Scientists Warn Humanity in Denial of Looming 'Collapse of Civilization as We Know It'
13 January
Climate
bennymarty / iStock / Getty Images Plus
By Jessica Corbett
In an example to the rest of the scientific community and an effort to wake up people — particularly policymakers — worldwide, 17 scientists penned a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the planet and what the future could hold due to biodiversity loss, climate disruption, human consumption and population growth.
<p>"Ours is not a call to surrender — we aim to provide leaders with a realistic 'cold shower' of the state of the planet that is essential for planning to avoid a ghastly future," according to the perspective paper, co-authored by experts across Australia, Mexico, and the United States, and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/abstract" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">published</a> in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science.</p>
<p>Co-author Paul R. Ehrlich of Stanford University's Center for Conservation Biology — who has raised alarm about overpopulation for <a href="https://climateone.org/audio/population-bomb-50-years-later-conversation-paul-ehrlich" target="_blank">decades</a> — told Common Dreams his colleagues "are all scared" about what's to come.</p><p>"Scientists have to learn to be communicators," said Ehrlich, citing James Hansen's warning about the consequences of "<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0703220" target="_blank">scientific reticence.</a>" Hansen, a professor at Columbia University's Earth Institute and former director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/06/23/30th-anniversary-famous-climate-testimony-james-hansen-called-paul-revere-we" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">testified</a> to Congress about the climate crisis in 1988.</p><p>Ehrlich was straightforward about how "extremely dangerous things are" now and the <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/06/04/existential-risk-climate-crisis-could-lead-civilizational-collapse-2050-warns-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">necessity</a> of a "World War II-type mobilization" to prevent predictions detailed in the paper: "a ghastly future of mass extinction, declining health, and climate-disruption upheavals (including looming massive migrations), and resource conflicts."</p><p>"What we are saying might not be popular, and indeed is frightening. But we need to be candid, accurate, and honest if humanity is to understand the enormity of the challenges we face in creating a sustainable future," said co-author Daniel T. Blumstein of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles, in a statement about the paper.</p><p>"By scientists' telling it like it is, we hope to empower politicians to work to represent their citizen, not corporate, constituents," he said in an email to Common Dreams.</p><p>The paper, Ehrlich and Blumstein pointed out, comes in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic — which, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to</a> Johns Hopkins University, has killed nearly two million people. Over the past year, the Co-19 crisis has <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/03/jane-goodall-warns-humanity-will-be-finished-after-covid-19-without-ending-absolute" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">provoked</a> calls for humanity to end its destruction of the natural world to <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/10/29/seismic-shift-worlds-approach-land-use-wildlife-and-climate-action-needed-avoid-new" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">prevent</a> future public health catastrophes.</p><p>"We're all seeing the shocks to our global systems now from Covid and the rise of authoritarian leaders," Blumstein said. "Because our current ways of life are ecologically unsustainable (we're living in an ecological Ponzi scheme), we fully anticipate more — and more deadly — pandemics in the future. We expect civil unrest, wars, and famines. We are all shaken by the likelihood of the collapse of civilization as we know it."</p>
<div id="25da8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bf8a63f9cc8cc4813996d6e1fbd213fa"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1349181889240854540" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">From extreme hurricanes to droughts to wildfires, the climate crisis killed 262 people and cost $95 billion last ye… https://t.co/RwowWVlBZ9</div> — Friends of the Earth (Action) (@Friends of the Earth (Action))<a href="https://twitter.com/foe_us/statuses/1349181889240854540">1610505003.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The new warning from scientists, Blumstein noted, cites over 150 other papers "documenting the diverse and shocking decline in biodiversity and planetary 'health' and their consequences." Among the cited sources is a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) report that in September <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/10/nature-unraveling-new-wwf-report-reveals-alarming-68-plummet-wildlife-populations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">revealed</a> an "average 68% decrease in population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish between 1970 and 2016."</p><p>"In the midst of a global pandemic, it is now more important than ever to take unprecedented and coordinated global action to halt and start to reverse the loss of biodiversity and wildlife populations across the globe by the end of the decade, and protect our future health and livelihoods," WWF International director general Marco Lambertini said at the time.</p><p>The co-authors — including William J. Ripple of Oregon State University, who last year led thousands of scientists in <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/11/05/warning-untold-human-suffering-over-11000-scientists-around-world-declare-climate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">declaring</a> a climate emergency and earlier this month led a <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/07/one-year-after-declaring-climate-emergency-scientists-say-massive-scale-mobilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">call</a> for "a massive-scale mobilization to address the climate crisis" — echoed Lambertini's message while also underscoring the importance of increasing awareness about what's actually needed.</p><p>"Humanity is causing a rapid loss of biodiversity and, with it, Earth's ability to support complex life. But the mainstream is having difficulty grasping the magnitude of this loss, despite the steady erosion of the fabric of human civilization," the paper says.</p>
<div id="c7dd4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="309107b64c42fab5e69a1c0bace9d47b"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1347817383919022080" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Biodiversity is the thread of life on Earth.
🦠️🦩🐜🍄🌱🦧🌽🍂🥦🐦🌺🐇🐝🌴🦒🌿🐋🌏
Learn more about what #biodiversity is and why… https://t.co/I5kht3RYnj</div> — UN Biodiversity (@UN Biodiversity)<a href="https://twitter.com/UNBiodiversity/statuses/1347817383919022080">1610179680.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"In fact, the scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its lifeforms is so great that it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts," said lead author Corey Bradshaw of Australia's Flinders University in a statement. "The problem is compounded by ignorance and short-term self-interest, with the pursuit of wealth and political interests stymieing the action that is crucial for survival."</p><p>The paper explains that "while suggested solutions abound, the current scale of their implementation does not match the relentless progression of biodiversity loss and other existential threats tied to the continuous expansion of the human enterprise." According to its authors, "That we are already on the path of a sixth major extinction is now scientifically undeniable."</p><p>"With such a rapid, catastrophic loss of biodiversity, the ecosystem services it provides have also declined," the paper explains. Consequences include "reduced carbon sequestration, reduced pollination, soil degradation, poorer water and air quality, more frequent and intense flooding and fires, and compromised human health."</p><p>Highlighting estimates that the human population will near 10 billion by 2050, the scientists lay out how "large population size and continued growth are implicated in many societal problems," from food insecurity, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and an increased chance of pandemics, to crowding, joblessness, deteriorating infrastructure, and bad governance.</p><p>The paper also details the planetary impacts of dirty energy and carbon-intensive food production, and says that "while climate change demands a full exit from fossil fuel use well before 2050, pressures on the biosphere are likely to mount prior to decarbonization as humanity brings energy alternatives online."</p><p>A section on failed international goals declares that "stopping biodiversity loss is nowhere close to the top of any country's priorities, trailing far behind other concerns such as employment, healthcare, economic growth, or currency stability."</p><p>"The dangerous effects of climate change are much more evident to people than those of biodiversity loss, but society is still finding it difficult to deal with them effectively," the scientists note, while decrying "utterly inadequate" efforts by governments to even try to meet the targets of the landmark Paris climate agreement.</p><p>They further decry the recent rise of right-wing, anti-environment agendas in countries including Australia, Brazil, and the United States — which recently denied President Donald Trump a second term. Ehrlich expressed hope that President-elect Joe Biden will work to <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/08/no-more-excuses-senate-majority-reclaimed-progressives-demand-bold-agenda-biden" target="_blank">deliver</a> on the climate promises he made as a candidate.</p><p>Biden's vow to rejoin the Paris agreement "is positive news," but "it is a minuscule gesture given the scale of the challenge," Ehrlich said in a statement.</p><p>The president-elect "is moving in the right direction," Ehrlich told Common Dreams, pointing to the <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/23/alarming-red-flag-something-we-can-work-campaigners-respond-kerry-biden-climate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="">selection</a> of former Secretary of State John Kerry as his climate envoy. However, "the Paris goals are increasingly looking inadequate," and "Biden's political opportunities to do anything major may be greatly constrained," he added.</p>
<div id="0ea0e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="eb14cb1c288cecbbf85ec2be96b17c28"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1349123864245239811" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">What can Joe Biden do on climate change once he takes office?
