The Ecosocialist Resources column is published at irregular intervals. It features links to new articles, reports, talks and videos that are relevant to Climate & Capitalism’s mission and goals.
Inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement, or that we agree with everything (or even anything!) the item says.
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- Toronto Teach-In Discusses Cochabamba Agenda for Climate JusticeActvists discuss concepts far removed from the usual media babble about cap-and-trade and carbon offsets – ideas that are unfamiliar to many on the left by John Riddell TORONTO – An all-day conference on climate justice here November 13 indicated broadening support for the global climate justice movement. Entitled Lessons from Bolivia: Building a Global Movement for Climate ...---READ-->>
- Evo Morales: A letter to the indigenous peoples of the worldWhile we assert that capitalism is the cause of global warming and the destruction of forests, rainforests and Mother Earth, they seek to expand capitalism to the commoditization of nature with the word “green economy” Indigenous brothers of the world: I am deeply concerned because some pretend to use leaders and indigenous groups to promote the commoditization of nature and ...---READ-->>
- ALBA nations declare: Nature has no price!Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela declare: “Nature is our home and is the system of which we form a part, and therefore it has infinite value, but it does not have a price and is not for sale.” Ministers, Authorities of the Ministerial Committee for the Defense of Nature of the Plurinational State ...---READ-->>
- Responding to the Cochabamba challengeSome 125 people took part in the teach-in Lessons from Bolivia: Building a Global Movement for Climate Justice in Toronto on Saturday November 13. The meeting was sponsored by nearly 40 organizations, including unions, solidarity campaigns and environmental groups. The following is the text (lightly edited) of the talk given by Climate and Capitalism editor Ian ...---READ-->>
- The World Food Crisis: Causes and SolutionsVideo: Peter Rosset presents the Food Sovereignty vision defended by La Via Campesina Dr. Peter Rosset is based in Oaxaca, Mexico, where he is a researcher at the Centro de Estudios para el Cambio en el Campo Mexicano (Center of Studies for Rural Change in Mexico), and co-coordinator of the Land Research Action Network. He is the ...---READ-->>
- Malthus With a Computer, 2010An important new study concludes that reducing population growth will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There is less here than meets the eye by Ian Angus Can a computer model prove that population growth is an important cause of climate change? An October 11 press release from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) says yes. Headed Population ...---READ-->>
- Europe's biofuel plans driving social and environmental destructionPlans to increase the use of biofuels in Europe over the next ten years will require up to 69 000 square kilometres of new land worldwide and make climate change worse, a new study has revealed.. The report finds that an area over twice the size of Belgium will need to be converted into fields and ...---READ-->>
- Stewart Brand is wrong about DDT. Will he admit it?by George Monbiot Guardian, November 5, 2010 Last night’s film on Channel 4, What the Green Movement Got Wrong, was loosely based on Stewart Brand’s book, Whole Earth Discipline. In the film, Stewart issued the following challenge: I would like to see an environmental movement that’s comfortable noticing when it’s wrong and announcing when it’s wrong. I agree with ...---READ-->>
- British trade unionists demand One Million Climate JobsPeople can see that that climate jobs aren’t simply about saving the planet, but there are huge social consequences too. by Martin Empson Treasurer, Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union group The first edition of the Campaign Against Climate Change’s One Million Climate Jobs Now pamphlet has had a big impact within the British trade union and environmental ...---READ-->>
- ALBA Countries Meet in Bolivia to Defend Rights of Mother EarthMeeting will develop plan for joint action, continuing cooperation (November 3, 2010) The countries belonging to the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) will meet Wednesday in Bolivia to advocate for a common position on the defense of the rights of Mother Earth. According to the Bolivian Minister of the Environment and Water, Maria Esther Udaeta, this is ...---READ-->>
- UK Activists Target BP Tar Sands PlansStatement issued by UK Tar Sands Network TELL BP TO STAY OUT OF THE TAR SANDS Canada’s Tar Sands have been described as “the most destructive project on earth”. The world’s least favourite oil company – BP – is currently poised to make a move into extracting this filthy source of oil. But it’s not too late ...---READ-->>
- Biodiversity: The agreement that isn'tEveryone agrees that the new declaration on biodiversity is a triumph. Just one snag: it doesn’t seem to exist. And if it does, it won’t help the natural world. by George Monbiot from the Guardian and www.monbiot.com November 1, 2010 “Countries join forces to save life on Earth,” the front page of the Independent told us. “Historic,” ...---READ-->>
- Green Party of Canada urges public mobilization for Cancun“We’re aiming to help reinvigorate Canadians to participate in democracy and hold the Harper government’s feet to the fire on the most pressing issue facing the planet.” [As ecosocialists, we at C&C feel that the demands outlined in this statement are inadequate. But such disagreements take second place to our pleasure at seeing the Green Party ...---READ-->>
- IPCC vice-chair: Attacks on climate science echo tobacco industry tacticsJean-Pascal van Ypersele says rows over ‘climategate’ emails and Himalayan glaciers were organised to undermine Copenhagen summit by Damian Carrington Guardian, October 28, 2010 The attacks on climate science that were made ahead of the Copenhagen climate change summit were “organised” to undermine efforts to tackle global warming and mirror the earlier tactics of the tobacco industry, ...---READ-->>
- Speculation and climate driving up food pricesThe profit system is starving people … by Penny Cole A World to Win, October 28, 2010 A capitalist perfect storm has ended all progress in reducing world hunger, and one billion people are now undernourished, a sizable increase from its 2006 estimate of 854 million people. In every country, prices are soaring, including in the UK where ...---READ-->>
- Most 'green product' claims are misleadingNearly all “green” consumer products make at least one false, misleading or unproven environmental claim by Ian Angus A few weeks ago in Climate & Capitalism, I reported a Canadian government study that found “misleading label information on 63% of candy items, 59% of breads and baked goods; and 49% of snack foods.” This, I concluded, was “just ...---READ-->>
- Canada and EU given 'Dodo Awards’Having repeatedly winning “Fossil of the Day” awards at international climate conferences, Canada now has a new dishonor to be ashamed of … From the Convention on Biological Diversity Alliance Nagoya, Japan, October 25, 2010 Civil society organizations at the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have announced the winners of ...---READ-->>
- Toronto, Nov. 13: Teach-in on Bolivia and Climate JusticeLessons from Bolivia Building a World Movement for Climate Justice November 13, 2010 Registration: 9:30 a.m. Sidney Smith Hall, University of Toronto, Rm 2118 100 St. George (South of Harbord, North of College) Agenda 10:00-11:30 The Cochabamba Declaration In April 2010, the government of Bolivia convened a conference of social movements on global warming in Cochabamba, Bolivia. More than 30,000 participants charted ...---READ-->>
- Superconsumers at seaThe battle of the super yachts From Too Much weekly, Oct. 25 2010 Back in 2003, Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen’s newly constructed 414-foot yacht, the Octopus, rated as the world’s longest pleasure boat. Allen’s boat would soon lose that distinction to United Arab Emirate sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, whose yacht, the Dubai, runs 531 feet. Now the Dubai is playing second-fiddle ...---READ-->>
- Against mainstream economics: The Kick It Over ManifestoAn international student movement to free the economics curriculum from its neoclassical straitjacket was launched last week at the University of California at Berkeley. For its first action, students worldwide are being encouraged to post the following manifesto, preferably printed on brightly colored paper, on the doors and bulletin boards of their univeristy’s economics department. Kick ...---READ-->>