(2019-11-03). Australian Prime Minister Pledges to Outlaw Climate Boycotts. truthout.org Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison attacked environmental activists in a speech Friday, warning of a "new breed of radical activism" that was "apocalyptic in tone" and pledging to outlaw boycott campaigns that he argued could hurt the country's mining industry. | "We are working to identify mechanisms that can successfully outlaw these indulgent and selfish practices that threaten the livelihoods of fellow Australians, especially in rural and regional areas," Morrison said. "New threats to the future o…
(2019-11-03). Oil Companies Must Cut Production by 35% to Meet Paris Climate Accord. truthdig.com The news in a new report is met with a sense of urgency from activists, who say fossil fuel companies need to make a choice.
(2019-11-03). As CA expands oil drilling, Trump plans to frack on 1.2 million acres of federal lands. indybay.org Opponents of the Trump fracking expansion plan disagreed that promoting fracking and oil drilling on federal lands was "responsible energy development." In response to release of the EIS, Food & Water Action Senior Central Coast Organizer Ana Rosa Rizo-Centino called expanding fracking and drilling "the epitome of irresponsibility." | "At a time when the climate crisis demands that California move away from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy, it is the epitome of irresponsibility to expand fracking and drilling in our state. The climate-charged wildfires raging throughout California and the loss of life and…
(2019-11-03). Labour may scrap Heathrow airport expansion to tackle climate crisis — McDonnell. thecanary.co John McDonnell has said the Heathrow airport expansion could be scrapped under Labour's plans to tackle the climate crisis. | The shadow chancellor said the controversial plans for a third runway may be blocked if the party wins the general election as part of its efforts to make the nation carbon-neutral by 2030. | On Sunday, he told the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show: "We set ourselves criteria, one of which was environmental impact, the other was also economic impact and social impact. | "On the current criteria, we've said very clearly, Heathrow expansion doesn't qualify." | Pressed if Labour would cancel the ext…
(2019-11-03). Far more needed to 'confront the world's climate emergency', UN chief tells ASEAN Summit. un.org Four of the ten countries most affected by climate change are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday, urging the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok to "confront the world's climate emergency".
(2019-11-03). A Useful New Life for Waste Plastic. truthdig.com Swedish scientists say they have found a way to recycle plastic perfectly: their new process can turn any waste plastic back into new plastic of identical quality — and recover all of it. | The process can convert thrown-away plastic bottles, cups, bags, buckets and other detritus into a gas and, from that, fashion new materials. That is, complete recycling would be possible from existing, no-longer-wanted materials rather than petrochemical feedstock. | In 2015, the world generated more than 320 million tonnes of polystyrene,…
(2019-11-03). Outrage After Nancy Pelosi Says she is "Not a Big Fan of Medicare for All" indybay.org Alex Lawson of Social Security Works responded to Pelosi's statement saying, "Medicare for All doesn't cost money. It saves money by eliminating the for-profit waste in the insurance system and ending the rip-off of paying the highest drug prices in the world." Other progressives reacted negatively as well. Pelosi represents the 12th congressional district which is entirely within the city of San Francisco. | [Photo by Jack Owicki, Pro Bono Photo, Please credit the photographer]…
(2019-11-03). Trump Plans to Open 1 Million More Acres of California Public Land to Drilling, Fracking. indybay.org BAKERSFIELD, Calif., October 31, 2019 — The Trump administration today announced a proposal to open more than 1 million acres of public lands and minerals in central California to oil drilling and fracking. The plan, first floated in draft form in April, would end a more than five-year moratorium on leasing federal public land in the state to oil companies.
