The strongmen strike back: Authoritarianism reemerges as the greatest threat to the liberal democratic world

By Robert Kagan 14 March 2019 (The Washington Post) – Of all the geopolitical transformations confronting the liberal democratic world these days, the one for which we are least prepared is the ideological and strategic resurgence of authoritarianism. We are not used to thinking of authoritarianism as a distinct worldview that offers a real alternative […]

Trump regulation rollbacks will result in more than 200 million tons of additional greenhouse emissions each year – “The Trump administration has taken historically unprecedented actions to roll back years of environmental progress”

WASHINGTON, D.C., 5 March 2019 (NYU School of Law) – Today, the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at the NYU School of Law announced the release of a Special Report detailing the extensive climate change and public health damage caused by the Trump administration’s environmental deregulatory agenda. In its Special Report, titled “Climate & […]

Senate confirms former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as EPA administrator

By Anna M. Phillips28 February 2019 (Los Angeles Times) – The Senate on Thursday confirmed Andrew Wheeler to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, handing the reins of the agency responsible for ensuring clean air and safe drinking water to a former coal industry lobbyist. The 52-to-47 vote removed the word “acting” from Wheeler’s title, installing […]

California is stuck fighting climate change with a bankrupt, distrusted company

By Drake Bennett and Mark Chediak 28 February 2019 (Bloomberg Businessweek) – Laine Mason arrived at work on Nov. 8 expecting a busy day: Strong winds were forecast, which meant falling branches and toppled trees, and with them the possibility of downed power lines. Mason, who lives in the Northern California town of Corning, works […]

As global democracy retreats, ethnic cleansing is on the rise

By Michael J. Abramowitz and Arch Puddington25 February 2019 (The Diplomat) – Ethnic cleansing, a staple of geopolitical crises in the 1990s, is making a comeback. According to Freedom in the World, the annual report on political rights and civil liberties published by Freedom House, the number of countries earning a score deduction for some […]

Australia approves dumping of 1 million tons of sludge near Great Barrier Reef – “Dumping dredged sludge into world heritage waters treats our reef like a rubbish tip”

By Colin Drury 22 February 2019 (The Independent) – More than one million tons of sludge are to be dumped close to the Great Barrier Reef after authorities in Australia approved plans to discard industrial dredge spoil. Sediment scooped up from the sea floor during maintenance work at nearby Hay Point Port will be ditched […]

Mexican activist shot dead before vote on power project he opposed – Thousands protest murder of Samir Flores Soberanes in Mexico City

By David Agren20 February 2019 MEXICO CITY (The Guardian) – A Mexican environmental activist has been murdered before a referendum on a controversial thermal-electric plant and pipeline that he opposed. Samir Flores Soberanes, an indigenous Náhuatl, was killed in his home during the early hours of Wednesday in the town of Amilcingo in Morelos state, […]

Europeans watch Brexit chaos in “disbelief and bewilderment” – “It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion and you can’t do anything to stop it”

By Rachel Elbaum 21 February 2019 BRUSSELS (NBC News) – Europeans in Brussels, the unofficial capital of the E.U., have some choice words to describe Britain’s attempt to leave the 28-country bloc. “Horrifying,” “chaotic” and “frustrating” are just a few of them. There are just 36 days left until Brexit, and lawmakers have been unable […]

Iceland will allow more than 2,000 whales to be killed within next five years

By Lauren Kent23 February 2019 (CNN) – Only two whaling companies remain in Iceland. It’s a small industry that conservationists say is inhumane, has minimal economic benefits, and defies the international ban on killing whales. But this week the Icelandic government announced it will allow up to 2,000 whales to be killed in the next […]

Trump wins 2018 Rubber Dodo award as top eco-villain – “From wildlife to public lands to climate, Trump has wrecked, poisoned, and polluted our environment on an unprecedented scale”

TUCSON, Arizona, 15 February 2019 (CBD) –  President Trump is the winner of the Center for Biological Diversity’s 2018 Rubber Dodo award. The statue is awarded each year to the person or group who has most aggressively sought to destroy America’s natural heritage or drive endangered species extinct. “From wildlife to public lands to climate, Trump […]

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial