Daily Archives: August 31, 2019

2019-08-31: News Headlines

Eds. (2019-08-31). A month ahead of Global Climate Strike, thousands pledge to attend rallies across planet to 'turn up the political heat' and demand action. mronline.org "Time is running out. This decade is our last chance to stop the destruction of our people and our planet… This is why we strike." | Source

Andrea Germanos (2019-08-31). "Don't just watch us. Join us," say activists, as Greta Thunberg joins climate strike outside UN headquarters. nationofchange.org Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg— fresh off a two-week transatlantic journey on a fossil fuel-free vessel—joined other climate protesters in New York City on Friday to continue the demand for bold action to address the planetary crisis. | The dozens of activists gathered outside the United Nations headquarters held placards saying "Act now" and "Our future," and chanted messages including "System change, not climate change." | ABC News shared video of T…

Justin Mikulka (2019-08-31). Bernie Sanders' plan to phase out nuclear power draws attacks — here's why they're wrong. nationofchange.org Attacks on the Sanders' climate plan appear to have less to do with the ongoing viability of nuclear power as a legitimate climate solution and more to do with an ongoing effort to convince the public to subsidize another unsuccessful sector of the energy industry.

Santa Cruz Climate Action Network (2019-08-31). Climate Strike: Santa Cruz & Watsonville. indybay.org Santa Cruz: Youth March to Louden Nelson Community Center | 301 Center St, Santa Cruz 95060 | Watsonville: Youth Climate Rally @ City Plaza Park, 358 Main St, Watsonville 95076…

Timothy A. Wise (2019-08-31). Big Ag Is a Major Obstacle to Combating the Climate Crisis. commondreams.org Grim as the recent U.N.'s climate report is, it doesn't go far enough to confront the dangerous government-hijacking power of agribusiness.

Staff (2019-08-31). Monsanto Emails Show Employees Wanted to "Beat the Shit" Out of Concerned Moms. truthout.org | | At some point, all of us have bought something that we almost immediately came to regret. Maybe a car whose color was intriguing on the lot but looks like a four-wheeled cold sore in your driveway, or that last beer during the ballgame that turned what would have been a mild headache into a four-alarm hangover. We've all been there to one degree or another, but Bayer, by purchasing the genuinely despicable

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2019-08-30). The Amazon Inferno. counterpunch.org One of the lasting highlights of my teaching at the University of New Orleans in 1991-1992 was my travel to Brazil in January 1992 for a conference on climate change. This was a rehearsal for the June 1992 Earth Summit on Climate Change in Rio. My conference took place in Fortaleza, a beautiful town in More

United Nations (2019-08-30). Activist Greta Thunberg gets preview of UNHQ ahead of climate summit. un.org Two days after disembarking from her carbon-free yacht in New York, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg paid a visit to UN Headquarters on Friday, after joining participants of her global climate strike movement, Fridays for Future, at the Organization's gates.

commondreams (2019-08-30). Big Ag is the Biggest Obstacle to Addressing Climate Change. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Robert Mackey (2019-08-30). How Larry Fink, Joe Biden's Wall Street Ally, Profits From Amazon Cattle Ranching, a Force Behind Deforestation. theintercept.com The giant investment firm BlackRock has contributed to the climate crisis by investing in a Brazilian meatpacker, JBS, linked to Amazon deforestation.

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-08-30). 'If Environment Were a Bank,' Says Bernie Sanders, 'It Would Have Been Saved Already'. commondreams.org Sanders has introduced a $16.3 trillion Green New Deal plan to avert climate catastrophe and create 20 million jobs in the process | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/climate_bernie_sanders.jpg

pip.hinman (2019-08-30). Climate activists set to blockade mining conference. greenleft.org.au IMARC 2019 blockade Jack StickneyIssue 1235 Australia climate emergency MelbourneAugust 30, 2019Climate justice activists are organising a mass blockade of a major mining conference in Melb…

susan_p (2019-08-30). Britain: Extinction Rebellion protesters convicted. greenleft.org.au protestIssue 1235 Britain Extinction Rebellion climate crisisAugust 30, 2019Three activists from climate change direct action group Extinction Rebellion (XR) have been convicted after being arrested at protests earlier this year. | They are the first activists to stand trial…

pip.hinman (2019-08-30). Save the Amazon. greenleft.org.au climate emergency Zebedee ParkesIssue 1235 Australia Amazon forest firesAugust 30, 2019Environmental activists rallied in Melbourne and Sydney on August 25 in response to fires destroying the Amazon rainforest. | They demanded an end to the deforestation po…