(2019-11-03). Doctors criticise Boris Johnson over looming NHS winter crisis ahead of election. thecanary.co Doctors have accused Boris Johnson of only recognising an "unprecedented" NHS crisis coming this winter because of fears it will hamper the Tories' chances in the General Election. | The British Medical Association criticised ministers over the state of the health service as the Observer reported growing concerns in the government ahead of the December 12 poll. | The criticism came as the prime minister faced calls to permanently ban fracking after performing a major U-turn to suspend the controversial process over earthquake concerns. | Responding to news that the Prime Minister is taking urgent steps to head of…
(2019-11-03). Boris Johnson forced to apologise for failing 'do-or-die' Brexit promise. thecanary.co Boris Johnson has apologised to the Tory members who elected him leader for failing on his "do-or-die" promise to implement Brexit by Halloween. | The prime minister said he feels "deep regret" over missing the former deadline, which he was compelled to extend to the end of January. | With the EU departure the overwhelming focal point of the election campaign, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage ruled out making an eighth bid to become an MP in the December 12 vote. | Meanwhile, the main political parties clashed over policies on the climate crisis, the welfare state and the EU. | So adamant was the PM that he would…
(2019-11-02). Banks and hedge funds 'financing climate change' to be targetted by Labour. thecanary.co 
The Labour Party is developing plans to "go after" banks and hedge funds "financing climate change".While the Conservatives have a legally binding target to achieve a zero carbon economy by 2050, shadow chancellor John McDonnell wants the goal reached by the 2030s using financial levers.Mr McDonnell revealed his approach ahead of the publication of the Finance and Climate Change report, authored by a group including academics and experts as well as former head of the civil service, Bob Kerslake.The report recommends banks and hedge funds "should be forced to publish the climate-related risks associated with their…
(2019-11-02). Calls to ban fracking permanently after Government 'moratorium'. thecanary.co 
The Government is facing growing calls to make its fracking ban permanent, as Labour raised concerns the major U-turn could be an election ploy.Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom made it clear on Saturday that the "moratorium" imposed after a damning report was only in place "until the science changes".The move in the run-up to the December 12 election came after research from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) raised concerns over the ability to predict fracking-linked earthquakes.Jeremy Corbyn speaks to anti-fracking protesters outside the gate at the Preston New Road shale gas exploration site in Lancashire (Peter…
(2019-11-02). Coal addiction 'must be overcome' to ease climate change, UN chief says in Bangkok. un.org In Thailand for the ASEAN Summit, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited a climate mitigation project in Bangkok's new Centenary Park on Saturday where he told journalists that "coal addiction must be overcome".
(2019-11-02). Australian PM Morrison Pledges to Outlaw Climate Boycotts. commondreams.org "A new breed of radical activism is on the march. Apocalyptic in tone," said Morrison, an evangelical Christian and a very vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/morrison-trump-955px_0.jpg …
(2019-11-02). Israel to establish waste-to-energy plant in settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, unlawfully exploiting Palestinian territory for its own needs. imemc.org The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights In The Occupied Territories (B'Tselem): Israel to establish waste-to-energy plant in settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, unlawfully exploiting Palestinian territory for its own needs In October 2019, the Israeli government issued a tender for the establishment of its first waste-to-energy plant, at an estimated …
(2019-11-02). U.K. Temporarily Halts Fracking in What Critics See as 'Election Stunt'. truthdig.com The government's move is criticized as a ploy to get votes ahead of the Dec. 12 national election by opponents who want a permanent ban.
(2019-11-02). Monsanto wins $7.7b lawsuit in Brazil — but farmers' fight to stop its 'amoral' royalty system will continue. nationofchange.org Monsanto has long had the upper hand over the farmers who use its products. But the momentum may be shifting.
(2019-11-01). Rutgers softball coaches face accusations of abuse, intimidation. peoplesworld.org 
(AP)—Two Rutgers softball coaches, a husband and wife, have been accused of fostering a climate of fear, intimidation and abuse on the team. The university president said Thursday he wants an independent investigation of allegations made against softball head coach Kristen Butler and her husband, Marcus Smith, a volunteer assistant. Smith has since left the …
(2019-11-01). Headlines for November 1, 2019. democracynow.org House Votes to Formalize Impeachment Inquiry Into President Trump , Trump Will Avoid State Income Taxes After Declaring Florida Residency, CIA-Backed Afghan Forces Commit Atrocities, Says Human Rights Watch, Iraqi Prime Minister Offers to Resign Amid Anti-Government Protests, Thousands March in Argentina Against IMF-Imposed Austerity, Spain to Replace Chile as Host of COP25 U.N. Climate Conference, Rex Tillerson Denies Exxon Misled Investors Over Climate Risks, Greta Thunberg Turns Down Environment Prize for Her Climate Activism, New California Wildfire Burns Homes in San Bernardino, Keystone Pipeline Spill in No…
(2019-11-01). How police attacked peaceful protesters to protect climate criminals. greenleft.org.au 
environment civil liberties Zane AlcornIssue 1243 Australia MelbourneNovember 1, 2019I attended the peaceful blockade of the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) and witnessed how Vi…
(2019-11-01). Oil Companies Must Cut Production by 35% to Meet Paris Climate Accord Numbers by 2040: Report. commondreams.org "As oil and gas majors keep one foot a decarbonizing world and one foot in business as usual, this report shows how that position is untenable for much longer." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/california_fossil_fuels_0_0.png …
(2019-10-31). Chile Bailed on the UN Climate Talks. Here's Why It Matters. thenation.com 
Chile's failure to fulfill its commitment is yet another sign that our future is in the hands of people we cannot trust.