@DashaBurns looks into what he can accomplish with e… https://t.co/wBn29Ms1UX</div> — NBC News NOW (@NBC News NOW)<a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNewsNow/statuses/1349123864245239811">1610491169.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Blumstein stressed that "recycling, using less plastic, eating less meat, taking public transportation, and flying less, while all important, will simply not create the rapid change we need now to save much of the Earth's biodiversity and our lives."</p><p>According to Blumstein, "We need rapid political change."</p><p>He urged voters to elect leaders who will end fossil fuel use as well as "eliminate perpetual economic growth and properly price externalities so that the environmental costs are built into the price of a product." He also emphasized the importance of access to education and reproductive control, and the need to rein in corporate lobbying and enact campaign finance reform so politicians serve citizens' needs.</p><p>"Ultimately," Blumstein added, "we must focus on making equity and well-being society's goals — not the constant accumulation of more junk."</p><p>In their paper, the UCLA scientist and his 16 co-authors "contend that only a realistic appreciation of the colossal challenges facing the international community might allow it to chart a less-ravaged future."</p><p>It is "incumbent on experts in any discipline that deals with the future of the biosphere and human well-being to eschew reticence, avoid sugar-coating the overwhelming challenges, ahead and 'tell it like it is,'" they conclude. "Anything else is misleading at best, or negligent and potentially lethal for the human enterprise at worst."</p><p><span></span><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/13/dire-assessment-scientists-warn-humanity-denial-looming-collapse-civilization-we" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em></p>
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One Year After Declaring Climate Emergency, Scientists Push for 'Massive-Scale Mobilization'
08 January
Climate
A man stands in front of what is left of his home following Hurricane Iota in Honduras on November 20, 2020. Wendell Escoto / AFP / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
One year after over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries came together to declare a climate emergency and urge ambitious action, the Oregon State University researchers who launched that effort said on Wednesday that an urgent massive-scale mobilization is necessary to address the human-caused global crisis.
<p>Scientists' renewed call for bold climate policies came just days after a new <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00955-x" target="_blank">study </a>in the journal <em>Nature Climate Change</em> <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/climate-targets-1.5861537" target="_blank">warned</a> existing carbon pollution will cause global temperatures to rise about 2.3 degrees Celsius or 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels—with <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/08/un-experts-warn-climate-catastrophe-2040-without-rapid-and-unprecedented-global" target="_blank">devastating</a> consequences worldwide.</p><p>As <em>Common Dreams</em> <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/11/05/warning-untold-human-suffering-over-11000-scientists-around-world-declare-climate" target="_blank">reported</a> last year, William Ripple, distinguished professor of ecology in OSU's College of Forestry, and postdoctoral scholar Christopher Wolf co-authored a<a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/1/8/5610806" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> paper</a> in <em>BioScience</em>. Backed by thousands of scientists, they wrote that greenhouse gas missions "are still rapidly rising, with increasingly damaging effects on the Earth's climate" and "an immense increase of scale in endeavors to conserve our biosphere is needed to avoid untold suffering due to the climate crisis."</p><p>Ripple and Wolf—along with William R. Moomaw of Tufts University, Thomas M. Newsome of the University of Sydney, and Phoebe Barnard of the University of Cape Town—reiterated those messages in <em>The Climate Emergency: 2020 in Review</em>, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-climate-emergency-2020-in-review/?utm_source=media&utm_medium=email%20social&utm_campaign=SA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">published</a> Wednesday in <em>Scientific American</em>. As they put it:</p><blockquote>The climate emergency has arrived and is accelerating more rapidly than most scientists anticipated, and many of them are deeply concerned. The adverse effects of climate change are much more severe than expected, and now threaten both the biosphere and humanity. There is mounting evidence <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">linking increases </a>in extreme weather frequency and intensity to climate change...<br><br>Every effort must be made to reduce emissions and increase removals of atmospheric carbon in order to restore the melting Arctic and end the deadly cycle of damage that the current climate is delivering.<a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/33/8252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Scientists now find </a>that catastrophic climate change could render a significant portion of the Earth uninhabitable consequent to continued high emissions, self-reinforcing climate feedback loops and looming tipping points.<br></blockquote>
<p>"As we move into 2021 and beyond, we need a massive-scale mobilization to address the climate crisis, including much more progress on the six steps of climate change mitigation," the five experts argued, detailing various priorities for energy, short-lived pollutants, nature, food, economy, and population.</p><p>Echoing messages from the new review, Ripple said in a statement Wednesday that "young people in more than 3,500 locations around the world have organized to push for urgent action... And the Black Lives Matter movement has elevated social injustice and equality to the top of our consciousness."</p><p>"Rapid progress in each of the climate action steps we outline is possible if framed from the outset in the context of climate justice—climate change is a deeply moral issue," added Ripple, director of the <a href="https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank">Alliance of World Scientists</a>. "We desperately need those who face the most severe climate risks to help shape the response."</p><p>Alongside the written review, the scientists put out a video about their "six steps":</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="869fb1205574785b304487e6f5ba40b5"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sEHot7F_dnI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p>Ripple noted that "the year 2020, one of the<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/2020-will-rival-2016-for-hottest-year-on-record/" target="_blank"> hottest years on record</a>, also saw extraordinary fire activity in<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Western_United_States_wildfire_season" target="_blank"> the western United States</a> and<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_Australian_bushfire_season" target="_blank"> Australia</a>, a <a href="https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/siberian-heatwave-of-2020-almost-impossible-without-climate-change/" target="_blank">Siberian heatwave</a> with record high temperatures exceeding 100 degrees within the Arctic circle, an Atlantic hurricane season resulting in<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Atlantic_hurricane_season" target="_blank"> more than $46 billion in damages</a>, and<a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/5-natural-disasters-beg-climate-action" target="_blank"> deadly floods and landslides in South Asia</a> that displaced more than 12 million people."</p><p>Last year also featured the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which as of Thursday morning has <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">killed</a> nearly 1.9 million people worldwide. As the pandemic has raged on, experts around the globe have <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/17/top-global-experts-say-humanity-must-heal-our-broken-relationship-nature-prevent" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">warned</a> that humanity must heal its broken relationship with nature to prevent similar public health crises in the future.</p><p>"Lockdowns associated with the pandemic resulted in a <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/12/3269/2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">decrease in CO2 emissions of 7%</a> in 2020 but this reduction is probably not going to be long-lived because there has been no major concurrent shift in the way we produce energy," Ripple pointed out. "This drop in emissions is a tiny blip compared to the overall buildup of greenhouse gases, which has resulted in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32290-X/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">all five of the hottest years on record</a> occurring since 2015."</p>