CP Editor (2019-08-30). DNC Kills Climate Debate Compromise. counterpunch.org

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2019-08-30). "Don't Just Watch Us. Join Us," Say Activists, as Greta Thunberg Joins Climate Strike Outside UN Headquarters. commondreams.org Swedish teen continues weekly school strike for climate, for the first time on this side of the Atlantic | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/greta_thunberg-un-protest.png

United Nations (2019-08-29). Decades of progress 'can be wiped out overnight,' UN chief laments at climate session in Yokohama. un.org "Little undermines development like disaster," UN Secretary-General António Guterres told attendees at a thematic session on Africa and climate change, on day two of the Tokyo international Conference on African Development (TICAD), now in its seventh year.

The Canary (2019-08-29). Antibiotic resistance 'could kill humanity before climate breakdown does'. thecanary.co Antimicrobial resistance could soon kill at least 10 million people per year and wipe out humanity "before climate change does", England's chief medical officer has warned. | Professor Dame Sally Davies also cautioned…

Staff (2019-08-29). Headlines for August 29, 2019. democracynow.org EPA to Roll Back Methane Regulations in Blow to Limiting Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Trump Moves to Allow Logging in World's Largest Intact Temperate Rainforest, Hurricane Dorian Gains Strength, Threatens Bahamas & Florida, Swedish Youth Climate Justice Activist Greta Thunberg Arrives in NYC After 15-Day Boat Trip, Gillibrand Drops Out of 2020 Race as Just 10 Dems Qualify for Sept. Debate, Thousands Protest "Coup" in U.K. as Boris Johnson Suspends Parliament Ahead of Brexit, New Coalition Government May Be Formed in Italy, Italian Humanitarian Ship Rescues 100 Migrants Off Coast of Libya, Separatists & Government-B…

Staff (2019-08-29). Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Arrives in NYC to Fight "Biggest Crisis Humanity Has Ever Faced" democracynow.org Following weeks of anticipation, Swedish climate justice activist Greta Thunberg arrived on the shores of Lower Manhattan Wednesday afternoon after a 15-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in an emissions-free yacht. She was welcomed on land by hundreds of supporters at the North Cove Marina. As Thunberg's yacht sailed over the horizon and past the Statue of Liberty, youth climate activists chanted "The sea levels are rising, and so are we!" and "We are unstoppable! Another world is possible!" The 16-year-old climate activist is kickstarting a months-long tour of the Americas. For her first action, she will be j…

pip.hinman (2019-08-29). 21 ideas for a just transition to a coal-free future (and how to pay for it). greenleft.org.au climate emergency Zane AlcornIssue 1235 Australia Divest from fossil fuels just transitions coalAugust 29, 2019Australia's polit…

Fidel Castro Ruz (2019-08-28). Fidel Castro's prescient warning on climate change. liberationnews.org Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, warned almost 30 years ago that collective and urgent action was needed to combat the destruction of the Earth's environment.

United Nations (2019-08-28). Wednesday's Daily Brief: Guterres talks technology for Africa's development, 'extinction crisis' prompts stronger wildlife protection, Greta Thunberg reaches New York, funding shortfalls in Iraq, a positive step for Indigenous women. un.org A recap of Wednesday's stories: Secretary-General António Guterres says 'winds of hope are blowing ever stronger' for Africa's development; Swedish climate youth activist Greta Thunberg reaches New York by boat; Chief of UN Mission for Iraq warns on funding shortfalls; and in Canada, a new bill recognizes the rights of indigenous women.

