Daily Archives: December 11, 2020

2020-12-11: News Headlines

Rob Urie (2020-12-11). Capitalism and the Green New Deal. counterpunch.org Environmental destruction— climate change, species loss, oceanic depletion, and the rendering of vast tracts of air, water and land unusable has, according to a group of recent IPCC reports, reached the point where it threatens human existence. In contrast to efforts by different constituencies to limit the scope of concern, what the IPCC makes clear is that environmental decline is a clear and present danger, and that its breadth makes a mockery of calls for simple technical fixes. In fact, many of the proposed solutions to climate change threaten to make species loss and oceanic depletion significantly worse.

Binoy Kampmark (2020-12-11). "I Told You So. You Damned Fools": 75 Years of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. counterpunch.org Leafing — or in this case scrolling through — the commemorative issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists after 75 years of publication is a tingling exercise of existence. The subject matter pushes you to the edge. You threaten to fall off. Death is promised; extinction contemplated. Nuclear holocaust. Your sanity is called into

_____ (2020-12-11). John Kerry's Think Tank Calls for War With Russia Over Climate Change. strategic-culture.org "America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is." — John Kerry | Alan MACLEOD | Recently-appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has

Jane Cutter (2020-12-11). Military sexual assault is business as usual say veterans as Fort Hood investigation concludes. liberationnews.org Following a months-long investigation, the U.S. Army has disciplined 14 higher-ups at Fort Hood in Texas for failures of leadership related to a toxic climate that resulted in pervasive sexual harassment and incidents of sexual assault at the base.

news.un (2020-12-11). Hunger rising in mountain regions due to biodiversity loss, climate change. news.un.org Although many of the world's most important crops and livestock species originate in mountain regions, hunger is rising in these areas due to biodiversity loss and climate change, according to a joint study published on Friday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and partners.

March for Science (2020-12-11). Saturday 12/12: SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE: Five-year Anniversary of Paris Agreement Climate Emergency Forum. indybay.org Online via livestream or Zoom…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-12-10). In Must-Watch Video, Greta Thunberg Warns Humanity 'Still Speeding in Wrong Direction' on Climate. commondreams.org The global crisis, says the youth leader, "cannot be solved without system change. That's no longer an opinion. That's a fact." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/thunberg-still-speeding-wrong-direction.jpg

Staff (2020-12-10). Food Is the Pathway to Peace: World Food Programme Wins Nobel Peace Prize & Warns of Hunger Pandemic. democracynow.org The World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian organization dealing with hunger and food security, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today, with its executive director David Beasley warning that the combination of conflict, climate crisis and COVID-19 could push 270 million people to the brink of starvation. In his acceptance speech, Beasley said, "Because of so many wars, climate change, the widespread use of hunger as a political and military weapon, and a global health pandemic that makes all of that exponentially worse, 270 million people are marching toward starvation. Failure to address their needs…

teleSUR (2020-12-10). Amazon's Freshwater Dolphins Are in Danger of Extinction. telesurenglish.net The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added the "Tucuxi dolphin" (Sotalia fluviatilis), which lives in the Amazon watershed, to the "Red List" of endangered animals. | RELATED: | This species of dolphin has been greatly affected by accidental mortality caused by fishing equipment, dams, and pollution. | Because of the highly endangered situation that freshwater dolphins face, the IUCN asked the Amazonian population…

George Wuerthner (2020-12-10). Grazing, Irrigation and Climate Change: the Uncertain Future of the Deschutes River. counterpunch.org The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon decide whether to approve a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Deschutes River Basin. The HCP was initiated by local irrigators and the city of Prineville who want to maintain their privilege of using the public's water (all water in Oregon is owned by citizens) for their

Alan Macleod (2020-12-09). John Kerry's Think Tank Calls for War With Russia Over Climate Change. mintpressnews.com Recently-appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has The announcement drew praise from many prof…

Global Witness (2020-12-09). Beef, Banks and the Brazilian Amazon. globalresearch.ca Preserving tropical rainforests is critical to help stop climate breakdown and to safeguard the rights of the local communities and indigenous peoples who depend on and defend them. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought into sharp relief the importance of …

Stop the Money Pipeline & partners (2020-12-09). Wednesday 12/9: National Digital Rally to #StopLine3 w/ Indigenous Frontline Water Protectors & More. indybay.org Online rally against pipelines & dirty fossil fuels…

Liberation Staff (2020-12-09). Record breaking heat in November: What can we do about the climate crisis? liberationnews.org "By demonstrating to others that there is hope for our survival, humanity has a future to fight for."

ClimateCrisisPolicy (2020-12-09). Wednesday 12/9: The Climate Convergence: Uniting For Victory in 2021 Symposium (Day 1). indybay.org Online symposium (free or donation)…

Rock Kistner (2020-12-09). Want to fight climate change? Start by protecting these endangered species. nationofchange.org Giant forest elephants and blue whales play an enormous role in climate sequestration. Can putting a financial value on that role help conserve them—and us?>

commondreams (2020-12-09). New Rule Makes It Harder for EPA To Fight Air Pollution and Climate Change. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Media Lens (2020-12-08). Stuck in a Lift with John Pilger: News and How to Use It by Alan Rusbridger. dissidentvoice.org Noticing the way journalists seemed unable to resist commenting on our work, even if it was just to slag us off, Glenn Greenwald tweeted us in 2012: 'You are really deeper in the heads of the British establishment-serving commentariat than anyone else — congrats.' ((Greenwald, Twitter, 12 September 2012.)) If that was true then, our relationship …

