Our Strength Lies in Our Humanity

Environment & Energy

The overwhelming consensus amongst scientists is that climate change and global warming is caused by humans; that it’s having a damaging affect on weather patters, accelerating extinction of wildlife, negatively impacting on agriculture, water supply, sea level, air quality. If we don’t radically change our diets, our fuel supply, the way capitalism recklessly plunders the world’s dwindling resources, we will enter a period of global food shortages, mass migration and conflict.


Anger as rifts scupper hopes of breakthrough at UN climate talks

Anger as rifts scupper hopes of breakthrough at UN climate talks US, Brazil, Australia and China accused of frustrating progress in marathon COP25 negotiations in MadridGlobal climate talks were continuing towards dawn on Sunday after a marathon final negotiating session in Madrid that has lasted since Friday without clear resolutions on how to implement the Paris agreement.Campaigners from around the world expressed their frustration at the lack of progress as…

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Summer loving: Paul Blackmore captures Australia’s affair with the ocean – in pictures

Summer loving: Paul Blackmore captures Australia’s affair with the ocean – in pictures In his book Heat, the Sydney-based photographer Paul Blackmore pays homage to Australia’s obsession with the coast, exploring the relationship between water, heat and humanity. He documents the pursuit of individual freedom on crowded beaches during sweltering summer days and shoots the sea in its various guises – cool, dark and icy; a powerful force to be…

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If only saving the planet was as easy as planting a tree before speeding off in our SUVs | Catherine Bennett

If only saving the planet was as easy as planting a tree before speeding off in our SUVs | Catherine Bennett Offsetting is a seductive way of convincing ourselves we’re doing something constructiveThere is one thing, still, that we all agree on. Trees. Everybody loves trees. In theory, anyway. So long as the trees don’t interfere with a prime view, or foundations, or a luxury housing development, like the ancient…

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Extinction Rebellion on COP25: ‘What a pile of shite this is’

comunicacion@extinctionrebellion.es / press@risingup.org  To mark the end of this year’s COP, Extinction Rebellion has delivered a present to our world leaders who have gathered here for this most important gathering: a pile of Madrid’s finest horse manure “We are in the shit unless we come together, think bigger and transformative. Remember from the most pungent shit, grows the most beautiful roses” At the same time, given the important of what…

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Contra la Extincíon, Somos Rebelión! COP25

Raquel and Sergio stood with their hands glued to the inside of Zara’s display window kissing silently and smiling, with adrenaline, fear and love coursing between their lips. The cameras and curious eyes of hundreds of Christmas shoppers watched their intimacy from the other side of the glass, attracted by the rebels outside who were singing and shouting, with banners in their hands and rage in their hearts. From that perspective, the couple appeared to be holding a gesture of surrender. Hands up! Don’t move! It was a position of vulnerability that became clear when the Policía Nacional came to remove them.  No XR rebel had ever glued-on before in Spain and it was uncertain how the police would react. It was expected that they would place a barrier between the window…

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Rewilding: How Trees for Life are renewing the Highlands

Rewilding: How Trees for Life are renewing the Highlands Helped by volunteers, Trees for Life planted nearly 2m native trees on its Scottish projects. It wants to plant millions more Please donate to our appeal hereThe bracken-clad hills are marked “Dundreggan forest” on the map but this Scottish glen is mostly stark Highland scenery: open, beautiful, and almost totally devoid of trees.On a steep-sided little gully, 40 years ago, a few baby silver birches escaped relentless browsing by red deer and grew tall. Now, the nearby path through the bracken is dusted with thousands of brown specks: birch seeds. Continue reading… Source – Full Article https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/14/rewilding-how-trees-for-life-are-renewing-the-highlands

Richer nations accused of stalling progress on climate crisis

Richer nations accused of stalling progress on climate crisis Brazil, India and China singled out in UN talks as acting to block agreement on article 6 of Paris agreementPoor countries have accused a handful of richer nations of holding up progress on tackling the climate crisis at UN talks in Madrid, as demonstrators and activists vented their frustration in the final hours of two weeks of negotiations.The talks dragged on with negotiators battling into the early hours of Saturday to salvage a result, as governments wrangled over the details of a seemingly arcane issue: carbon markets, governed by a provision of the 2015 Paris agreement known as article 6.… Source – Full Article https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/dec/13/richer-nations-accused-of-stalling-progress-on-climate-crisis

Brazil's Amazon deforestation this year nearly size of Puerto Rico, says agency

Brazil's Amazon deforestation this year nearly size of Puerto Rico, says agency Destruction of the world’s largest tropical rainforest in November more than doubled the same period last year Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon jumped to the highest level for the month of November since record-keeping began in 2015, according to preliminary government data published.Destruction of the world’s largest tropical rainforest totalled 563 square kms in November, which is more than double the area in the same month last year, according to the country’s space research agency INPE on Friday. Continue reading… Source – Full Article https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/14/brazils-amazon-deforestation-this-year-nearly-size-of-puerto-rico-says-agency

What Boris Johnson’s government needs to do to show it is serious on climate change

What Boris Johnson’s government needs to do to show it is serious on climate change Climate change had a higher profile in the UK election campaign than ever before, with parties competing hard over their offer to concerned voters. But this was a debate that the Conservatives – who won a landslide majority – largely stood back from. Their manifesto was light on detail compared to the other parties, and Boris Johnson chose not to take part in the first ever UK televised leaders’ debate on climate. Conservative candidates were conspicuous by their absence in local climate hustings, too. Neither was climate mentioned in their legislative plan for the first hundred days. The Conservative government did legislate for a net zero carbon emissions target back in June, following the advice…

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A Regenerative Resistance

“We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us” – Jo Cox Today dawns a new political era in the UK. We recognise that rebels will be feeling a lot after what we saw as the most important election ever in the UK for the planet we hold so dear. Today is also a reminder of our mission to go beyond party politics. Beyond a system which has brought the planet to its knees. For us nothing has changed today. We are still committed to fighting for this planet and to bring about the whole system change that is needed. Our reason for existing is stronger than ever. The anger and grief that we feel towards the disregard of natural…

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