United Nations (2019-08-28). Teen activist Greta Thunberg arrives in New York by boat, putting 'climate crisis' in spotlight. un.org After a two-week sail across the Atlantic, youth climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in the Big Apple on Wednesday to take part in two major climate summits to be held at UN Headquarters next month.

United Nations (2019-08-28). Partnerships with civil society and youth 'essential' for a future that leaves no one behind: General Assembly President. un.org Partnerships with civil society and youth are essential to achieving the goals of key UN-backed international agreements, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement on climate change, María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, told delegates at the UN Civil Society Conference on Wednesday.

United Nations (2019-08-28). 'Extinction crisis' pushes countries to agree stronger protection for global wildlife. un.org At-risk wildlife that is facing a "growing extinction crisis" received a boost on Wednesday, as countries wrapped up a marathon meeting in Geneva, by agreeing to increased protection measures and more sustainable trade in animals and plants across the globe.

Staff (2019-08-28). How Bolsonaro's Climate Change Denial & Anti-Indigenous Policies Led to Massive Fires in the Amazon. democracynow.org In Brazil, fires continue to rage in the Amazon, and new drone footage shows the smoke and flames gathering strength. A vast plume of smoke has spread across South America and the Atlantic Ocean and is visible from space. The fires are also destroying large swaths of land in Bolivia. The fires are unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. So far this year, there have been nearly 73,000 fires in Brazil, with over half of them in the Amazon region — an 83% increase from the same period last year. Far-right Brazil…

Staff (2019-08-27). DNC Kills Climate Debate Compromise. therealnews.com Days after rejecting the proposal to sanction debate focused on the climate crisis, the DNC voted 222-137 against allowing candidates to participate in even a non-sanctioned one…

Staff (2019-08-27). David Koch Is Dead, But His Legacy of Climate Denial Lives On. therealnews.com Seminal climate scientist Michael Mann, who was the target of a Koch-funded smear, explains how the Koch Brothers "almost single-handedly stymied climate action for decades."

Staff (2019-08-27). "Kochland": How David Koch Helped Build an Empire to Shape U.S. Politics & Thwart Climate Action. democracynow.org Billionaire conservative donor David Koch died Friday at the age of 79 from prostate cancer. David Koch — who was worth some $42 billion — and his brother Charles poured massive amounts of money into funding climate change denial through conservative think tanks and politicians. The Koch brothers founded the political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity in 2004, which is credited with turning the "tea party" into a full-fledged political movement. They also backed "right-to-work" efforts, which aim to weaken labor rights and quash union membership. The brothers made their fortune running Koch Indu…

JOCDC (2019-08-26). No Coal, No Gas: Climate activists remove coal from Merrimack generating station. liberationnews.org "…it is now a necessity to take matters into our own hands…"

Lee Fang (2019-08-26). David Koch's Most Significant Legacy Is the Election of Donald Trump. theintercept.com David Koch, the fossil fuel industry billionaire who passed away on August 23 at the age of 79, spent the second half of his life building a political power structure alongside his brother Charles that radically reshaped society and set the conditions for the rise of President Donald Trump. | Many obituaries published in recent days examine Koch's history of polluting the environment and political system, how the donor network he helped lead mobilized opposition to addressing climate change, transformed our election laws to allow unlimited secret spending by the very rich, and systematically fought any regulation…

Staff (2019-08-26). Mysterious Russian Nuclear Missile Accident Sparks Fears of Cover-Up & "Chernobyl Redux" democracynow.org Questions are swirling over a mysterious nuclear accident in northern Russia on August 8. Seven people, including five nuclear scientists, died in an explosion, which caused a radiation spike in the surrounding area — and possibly as far as Scandinavia. U.S. experts suspect the explosion was caused during a test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia initially denied a radiation leak, but earlier today its state weather agency confirmed radioactive isotopes have been found in test samples in the city of Severodvinsk near the military test range. Norway's nuclear test ban monitor now believes two explos…

