Daily Archives: December 12, 2020

2020-12-12: News Headlines

The Canary (2020-12-12). Climate Ambition Summit: What is it and can it achieve where other summits have failed? thecanary.co Countries are coming together this weekend to ramp up plans to cut their carbon emissions, following recent revelations that the world is still on course for a catastrophic 3C of global warming.Five years after the Paris Agreement, a virtual summit co-hosted by the UK, France, and the United Nations will see decision-makers outline new efforts to try to limit warming to between 1.5C and 2C.But what's at stake and have we left it too late? Here are some of the key questions answered. | #ClimatePromise into climate action. Our leadership explains how we're raising the ambition:

Tina Landis (2020-12-12). UN climate report calls out global elite as cause of the crisis. liberationnews.org The report takes a surprisingly class perspective by pointing out that the one percent richest people on the planet are responsible for emissions equal to that of the poorest 50 percent of the world's population.

news.un (2020-12-12). LIVE: Climate Ambition Summit. news.un.org Live coverage of the Climate Ambition Summit 2020, an important step forward in the battle against the climate crisis, with several major economies announcing new commitments to cut their carbon footprints and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

_____ (2020-12-12). John Kerry's Think Tank Calls For War With Russia Over Climate Change. popularresistance.org 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 with the President-elect, our allies, and the young leaders of the climate movement to take on this crisis." | The announcement drew praise from many professional climate activists and groups, perhaps assuming that Kerry was taking his lead from Berni…

Extinction Rebellion (2020-12-12). Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. zcomm.org Governments are pledging to avert a climate crisis while their economies bankroll and intensify it.

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

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

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.

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.

Ralph Nader (2020-12-11). Go Vote Yourself a Raise, Georgia — You've Long Earned It. counterpunch.org All political eyes are on Georgia's runoff election on January 5th, 2021. Two Senate seats are up for grabs and will decide whether the evil Trumpster and corporatist Senator Mitch McConnell stays in total control of the U.S. Senate or not. If the Democrats win both seats, the Senate would be split, 50-50. Vice President

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-12-11). 'We Need to Get Off the Current Road to Hell,' Say Former UN Climate Leaders. commondreams.org Global ambition to avert climate catastrophe "must shift quickly to another scale, beyond recognition." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/earth_6.jpg

commondreams (2020-12-11). Climate Activists Announce National 'Covid-Safe' Day of Action Push Back against Wall Street's financing of Keystone XL and Minnesota Line3 Tar Sands Pipelines. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-12-11). Ukrainian uranium mines shut down amidst protest wave, threatening radioactive contamination. wsws.org Miners across Ukraine are escalating strike actions over unpaid wages and deteriorating working conditions.

Staff (2020-12-10). As Food Insecurity Surges, Leading Scientist Says Hunger Is a Deliberate Choice by Those in Power. democracynow.org 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."

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

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…

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…

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…

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?>

2020-12-12: 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.)

LIVE: Climate Ambition Summit
news.un.org | 2020-12-12
Live coverage of the Climate Ambition Summit 2020, an important step forward in the battle against the climate crisis, with several major economies announcing new commitments to cut their carbon footprints and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. | What is the Climate Action Summit? | UN Secretary-General declares "state of climate emergency" | What is net zero? | What comes next?>…
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/12/1079862

Climate Ambition Summit: What is it and can it achieve where other summits have failed?
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-12-12
Countries are coming together this weekend to ramp up plans to cut their carbon emissions, following recent revelations that the world is still on course for a catastrophic 3C of global warming.Five years after the Paris Agreement, a virtual summit co-hosted by the UK, France, and the United Nations will see decision-makers outline new efforts to try to limit warming to between 1.5C and 2C.But what's at stake and have we left it too late? Here are some of the key questions answered. | #ClimatePromise into climate action. Our leadership explains how we're raising the ambition:
thecanary.co/global/world-news/2020/12/12/climate-ambition-summit-what-is-it-and-can-it-achieve-where-other-summits-have-failed/

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Extinction Rebellion | zcomm.org | 2020-12-12
Governments are pledging to avert a climate crisis while their economies bankroll and intensify it.
zcomm.org/znetarticle/put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is/

UN climate report calls out global elite as cause of the crisis
Tina Landis | liberationnews.org | 2020-12-12
The report takes a surprisingly class perspective by pointing out that the one percent richest people on the planet are responsible for emissions equal to that of the poorest 50 percent of the world's population.
liberationnews.org/un-climate-report-calls-out-global-elite-as-cause-of-the-crisis/

John Kerry's Think Tank Calls For War With Russia Over Climate Change
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-12-12
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 with the President-elect, our allies, and the young leaders of the climate movement to take on this crisis." | The announcement drew praise from many professional climate activists and groups, perhaps assuming that Kerry was taking his lead from Berni…
popularresistance.org/john-kerrys-think-tank-calls-for-war-with-russia-over-climate-change/

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

'We Need to Get Off the Current Road to Hell,' Say Former UN Climate Leaders
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-12-11
Global ambition to avert climate catastrophe "must shift quickly to another scale, beyond recognition." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/earth_6.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/12/11/we-need-get-current-road-hell-say-former-un-climate-leaders?cd-origin=rss

"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/

Go Vote Yourself a Raise, Georgia — You've Long Earned It
Ralph Nader | counterpunch.org | 2020-12-11
All political eyes are on Georgia's runoff election on January 5th, 2021. Two Senate seats are up for grabs and will decide whether the evil Trumpster and corporatist Senator Mitch McConnell stays in total control of the U.S. Senate or not. If the Democrats win both seats, the Senate would be split, 50-50. Vice President…
counterpunch.org/2020/12/11/go-vote-yourself-a-raise-georgia-youve-long-earned-it/

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/

Climate Activists Announce National 'Covid-Safe' Day of Action Push Back against Wall Street's financing of Keystone XL and Minnesota Line3 Tar Sands Pipelines
commondreams.org | 2020-12-11
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2020/12/11/climate-activists-announce-national-covid-safe-day-action-push-back-against-wall?cd-origin=rss

Ukrainian uranium mines shut down amidst protest wave, threatening radioactive contamination
wsws.org | 2020-12-11