Monthly Archives: May 2021

2021-05-04: News Headlines

Editorial Team (2021-05-04). On the dust: the battle for Thurrock. challenge-magazine.org Over a year into the Covid-19 crisis, which saw the public clap for those still on the frontline, Thurrock council have seen fit to slash the terms and conditions of its local refuse workers. | At 4am, those 'on the dust' get themselves out of bed and head off into the dark streets to collect and dispose of household waste, with no pause or break during the devastating pandemic. Thurrock's refuse workers provide more than just the job description, forming a vital conduit for their communities as they move house-to-house, checking in on elderly and vulnerable residents, and often receiving a few sweets in retur…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2021-05-04). Highlighting Need for World Leaders to Go Into 'Emergency Mode,' Analysis Finds Earth on Track for 2.4ÀöC of Warming. commondreams.org "Our warming estimate from current policies is 2.9ÀöC, still nearly twice what it should be, and governments must urgently step up their action," said Climate Analytics' Bill Hare. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/climate-action-tracker-projection-2.4-degrees-warming.jpg

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2021-05-04). US Climate Envoy John Kerry Says 'We Just Have to End' Fossil Fuel Subsidies. commondreams.org Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said Tuesday that "we just have to end the subsides" for fossil fuels to tackle the climate emergency. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/kerry-end-fossil-fuelsubsidies.jpg

Susan Price (2021-05-04). Carbon dioxide levels now at highest level in 3.6 million years. greenleft.org.au Despite pandemic shutdowns, atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane levels surged last year, reports Climate and Capitalism.

WSWS (2021-05-04). Climate change impact on Gulf Stream will have severe consequences for weather in Europe and North America. wsws.org Modeling of the Gulf Stream's rate of flow, based on data from a variety of proxy indicators demonstrates a dramatic slowing beginning in the mid-20th century.

_____ (2021-05-04). Nuclear Climate Change: Washington Heats Things Up. strategic-culture.org We have been moved yet another step closer to planetary destruction, Brian Cloughley writes. | On April 29 Tom Engelhardt, a respected commentator on world affairs, published a

Lisa Schulte Moore (2021-05-04). Climate-friendly farming strategies. zcomm.org These techniques will improve the land and generate income for farmers…

_____ (2021-05-04). Courts Can No Longer Protect Companies Over Climate Flak. popularresistance.org United Kingdom – Last month, six people stood trial in Southwark Crown Court, charged with causing criminal damage to Shell's London headquarters on April 15, 2019. The trial received little coverage at the time: although all six pleaded not guilty, it appeared to be an open and shut case. That the building was damaged was not in doubt; nor was the identity of the perpetrators. | But then, surprisingly, all six Extinction Rebellion activists were acquitted. This verdict deserves attention as it raises big questions about how far the law can protect companies that do not take real action to deal with the climate e…

The Canary (2021-05-04). Countries' latest emissions targets will still lead to catastrophic climate change. thecanary.co New targets announced by countries to drive down greenhouse gas emissions are projected to curb global warming to 2.4C by 2100, analysis suggests. This is considerably higher than the 1.5C the world is supposedly aiming for to avert catastrophic climate change. | Not good enough: | An "optimistic scenario" in which countries deliver fully on their promises to cut emissions to net zero by around mid-century could limit warming to 2C, the assessment by Climate Action Tracker (CAT) said. But pledges made by countries to tackle pollution still leave the world well off track to meet the tougher limit of 1.5C u…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-05-04). 68 Nobel Laureates Demand DOJ Probe Into Chevron's Prosecution of Steven Donziger. commondreams.org "A nation that wants to lead on climate issues can't let multinational oil corporations pervert the democratic process and silence its critics," said 1997 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jody Williams. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/steven_donziger2.jpg

commondreams (2021-05-04). 98% of Shareholders Want GE to Take Climate Action. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2021-05-04). Export Credit Agencies and States Potentially at Risk of Climate Litigation Over Finance for Fossil Fuels. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Cynthia Kaufman (2021-05-04). The System Will Not Solve the Climate Crisis Without a Push: That's Where You Come in. commondreams.org "Those of us working for those changes know that we are working against an incredible headwind of the profit driven machine which continues to give decision making power to those who have bought that power." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/billgates_0.jpg

Pip Hinman (2021-05-04). May Day brings the fight for jobs and climate together. greenleft.org.au Sydney's May Day march highlighted the green ban imposed by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union on the demolition of a heritage-listed building in Parramatta. Pip Hinman reports.