<div id="d0ed9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3f716997474031590190896bcd081bcd"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1346866292096167937" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Group of scientists in 2020: "We are in a climate emergency." Same scientists in 2021: "We are concerned that no ma… https://t.co/LN63a2wH92</div> — Andrew Freedman (@Andrew Freedman)<a href="https://twitter.com/afreedma/statuses/1346866292096167937">1609952922.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Faced with concurrent crises, <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/30/front-lines-californias-fires-yolo-county-joins-1750-communities-declaring-climate" target="_blank">communities and governments of various sizes </a>around the world have made climate emergency declarations—often as a first step to start taking whatever action they can to limit future emissions and deal with the pollution that's already driving up temperatures.</p><p>"People are frightened—an illustration of that is the more than 1,800 climate emergency declarations issued around the world, by jurisdictions encompassing more than 820 million people," said Wolf. "We're at the point of needing a massive-scale mobilization to address the climate crisis."</p><p>"A year ago, we were worried about poor progress on mitigating climate change. Now we are alarmed by the failure of sufficient progress in 2020," he added. "But aggressive, transformative change, framed against the backdrop of social justice, can ignite an enormous deployment that will let us avert the worst of the climate emergency."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/07/one-year-after-declaring-climate-emergency-scientists-say-massive-scale-mobilization" target="_blank">Common Dreams.</a></em></p>From Your Site Articles
- 11,000 Scientists Declare a Climate Emergency, Warn of 'Untold ... ›
- New Zealand Declares Climate Emergency - EcoWatch ›
- UN Urges World Leaders to Declare 'Climate Emergency' at Virtual ... ›
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
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$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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UN Urges World Leaders to Declare 'Climate Emergency' at Virtual Climate Summit
13 December 2020
Climate
Secretary-General António Guterres delivers a speech at the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit 2020 taking place virtually with world leaders invited to make pre-recorded statements outlining their new and ambitious commitments. UN Photo / Mark Garten
World leaders should declare a "climate emergency" in their countries to spur action to avoid catastrophic global warming, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in opening remarks at a climate summit on Saturday.
On the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Paris Agreement, more than 70 world leaders are due to address the one-day virtual meeting in the hope of galvanizing countries into stricter actions on global warming emissions.
<p>Guterres said that current commitments across the globe did not go "far from enough" to limit temperature rises.</p><p>"Can anybody still deny that we are facing a dramatic emergency?" Guterres said. "That is why today, I call on all leaders worldwide to declare a State of Climate Emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality is reached."</p>
Fossil Fuel Investment 'Unacceptable'
<p><span style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(90, 88, 88);">The UN chief said economic recovery packages launched in the wake of </span><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-endng-covid-new-dawn-for-climate/a-55807185" target="_blank" style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px;">the coronavirus pandemic</a><span style="background-color: initial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(90, 88, 88);"> represented an opportunity to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future — but warned so much more needs to be done to ward off catastrophic consequences.</span><br></p><div id="2be5e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92e2a543e89ed7c59a62c0080ea6ba48"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1337760413426003969" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Watch live: Global leaders meet virtually at the Climate Ambition Summit to commit to renewed and increased… https://t.co/NYQyo4wYKB</div> — United Nations (@United Nations)<a href="https://twitter.com/UN/statuses/1337760413426003969">1607781911.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"So far, the members of the G20 are spending 50% more in their stimulus and rescue packages on sectors linked to fossil fuel production and consumption, than on low-carbon energy," Guterres said.</p><p>"This is unacceptable. The trillions of dollars needed for COVID recovery is money that we are borrowing from future generations," he said. "We cannot use these resources to lock in policies that burden future generations with a mountain of debt on a broken planet," he added.</p>
China and India Promises
<p>China and India vowed to advance their commitment to lower carbon pollution at the summit.</p><p>President Xi Jinping was one of the first leaders to address the virtual conference and he said China will boost its installed capacity of wind and solar power to more than 1,200 gigawatts over the next decade. Xi also said China will increase its share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25% during the same period.</p><p>And "China always honors its commitments," Xi promised.</p><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was ramping up its use of clean energy sources and was on target to achieve the emissions norms set under the 2015 Paris agreement.</p><p>India, the second-most populous nation on Earth and the world's fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter, is eyeing 450 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity by 2030, Modi said.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/un-urges-world-leaders-to-declare-climate-emergency/a-55918020" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649465278#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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A group of climate activists that have been cycling from the North of the country in stages to draw attention to the climate case are arriving to the Court of Justice on the day that the climate lawsuit against Shell starts in The Hague, on December 1st, 2020. Romy Arroyo Fernandez / NurPhoto / Getty Images
By Julia Conley
Representing more than 17,000 claimants who support climate action, the international organization Friends of the Earth on Tuesday opened its case against fossil fuel giant Shell at The Hague by demanding that a judge order the corporation to significantly reduce its carbon emissions in the next decade.