2020-12-11: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

"I Told You So. You Damned Fools": 75 Years of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2020-12-11
Leafing — or in this case scrolling through — the commemorative issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists after 75 years of publication is a tingling exercise of existence. The subject matter pushes you to the edge. You threaten to fall off. Death is promised; extinction contemplated. Nuclear holocaust. Your sanity is called into…
counterpunch.org/2020/12/11/i-told-you-so-you-damned-fools-75-years-of-the-bulletin-of-the-atomic-scientists/

Capitalism and the Green New Deal
Rob Urie | counterpunch.org | 2020-12-11
Environmental destruction— climate change, species loss, oceanic depletion, and the rendering of vast tracts of air, water and land unusable has, according to a group of recent IPCC reports, reached the point where it threatens human existence. In contrast to efforts by different constituencies to limit the scope of concern, what the IPCC makes clear is that environmental decline is a clear and present danger, and that its breadth makes a mockery of calls for simple technical fixes. In fact, many of the proposed solutions to climate change threaten to make species loss and oceanic depletion significantly worse.
counterpunch.org/2020/12/11/capitalism-and-the-green-new-deal-2/

John Kerry's Think Tank Calls for War With Russia Over Climate Change
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2020-12-11
"America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is." — John Kerry | Alan MACLEOD | Recently-appointed Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has announced his intention of dealing with the pressing issue of global warming as a national security concern. "America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is," the 76-year-old former Secretary of State wrote. "I am proud to partner wit…
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/12/11/john-kerry-think-tank-calls-for-war-with-russia-over-climate-change/

Military sexual assault is business as usual say veterans as Fort Hood investigation concludes
Jane Cutter | liberationnews.org | 2020-12-11
Following a months-long investigation, the U.S. Army has disciplined 14 higher-ups at Fort Hood in Texas for failures of leadership related to a toxic climate that resulted in pervasive sexual harassment and incidents of sexual assault at the base.
liberationnews.org/military-sexual-assault-is-business-as-usual-say-veterans-as-fort-hood-investigation-concludes/

Hunger rising in mountain regions due to biodiversity loss, climate change
news.un.org | 2020-12-11
Although many of the world's most important crops and livestock species originate in mountain regions, hunger is rising in these areas due to biodiversity loss and climate change, according to a joint study published on Friday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and partners.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/12/1079812

Saturday 12/12: SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE: Five-year Anniversary of Paris Agreement Climate Emergency Forum
March for Science | indybay.org | 2020-12-11
Online via livestream or Zoom…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/12/11/18838906.php

Elections And The Path To Socialism In Venezuela
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-12-10
On December 6, Venezuelans elected a new National Assembly with a left political majority. This election, which was well-run and legitimate despite what the imperialist media and countries say, reconstitutes the Venezuelan parliamentary body with participation from both the ruling and opposition parties. It marks the end of an era during which the National Assembly was a tool of the right wing agenda and US regime change efforts. To facilitate understanding of the current election and political climate in Venezuela, Vijay Prashad of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Paul Dobson of Venezulanalysis…
popularresistance.org/elections-and-the-path-to-socialism-in-venezuela/

Food Is the Pathway to Peace: World Food Programme Wins Nobel Peace Prize & Warns of Hunger Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-12-10
The World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian organization dealing with hunger and food security, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today, with its executive director David Beasley warning that the combination of conflict, climate crisis and COVID-19 could push 270 million people to the brink of starvation. In his acceptance speech, Beasley said, "Because of so many wars, climate change, the widespread use of hunger as a political and military weapon, and a global health pandemic that makes all of that exponentially worse, 270 million people are marching toward starvation. Failure to address their needs…
www.democracynow.org/2020/12/10/2020_nobel_prize_world_food_programme

Hunger Pandemic Will Surpass COVID Impact, Warns World Food Programme
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-12-10
The World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian organization dealing with hunger and food security, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today, with its executive director David Beasley warning that the combination of conflict, climate crisis and COVID-19 could push 270 million people to the brink of starvation. In his acceptance speech, Beasley said, "Because of so many wars, climate change, the widespread use of hunger as a political and military weapon, and a global health pandemic that makes al…
truthout.org/video/hunger-pandemic-will-surpass-covid-impact-warns-world-food-programme/

As Food Insecurity Surges, Leading Scientist Says Hunger Is a Deliberate Choice by Those in Power
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-12-10
As the World Food Programme accepts the Nobel Peace Prize, we look at the growing global hunger crisis amid the pandemic, the climate crisis and war. In the United States, as many as 50 million people could experience food insecurity before the end of the year — including one in four children. "It's important to remember that hunger does not always happen because of natural disasters," says Ricardo Salvador, director of the Food and Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "It is often the result of things that we do to each other deliberately."
www.democracynow.org/2020/12/10/ricardo_salvador_world_hunger

In Must-Watch Video, Greta Thunberg Warns Humanity 'Still Speeding in Wrong Direction' on Climate
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-12-10
The global crisis, says the youth leader, "cannot be solved without system change. That's no longer an opinion. That's a fact." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/thunberg-still-speeding-wrong-direction.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/12/10/must-watch-video-greta-thunberg-warns-humanity-still-speeding-wrong-direction?cd-origin=rss

Amazon's Freshwater Dolphins Are in Danger of Extinction
telesurenglish.net | 2020-12-10
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added the "Tucuxi dolphin" (Sotalia fluviatilis), which lives in the Amazon watershed, to the "Red List" of endangered animals. | RELATED: | Amazon: Rainforest Losses 8 Percent To Deforestation | This species of dolphin has been greatly affected by accidental mortality caused by fishing equipment, dams, and pollution. | Because of the highly endangered situation that freshwater dolphins face, the IUCN asked the Amazonian population…
telesurenglish.net/news/Amazons-Freshwater-Dolphins-Are-in-Danger-of-Extinction-20201210-0010.html

No Time to Waste on Whining, Absent Politicians
George Ochenski | counterpunch.org | 2020-12-10