Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.- Ann McFeatters reminds us of the good a government can do when it dedicates itself to identifying and responding to urgent public needs. And Bill McKibben makes the case for an all-out mobilization aga…
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Accidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading.- Bill McKibben offers his take on the news that the entire northern hemisphere has reached two degrees Celsius above its normal temperature level, including the increased urgency it creates in reining in climate c…
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: 350.org Responds to TransCanada’s NAFTA Lawsuit over Keystone XL
TransCanada’s lawsuit against the US over President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline reminds us how many of our rights free trade agreements give away, says 350.org.
The post 350.org Responds to TransCanada’s NAFTA Lawsuit over Keystone…
A Different Point of View....: Climate controls ‘slip slidin’ away’ following weak Paris agreement
“World agrees to historic climate accord” The Toronto Star. “Nearly 200 countries agree to historic pact in Paris to reduce emissions and fight climate change” The Vancouver Sun. “Climate deal: World praises France’s diplomacy, showing it’s still a master of the art”The Winnipeg Free Press. With these headlines appearing in
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: Climate controls ‘slip slidin’ away’ following weak Paris agreement
to reduce emissions and fight climate change”
The Vancouver Sun.
The Winnipeg Free Press.
With these headlines appearing in newspapers across the country, Canadians must have been relieved that they don’t need to worry about climate change nearly as much now that everything has been worked out in Paris.
Unfortunately, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
The politicians meeting in Paris, faced with the possibility of total failure, were extremely excited to reach any kind of an agreement. As politicians will do, they convinced themselves and the compliant mainstream media that the accord all 195 countries signed was an amazing break through document.
The agreement is jam-packed with lofty language and idealistic goals. However, it is totally lacking in legally binding mechanism that will hold governments to emission limits that will stop global warming from reaching devastatingly high levels.
May & Klein have strongly different opinions
Even so, there are strong differences of opinion among environmental leaders concerning the value of the pact.
Green Party leader Elizabeth May is not concerned that the temperature goals in the agreement are not binding.
“It’s an historic and potentially life-saving agreement,” May writes in her blog. . . . . “it may save the lives of millions. It may lead to the survival of many small nations close to sea level. It may give our grandchildren a far more stable climate and thus a more prosperous and healthy society.”
Two of the world’s leading climate activists disagree strongly with May.
Responding to the cheering going on in the meeting room when the deal was signed, Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org commented: “All the serious people in there in suits are playing fantasy games.”
Activist and author Naomi Klein said the agreed upon targets are far too weak. “They don’t lead us to 1.5 degrees Celsius or 2 degrees. They lead us to warming of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, which is beyond catastrophic.”
This year global warming, compared to the pre-industrial age temperature, is expected to reach 1 degree Celsius. Scientists say that warming must be kept to 1.5 degrees if hundreds of islands are to be saved. If countries do not improve on the promises they made in Paris global warming could reach 3.5 degrees by 2100 or earlier.
In Paris, rich countries, instead of stepping forward and coming up with firm commitments to fight warming, abdicated their responsibility to powerful multi-national corporations.
Corporations were involved in just about every aspect of COP21, including helping to pay for the summit. Meanwhile, a few select non-governmental organizations were permitted only to look over the draft of the agreement at the end of each day. Organizers kept thousands of protestors away from the delegates.
Most of the actions that can come out of the agreement are left to the marketplace, and activities many will be carried out by the same corporations that have polluted the planet.
Incidentally, it was no surprise that none of the words “fossil fuels”, “oil” or “coal” appear in the agreement.
Carbon trading, which allow companies to make huge profits but that are slow to reduce emissions, are looked upon favourably. Because no action was taken against fracking, the practice, which produces highly damaging methane gas, will increase.
Financial institutions are already making large profits from financing many activities related to global warming. The most common funding is for clean energy solutions, underwriting green bonds and structuring catastrophe-linked securities to help clients manage climate change risks.
It is a bitter irony that the banks financed corporations as they destroyed our climate, and now they’ll provide the financing for many of the same companies to try to clean it up.
Rich North betrays developing nations
The lack of substantial outcomes from Paris for countries with the least ability to defend themselves from global warming has caused rifts that may not be overcome for years.
Helen Szoke, of Oxfam Australia, denounced the agreement as “a frayed lifeline to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.”
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific Region contribute just 0.3 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet residents of many islands have had to leave their homes, and dozens of islands will disappear under water if strong actions to slow emissions in the developed world are not taken.
There was a lot of fancy talk in Paris about transporting millions of tonnes of earth to restore the most threatened islands, but residents aren’t holding their breath.
The strongest condemnation of the Paris agreement came from Kumi Naidoo, the executive director of Greenpeace, one of the world’s most influential environmental groups.
It’s “climate apartheid,” says Naidoo.
“Most of the people in the countries that emitted the most carbon are white and most people in the countries who are paying first and the most are people of colour,” says Naidoo. “There is no doubt in my mind that subliminal racism is at play in these negotiations.”
Environmentalists must pick up the slack
So with governments failing to move ahead the cause of a cleaner environment in any meaningful way, what can be done to pick up the slack?
The world’s many climate change groups need to organize a huge lobby movement – one that can match the power of the fossil fuel industry. The tobacco industry was not brought under some control until it was banned from lobbying governments, and the same needs to happen with the fossil fuel industry.
