Daily Archives: April 29, 2021

2021-04-29: News Headlines

Staff (2021-04-29). Jamaal Bowman Calls for Biden to Go Bolder in Rebuttal to the President's Speech. truthout.org Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York) had guarded praise for Joe Biden but urged the president and the nation to go bigger and bolder on issues like economic and racial justice and the climate crisis in his rebuttal to the president's first Joint Address to Congress on Wednesday evening. Bowman's speech was a rare rebuttal to a presidential address from the progressive faction of the president's own party. | Bowman

Workers World Party (2021-04-29). PDF of April 29 issue. workers.org Download the PDF. Let Mumia OUT Stay in the street — Abolish the police! Black Lives Matter: Syracuse, N.Y., athletes; Daunte Wright; WAAR on police; Ma'Khia Bryant; Defend anti-racist voices. Florida: Jim Crow 2.0 bill; Ivy League attacks MOVE; A disaster waiting to happen; Biden & climate crisis; Editorial Smash . . . |

Richard Eskow (2021-04-29). Nancy Pelosi and These Centrists Want Biden to Go Left on Drug Costs and Medicare. commondreams.org "With no time to waste," writes Richard Eskow, are more Democrats—including more conservative members "finally recognizing that fighting for lower drug prices and Medicare expansion is something they must do to win elections?" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pelosi_biden_medicare_for_all.png

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-04-29). Dingell and Markey Introduce $10 Trillion THRIVE Act to Tackle 'Our Biggest Emergencies'. commondreams.org "Our country is facing four overlapping crises—mounting economic inequity, the climate crisis, racial injustice, and the coronavirus pandemic—and the THRIVE Act will ensure we have an intersectional response that is proportionate to the scope of the problems we face," says Sen. Ed Markey. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-8616987341.jpg

Waging Nonviolence (2021-04-29). How Organizers can fight back against Corporate Greenwashing and Climate 'Inactivism'. juancole.com By Selina Gallo-Cruz | — ( Waging Nonviolence) — When communities around the country carried out annual clean-ups and tree-plantings in celebration of a now 51-year old Earth Day, industries, too, lined up to pledge their commitment to "go green." But the savvy, often subtle deception of these market strategies to promote companies as engaging …

_____ (2021-04-29). Court Rules Germany Must Tighten Climate Law. popularresistance.org Berlin – Germany must update its climate law by the end of next year to set out how it will bring carbon emissions down nearly to zero by 2050, its top court ruled on Thursday, siding with a young woman who argued rising sea levels would engulf her family farm. | The court concluded that a law passed in 2019 had failed to make sufficient provision for cuts beyond 2030, casting a shadow over a signature achievement of Chancellor Angela Merkel's final term in office. | "The challenged provisions do violate the freedoms of the complainants, some of whom are still very young," the court said in a statement. "The prov…

Ilana Cohen (2021-04-29). As the World Moves Forward on Climate, Powerful Institutions Lag Behind. commondreams.org "So long as my peers and I represent the fastest-growing market of voters, consumers, and community members, the extinction of today's fossil fueled-economy is inevitable." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/harvarddivest-1.jpg

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). Heavy floods forecast in major river basins. ecns.cn China is expected to experience heavy flooding in some of its major river basins during flood season as this year's climate conditions are worse than normal, the China Meteorological Administration said.

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-04-29). 'This Is Huge': Top Court Rules Germany's Climate Law Inadequate to Protect Future Generations. commondreams.org "This can change so much, not just for us here in Germany but for activists worldwide." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/germany_court_climate.jpg

Eurasia Review (2021-04-29). Uncertainty Of Future Southern Ocean CO2 Uptake Cut In Half. eurasiareview.com Anyone researching the global carbon cycle has to deal with unimaginably large numbers. The Southern Ocean – the world's largest ocean sink region for human-made CO2 – is projected to absorb a total of about 244 billion tons of human-made carbon from the atmosphere over the period from 1850 to 2100 under a high CO2 emissions scenario. But the uptake could possibly be only 204 or up to 309 billion tons. That's how much the projections of the current generation of climate models vary. The reason for this large uncertainty is the complex circulation of the Southern Ocean, which is difficult to correctly represent…

James Dyke (2021-04-29). Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap. zcomm.org Current net zero policies will not keep warming to within 1.5 ∞C because they were never intended to. They were and still are driven by a need to protect business as usual, not the climate…

Danica Jorden (2021-04-29). Goodbye Ayoloco: Iconic Mexican Glacier is Officially No More. zcomm.org The glaciers are an important source of fresh water and climate regulation, and the gravity of the loss cannot be understated…