<p>Milieudefensie, the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth, <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2020/12/01/climate-change-activists-take-energy-giant-shell-to-court-in-the-hague-over-emissions" target="_blank">says</a> Shell has broken the law in The Netherlands by knowingly standing in the way of the country's phase-out of fossil fuels. Shell says it has set a goal of cutting its emissions to net zero by 2050, but the group is demanding a more rapid reduction. </p><p>"We are relying on the Dutch courts to protect communities around the globe," tweeted Nils Mollema, a policy advisor at ActionAid, which is supporting Milieudefensie in the case. </p>
<div id="47348" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5afbc9986f5a700bcaa4f88e3046024b"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1333715559301713922" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Today in The Hague: Shell on trial for its role in climate catastrophe. @Shell must take responsibility and correct… https://t.co/siy20sVKxF</div> — Nils Mollema (@Nils Mollema)<a href="https://twitter.com/MollemaNils/statuses/1333715559301713922">1606817543.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The case comes five years after the Dutch government was ordered to reduce its emissions by at least 25% from 1990 levels by the end of 2020. Under the Paris climate agreement, the European Union has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030.</p><p>"The claimants therefore conclude that Royal Dutch Shell's corporate policy is on collision course with global climate targets," Roger Cox, a lawyer representing Milieudefensie in the civil case, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/dutch-climate-activists-take-shell-to-court-over-emissions/2020/12/01/ed68d494-33ac-11eb-9699-00d311f13d2d_story.html" target="_blank">told</a> a panel of three judges at The Hague District Court on Tuesday. </p><p>The organization has vehemently rejected Shell's defense in the case, in which the multinational corporation is suggesting that it is no more responsible for solving the climate emergency than other businesses or individuals.</p><p>"What will accelerate the energy transition is effective policy, investment in technology, and changing customer behavior," Shell <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2020/12/01/climate-change-activists-take-energy-giant-shell-to-court-in-the-hague-over-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> Tuesday as the first of four days of hearings began. "None of which will be achieved with this court action."</p><p>Cox noted in his opening remarks that Shell is responsible for about 1.2% of the planet's industrial fossil fuel emissions.</p><p>"The main argument of Shell is that everybody is responsible: the consumer, the state, the international community, everybody is responsible except Shell, except the biggest polluter of the Netherlands, one of the 10 biggest polluters in the world," said Donald Pols, director of Milieudefensie, on Monday. "And we are going to change that."</p><p>The case opened a month after Shell drew outrage from climate action campaigners by <a href="https://twitter.com/Shell/status/1323184318735360001" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">posting a poll </a>on its official Twitter account, asking ordinary citizens what they plan to do to help mitigate the climate crisis. </p><p>"I'm willing to hold you accountable for lying about climate change for 30 years when you secretly knew the entire time that fossil fuels emissions would destroy our planet," U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/02/shell-oil-asked-what-people-are-willing-do-reduce-emissions-im-willing-hold-you" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">replied</a> at the time, denouncing the company's "audacity."</p><p>On Monday, Pols called the opening of the case at The Hague "a historic moment."</p><p>"This is actually 'the People versus Shell,' a company that has got away with greenwashing for too long," he said in statement. "This case will make it clear to everyone that more than 95% of what Shell does is causing dangerous climate change. This has to change as soon as possible."</p><p><span></span><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/01/friends-earth-vs-shell-historic-moment-climate-movement-takes-big-oil-hague" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em></p>
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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern plants a tree as part of Trees That Count, a project to help New Zealand make a positive impact on climate change, on June 30, 2019 in Wellington, New Zealand. Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
The government of New Zealand declared a climate emergency on Wednesday, a symbolic step recognizing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predictions of substantial global warming if emissions do not fall.
<p>Alongside the declaration, New Zealand announced it would require its public sector to become carbon neutral by 2025. Government agencies would need to measure, report and offset emissions.</p><p>"The public sector needs to be and will be an exemplar that sets the standard we all need to achieve by 2050," New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told parliament in Wellington.</p>
<h2>New Zealand Going Green</h2><p>"This is a declaration of science," Ardern told said, adding the move is "an acknowledgement of the next generation… of the burden they will carry if we do not take action now."New Zealand's decarbonization program is supported by a NZ$200 million ($141 million) state fund and includes a phase-out of coal, a requirement for government agencies to use electric vehicles and a green standard for public buildings, according to Radio New Zealand.</p><p>Declaring a climate emergency, however, comes without any new statutory powers or money, making the move purely symbolic.</p>
<p>Thirty-two other countries, including Japan, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, have already declared a climate emergency. Doing so indicates that governments recognize climate change as an existential threat that requires urgent action in response.</p><p>Climate activists and scientists continue to warn that not enough is being done by governments to meet the Paris Agreement target of curbing emissions to keep global temperature levels within 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) of pre-industrial levels.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/new-zealand-declares-climate-emergency/a-55792222" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em></p>
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Protesters shouting slogans on megaphones during the climate strike on September 25 in Lisbon, Portugal. Hugo Amaral / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images
By Dana Drugmand
An unprecedented climate lawsuit brought by six Portuguese youths is to be fast-tracked at Europe's highest court, it was announced today.
The European Court of Human Rights said the case, which accuses 33 European nations of violating the applicants' right to life by disregarding the climate emergency, would be granted priority status due to the "importance and urgency of the issues raised."
<p>This is the first climate lawsuit to be filed with the <a href="https://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=home&c=" target="_blank">international court in Strasbourg, France</a>, and campaigners say the decision represents a major step towards a potential landmark judgment.</p>
‘Protect Our Future’
<p>Cláudia Agostinho (21), Catarina Mota (20), Martim Agostinho (17), Sofia Oliveira (15), André Oliveira (12) and Mariana Agostinho (8) are <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/09/03/youth-climate-lawsuit-portugal-33-european-countries" target="_blank">bringing the case</a> with nonprofit law firm Global Legal Action Network (<span style="background-color: initial;">GLAN</span>), arguing that none of the countries have sufficiently ambitious targets to cut their emissions.</p><p>Portugal recently sweltered through its <a href="https://www.ipma.pt/pt/media/noticias/news.detail.jsp?f=/pt/media/noticias/textos/resumo-clima-julho-20.html" target="_blank">hottest July in 90 years</a> and has seen a rise in devastating heatwaves and wildfires over recent years due to rising temperatures. Four of the applicants live in Leiria, one of the regions worst-hit by the forest fires that killed more than 120 people in 2017. </p><p>Responding to the development, André Oliveira, 12, said: "It gives me lots of hope to know that the judges in the European Court of Human Rights recognise the urgency of our case." </p><p>"But what I'd like the most would be for European governments to immediately do what the scientists say is necessary to protect our future. Until they do this, we will keep on fighting with more determination than ever."</p>‘Highly Significant'
<p>The decision represents a "highly significant" step, <a href="https://www.glanlaw.org/about-us" target="_blank">GLAN</a> Director Dr. Gearóid Ó Cuinn said in a <a href="https://youth4climatejustice.org/" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>"This is an appropriate response from the Court given the scale and imminence of the threat these young people face from the climate emergency," he added. </p><p>By suing the 33 countries all together, the youths aim to compel these national governments to act more aggressively on climate through a single court order, which would potentially be more effective than pursuing separate lawsuits or lobbying policymakers in each country.</p><p>If successful, the defendant countries would be legally bound not only to ramp up emissions cuts, but also to tackle overseas contributions to climate change including those of their multinational enterprises.</p>‘Major Hurdle’
<p>The <a href="https://youth4climatejustice.org/the-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">countries targeted</a> include all of the European Union member states as well as Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, none of which are currently aligned with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement">Paris agreement</a> target to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) and pursue a limit of 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F).<a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a></p><p><a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Climate Action Tracker rates</a> most of Europe as "insufficient" in terms of its emissions reduction policies based on the Paris target, while Ukraine, Turkey and Russia are assessed as "critically insufficient" – meaning they are on track for a warming of 4 degrees C or higher.</p><p>The European Union has pledged to slash its emissions by <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/eu-climate-action/2030_ctp_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">at least 55 percent by 2030</a>. But the Portuguese youth plaintiffs are calling for cuts of at least 65 percent by 2030, a level that <a href="http://www.caneurope.org/energy/climate-energy-targets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">European climate campaigners say</a> is necessary to meet the 1.5 degrees warming limit.</p><p> The 33 countries must each respond to the youths' complaint by the end of February, before lawyers representing the plaintiffs will respond to the points of defense. </p><p>"Nothing less than a 65 percent reduction by 2030 will be enough for the EU member states to comply with their obligations to the youth-applicants and indeed countless others," Gerry Liston, legal officer with GLAN, said in a press release.</p><p>"These brave young people have cleared a major hurdle in their pursuit of a judgment which compels European governments to accelerate their climate mitigation efforts."</p><p><span></span><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/11/29/court-advances-landmark-youth-climate-lawsuit-against-33-european-nations" target="_blank">DeSmog</a>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A Boeing 727 flies over approach lights with a trail of black-smoke from the engines on April 9, 2018. aviation-images.com / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
With global air travel at a near standstill, the airline industry is looking to rewrite the rules it agreed to tackle global emissions. The Guardian reports that the airline is billing it as a matter of survival, while environmental activists are accusing the industry of trying to dodge their obligations.