Staff (2019-08-26). Unreported Deaths, Child Cancer & Radioactive Meat: The Untold Story of Chernobyl. democracynow.org Following a mysterious nuclear accident in Russia that left seven dead, we look back at the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of Europe, but the death toll from Chernobyl remains unknown. Chernobyl is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, but Kate Brown, an MIT professor of science, technology and society, says much of what we understand about the disaster is inaccurate. Her new book, "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future," chronicles the devastating and underreported impact of radiation on tens of t…

Staff (2019-08-26). Headlines for August 26, 2019. democracynow.org World Leaders Pledge Amazon Help as Trump Sends Mixed Signals About China at G7 Summit, Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif Makes Surprise Appearance at G7 to Hold Talks with European Officials, Protesters Call Out G7 Leaders over Corporate Ties, Climate Inaction and Inequality, Wildfires Continue to Consume Amazon as Public Outrage Grows, Police Deploy Water Cannons, Fire a Live Warning Shot at Hong Kong Protesters, Attacks in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq Add to Mounting Tensions in Middle East, EU Countries Say They Will Relocate Migrants Stranded on Ship After 2-Week Standoff, 200,000 Rohingya Refugees March for "Genocid…

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…

Staff (2019-08-23). "Our House Is On Fire": Brazil Faces Global Outrage as Massive Fires Spread in Amazon Rainforest. 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.) | | USA Today ran a piece ( 8/20/19) on the Amazon fires in which "anthropogenic climate…

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

CounterSpin (2019-08-02). Sriram Madhusoodanan on Fossil Fuel Investigations, Amin Husain on Decolonizing Museums. fair.org Media…

2019-08-31: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

"Don't just watch us. Join us," say activists, as Greta Thunberg joins climate strike outside UN headquarters
Andrea Germanos | nationofchange.org | 2019-08-31
Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg– fresh off a two-week transatlantic journey on a fossil fuel-free vessel–joined other climate protesters in New York City on Friday to continue the demand for bold action to address the planetary crisis. | The dozens of activists gathered outside the United Nations headquarters held placards saying "Act now" and "Our future," and chanted messages including "System change, not climate change." | ABC News shared video of T…
nationofchange.org/2019/08/31/dont-just-watch-us-join-us-say-activists-as-greta-thunberg-joins-climate-strike-outside-un-headquarters/

Climate Strike: Santa Cruz & Watsonville
Santa Cruz Climate Action Network | indybay.org | 2019-08-31
Santa Cruz: Youth March to Louden Nelson Community Center | 301 Center St, Santa Cruz 95060 | Watsonville: Youth Climate Rally @ City Plaza Park, 358 Main St, Watsonville 95076…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/08/31/18825868.php

Bernie Sanders' plan to phase out nuclear power draws attacks — here's why they're wrong
Justin Mikulka | nationofchange.org | 2019-08-31
Attacks on the Sanders' climate plan appear to have less to do with the ongoing viability of nuclear power as a legitimate climate solution and more to do with an ongoing effort to convince the public to subsidize another unsuccessful sector of the energy industry.
nationofchange.org/2019/08/31/bernie-sanders-plan-to-phase-out-nuclear-power-draws-attacks-heres-why-theyre-wrong/

A month ahead of Global Climate Strike, thousands pledge to attend rallies across planet to 'turn up the political heat' and demand action
Eds. | mronline.org | 2019-08-31
"Time is running out. This decade is our last chance to stop the destruction of our people and our planet… This is why we strike." | Source…
mronline.org/2019/08/30/a-month-ahead-of-global-climate-strike-thousands-pledge-to-attend-rallies-across-planet-to-turn-up-the-political-heat-and-demand-action/

Big Ag Is a Major Obstacle to Combating the Climate Crisis
Timothy A. Wise | commondreams.org | 2019-08-31
Grim as the recent U.N.'s climate report is, it doesn't go far enough to confront the dangerous government-hijacking power of agribusiness.
commondreams.org/views/2019/08/31/big-ag-major-obstacle-combating-climate-crisis?cd-origin=rss