Save California Salmon (2021-04-29). California Tribal Members and Fishermen Call on Newsom to Provide Water for Salmon. indybay.org State of the Salmon address planned for April 28th, Day of Action May 4th | Sacramento, California – California Tribes, fishermen, and environmental groups are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to direct state agencies to take action to stop fish kills of California salmon runs that are nearing extinction and to protect water quality. Salmon and good water quality are key to the health of California's Native people, economy and drinking water supplies. Without immediate action to scale down agricultural water deliveries and protect rivers and reservoir's water supplies the State will be complicit in causing fish k…

ecns.cn (2021-04-29). China adopts law on preventing food waste. ecns.cn Chinese lawmakers on Thursday voted to adopt an anti-food-waste law at a session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). China adopts law on preventing food waste. ecns.cn Chinese lawmakers on Thursday voted to adopt an anti-food-waste law at a session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Jason Cohen (2021-04-28). The limitations of Biden's climate change plan. workers.org Climate change march Sept. 2014, New York City While on the campaign trail, Joe Biden reiterated that under his presidency, the U.S. would once again become a leader within the global community. During his few months as president, he announced the U.S. will rejoin the Paris Accord and also rejoined . . . |

The Conversation (2021-04-28). Carbon Capture doesn't Exist and Planting Trees won't Solve Climate Emergency: Time to bite the Bullet and stop Burning Coal and Oil. juancole.com By James Dyke, Robert Watson and Wolfgang Knorr | — Sometimes realisation comes in a blinding flash. Blurred outlines snap into shape and suddenly it all makes sense. Underneath such revelations is typically a much slower-dawning process. Doubts at the back of the mind grow. The sense of confusion that things cannot be made to …

Kaya Axelsson, Kate Cullen, Stephen Lezak (2021-04-28). Protecting publicly-owned federal lands essential for reaching net zero emissions. peoplesworld.org Editor's Note: The following article was originally written before the April 22 Earth Day summit of global leaders, at which new emissions targets were set, including a commitment from the Biden administration for a 50% reduction of the U.S. 2005 level by 2030. Biden and the Democratic-controlled Congress are making climate policy central to governing …

Staff (2021-04-28). Climate Crisis Has Shifted the Earth's Axis, Study Shows. truthout.org This story originally appeared in The massive melting of glaciers as a result of global heating has caused marked shifts in the Earth's axis of rotation since the 1990s, research has shown. It demonstrates the profound impact humans are having on…

Howie Hawkins (2021-04-28). Biden's Climate Plan: It's Too Late for Gradualism. counterpunch.org President Biden gave us his climate plan on March 31. It was buried inside his American Jobs Plan. The 12,000-word Fact Sheet about it released by the White House hardly acknowledges the climate emergency. The plan is presented as a jobs through infrastructure program. The climate emergency demands a radical and rapid decarbonization of the

Howie Hawkins (2021-04-28). Biden's Climate Plan: It's Too Late for Gradualism. counterpunch.org The climate emergency demands a radical and rapid decarbonization of the economy with numerical goals and timetables to transform all productive sectors, not only power production (27% of carbon emissions), but also transportation (28%), manufacturing (22%), buildings (12%), and agriculture (10%). That emergency transformation can only be met by an ecosocialist approach using public enterprise and planning.

Howie Hawkins (2021-04-28). Biden's Climate Plan: It's Too Late for Gradualism. zcomm.org We need economic democracy to carry through the transition. We need ecosocialist solutions now…

Tracy Keeling (2021-04-28). Tory government slammed by committee for short-sighted and clueless climate inaction. thecanary.co The Public Accounts Committee has slammed the Conservative government over its climate inaction in a Hillier said government departmen…

Fight Back (2021-04-28). Appleton, WI: Community rallies for climate justice to honor Earth Day. fightbacknews.org Appleton, WI – On April 24, a coalition of seven local environmental and social justice groups assembled with more than 100 members of local communities to make demands for a livable future. The event was led by Sunrise Appleton, a youth-led movement that works to advocate the adoption of Green New Deal policies, reducing carbon emissions by building new sustainable sources of energy and infrastructure, and putting a stop to climate change. | The energy of the crowd was one of fervent anti-capitalism. At one point a speaking representative from Sunrise stated, "We are no longer asking, we are demanding" as they s…

news.un (2021-04-28). Pandemic cannot become a 'media extinction event': UN Secretary-General. news.un.org The financial decline of many public interest media organizations worldwide has been among the dangerous side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday in remarks to a UN-backed event to boost support for the sector.

_____ (2021-04-28). US Troop Build Up Threatens Resource War In The Arctic. popularresistance.org While plenty of headlines are being dedicated to the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan, an increase of U.S. forces in another area has gone under the radar. This area is the Arctic. | Back in March, the U.S. Army announced its strategy for "Regaining Arctic Dominance," signaling that the region long devastated by climate change may soon also be devastated by great power competition and U.S. imperialism. | This focus on the Arctic comes as a result of the climate crisis. The Arctic is melting three times faster than the rest of the world, but rather than treating this as the existential threat that it is…

Eurasia Review (2021-04-28). The State Of China's Climate In 2020: Warmer And Wetter Again. eurasiareview.com The National Climate Center (NCC) of China has just completed a report that gives an authoritative assessment of China's climate in 2020. It provides a summary of China's climate as well as the major weather and climate events that took place throughout the year. This is the third consecutive year that the NCC has published an annual national climate statement in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters (AOSL). | "Against the background of global warming, extreme weather and climate events occur more frequently and have wide influence on society and economies. Last year, floods, droughts, typhoons, low-temperat…