<p>The governing body of the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that airlines will start to pull out of a plan to offset and reduce carbon emissions if the International Civil Aviation Organization does not amend the rules, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/08/airlines-lobby-to-rewrite-carbon-deal-due-to-coronavirus" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>The issue is that future offsets are determined by a benchmark that averages emissions from 2019 and 2020. The higher the emissions are, the higher the bar will be set and the less the airlines will have to pay. Rather than commit to a low-carbon future, though, the airline-lobbying group is complaining that the global pandemic has reduced emissions so drastically that it will push the average down too much and future carbon targets will be too steep a challenge, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/08/airlines-lobby-to-rewrite-carbon-deal-due-to-coronavirus" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p>
<p>The Green Alliance found that before the coronavirus lockdowns the airlines' plans to reduce emissions would not meet the requirements of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement">Paris agreement</a>.</p><p>As <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/08/airlines-lobby-to-rewrite-carbon-deal-due-to-coronavirus" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported, James Elliott, a Green Alliance policy adviser, said, "Calls to reduce burdens on the [aviation] sector as it recovers are understandable. But the climate emergency also presents an urgent challenge which must be addressed. If the sector cannot find ways to rebuild itself sustainably after the Covid-19 crisis, it will face painful disruption again in the future as its part in the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-emergency">climate emergency</a> has to be addressed."</p><p>A new investigation by <a href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/04/07/coronavirus-airlines-lobby-for-tax-breaks-subsidies-vouchers-passenger-refunds/" target="_blank">Unearthed</a> revealed that the airline industry is coordinating efforts around the world to push governments and airports around the world to roll back environmental taxes. Furthermore, the papers <a href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/04/07/coronavirus-airlines-lobby-for-tax-breaks-subsidies-vouchers-passenger-refunds/" target="_blank">Unearthed</a> found are a strategy to lobby for public money to be poured into funds to restart or maintain air travel and for any planned tax increases to be delayed for up to a year.</p>
<p>Emirates, America's largest international airline, has gone one step further than the IATA recommended and asked the New York Port Authority to defer any tax obligations until 2022, according to a letter from the CEO of Emirates, as reported by <a href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/04/07/coronavirus-airlines-lobby-for-tax-breaks-subsidies-vouchers-passenger-refunds/" target="_blank">Unearthed</a>.</p><p>Jo Dardenne, aviation manager at campaign group Transport and Environment, told <a href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/04/07/coronavirus-airlines-lobby-for-tax-breaks-subsidies-vouchers-passenger-refunds/" target="_blank">Unearthed</a>, "We fear that this list of demands is a way for airlines to reduce charges not only now but also once things go back to 'normal'.</p><p>"Any financial aid to the sector should be conditional on them paying their taxes and committing to governments' plans to regulate the climate impact of the sector. Given the current climate emergency, governments can't afford to be bailing out polluting sectors without strict green conditions."</p><p>IATA's director general, Alexandre de Juniac, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/08/airlines-lobby-to-rewrite-carbon-deal-due-to-coronavirus" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> that the industry was not relinquishing its responsibilities.</p><p>"We haven't given up our environmental goals … After the recovery we will continue to reduce emissions and noise footprints – that hasn't changed," he said. "This crisis is a matter of survival for the industry … We are asking governments for urgent help. Of course we will comply with our environmental obligations. Before that, we have to survive – or there will be no issue with the environment, the industry will have disappeared."</p>
<p>Greenpeace, however, is appalled by what the industry is asking for and takes issue with carbon offsets as responsible environmental stewardship. "At the same time as they're asking for huge government bailouts, airlines are also lobbying furiously to dodge their obligations towards cutting carbon emissions," said John Sauven, Greenpeace UK's executive director, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/08/airlines-lobby-to-rewrite-carbon-deal-due-to-coronavirus" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported. "Offsetting schemes have always been big polluters' favorite excuse to carry on polluting while shifting responsibility for their emissions to someone else. The industry's current proposal would only make the buck-passing easier."</p>
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Greenland Lost 600 Billion Tons of Ice Last Summer, Raising Sea Levels, NASA Study Finds
19 March 2020
Science
Umiamako Glacier enters the ocean in the west of Greenland. E.RIGNOT / NASA
Greenland experienced an unusually warm summer in 2019, which caused the world's largest island to lose 600 billion tons of ice and raised sea levels by 0.2 of an inch, according to a NASA study released yesterday. That amount of ice loss more than doubled Greenland's 2002-2019 annual average.
