Category: Climate change
Kelly, Manchin join GOP in passing motion to bar Biden from declaring climate emergency
“Our political leadership is out to kill most of us,” lamented one climate justice advocate. by Jake Johnson, Common Dreams May 5, 2022 Two right-wing Democrats, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mark Kelly of…
What is the ‘social cost of carbon’?
2 energy experts explain after court ruling blocks Biden’s changes by Jim Krane, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University and Mark Finley, Rice University When an electric company runs a coal- or natural gas-fired power…
Groups call on CFTC to shut down water futures market
“In this time of global-warming-induced drought in California, the last thing we need is to gamble on our precious water resources.” by Julia Conley, Common Dreams December 21, 2021 Warning Wall Street against commodifying what has…
Could direct action stop climate change?
by Wade Rathke December 20, 2021 Little Rock Sometimes you stumble over something so obvious, you shake your head wondering why your thinking was so patterned that it was in danger of becoming more habitual…
Global climate disasters – This is not the new normal
Spotlight on Climate by Stefan Sommer Saturday, December 18, 2021 2021 was yet again one of the hottest years on record. This past summer was the hottest summer on record for North America. Is this the…
2021 Arctic Report Card reveals a (human) story of cascading disruptions, extreme events and global connections
The report describes, rapid and pronounced human-caused warming continues to drive most of the changes, and ultimately is paving the way for disruptions that affect ecosystems and communities far and wide. Community members from Utqiagvik, Alaska,…
Indigenous leaders hail Biden’s proposed Chaco Canyon drilling ban as ‘Important first step’
“We are most hopeful that this action is a turning point where the United States natural resource management planning philosophy focuses on the protection of all living beings.” by Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams November 16, 2021…
Manchin leads charge against Biden’s electric vehicle tax credit
“Manchin thinks being pro-labor is un-American.” by Julia Colney, Common Dreams Monday, November 15, 2021 Advocates for both workers’ rights and climate policy are condemning Sen. Joe Manchin’s latest statements opposing provisions in the Build Back…
A quick guide to climate change jargon – what experts mean by mitigation, carbon neutral and 6 other key terms
by Wändi Bruine de Bruin, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences October 26, 2021 As a major U.N. climate conference gets underway on Oct. 31, 2021, you’ll be hearing a lot of technical terms…
WMO says atmospheric carbon at level unseen in 3 million years
The new report has “a stark, scientific message for climate change negotiators at COP 26,” said the head of the World Meteorological Organization. by Andrea Germanos, Common Dreams Monday, October 25, 2021 Carbon dioxide concentrations reached…
Sinema pushing $100 billion in climate cuts from reconciliation bill
A Sunrise Movement leader said the Arizona Democrat’s reported proposal for the Build Back Better package is “not surprising since she’s been meeting nonstop with corporate executives.” by Jessica Corbet, Common Dreams October 8, 2021 Already…
Monsoons make deserts bloom in the US Southwest, but climate change is making these summer rainfalls more extreme and erratic
Lightning during a monsoon storm in southern Arizona, Saguaro National Park. (Photo: Pete Gregoire, NOAA) by Diana Zamora-Reyes, University of Arizona and Christopher L. Castro, University of Arizona October 5, 2021 If you’ve never lived in…
40 million people rely on the Colorado River. It’s drying up fast.
One of the country’s most important sources of fresh water is in peril, the latest victim of the accelerating climate crisis. by Abrahm Lustgarten Friday, August 27, 2021 The Water Crisis in the West On…
Postcard from Thermal: surviving the climate gap in Eastern Coachella Valley
In the climate crisis, it’s possible to live in the same place but inhabit different worlds. by Elizabeth Weil and Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, ProPublica August 19, 2021 The first thing to know about Thermal, California,…
Greenland ditches all oil drilling
‘Future Belongs to Renewable Energy’ “Great news!” exclaimed one international legal group. by Andrea Germanos, Staff writer July 16, 2021 Greenland announced Thursday a halt on new oil and gas exploration, citing climate and other environmental…
‘Biggest story in the world right now’: Humanity has flipped Amazon from carbon sink to source
The findings, said one expert, “show that the uncertain future is happening now.” by Jessica Corbett, Staff writer July 14, 2021 Following years of warnings and mounting fears among scientists, new research revealed Wednesday that climate…
‘This is what bipartisanship looks like’: Fire tornado caught on film in California
“Climate policy isn’t about imagining a spectrum from left to right and finding the sweet spot in the middle. It’s a zero-sum battle with physics.” by Jon Queally, Staff Writer July 8, 2021 Responding to…
‘Keystone XL Is Dead!’: After 10-year battle, Climate Movement victory is complete
“Keystone XL is now the most famous fossil fuel project killed by the climate movement,’ said one veteran campaigner, “but it won’t be the last.” by Jon Queally, staff writer June 9, 2021 fter more than…
Arizona’s current historic drought may be ‘baseline for the future’
by Alyssa Marksz, Cronkite News May 27, 2021 WASHINGTON – Arizona and other Western states just lived through the driest year in more than a century, with no drought relief in sight in the near…
Engine No. 1’s big win over Exxon shows activist hedge funds joining fight against climate change
by Mark DesJardine, Penn State and Tima Bansal, Western University One of the most expensive Wall Street shareholder battles on record could signal a big shift in how hedge funds and other investors view sustainability. Exxon…
Court Rules Shell must cut CO2 emissions 45% by 2030
‘Landslide Victory for Climate Justice’ “This is a turning point in history,” said an attorney who noted that the ruling “may also have major consequences for other big polluters.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Wednesday, May…
Activist Investors Score Surprise Win With ExxonMobil Board Seats
‘A Seismic Shift’ for Big Oil “The outcome is a sign that Exxon’s morally inept and fiscally questionable long-term climate strategy is finally catching up with it,” wrote one journalist. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Wednesday,…
‘Generation on fire’: Sunrise Movement activists to march 400 miles from New Orleans to Houston
“We’re living in constant crisis: hurricanes, superstorms, jobs that break our bodies and could be taken away at any minute. This is an emergency, but it isn’t an accident.” by Brett Wilkins, staff writer May 10,…
New UN report highlights ‘absolutely critical’ need to dramatically slash global methane emissions
“Reducing human-caused methane emissions is one of the most cost-effective strategies to rapidly reduce the rate of warming and contribute significantly to global efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.” by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Thursday,…