Eurasia Review (2021-04-28). New EU Climate Target Could Phase Out Coal Power In Europe As Early As 2030. eurasiareview.com Tightening the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) in line with the EU Green Deal would dramatically speed up the decarbonization of Europe's power sector – and likely cause a demise of the coal industry. In a new study a team of researchers from Potsdam, Germany has quantified the substantial shifts Europe's electricity system is about to undergo when the newly decided EU climate target gets implemented. Higher carbon prices, the authors show, are not only an inevitable step to cut emissions – they will also lead much faster to an inexpensive electricity system powered by renewable energies. | "Once the EU t…

Randall G. Holcombe (2021-04-28). President Biden's Climate Pledge: Aspirations Versus Policies — OpEd. eurasiareview.com With regard to climate policy, the main problem with President Biden's declaration is that he has suggested no actua…

Nick Rabb (2021-04-28). Better for Whom? Biden's Test for the Climate Movement. zcomm.org Unequal power structures, just one of many intersectional causes, are contributing just as much as emissions…

Lisa Schulte Moore (2021-04-28). Climate-friendly farming strategies can improve the land and generate income for farmers. nationofchange.org With concerted efforts and investments, they could be expanded to achieve a pace and scale that will help address climate change.

commondreams (2021-04-28). API Sued (Again) for Deceiving Public About Climate Change. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-04-28). Biden 'Has Not Yet Done Enough' on Climate Emergency in First 100 Days, Campaigners Say. commondreams.org "Biden has taken bolder steps to tackle the climate crisis than any president in history. Still, he has not yet done enough." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-13140300191.jpg

Save California Salmon (2021-04-28). California Tribal Members and Fishermen Call on Newsom to Provide Water for Salmon. indybay.org State of the Salmon address planned for April 28th, Day of Action May 4th | Sacramento, California – California Tribes, fishermen, and environmental groups are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to direct state agencies to take action to stop fish kills of California salmon runs that are nearing extinction and to protect water quality. Salmon and good water quality are key to the health of California's Native people, economy and drinking water supplies. Without immediate action to scale down agricultural water deliveries and protect rivers and reservoir's water supplies the State will be complicit in causing fish k…

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). Alarm over Fukushima water mounts. ecns.cn A decision by Japan to dump contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea is generating growing anger in Southeast Asia.

teleSUR (2021-04-28). China Urges Japan To Revoke Nuclear Wastewater Decision. telesurenglish.net China's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday urged Japan to revoke and apologize for its wrong decision to dump contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. | RELATED: | He made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked whether or not to delete his related tweet, in consideration of protests from the Japanese side. On Monday, Zhao tweeted an image by…

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). China urges full disclosure on Japan's nuclear wastewater dumping. ecns.cn China has urged timely and comprehensive disclosure of relevant information, before Japan takes action to dump nuclear wastewater into the ocean, to dispel stakeholders and the international community's concerns.

ecns.cn (2021-04-28). China urges Japan to revoke wastewater dump decision and apologize. ecns.cn China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday called on the Japanese government to revoke its decision to dump nuclear polluted water into the ocean and apologize, in response to a question regarding a tweet he posted on Monday.

Eurasia Review (2021-04-28). Persuading Consumers To Go Green. eurasiareview.com Shopping habits and escalating consumption of many consumers are inflicting a heavy environmental toll, and while the majority of customers seem hesitant to act "green" on their own, companies are increasingly expected to implement effective eco-friendly tactics. But efforts to increase towel reuse at hotels, paperless adoption in the banking industry or "ugly" food consumption at grocery stores have been challenging. | As a result, millions of tons of cosmetically imperfect produce are wasted every year in the United States while about one billion trees worth of paper are thrown away. Electricity consumption…

Moderator (2021-04-28). Standing with Women Water Protectors. scheerpost.com From left Tara Houska, Jane Fonda and Winona LaDuke speak at a press conference in Menahga, Minnesota. [Courtesy of Barbara Williams] By Barbara Williams / AlterNet The word "Minnesota" derives from one of two Dakota words, either Mni Sóta meaning clear blue water or Mnissota meaning cloudy water. Just one letter can change the entire meaning. Just one oil spill could ruin the entire ecosystem. |

_____ (2021-04-28). Race, Poverty, Farming And A Natural Gas Pipeline. popularresistance.org Five years ago, the mayor of Hopkins Park, a Black, rural community in Kankakee County, Illinois, argued for building an immigration detention center there to boost the economy. The people who lived there said: No, thanks. | Mayor Mark Hodge now has another idea for new development in his town and the surrounding, historic farming community of Pembroke Township, south of Chicago. He's backing a proposal for a pipeline, built by the utility Nicor, that would run through the area and, he hopes, bring with it natural gas and a boost to taxes and the local economy. And again, some residents are not pleased. | "People…

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