academy Award for acting for his supporting role in "No Country for Old Men." He addressed the crowd in Spanish.

Staff (2019-12-09). Police Halt Activist-Led "Toxic Tour" of Spain's "Dirtiest" Corporate Polluters Sponsoring COP25. democracynow.org In Spain, the country's biggest fossil fuel polluters are also some of the most generous sponsors for this year's U.N. climate talks. On Saturday, we joined activists on a "toxic tour" of Madrid from the Madrid stock exchange to Santander Bank. Activists explained that when Spanish President Pedro Sánchez announced that Spain would host COP25, he went to IBEX 35 — the 35 biggest listed companies in the Spanish stock exchange — offering them a 90% tax break on a $2 million sponsorship. Advocates say that these same companies "have deep and dirty links to the fossil fuel industry." But midway through, t…

Staff (2019-12-09). At Major March in Madrid, Indigenous & Youth Activists Slam Global Leaders for Climate Inaction. democracynow.org We broadcast from Madrid, Spain, where the 25th United Nations climate conference is in its second week and representatives from almost 200 countries have gathered for the final days of negotiations. The summit — known as COP25, or conference of parties — has so far focused on meeting the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to "well below 2 degrees Celsius," or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But climate scientists say the talks are failing to produce the drastic measures necessary to address the climate crisis. Since the Paris Agreement four years ago, greenhouse gas emissions have risen by…

Staff (2019-12-09). Greta Thunberg at Madrid March: Hope in the Streets, Not the U.N. Climate Summit. democracynow.org Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg also addressed Friday's climate march in Madrid. "The hope is not within the walls of COP25; the hope is out here with you," said Thunberg, who inspired the global youth strike movement.

Staff (2019-12-09). Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron & BP Could Be Legally & Morally Liable for Climate Crisis in Philippines. democracynow.org The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has just determined that 47 major companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Total, could be found legally and morally liable for human rights harms to Filipinos resulting from climate change. The commission found the companies could be held accountable under civil and criminal laws. Climate activists have hailed the decision as a landmark victory for climate justice. According to Greenpeace, this marks the first time big polluting companies have been found responsible for human rights harms resulting from the climate crisis. We speak to Yeb Saño, exe…

news.un (2019-12-06). Friday's Daily Brief: Peacekeeping performance, Iranians' rights, Syria, Australia, Haiti updates, Greta Thunberg at COP25. news.un.org A recap of the top stories: UN evaluates peacekeeping performance; civilians under greater attack in northeast Syria; UN rights chief on Iranian protester clampdown; ending medical evacuation for refugees to Australia; food crisis widens in Haiti; and Greta Thunberg speaks out in Madrid at climate conference.

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). 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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, …