sputniknews (2021-05-04). Rare Ice Age Mammoth Bone Found in Florida – Photo. sputniknews.com Aside from the mammoth bone, two paleontologists discovered parts of an extinct shark and the tooth of a sabre-tooth tiger that will be put on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

_____ (2021-05-04). Protests Grow In South Korea Over Japan's Fukushima Water Plan. popularresistance.org Seoul, South Korea – Lee Dong-ho, 73, has been fishing waters off South Korea's southern coast near Japan for 40 years and his eldest son is now taking over the family business, their lifeblood. | Lee farms snapper and yellowtail, mackerel and anchovy, and runs a drying and processing plant. | "We are surrounded on three sides by the sea," Lee, who lives in Dadae village on Geoje Island, told Al Jazeera. | South Korea has transformed its fishing industry over the past 30 years amid criticism of overfishing. Lee represents positive change as most of his business involves marine-fish farming — as opposed to o…

Timothy A. Wise (2021-05-04). Monsanto Challenges Mexico Glyphosate Ban: IATP Defends Mexico's Right to Regulate in the Public Interest. globalresearch.ca Since the Mexican government published its much-awaited presidential decree on New …

Stop The Money Pipeline (2021-05-04). Friday 5/7: #DefundLine3: Santa Cruz March to Stop The Oil Pipeline Now! indybay.org Meet at 180 Grant St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, then peaceful march from Grant Park to Chase Bank | Masks and Social Distancing Required; Peaceful protest…

Stop The Money Pipeline, partners (2021-05-04). Friday 5/7: San Francisco: #DefundLine3 Protest to Stop The Oil Pipeline. indybay.org E-trade Plaza (Market and Sansome), 532 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94104 | Masks and Social Distancing Required; Peaceful Action…

sputniknews (2021-05-04). Construction of Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline May Resume at End of May, German Regulator Says. sputniknews.com BERLIN (Sputnik) – The lawsuit filed by the German environmental charity Nabu against the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline halted the issuance of the work permit by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the press service of the regulator told Sputnik on Tuesday, adding that construction could be resumed in May.

Paul Driessen (2021-05-03). Materials Acquisition For Global Industrial Change (MAGIC) — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Biden relies on adherence to climate crisis creed and belief in MAGIC to transform USA, world : | Via executive orders, regulatory edicts and partisan Green New Deal legislation, President Biden intends to slash US carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 50% below their 2005 peak by 2030, and eliminate them (and fossil fuel use) by 2050. But as AOC's former chief of staff noted, the GND is not just about transforming America's energy system; it's about changing the entire economy. | This radical transformation is driven by three fundamental Articles of Faith, none of them based on reality.

Don Fitz (2021-05-03). What Would a Deep Green New Deal Look Like? counterpunch.org The Green New Deal has attracted perhaps the greatest attention of any proposal for decades. It would guarantee Medicare-for-All, Housing-for-All, student loan forgiveness and propose the largest economic growth in human history to address unemployment and climate change. But the last of these hits a stumbling block.

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Blinken and Raab Hold Q&A Session as Day 1 of G7 Ministerial Meeting Wraps Up. sputniknews.com The foreign ministers of the G7 arrived in London this week for a three-day in-person gathering to discuss a wide range of issues, including COVID-19 and economic recovery, the climate crisis, China, and Russia.

Eurasia Review (2021-05-03). College Athletes In Supportive Programs Coping Better With Pandemic. eurasiareview.com Like much of society, college athletics were thrown into disarray by the COVID-19 pandemic. While student athletes were suddenly prevented from competing, training or seeing as much of their teammates and coaches, those who perceived they were part of a positive sporting environment also coped better during the early days of the crisis, a new study from the University of Kansas has found. | KU researchers have long studied a caring, task-involved sporting climate, in which young athletes receive support and recognition for their efforts, while mistakes are treated as learning opportunities. But the pandemic pr…

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Norwegian Psychologist to Greta Thunberg: Focus on Solutions, Not 'Doomsday' Predictions. sputniknews.com According to Norwegian psychologist and Greens politician Per Espen Stoknes, the story of climate change must be 75 percent focused on solutions and 25 percent on threats, in order to successfully pass the so-caled "doomsday barrier" and be properly absorbed by the public.

Staff (2021-05-03). Ted Cruz, Mike Lee Are Only Two No Votes on Bipartisan Drinking Water Bill. truthout.org The Senate passed a bipartisan bill to provide $35 billion to fund water infrastructure in states and on tribal lands on Thursday. The legislation, which sets aside funding for underserved communities, now goes to the House for consideration. | The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA)

Timothy A. Wise (2021-05-03). Bayer Goes After Mexico for Glyphosate Ban. commondreams.org The giants of agribusiness will stop at nothing to keep the world's farmers dependent on their toxic products. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/mexico_bayer_gmo.png

_____ (2021-05-03). Drivers Forced To Drive Around Extinction Rebellion Protesters. popularresistance.org Swansea, Wales – Extinction Rebellion protesters across Swansea stopped traffic across the city after staging a sit down protest on busy roads. | The 30 minute protest, took place on Swansea's High Street, Gower Road in Upper Killay and Sketty Road in Uplands on Saturday morning. | Video footage from Upper Killay shows a protester peacefully sitting in the road wearing a sign that read: "I'm terrified that there is nothing to live for because of the climate crisis". | The protest led to queues of traffic forcing cars to drive around the protester. | In the video, one business owner can be heard asking the man to…

RobertAlvarez (2021-05-03). Oil Exploration in Namibia Has Conservationists and Locals Concerned. ips-dc.org A Canadian oil firm called ReconAfrica has just obtained the rights to explore what it believes is a giant oil field. The area in question encompasses 13,000 square miles in Namibia and bordering Botswana. | The issue is complex, and raises critical questions about global climate change, environmental degradation as a result of oil drilling, and the development of the Namibian economy. | Emira Woods, IPS associate fellow and senior advisor with the Shine Campaign, joined CNN's One World with Zain Asher to discuss the implications of this new oil drilling project. |

Saskia Hostetler Lippy (2021-05-03). A City Wrestles. zcomm.org In a world that is upside down with climate change, income inequality, social injustice, and massive amounts of denial, I understand your frustration. I share it…

Sharon Zhang (2021-05-03). Progressives Introduce Climate Bill That Rivals Biden Infrastructure Plan. zcomm.org Progressives introduced a $10 trillion climate and jobs bill that would reduce emissions, rebuild infrastructure and address environmental justice over the next decade…

Susan Price (2021-05-03). United States: Biden's 'bullshit' climate promises. greenleft.org.au United States President Joe Biden has no proposals for the fossil fuel industries to cut their carbon emissions or a firm timetable for a switch to renewables, writes Barry Sheppard.

commondreams (2021-05-03). EPA's Swift Move on HFCs to Deliver Huge Health and Climate Benefits. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-05-03). In 'Critical and Totally Doable First Step,' EPA Proposes Phasedown of Climate Super-Pollutants. commondreams.org "Replacing HFCs is a critical and totally doable first step to head off the worst of the climate crisis, and we have safer alternatives ready to go that will save industry money in the bargain." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11996482811.jpg

Daniel Henryk Rasolt (2021-05-03). Páramos at risk: The interconnected threats to a biodiversity hotspot. nationofchange.org The pressures of climate change and human land use could lead to the disappearance of unique biodiversity and vital ecological services.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-05-03). Green Groups Sue Army Corps of Engineers Over Nationwide Pipeline Permit. commondreams.org Five environmental groups on Monday sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for allegedly violating federal laws by issuing a nationwide pipeline permit without adequate impact analysis. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/dapl_0.jpg

Eurasia Review (2021-05-03). Poorer Communities Hardest Hit By Toxic Pollution Incidents. eurasiareview.com Toxic pollution hits poorer populations hardest as firms experience more pollutant releases and spend less money on waste management in areas with lower average incomes. | Research from Lancaster University Management School and Texas Tech University, published in European Economic Review looked into the relationship between the location choices of potentially polluting firms and levels of local income to discover if firms made strategic decisions on site locations based on population demographics. | The team studied potentially polluting firms across Texas, and found a correlation between lower income locatio…

Eurasia Review (2021-05-03). Plastic Pollution In The Deep Sea: A Geological Perspective. eurasiareview.com A new focus article in the May issue of Geology summarizes research on plastic waste in marine and sedimentary environments. Authors I.A. Kane of the Univ. of Manchester and A. Fildani of the Deep Time Institute write that "Environmental pollution caused by uncontrolled human activity is occurring on a vast and unprecedented scale around the globe. Of the diverse forms of anthropogenic pollution, the release of plastic into nature, and particularly the oceans, is one of the most recent and visible effects." | The authors cite multiple studies, including one in the May issue by Guangfa Zhong and Xiaotong Peng,…

_____ (2021-05-03). Women Run 415 Miles To Protest The Mountain Valley Pipeline. popularresistance.org Bent Mountain, VA – The Mountain Valley Pipeline protest community came together Sunday at the Bent Mountain Center to thank and commend three women who are running and cycling alongside the MVP construction path. | MVP protesters held a feast to celebrate the women who are running and cycling 415 miles from West Virginia to Virginia, paralleling the pipeline. | "We're all runners, so to be able to take something that we enjoy to be able to raise awareness to the issues that are happening, it's important to us," MVP protest runner Katie Thompson said. | Sarah Hodder, Merecedes Walters and Thompson started their 1…

2021-05-05 05:47 | 01:47 EST | 39 | 0 | 19 | 20 | 0

2021-05-03: News Headlines

Don Fitz (2021-05-03). What Would a Deep Green New Deal Look Like? counterpunch.org The Green New Deal has attracted perhaps the greatest attention of any proposal for decades. It would guarantee Medicare-for-All, Housing-for-All, student loan forgiveness and propose the largest economic growth in human history to address unemployment and climate change. But the last of these hits a stumbling block.

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Norwegian Psychologist to Greta Thunberg: Focus on Solutions, Not 'Doomsday' Predictions. sputniknews.com According to Norwegian psychologist and Greens politician Per Espen Stoknes, the story of climate change must be 75 percent focused on solutions and 25 percent on threats, in order to successfully pass the so-caled "doomsday barrier" and be properly absorbed by the public.

Eurasia Review (2021-05-03). College Athletes In Supportive Programs Coping Better With Pandemic. eurasiareview.com Like much of society, college athletics were thrown into disarray by the COVID-19 pandemic. While student athletes were suddenly prevented from competing, training or seeing as much of their teammates and coaches, those who perceived they were part of a positive sporting environment also coped better during the early days of the crisis, a new study from the University of Kansas has found. | KU researchers have long studied a caring, task-involved sporting climate, in which young athletes receive support and recognition for their efforts, while mistakes are treated as learning opportunities. But the pandemic pr…

Paul Driessen (2021-05-03). Materials Acquisition For Global Industrial Change (MAGIC) — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Biden relies on adherence to climate crisis creed and belief in MAGIC to transform USA, world : | Via executive orders, regulatory edicts and partisan Green New Deal legislation, President Biden intends to slash US carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 50% below their 2005 peak by 2030, and eliminate them (and fossil fuel use) by 2050. But as AOC's former chief of staff noted, the GND is not just about transforming America's energy system; it's about changing the entire economy. | This radical transformation is driven by three fundamental Articles of Faith, none of them based on reality.

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Blinken and Raab Hold Q&A Session as Day 1 of G7 Ministerial Meeting Wraps Up. sputniknews.com The foreign ministers of the G7 arrived in London this week for a three-day in-person gathering to discuss a wide range of issues, including COVID-19 and economic recovery, the climate crisis, China, and Russia.

Daniel Henryk Rasolt (2021-05-03). Páramos at risk: The interconnected threats to a biodiversity hotspot. nationofchange.org The pressures of climate change and human land use could lead to the disappearance of unique biodiversity and vital ecological services.

Susan Price (2021-05-03). United States: Biden's 'bullshit' climate promises. greenleft.org.au United States President Joe Biden has no proposals for the fossil fuel industries to cut their carbon emissions or a firm timetable for a switch to renewables, writes Barry Sheppard.

Saskia Hostetler Lippy (2021-05-03). A City Wrestles. zcomm.org In a world that is upside down with climate change, income inequality, social injustice, and massive amounts of denial, I understand your frustration. I share it…

Sharon Zhang (2021-05-03). Progressives Introduce Climate Bill That Rivals Biden Infrastructure Plan. zcomm.org Progressives introduced a $10 trillion climate and jobs bill that would reduce emissions, rebuild infrastructure and address environmental justice over the next decade…

Eurasia Review (2021-05-03). Poorer Communities Hardest Hit By Toxic Pollution Incidents. eurasiareview.com Toxic pollution hits poorer populations hardest as firms experience more pollutant releases and spend less money on waste management in areas with lower average incomes. | Research from Lancaster University Management School and Texas Tech University, published in European Economic Review looked into the relationship between the location choices of potentially polluting firms and levels of local income to discover if firms made strategic decisions on site locations based on population demographics. | The team studied potentially polluting firms across Texas, and found a correlation between lower income locatio…