Across the globe, NGOs, civil society and all kinds of organizations need to work together lobbying all levels of government. It seems they may be the only segments of society – for now at least – willing to fight for climate justice.
A Different Point of View....: Climate controls ‘slip slidin’ away’ following weak Paris agreement
“World agrees to historic climate accord” The Toronto Star.“Nearly 200 countries agree to historic pact in Paris to reduce emissions and fight climate change” The Vancouver Sun. “Climate deal: World praises France’s diplomacy,…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Jerry Dias sees the forced passage of an unamended Bill C-377 as a definitive answer in the negative to the question of whether the Senate will ever justify its own existence. And Nora Loreto emphasizes that the bill has no purpose other than
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: For Canada, a commitment to the environment and jobs is possible
Naomi Klein and environmental activists will call for a “long term sustainable strategy that leads to renewable energy” during the March for Jobs, Justice and the Climate in Toronto on July 5. The post For Canada, a commitment to the environment and jobs is possible appeared first on The Canadian
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: President Obama Threatens To Veto Congress’ Keystone XL Pipeline Bill
U.S. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto a Congressional bill that would force the approval of TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The post President Obama Threatens To Veto Congress’ Keystone XL Pipeline Bill appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingEarthgauge Radio: ‘Climate Change: Which way out?’ with Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben, Chris Hedges, Bernie Sanders, Kshama Sawant
From left: Chris Hedges, Naomi Klein, Brian Lehrer (moderator), Bill McKibben, Kshama Sawant I was fortunate to attend the largest climate change march in history on September 21, 2014 in New York City. It was an incredible experience to see roughly 400,000 in the streets demanding urgent action on
Continue reading350 or bust: Tune In To Spring of Sustainability, For Operating Instructions From Planet Earth
It’s April, and in some places in North America it is spring. Not outside my window this morning, though, where the snow is lightly falling for the second day in a row. However, snow or not, it’s time for the “Spring of Sustainability” series. S of S offers free daily
Continue readingEarthgauge Radio: EG Radio February 28 2013: ‘Forward on Climate’ special with Bill McKibben, Van Jones, Naomi Klein, Michael Brune and Jacquie Thomas
Download: earthgauge-podcast-feb28-2013-final.mp3 This week on Earthgauge, we hear speeches and interviews from the huge ‘Forward on Climate‘ rally in Washington D.C. on February 17. We have speeches by Van Jones of Rebuild the Dream, Bill McKibben of 350.org, Michael Brune, executive director of the U.S. Sierra Club, and Jacquie Thomas
Continue readingEarthgauge Radio: Tomorrow on EG Radio: our ‘Forward on Climate’ special show!
I attended the huge Forward on Climate rally in Washington D.C. last week and tomorrow I’ll be playing speeches from the rally by Van Jones of Rebuild the Dream, Bill McKibben of 350.org, Michael Brune, executive director of the U.S. Sierra Club, and Jacquie Thomas of the Saik’uz First Nation
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Keystone XL pipeline: Leaders in historical act of civil disobedience in front of White House
48 environmental, civil rights, and community leaders engage in historic act of civil disobedience to stop Keystone XL pipeline. Julian Bond, Bill McKibben, Michael Brune, and others arrested in front of White House in call for action on climate. By Sierra Club | Feb. 13, 2013: WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, 48 environmental,
Continue readingdrive-by planet: 350.org divest from fossil fuels campaign: 2013 – ‘year zero’
Top: Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein during nationwide ‘Do the Math’ tour Welcome to 2013 – “year zero” in the battle over climate change. After the environmental disasters that marked the passage of 2012 – massive Arctic melt-off, Superstorm Sandy, devastating droughts and wildfires – 2013 “year zero” is dawning
Continue readingearthgauge: Earthgauge Radio November 1, 2012: PowerShift 2012 featuring Naomi Klein and Bill McKibben
Download: earthgauge-podcast-nov-1-2012.mp3 On Earthgauge Radio this week, we’ll be featuring a wrap-up of the recent PowerShift 2012 conference, which took place over the past weekend in Ottawa and Gatineau. I have two special features on today’s show from PowerShift 2012: Bill McKibben‘s keynote address Media panel Q&A with Naomi Klein Click
Continue readingearthgauge: Tomorrow on Earthgauge Radio: PowerShift 2012! Featuring Naomi Klein and Bill McKibben
Happy Halloween! On Earthgauge Radio this week, a huge youth conference climate conference took place in Ottawa and Gatineau this past weekend called PowerShift 2012. This was an historic gathering of over 1500 young people from across the country intended to strengthen the movement for climate and environmental justice. PowerShift
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: 1000 youth converge in Ottawa to demand just solutions to climate and economic crises
by We Are Powershift From October 26 to October 29, 1000 youth from across the country will converge at Power Shift 2012 in Ottawa to galvanize a broad movement pushing the federal government to aggressively reduce carbon emissions and tackle the corporations that are fueling climate change, building on the momentum
Continue reading350 or bust: McKibben On Maher: Climate Denial Smack-Down
Two of my favourite Bills talk climate change, along with the Republicans at the table. It is, as 350.org posted, a seriously awesome “smack-down” – climate science and reality versus climate nonsense. With infinite patience, Bill McKibben responds yet again to the same tired old Republican/conservative talking points: *Thanks Jen
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