<p>The data comes from the joint <a href="https://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/grace-fo/" target="_blank">U.S.-German space mission known as Grace-FO</a>, a pair of satellites that circle the globe and sense the variations in mass that correspond to Earth's gravity field, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51954988" target="_blank">according to the BBC</a>. The satellites are particularly adept at sensing tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational field caused by ice gain or loss. They have proven themselves useful in detecting groundwater storage around the globe, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/03/18/greenland-lost-near-record-600-billion-tons-ice-last-summer-raising-sea-levels/" target="_blank">according to the Washington Post</a>.</p>
<p>The study also looked at Antarctica, noting that it continues to lose its ice mass, particularly in the Amundsen Sea Embayment and the Antarctic Peninsula on the western part of the continent, according to <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7618" target="_blank">NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>. </p>
<p>"We knew this past summer had been particularly warm in Greenland, melting every corner of the ice sheet," lead author Isabella Velicogna, senior project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a professor at University of California, Irvine, said in a <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7618" target="_blank">statement</a>. "But the numbers really are enormous."</p>
<p>The study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2020GL087291" target="_blank">Geophysical Research Letters</a>. It tracked ice loss in Greenland dating back to 2002, using information from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (Grace) satellites, which went out of commission in 2017, and the new Grace-FO satellites, which launched in 2018. The FO stands for Follow On, as The Washington Post reported.</p>
<p>The satellites revealed that from 2002 to 2019, Greenland lost 4,550 billion tons of ice, for an average of 261 billion tons every year, according to The Washington Post. 2012 and 2019 were the two largest melt years in that time frame, the BBC reported.</p>
<p>Velicogna told The Washington Post what made 2019 so different in Greenland was that there was a lot of melting from the glaciers in the north and northeastern glaciers, which is unusual. </p>
<p>"And, so, basically, we have melting all around the ice sheet," she said. </p>
<p>In the coastal town of Ilulissat, not far from where the mighty Jakobshavn Glacier enters the ocean, temperatures reached into the high 20s Celsius this summer. The warm temperatures even reached the ice sheet's interior, which approached above freezing levels, the BBC reported. </p>
<p>"It's significant that we're now seeing melt and mass loss extending to Greenland's northern glaciers. All of Greenland contributed to the big summer melt of last year," Velicogna said, according to the BBC.</p>
<p>Robin Bell, an expert on ice sheet dynamics at Columbia University, to The Washington Post that the satellite data will help researchers improve the accuracy of their future sea-level rise estimates. </p><p>"This is a beautiful update of how we can really see how the ice sheets are changing…from the annual inhale and exhale as snow accumulates in the winter in Greenland and melts in the summer," she said.</p>
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The so-called "Zenith Five" in court. "Zenith Energy Corporation, and the city's inability to shut it down, is the poster child for what is wrong with our system," defendant Margaret Butler said in a statement Thursday. @RickRappaport2020
By Jake Johnson
Environmentalists celebrated a landmark victory in the "fight for a habitable future" after a Portland, Oregon jury on Thursday refused to convict five Extinction Rebellion activists — including valve turner Ken Ward — who presented the climate necessity defense at their trial for blockading a train track used by Zenith Energy to transport crude oil.
<p>The activists emphasized that the win was only partial because the criminal trespassing case ended in a mistrial rather than a full acquittal. Just <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/02/case-against-5-who-built-garden-on-train-tracks-to-block-oil-train-ends-in-mistrial.html" target="_blank">one of six jurors voted</a> to convict the activists while the five others voted to acquit.<em></em></p>
<p>But Ward said the jury's refusal to convict even when presented with video evidence of the trespassing "is a vindication of our call for climate activists to use a climate necessity defense," which states that it is at times justified to break the law to combat the planetary crisis.</p><p>"When citizens are told the truth about the climate crisis—which is the first of Extinction Rebellion's demands—they take appropriate and responsible action, as our jury did, and we thank them," said Ward.</p><p>The five activists were arrested last April for <a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-protesters-arrested-zenith-energy-oil-terminal-railroad/" target="_blank">building a garden on the tracks</a> of Houston-based Zenith Energy's railroad terminal in Portland to protest expansion of the fossil fuel infrastructure.</p>
<p>"The activists had been protesting the expansion of the oil terminal at a time when they say we should be dismantling fossil fuel infrastructure, not creating more," the local radio station KOPB-FM <a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-protesters-arrested-zenith-energy-oil-terminal-railroad/" target="_blank">reported</a> at the time. "A few small mounds of soil extend onto the rail line—not much, but apparently enough to make it unusable. Activists also sat on the tracks."</p>
<div id="8efed" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="E32P211583175469"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1120033462470074368" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">There’s a group of, at this point, 25 or so people on NW Front, at a “Victory Garden” protest blocking part of rail… https://t.co/QQfGri8C1S</div> — Kristi Turnquist (@Kristi Turnquist)<a href="https://twitter.com/Kristiturnquist/statuses/1120033462470074368">1555871761.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"Zenith Energy Corporation, and the city's inability to shut it down, is the poster child for what is wrong with our system," defendant Margaret Butler said in a statement Thursday. "We need to take note of the lessons learned by the labor movement—mass civil disobedience works. The climate crisis is a workers issue, we need to unite to shut down business as usual. Right now."</p><p>Lauren Regan, lead attorney for the group of activists, said it is now up to the Multnomah County district attorney's office to decide whether to re-prosecute the climate campaigners.</p><p>"The jury's inability to convict the activists," said Regan, "reflects the prevailing community consciousness which is unlikely to punish climate defenders for acts of nonviolent resistance."</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/28/landmark-win-fight-habitable-future-jury-refuses-convict-climate-activists-who?fbclid=IwAR370aZjTqEzywKvY6jF_oDkKQq_SKyoljLL1OltkV3gtuASyNLnmw2OGbE" rel="noopener noreferrer">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Demonstrators hold up placards outside the Australian Open venue during a climate protest rally in Melbourne on Jan.y 24. MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP / Getty Images
The climate crisis has now stretched Australia's summers twice as long as its winters, a new report has found.