(2019-10-31). Climate experts pledge to scale up high-altitude fight against mountain melt. un.org The UN's weather watchdog and partners committed on Thursday to a new initiative to ramp up observation and prediction technology that will help address the challenges of climate change, melting snow and ice, and water-related hazards.
(2019-10-31). As California Burns Again, Rep. Ro Khanna Calls for PG&E to Become Publicly Owned Utility. democracynow.org 
Extreme winds of up to 60 miles per hour caused new fires to erupt across southern California Wednesday, prompting tens of thousands to evacuate. The blazes are just the latest in a spate of climate change-fueled fires threatening the state. In Northern California, firefighters have finally beat back the Sonoma County Kincade Fire that had forced nearly 200,000 people to flee their homes over the weekend. Nearly all evacuees in the region have now been allowed to return to their homes and the utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric said Wednesday it would begin restoring power to the 365,000 customers who were plung…
(2019-10-31). As Rich Hire Private Firefighters, Housekeepers Go to Work in Fire Zone & Prisoners Fight CA Blazes. democracynow.org 
As climate-fueled fires rage across California, we look at how the blazes are disproportionately affecting some of the state's most vulnerable communities. As a growing number of wealthy homeowners hire private firefighters to protect their properties for up to $3,000 per day, domestic workers and gardeners who tend to some of the most opulent homes in Los Angeles attended work despite the Getty Fire evacuation order earlier this week. Many of their employers failed to even tell them not to come in. Meanwhile, of the more than 4,000 firefighters currently working across the state, at least 700 are California pris…
(2019-10-31). New Study: 300 Million Face Severe Risk of Climate-Fueled Coastal Flooding by 2050. democracynow.org 
As a shocking new report finds that many coastal cities will be flooded by rising sea levels by 2050, Chile's President Sebastián Piñera announced Wednesday that the U.N. Climate Summit in Santiago has been canceled. Anti-inequality protests have entered their third week in the country with protesters calling for the Piñera government to resign. The U.N. said it is now looking for an alternative venue for the annual climate meetings. Meanwhile, a dire new report has warned 300 million people are at risk from rising sea levels, with the most vulnerable populations concentrated in the Global South. According to the…
(2019-10-31). Headlines for October 31, 2019. democracynow.org Tens of Thousands Evacuate as New Blazes Erupt in Fire-Ravaged California, Chile Calls Off U.N. Climate Talks Amid Massive Protests Against Inequality, Protesters Confront JPMorgan Chase CEO Over Fossil Fuel Investments, Youth Climate Activists Stage Sit-In at House Speaker Pelosi's Office, Keystone Pipeline Breach Spills Oil in North Dakota, House Readies Vote to Formalize Impeachment Process, Top Immigration Official Grilled Over Move to Deport Critically Ill Immigrants, "Not Qualified" Rating from Bar Association Draws Tears from Judicial Nominee, India to Split Jammu and Kashmir Into Two Territories Controlle…
(2019-10-31). Are belching cows really driving climate change? greenleft.org.au 
Climate Agriculture Alan BroughtonIssue 1243 AustraliaOctober 31, 2019All three major greenhouse gases are influenced by farming practices. | Farming's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions has centred on methane produced by ruminant animals: cattle, sheep, goats. This…
(2019-10-31). XR: A Socialist perspective. mronline.org 
With Extinction Rebellion growing rapidly across the world in the fight against climate change, John Molyneux gives his perspective on how socialists should respond to this phenomenon. | Source
(2019-10-31). From Climate Denial to "Green" Petroleum: Massachusetts Accuses Exxon Mobil of Deceptive Messaging. theintercept.com 
Exxon Mobil's relationship with the New York Times is a case study in how the fossil fuel industry's climate denialism has evolved over the past 20 years. Beginning in the 1970s, Exxon Mobil published an "advertorial" every Thursday on the New York Times editorial page. The quarter-page, essay-style ads were designed to mimic a Times op-ed. Starting in the 1980s, doubt about the seriousness of human-driven climate change was a repeated theme. The ads came with titles including "Apocalypse no," "Reset the alarm," "Less heat, more light on climate change," and "Climate change: a degree of uncertainty." | According…
(2019-10-30). Wednesday's Daily Brief: Iraq protests, 'historic' Syria talks, Chile pulls out of COP25, Guinea-Bissau, South Sudan, new nuclear watchdog chief. un.org A recap of Wednesday's stories: new Syria talks begin in Geneva; Chile pulls out as host of major climate conference; UN calls for national talks to break cycle of violence in Iraq; UN chief voices 'serious concern' over Guinea-Bissau political crisis; IOM suspends South Sudan Ebola screening; UN atomic watchdog appoints new leader.