Monsanto Emails Show Employees Wanted to "Beat the Shit" Out of Concerned Moms
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-08-31
| At some point, all of us have bought something that we almost immediately came to regret. Maybe a car whose color was intriguing on the lot but looks like a four-wheeled cold sore in your driveway, or that last beer during the ballgame that turned what would have been a mild headache into a four-alarm hangover. We've all been there to one degree or another, but Bayer, by purchasing the genuinely despicable…
truthout.org/articles/monsanto-emails-show-employees-wanted-to-beat-the-shit-out-of-concerned-moms/

Activist Greta Thunberg gets preview of UNHQ ahead of climate summit
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-30
Two days after disembarking from her carbon-free yacht in New York, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg paid a visit to UN Headquarters on Friday, after joining participants of her global climate strike movement, Fridays for Future, at the Organization's gates.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045332

How Larry Fink, Joe Biden's Wall Street Ally, Profits From Amazon Cattle Ranching, a Force Behind Deforestation
Robert Mackey | theintercept.com | 2019-08-30
The giant investment firm BlackRock has contributed to the climate crisis by investing in a Brazilian meatpacker, JBS, linked to Amazon deforestation.
theintercept.com/2019/08/30/amazon-rainforest-fire-blackrock-jbs/

Big Ag is the Biggest Obstacle to Addressing Climate Change
commondreams.org | 2019-08-30
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2019/08/30/big-ag-biggest-obstacle-addressing-climate-change?cd-origin=rss

The Amazon Inferno
Evaggelos Vallianatos | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-30
One of the lasting highlights of my teaching at the University of New Orleans in 1991-1992 was my travel to Brazil in January 1992 for a conference on climate change. This was a rehearsal for the June 1992 Earth Summit on Climate Change in Rio. My conference took place in Fortaleza, a beautiful town in…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/30/the-amazon-inferno/

DNC Kills Climate Debate Compromise
CP Editor | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-30
counterpunch.org/2019/08/30/dnc-kills-climate-debate-compromise/

"Don't Just Watch Us. Join Us," Say Activists, as Greta Thunberg Joins Climate Strike Outside UN Headquarters
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-08-30
Swedish teen continues weekly school strike for climate, for the first time on this side of the Atlantic | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/greta_thunberg-un-protest.png
commondreams.org/news/2019/08/30/dont-just-watch-us-join-us-say-activists-greta-thunberg-joins-climate-strike-outside?cd-origin=rss

'If Environment Were a Bank,' Says Bernie Sanders, 'It Would Have Been Saved Already'
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-08-30
Sanders has introduced a $16.3 trillion Green New Deal plan to avert climate catastrophe and create 20 million jobs in the process | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/climate_bernie_sanders.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/08/30/if-environment-were-bank-says-bernie-sanders-it-would-have-been-saved-already?cd-origin=rss

Climate activists set to blockade mining conference
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-30
IMARC 2019 blockade Jack StickneyIssue 1235 Australia climate emergency MelbourneAugust 30, 2019Climate justice activists are organising a mass blockade of a major mining conference in Melb…
greenleft.org.au/content/climate-activists-set-blockade-mining-conference

Britain: Extinction Rebellion protesters convicted
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-30
protestIssue 1235 Britain Extinction Rebellion climate crisisAugust 30, 2019Three activists from climate change direct action group Extinction Rebellion (XR) have been convicted after being arrested at protests earlier this year. | They are the first activists to stand trial…
greenleft.org.au/content/britain-extinction-rebellion-protesters-convicted

Save the Amazon
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-30
climate emergency Zebedee ParkesIssue 1235 Australia Amazon forest firesAugust 30, 2019Environmental activists rallied in Melbourne and Sydney on August 25 in response to fires destroying the Amazon rainforest. | They demanded an end to the deforestation po…
greenleft.org.au/content/save-amazon-0

Antibiotic resistance 'could kill humanity before climate breakdown does'
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-08-29
Antimicrobial resistance could soon kill at least 10 million people per year and wipe out humanity "before climate change does", England's chief medical officer has warned. | Professor Dame Sally Davies also cautioned…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/2019/08/29/antibiotic-resistance-could-kill-humanity-before-climate-breakdown-does/