<p>The report, published by <a href="https://www.tai.org.au/content/australian-summer-now-over-one-month-longer" target="_blank">The Australian Institute Monday</a>, comes after the country experienced its warmest and driest year on record, as well as a devastating <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires" target="_self">wildfire</a> season that killed 33 people and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/australia-wildfire-deaths-2644394434.html" target="_self">more than one billion animals</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-51697803" target="_blank">BBC News pointed out</a>.</p><p>"Following the hottest Summer on record, it commonplace to hear older Australians claim Summers aren't what they use to be. And they are right," Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program Director Richie Merzian said in a press release. "Our findings are not a projection of what we may see in the future. It's happening right now."</p>
<div id="31146" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HQQBJG1583161512"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1234367170001244167" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">“Our findings are not a projection of what we may see in the future. It's happening right now. Summers have grown l… https://t.co/ZoEvD1WByk</div> — Australia Institute (@Australia Institute)<a href="https://twitter.com/TheAusInstitute/statuses/1234367170001244167">1583131041.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The researchers looked at Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) temperature data from 70 weather stations across Australia, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/02/climate-crisis-cutting-short-australias-winters-and-extending-summers" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>. First, they compared temperature data from 1999 to 2018 with data from 1950 to 1969. They found that, between the two periods, summers had gotten 31 days longer while winters had gotten 23 days shorter. Then, they looked at data for the last five years and found that summers from 2014 to 2018 were around twice as long as winters.</p><p>This has major implications for the health and wellbeing of Australians. Extreme heat waves are the deadliest extreme weather events in the country, responsible for more deaths than all other hazards combined, Merzian said. Shorter winters also mean there is less time to implement strategies for managing bushfires during the off season.</p><p>One region that suffered during the most recent wave of wildfires has also seen its summers extend significantly: Port Macquarie in New South Wales, where the Lindfield Park Road fire burned for almost seven months starting in July 2019, is now seeing 48 more days of summer, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-02/australian-summers-getting-longer-winters-shorter/12013978" target="_blank">ABC News pointed out</a>. Fires in Port Macquarie also <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/koala-habitat-fire-port-macquarie-2641163216.html" target="_self">devastated koala habitats</a>.</p>
<p>"[T]he catastrophic 2019 fires near Port Macquarie occurred before summer as defined by the calendar, but well within the new summer as caused by climate change," the report said, according to ABC News.</p><p>The report predicted that these hotter conditions would likely continue unless greenhouse gas emissions were reduced and ultimately zeroed out, according to The Guardian. Australia has seen one degree Celsius of warming so far, but is on track for three to four degrees of warming based on its current emissions targets.</p><p>Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced criticism for failing to act on the climate crisis, BBC News reported. Australia is one of the highest carbon dioxide emitting countries per capita because of its reliance on coal.</p><p>"According to numerous modelling exercises, including those commissioned by the federal government, it is in Australia's national interest and economic interest to put in place a strong policy to reduce emissions," Merzian said. "The Australian Government's current policies only serve to further fuel the climate crisis."</p>
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The Bunda cliff face along the Great Australian Bight near the South Australian-Western Australian border. Robbie Goodall / Moment / Getty Images
By Andy Rowel
For those fighting the oil industry, the good news keeps on coming this week.
<p>The Norwegian company, Equinor, has announced it is abandoning plans to drill for oil in the highly ecologically sensitive, Great Australian Bight, which has been a battleground between conservationists and the industry for years.<em></em></p>
<p>Off the country's southern coast, the area is a marine park home to one of the largest breeding populations of endangered southern right whales in the world. It is seen as a marine treasure.</p><p>Despite this, Equinor, which is two-thirds owned by the Norwegian Government, had been granted environmental approval back in December to drill about 400 kilometers off the South Australian coast. This was despite the fact that <a href="http://priceofoil.org/2016/10/11/victory-bp-abandons-drilling-in-the-great-australian-bight/" target="_blank">BP had abandoned plans</a> to drill there in 2016, and Chevron in 2017.</p><p>When these companies pulled out it was seen as a significant victory, so the decision by Equinor to press ahead was "met with an outcry from Traditional Owners and environmental activists," according to the Australian <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/02/25/weve-finally-won-mirning-elder-welcomes-equinors-withdrawal-bight?fbclid=IwAR3NlmNe3QjoVkGoIqgoyOt-hOfyRI0efy1FxbLeyjsj6KX3wV9cwIag8IY" target="_blank">NITV</a> news.</p><p>The news this week that Equinor was abandoning drilling due to it not being "commercially competitive" was met with joy by opponents of the plan.</p>
<p>The Great <a href="https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-25/equinor-abandons-plan-to-drill-for-oil-in-great-australian-bight/11997910?pfmredir=sm&fbclid=IwAR25n-3kvr74cCjtrO73BYttJahqcV8oquCQcAw_S8Ua8Kps6QsIleyWFCA" target="_blank">Australian Bight Alliance</a>, a coalition of environmental organizations along with the Mirning Indigenous people, had previously accused Equinor of refusing to formally consult with "key Indigenous groups and local governments."</p><p>Once the news broke, they were ecstatic.</p><p>Mirning Elder, Bunna Lawrie told <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/02/25/weve-finally-won-mirning-elder-welcomes-equinors-withdrawal-bight?fbclid=IwAR3NlmNe3QjoVkGoIqgoyOt-hOfyRI0efy1FxbLeyjsj6KX3wV9cwIag8IY" target="_blank">NITV news</a>, "It was just fantastic news to hear. To hear that news, it's going to be a collective future for all to enjoy and for our Mirning Elders and our people to continue to celebrate and to practice our culture and traditions and song and dance and our connection to that country."</p><p>The Wilderness Society's Peter Owen also told <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/02/25/weve-finally-won-mirning-elder-welcomes-equinors-withdrawal-bight?fbclid=IwAR3NlmNe3QjoVkGoIqgoyOt-hOfyRI0efy1FxbLeyjsj6KX3wV9cwIag8IY" target="_blank">NITV news</a> the decision was "fantastic," adding that "the Australian people have opposed drilling in the bight over a number of years. It's inappropriate to be expanding the fossil fuel industry when we're in the middle of a climate emergency and we should be transitioning away from fossil fuels."</p><p>Sarah Hanson-Young, the green Senator for South Australia, tweeted:</p>
<div id="1daf0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="J7PIMY1582923912"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1232084168642723843" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Breaking!! Oil giant Equinor has scrapped plans to drill in South Australia’s gorgeous Great Australian Bight.
This… https://t.co/SRBFQ9qHV1</div> — Sarah Hanson-Young💚 (@Sarah Hanson-Young💚)<a href="https://twitter.com/sarahinthesen8/statuses/1232084168642723843">1582586731.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The fight is not over yet, though, as other smaller companies still have plans to drill in the Bight.</p><p>And despite the unprecedented bush fires that have ravaged parts of Australia, the Government is still determined to press ahead with drilling, if at all possible, too.</p><p>According to <a href="https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-25/equinor-abandons-plan-to-drill-for-oil-in-great-australian-bight/11997910?pfmredir=sm&fbclid=IwAR25n-3kvr74cCjtrO73BYttJahqcV8oquCQcAw_S8Ua8Kps6QsIleyWFCA" target="_blank">ABC,</a> the Federal Resources Minister, Keith Pitt, said the company's decision to withdraw was "disappointing" but "expressed support for future exploration in the Bight."</p><p>He added: "The Bight Basin remains one of Australia's frontier basins and any proposals for new oil and gas fields in this area will be assessed fairly and independently."</p><p>Amazingly, the Federal Government remains in denial.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="http://priceofoil.org/2020/02/26/another-huge-win-as-equinor-pulls-out-of-drilling-the-australian-bight/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oil Change International</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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42 Nobel Laureates Urge Trudeau to Act With 'Moral Clarity' and Stop Climate-Wrecking Teck Frontier Mine
23 February 2020
Popular
Greenpeace activists unfurl banners after building a wood and card 'oil pipeline' outside the Canadian High Commission, Canada House, to protest against the Trudeau government's plans to build an oil pipeline in British Colombia on April 18, 2018 in London. Chris J Ratcliffe / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
In an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, 42 Nobel laureates implored the federal government to "act with the moral clarity required" to tackle the global climate crisis and stop Teck Resources' proposed Frontier tar sands mine.