(2019-10-30). Bruce Shillingsworth: 'Why are we selling water to make profit?'. greenleft.org.au 
corporate greed Bruce ShillingsworthIssue 1243 Australia Water for the Rivers climate emergency SydneyOctober 30, 2019Mur…
(2019-10-30). Albanese's jobs-and-climate doublespeak. greenleft.org.au 
economy Climate Pip HinmanIssue 1243 Australia Anthony AlbaneseOctober 30, 2019Labor's policy silence after its May election defeat has officially been broken with party leader Anthony Albanese's October 29 vi…
(2019-10-29). Flying above the clouds: the U.S. military and climate change. mronline.org 
Climate change is occurring, highlighted by dramatically shifting weather patterns and ever more deadly storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires. And the evidence is overwhelming that it is driven by the steady increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide and methane, produced by our fossil fuel-based economic system. | Source
(2019-10-29). "In terms of the coral reefs and all the dangers to the ecosystems, Mauritius is one of the countries most at risk" mronline.org 
While environmentalist Greta Thunburg was at the UN, John Bellamy Foster, environmental sociologist and editor of the Monthly Review, was in Mauritius to discuss climate change. Weekly had an opportunity to talk with him. | Source
(2019-10-29). Extinction Rebellion: We need to talk about the future. mronline.org 
This is a love letter to Extinction Rebellion. | Source
(2019-10-29). UN summit tackles climate change-induced threat to mountain water supplies. un.org The world's mountain and glacier regions are facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change, imposing a crippling effect on the people and economies that rely on them, the UN's weather agency explained on Tuesday, ahead of a summit to address the world's rapidly-changing water systems.
(2019-10-29). Fueled by Climate Change, California's Raging Wildfires Are Threatening Vulnerable Communities First. democracynow.org 
California is bracing for a day of strong winds as climate change-fueled wildfires continue to burn from Los Angeles to north of the Bay Area. After a chaotic weekend of mass evacuations and blackouts that left millions in the dark, firefighters in Sonoma, California, made headway Monday, containing 15% of the massive Kincade fire that has burned nearly 75,000 acres. But as high winds pick up again today, firefighters still face an uphill battle in combating the at least 10 blazes raging across the state, including the growing Getty fire, which erupted in one of Los Angeles's most opulent communities Monday. Fire…
(2019-10-28). Deep-sea mining threatens ocean, global climate. liberationnews.org 
There is a new race for resources: the ocean floor. Seabed exploration, a precursor to mining, is underway in remote parts of the Pacific Ocean as corporations and nation-states attempt to catalog the underwater resources.
(2019-10-25). Jane Fonda: Put Oil and Gas Executives on Trial. therealnews.com 
Before she got arrested at her weekly #FireDrillFriday demonstration, Jane Fonda told TRNN's Dharna Noor that she tried to get Netflix to give her a yearlong hiatus from Grace and Frankie to continue protesting climate inaction.
(2019-10-25). Human Actions Fueling California's Devastating Wildfires. therealnews.com 
Tens of thousands have been forced to flee wildfires across the state of California. Human actions, including climate change, are responsible, argues Professor Matthew Hurteau.