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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- 'Accelerated climate change' destroying Australia's food bowlCANBERRA, June 18 (Reuters) – Parts of Australia’s key Murray-Darling river food bowl may be beyond recovery unless a prolonged dry spell and political wrangling over water use ends by October, a leaked scientific report warned on Wednesday. “There has been 10 years at least that people have said you have got to restore the ...---READ-->>
- Essential information on carbon tradingThe very best source of analysis and comment on global carbon trading is The Corner House, based in Britain. These are just some of the documents, presentations and videos available on their website. Highly recommended. (1) Carbon Trading: Solution or Obstacle? More and more commentators now recognize that carbon markets are not helping to address the ...---READ-->>
- Nationalize big oil, enemy of people and planetBy Dick Nichols Dick Nichols is the national coordinator of Australia’s Socialist Alliance. The latest surge in the spot price of crude oil (to $US139 a barrel — 87.4 cents a litre) dramatizes the urgent need for society to wean itself off “black gold.” The longer we remain hooked the greater the devastation both to our environment ...---READ-->>
- Should ecosocialists try to live green?This weekend’s conference of the British Campaign Against Climate Change featured a session on Ecosocialism, with panelists Jonathan Neale (Socialist Workers Party), Derek Wall (Green Party) and Alan Thornett (Socialist Resistance). Liam Mac Uaid, who attended the session, says it included a worthwhile discussion on issues related to labels (should we call ourselves ‘eco’ socialists?) and ...---READ-->>
- Comments on the Second Ecosocialist Manifesto… and on some key issues facing ecosocialists today by Ian Angus Canada’s Society for Socialist Studies met in Vancouver June 4-7. Cy Gonick, publisher of Canadian Dimension, invited me to speak on the Second Ecosocialist Manifesto at a session on ecosocialism, which I was eager to do. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend, and Greg Albo ...---READ-->>
- June 15: Wat Tyler DayWe´ll shoot the cutty wren … June 15. On this day in 1215, King John signed the Magna Carta, putting legal limits on the monarch’s powers, and granting legal rights to the very rich. It was over seven centuries before the rest of the population had won those rights. June 15. On this day in 1381, ...---READ-->>
- The Ecological Crisis and its Consequences for SocialistsIntroduction All ecosocialists agree that the ecological crises facing the world today are caused by capitalism, and the only real solution is socialism. But that is only a starting point — as Marx wrote, while many people have explained the world, the real task is to change it. To do that we have to build an ...---READ-->>
- Racism in the Tar Sands: exploiting foreign workers and poisoning indigenous peopleBy Macdonald Stainsby The giant corporations that are determined to exploit the Alberta tar sands face a major problem — a serious shortage of local labour to do the actual work. So the Canadian and Albertan governments have a plan, ideal in their eyes, to solve the crunch. Currently, employers desperate to find needed hands, backs and ...---READ-->>
- The three decisive social forces that can stop climate changeTasks for ecosocialists in building a global movement against ecological destruction This Editorial will appear in the Summer 2008 issue of Socialist Resistance. In Britain, a 5-issue subscription to this journal is £10 — send a cheque to Socialist Resistance, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. For international subscription rates, email contact@socialistresistance.net The protest against the proposed ...---READ-->>
- Venezuela: The capitalist system has brought humanity to the biggest food crisis knownLatin American countries condemn the World Food Summit for ignoring the real causes of rising food prices by Kiraz Janicke Caracas — Venezuela, along with Argentina, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Bolivia, criticized the final declaration of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Summit in Rome on Thursday, arguing that the document failed to ...---READ-->>
- Cuba: The Rich and Powerful Impede Solutions to Hunger“Cuba will not remain silent and become an accomplice to the demagogy and opportunism, or to the inaction and omission in meeting the responsibilities outlined to save the life and dignity of 862 million people suffering from hunger and malnutrition.” By Elson Concepcion Perez, Granma, June 6, 2008 ROME, June 5.— The summit on food security, the effects ...---READ-->>
- Ottawa Overturns Pro-Environment Court Decision in Record TimeOn May 14, a federal judge ruled that Imperial Oil (Exxon Canada) could not proceed with draining muskeg at Kearl in northern Alberta in preparation for a new Tar Sands extraction project, even though it had a permit from the federal government, because the government had not conducted a full environmental review. On June 5 — ...---READ-->>
- Terra Preta Forum Demands Justice for Victims of the Food EmergencyDeclaration of the Terra Preta Forum on the Food Crisis, Climate Change, Agrofuels and Food Sovereignty Terra Preta (“black soil” in Portuguese) is the incredibly fertile soil created by Indigenous Peoples in central Amazonia. The Terra Preta Forum was organized by IPC — the International NGO/CSO Planning Committee — as a civil society alternative to the ...---READ-->>
- Solidarity with Écosociété! Stop Barrick's Lawsuit!Freedom of expression under attack: Québec ecological publisher sued by Barrick Gold to force them into bankruptcy A Solidarity concert in support of Écosociété will be held in Montreal on Thursday June 12 at the Kola Note, 5240, Parc Avenue, at 8:30 pm. Featured artists include Les Zapartistes, Tomás Jensen, Ève Cournoyer, Jérôme Minière, Ivy, Jean-François ...---READ-->>
- Cuba: The Food Crisis is Systemic and StructuralAddress by José Ramón Machado Ventura, vice president of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers, to the high-level conference on World Food Security: The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy (English translation by Climate and Capitalism, from Juventud Rebelde, June 4, 2008) Mr. Chairman: Two years ago, in this very hall, the international community agreed to eradicate world ...---READ-->>
- The 2nd of May Revolt at the UN Forum on Indigenous PeoplesThe United Nations censors indigenous people at a forum for indigenous people… From Intercontinental Cry, an excellent blog edited by Winnipeg-based John Schertow (Ahni) that reports on the struggles of the world’s land-based Indigenous Peoples. Rebecca Sommer is in the midst of producing a video documentary about “the 2nd OF MAY REVOLT” at the recent session of ...---READ-->>
- What Would a Liveable City Look Like?Today’s cities are built and operated to serve the needs of the rich and powerful rather than those of the working people By Dave Holmes (From Green Left Weekly, 30 May 2008) When one sees a modern city from the air, especially at night, it is a truly awe-inspiring spectacle. The immensity of the project ...---READ-->>
- Will Red And Green Ever Be Seen? A Perspective from ScotlandA socialist activist in the Scottish Green Party discusses whether and how socialists and greens can work together to win change for people and the environment By Tim Gee (From Scottish Left Review May-June, 2008) Following a recent article on ‘Transitional Alliances’ by Justin Kenrick in Scottish Left Review, a question on many people’s lips has been how ...---READ-->>
- Canadian Labour Congress Discusses Climate ChangeGood discussion, followed by a disappointing policy paper and resolution By Roger Annis Roger Annis, co-editor of Socialist Voice, is a delegate to the Canadian Labour Congress convention being held in Toronto this week. He has been posting daily reports on the convention on his blog. (May 28, 2008) The fourth day of the CLC convention began with ...---READ-->>
- Two Storms, One Root CauseThe headlines told the story of an ecological disaster, made worse by capitalist politics. It began with an intense storm. While no specific weather event can be ascribed to global warming, one result of climate change is a significant increase in the intensity of extreme storms. The storm hit a densely-populated river delta, where natural barriers ...---READ-->>