<p>"The importance of leadership in the coming few years cannot be understated," reads the letter, published Friday in the Guardian's opinion section. "Governments are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/21/the-governments-sudden-passion-for-climate-technology-is-newfound-and-insincere" style="" target="_blank">lagging scandalously behind</a> what science demands, and what a growing and powerful people-powered movement knows is necessary."</p><p>"There is enough carbon embedded in already operating oil, gas, and coalfields and mines to take us beyond 2°C, let alone 1.5°C," the letter continues, referencing key temperature targets of the 2015 Paris climate accord. "The implications of this are clear: there is no room for expansion of the fossil fuel sector. There is no room for the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/05/when-it-comes-to-climate-hypocrisy-canadas-leaders-have-reached-a-new-low" target="_blank">Teck Frontier tar sands mine</a>."</p>
<div id="3c0df" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9SDIWF1582463719"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1230889418786885632" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Projects that enable fossil-fuel growth at this moment in time are an affront to our state of climate emergency, an… https://t.co/RFmem6gGr4</div> — 350 Canada (@350 Canada)<a href="https://twitter.com/350Canada/statuses/1230889418786885632">1582301880.0</a></blockquote></div><p>According to the letter:</p><blockquote>Projects that enable fossil fuel growth at this moment in time are an affront to our state of climate emergency, and the mere fact that they warrant debate in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/canada" target="_blank">Canada</a> should be seen as a disgrace. They are wholly incompatible with your government's recent commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. And with clear infringements on First Nations rights, such projects fly in the face of rhetoric and purported efforts towards reconciliation.<br><br>The response to the climate crisis will define and destroy legacies in the coming years, and the qualifications for being on the right side of history are clear: an immediate end to fossil fuel financing and expansion along with an ambitious and just transition away from oil and gas production towards zero carbon well before mid-century.<br></blockquote><p>Signatories to the letter are from all around the world and have received Nobel prizes in chemistry, economics, literature, medicine, peace, and physics dating back to 1973. They include Canadian author Alice Munro, awarded a literature prize in 2013, and Canadian biologist Jack W. Szostak, awarded a medicine prize in 2009.</p><p>The tar sands project, first proposed in 2011, has pitted environmentalists in Canada and across the globe against conservatives in Alberta, where the mine could create thousands of jobs while <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/01/20/bc-and-alberta-indigenous-leaders-demonstrate-against-major-oilsands-project.html" target="_blank">producing</a> about 260,000 barrels of oil daily and four million tons of climate-heating emissions annually. Trudeau's cabinet is expected to weigh in sometime this month.</p>
<div id="7b286" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="EVWE711582463719"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1230840271111360513" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The world is watching @JustinTrudeau and @CAFreeland! Over 40 @NobelPrize Laureates are calling on you to… https://t.co/qRuz0ictbR</div> — Oil Change International (@Oil Change International)<a href="https://twitter.com/PriceofOil/statuses/1230840271111360513">1582290163.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"Teck still hasn't committed to building Frontier if it's approved," Bloomberg <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/finance/markets/trudeau-e2-80-99s-in-a-bind-over-an-oil-sands-mine-that-might-never-get-built/ar-BBZVdot" target="_blank">reported</a> last week. "The Vancouver-based company's current focus is on advancing the project through the regulatory process, and further decisions will depend on the outcome of that process, market conditions, and other considerations, said Chris Stannell, a Teck spokesman."</p><p>Although Trudeau often presents himself as <a href="https://apnews.com/e294259c977f412cb5ebf24dfc961bbe" target="_blank">committed </a>to addressing the climate crisis, the Liberal prime minister and his government have been criticized for decisions that conflict with scientists' warnings that the world must rapidly move to 100 percent renewable energy to avert climate catastrophe. One such decision was the Trudeau government <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/05/29/immense-moral-cowardice-trudeau-trashed-government-purchase-climate-killing-kinder" target="_blank">buying</a> the Trans Mountain pipeline and long-delayed expansion project in 2018, which Indigenous people and climate activists <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/05/we-will-continue-fight-protesters-vow-after-canadian-court-dismisses-indigenous" target="_blank">continue</a> to challenge in court.</p><p>Among those <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rival-rallies-teck-frontier-mine-approval-ottawa-oilsands-calgary-protests-1.5436228" target="_blank">opposed</a> to the Frontier mine are leaders and members of Extinction Rebellion, Indigenous Climate Action, the Tiny House Warriors and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, who have <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/01/20/bc-and-alberta-indigenous-leaders-demonstrate-against-major-oilsands-project.html" target="_blank">held</a> protests aimed at pressuring the Canadian government to block the contested project.</p>
<div id="4ab0f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="RWGZPT1582463719"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1230931456471523329" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Over 40 Nobel Laureates call on @JustinTrudeau and @cafreeland to reject the largest tar sands mine proposal EVER.… https://t.co/lLOx1kmojK</div> — Global Witness (@Global Witness)<a href="https://twitter.com/Global_Witness/statuses/1230931456471523329">1582311903.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"Ultimately, this mine will be so devastating to the climate, and we're in a climate crisis," Extinction Rebellion member Sarah Flynn <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rival-rallies-teck-frontier-mine-approval-ottawa-oilsands-calgary-protests-1.5436228" target="_blank">told</a> CBC News in January, "so the short-term advantages of the jobs and the income that this mine will offer will be far outweighed by the climate devastation that the whole world will experience."</p><p>Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/01/20/bc-and-alberta-indigenous-leaders-demonstrate-against-major-oilsands-project.html" target="_blank">told</a> the Toronto Star last month that Trudeau should "walk the walk" of transitioning to a green economy. Phillip noted that "there were commitments made during the last election that the Trudeau government would make decisive moves toward renewable energy and this is an opportunity to follow through on those promises."</p><p>In an op-ed for the Guardian earlier this month, author and activist Bill McKibben <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/05/when-it-comes-to-climate-hypocrisy-canadas-leaders-have-reached-a-new-low" target="_blank">wrote</a> that "it's disturbing in a different way to watch leaders pretend to care — a kind of gaslighting that can reduce you to numb nihilism. Trudeau, for all his charms, doesn't get to have it both ways: if you can't bring yourself to stop a brand-new tar sands mine then you're not a climate leader."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/21/42-nobel-laureates-urge-trudeau-act-moral-clarity-and-stop-climate-wrecking-teck" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em><em></em></p>From Your Site Articles
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