Decades of progress 'can be wiped out overnight,' UN chief laments at climate session in Yokohama
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-29
"Little undermines development like disaster," UN Secretary-General António Guterres told attendees at a thematic session on Africa and climate change, on day two of the Tokyo international Conference on African Development (TICAD), now in its seventh year.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045211

Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Arrives in NYC to Fight "Biggest Crisis Humanity Has Ever Faced"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-29
Following weeks of anticipation, Swedish climate justice activist Greta Thunberg arrived on the shores of Lower Manhattan Wednesday afternoon after a 15-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in an emissions-free yacht. She was welcomed on land by hundreds of supporters at the North Cove Marina. As Thunberg's yacht sailed over the horizon and past the Statue of Liberty, youth climate activists chanted "The sea levels are rising, and so are we!" and "We are unstoppable! Another world is possible!" The 16-year-old climate activist is kickstarting a months-long tour of the Americas. For her first action, she will be j…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/29/greta_thunberg_nyc_climate_activists

21 ideas for a just transition to a coal-free future (and how to pay for it)
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-29
climate emergency Zane AlcornIssue 1235 Australia Divest from fossil fuels just transitions coalAugust 29, 2019Australia's polit…
greenleft.org.au/content/21-steps-coal-free-future-and-how-pay-it

Teen activist Greta Thunberg arrives in New York by boat, putting 'climate crisis' in spotlight
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-28
After a two-week sail across the Atlantic, youth climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in the Big Apple on Wednesday to take part in two major climate summits to be held at UN Headquarters next month.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045161

Wednesday's Daily Brief: Guterres talks technology for Africa's development, 'extinction crisis' prompts stronger wildlife protection, Greta Thunberg reaches New York, funding shortfalls in Iraq, a positive step for Indigenous women
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-28
A recap of Wednesday's stories: Secretary-General António Guterres says 'winds of hope are blowing ever stronger' for Africa's development; Swedish climate youth activist Greta Thunberg reaches New York by boat; Chief of UN Mission for Iraq warns on funding shortfalls; and in Canada, a new bill recognizes the rights of indigenous women.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045131

Fidel Castro's prescient warning on climate change
Fidel Castro Ruz | liberationnews.org | 2019-08-28
Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, warned almost 30 years ago that collective and urgent action was needed to combat the destruction of the Earth's environment.
liberationnews.org/fidel-castros-prescient-warning-on-climate-change/

Partnerships with civil society and youth 'essential' for a future that leaves no one behind: General Assembly President
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-28
Partnerships with civil society and youth are essential to achieving the goals of key UN-backed international agreements, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement on climate change, María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, told delegates at the UN Civil Society Conference on Wednesday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045171

'Extinction crisis' pushes countries to agree stronger protection for global wildlife
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-28
At-risk wildlife that is facing a "growing extinction crisis" received a boost on Wednesday, as countries wrapped up a marathon meeting in Geneva, by agreeing to increased protection measures and more sustainable trade in animals and plants across the globe.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045121

How Bolsonaro's Climate Change Denial & Anti-Indigenous Policies Led to Massive Fires in the Amazon
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-28
In Brazil, fires continue to rage in the Amazon, and new drone footage shows the smoke and flames gathering strength. A vast plume of smoke has spread across South America and the Atlantic Ocean and is visible from space. The fires are also destroying large swaths of land in Bolivia. The fires are unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. So far this year, there have been nearly 73,000 fires in Brazil, with over half of them in the Amazon region — an 83% increase from the same period last year. Far-right Brazil…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/28/brazil_jair_bolsonaro_unprecedented_amazon_fires

DNC Kills Climate Debate Compromise
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-08-27
Days after rejecting the proposal to sanction debate focused on the climate crisis, the DNC voted 222-137 against allowing candidates to participate in even a non-sanctioned one…
therealnews.com/stories/dnc-kills-climate-debate-compromise