Eurasia Review (2021-05-03). Plastic Pollution In The Deep Sea: A Geological Perspective. eurasiareview.com A new focus article in the May issue of Geology summarizes research on plastic waste in marine and sedimentary environments. Authors I.A. Kane of the Univ. of Manchester and A. Fildani of the Deep Time Institute write that "Environmental pollution caused by uncontrolled human activity is occurring on a vast and unprecedented scale around the globe. Of the diverse forms of anthropogenic pollution, the release of plastic into nature, and particularly the oceans, is one of the most recent and visible effects." | The authors cite multiple studies, including one in the May issue by Guangfa Zhong and Xiaotong Peng,…

The Conversation (2021-05-02). Watching a coral reef die as climate change devastates one of the most pristine tropical island areas on Earth. juancole.com By Sam Purkis | — The Chagos Archipelago is one of the most remote, seemingly idyllic places on Earth. Coconut-covered sandy beaches with incredible bird life rim tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, hundreds of miles from any continent. Just below the waves, coral reefs stretch for miles along an underwater mountain chain. It's a …

Don Fitz (2021-05-02). What Would a Deep Green New Deal Look Like? dissidentvoice.org The Green New Deal has attracted perhaps the greatest attention of any proposal for decades. It would guarantee Medicare-for-All, Housing-for-All, student loan forgiveness and propose the largest economic growth in human history to address unemployment and climate change. But the last of these hits a stumbling block. Creation of all forms of energy contributes to the …

Stan Cox (2021-05-02). Biden's Climate Proposals: Tiptoeing Across the Starting Line. counterpunch.org President Joe Biden announced on Earth Day that under the Paris climate agreement, the United States will pledge a 50-percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030. He also reiterated his intention to "set a course" toward "net zero emissions economy-wide" by 2050. This was a welcome change from life under the previous president, who had

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2021-05-02). America, China, and the Climate Dinosaur. counterpunch.org Climate warnings With the exception of fossil fuel beneficiaries, most of the leaders of the world are taking climate change, if not seriously, at least under advisement. They observe the effects of higher temperatures, increasing destructive forest fires, rising sea water levels, thunderstorms, and more difficulties in raising food and catching fish. The UN Panel on

_____ (2021-05-02). What Would A Deep Green New Deal Look Like? popularresistance.org The Green New Deal has attracted perhaps the greatest attention of any proposal for decades. It would guarantee Medicare-for-All, Housing-for-All, student loan forgiveness and propose the largest economic growth in human history to address unemployment and climate change. | But the last of these hits a stumbling block. Creation of all forms of energy contributes to the destruction of nature and human life. It is possible to increase the global quality of life at the same time as we reduce the use of fossil fuels and other sources of energy. Therefore, a "deep" GND would focus on energy reduction, otherwise known…

Clean Energy Wire (2021-05-02). In Historic Ruling, German High Court slaps down Gov't Climate Plan, Orders Accelerated Action against CO2. juancole.com By Sà∂ren Amelang Kerstine Appunn Charlotte Nijhuis and Julian Wettengel | — ( Clean Energy Wire) — Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that the government has to have a more detailled plan how to reduce emissions as of 2030 to not put the largest burden on today's young people. Photo: FfF. In an unexpected …

Ben Manski (2021-05-02). Earth Day to May Day Point to a New America. zcomm.org Working class organizations and activists in North America increasingly are leading the transition to a climate-safe economy…

Sharon Zhang (2021-05-02). Progressives Introduce Climate Bill That Rivals Biden Infrastructure Plan. zcomm.org Progressives introduced a $10 trillion climate and jobs bill that would reduce emissions, rebuild infrastructure and address environmental justice over the next decade…

Jane Marsh (2021-05-02). What impact will the Climate Union Jobs Act have on the renewable energy industry? nationofchange.org As renewable energy jobs unionize, we can expect to see an increase in the size of green power companies.

Steve Topple (2021-05-02). The government is back in court over the climate crisis. thecanary.co Three young people are taking legal action against the UK government over its failure to act to prevent the climate crisis. As the government has disputed the three claimants' accusations, the court has beckoned for all parties. |

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2021-05-02). America, China, and the Climate Dinosaur. counterpunch.org Climate warnings With the exception of fossil fuel beneficiaries, most of the leaders of the world are taking climate change, if not seriously, at least under advisement. They observe the effects of higher temperatures, increasing destructive forest fires, rising sea water levels, thunderstorms, and more difficulties in raising food and catching fish. The UN Panel on

2021-05-04 00:32 | 20:32 EST | 22 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0