David Koch Is Dead, But His Legacy of Climate Denial Lives On
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-08-27
Seminal climate scientist Michael Mann, who was the target of a Koch-funded smear, explains how the Koch Brothers "almost single-handedly stymied climate action for decades."
therealnews.com/stories/david-koch-is-dead-but-his-legacy-of-climate-denial-lives-on

"Kochland": How David Koch Helped Build an Empire to Shape U.S. Politics & Thwart Climate Action
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-27
Billionaire conservative donor David Koch died Friday at the age of 79 from prostate cancer. David Koch — who was worth some $42 billion — and his brother Charles poured massive amounts of money into funding climate change denial through conservative think tanks and politicians. The Koch brothers founded the political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity in 2004, which is credited with turning the "tea party" into a full-fledged political movement. They also backed "right-to-work" efforts, which aim to weaken labor rights and quash union membership. The brothers made their fortune running Koch Indu…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/27/christopher_leonard_kochland_koch_brothers

No Coal, No Gas: Climate activists remove coal from Merrimack generating station
JOCDC | liberationnews.org | 2019-08-26
"…it is now a necessity to take matters into our own hands…"
liberationnews.org/no-coal-no-gas-climate-activists-remove-coal-from-merrimack-generating-station/

David Koch's Most Significant Legacy Is the Election of Donald Trump
Lee Fang | theintercept.com | 2019-08-26
David Koch, the fossil fuel industry billionaire who passed away on August 23 at the age of 79, spent the second half of his life building a political power structure alongside his brother Charles that radically reshaped society and set the conditions for the rise of President Donald Trump. | Many obituaries published in recent days examine Koch's history of polluting the environment and political system, how the donor network he helped lead mobilized opposition to addressing climate change, transformed our election laws to allow unlimited secret spending by the very rich, and systematically fought any regulation…
theintercept.com/2019/08/26/david-koch-donald-trump/

Unreported Deaths, Child Cancer & Radioactive Meat: The Untold Story of Chernobyl
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
Following a mysterious nuclear accident in Russia that left seven dead, we look back at the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of Europe, but the death toll from Chernobyl remains unknown. Chernobyl is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, but Kate Brown, an MIT professor of science, technology and society, says much of what we understand about the disaster is inaccurate. Her new book, "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future," chronicles the devastating and underreported impact of radiation on tens of t…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/kate_brown_chernobyl_manual_for_survival

Mysterious Russian Nuclear Missile Accident Sparks Fears of Cover-Up & "Chernobyl Redux"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
Questions are swirling over a mysterious nuclear accident in northern Russia on August 8. Seven people, including five nuclear scientists, died in an explosion, which caused a radiation spike in the surrounding area — and possibly as far as Scandinavia. U.S. experts suspect the explosion was caused during a test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia initially denied a radiation leak, but earlier today its state weather agency confirmed radioactive isotopes have been found in test samples in the city of Severodvinsk near the military test range. Norway's nuclear test ban monitor now believes two explos…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/aug_8_russia_nuclear_accident

National Democrats Endorse John Hickenlooper, a Proponent of Fracking, in Competitive Colorado Primary
Aída Chávez | theintercept.com | 2019-08-24
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…
theintercept.com/2019/08/24/dscc-john-hickenlooper-andrew-romanoff-colorado-senate/

GateHouse's Takeover of Gannett: Bad News for Journalism and the Planet
Janine Jackson | fair.org | 2019-08-23
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.) | | USA Today ran a piece ( 8/20/19) on the Amazon fires in which "anthropogenic climate…
fair.org/home/gatehouses-takeover-of-gannett-bad-news-for-journalism-and-the-planet/

"Our House Is On Fire": Brazil Faces Global Outrage as Massive Fires Spread in Amazon Rainforest
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-23
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…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/23/jeff_merkley_us_nuclear_policy_green

Ernest Coverson on Guns & Human Rights, Carey Gillam Under Attack From Monsanto
CounterSpin | fair.org | 2019-08-16
Media…
fair.org/home/ernest-coverson-on-guns-human-rights-carey-gillam-under-attack-from-monsanto/