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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- A Darker Shade of Green: REDD Alert and the Future of ForestsGlobal Justice Ecology Project and Global Forest Coalition announce the release of the DVD of “A Darker Shade of Green: REDD Alert and the Future of Forests.” In the month since we released it online, A Darker Shade of Green has been viewed more than 3,500 times. The DVD edition, produced for use in classrooms, public ...---READ-->>
- Natural gas: another magic bullet that won't stop climate change“If you take 40 years to switch over entirely to natural gas, you won’t see any substantial decrease in global temperatures for up to 250 years. There’s almost no climate value in doing it.” ++++++ by Mike Lemonick Climate Central, Feb. 28, 2012 Remember how ethanol was going to save us? It was the perfect solution to not one, but ...---READ-->>
- No time to waste on transition to green energyEven if we convert totally tomorrow, it would be decades before the transition from coal-based power brings temperature benefits. We have delayed too long already and it is time to get started. +++++++++++++ by Kate Ravilious Environmental Research Web, Feb 16, 2012 If the entire world adopted ‘green’ forms of energy tomorrow, how long would it take for global temperatures ...---READ-->>
- Via Campesina call to action – Rio +20 and BeyondWe call for a major world mobilization to be held between 18-26 June in Rio de Janeiro, with a permanent camp, for the Peoples Summit, to counter the summit of governments and capital.---READ-->>
- Social movements call for a Permanent Peoples’ Assembly, Rio 2012For our rights and the rights of nature, against the commodification of life and the greenwashing of capitalism … Mobilize together towards Río+20 and beyond ++++++++++++++ We, organizations, networks and social movements, involved in the building of the Peoples’ Summit for social and environmental justice, against the commodification of life and nature in defence (Río+20), call for the mobilization ...---READ-->>
- Canada: Secret government memo warns tar sands damage may be irreversibleOver the coming decade, emissions growth from the Alberta tar sands is projected to be greater than all other Canadian economic sectors combined ++++++++++++++++ by Mike De Souza Calgary Herald, February 21, 2012 Collateral damage from Canada’s booming oilsands sector may be irreversible, posing a “significant environmental and financial risk to the province of Alberta,” says a secret memorandum prepared ...---READ-->>
- Get political! Occupy activists urged to study and learn from revolutionary giantsLuxemburg, Trotsky and Lenin were among the most perceptive and compelling revolutionaries of the 20th century. Critically engaging with their ideas can enrich today’s struggles for a better world. Fifty leading figures on the international left, including Ian Angus, John Riddell, Patrick Bond, Paul Le Blanc, China Miéville, Lindsey German, Alex Callinicos, Phil Gasper, Michael Yates, and ...---READ-->>
- Global ice loss: 500 billion tons a yearBetween 2003 and 2010, the ice mass lost from Greenland, Antarctica and Earth’s glaciers and ice caps was enough cover the United States 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) deep. +++++++++++ In the first comprehensive satellite study of its kind, a University of Colorado at Boulder-led team used NASA data to calculate how much Earth’s melting ...---READ-->>
- Why corporate fat cats love 'ethical consumerism'… and five reasons why voting and shopping are not the same thing These two articles appeared this month on Treehugger.com. The author, Sami Grover, is obviously not a socialist, but his comments are insightful. It is a mark of growing awareness of the inadequacy of personal solutions to the environmental crisis that such views are expressed on a ...---READ-->>
- Oil exec's son explains why the Northern Gateway pipeline must be stoppedIntroduction. A Canadian regulatory panel is now hearing testimony on a proposal to build a pipeline to carry oil from the Alberta Tar Sands through the mountains of British Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, where it would be put into supertankers for delivery to China and other countries. Thanks to Michael Lebowitz for drawing our attention ...---READ-->>
- Toronto meeting challenges Canada's tar sands criminalsActions against tar sands and pipelines are an opportunity to revitalize the movement to stop climate change ++++++++++++ by John Riddell The historic confrontation now shaping up over plans by Enbridge Corp. to build a new pipeline across the Canadian Rockies to export dirty tar-sands oil was discussed at a protest meeting inToronto, February 16. The meeting, attended by ...---READ-->>
- Bolivia’s García Linera: ‘Moving beyond capitalism is a universal task’“We have nothing against the US government or its people. But no one – absolutely no one – should come here and tell us what to do, say or think. “ Introduction by Felipe Stuart Cournoyer Bolivia’s vice-president Álvaro García Linera brought a message of hope and anti-imperialist commitment to Mexico in the ...---READ-->>
- Canada threatens trade war to protect dirty oil exportsHarper government threatens retaliation if European Union accurately labels oil from tar sands as highly polluting ++++++++++++++ by Damian Carrington Guardian, February 20, 2012 Canada has threatened a trade war with European Union over the bloc’s plan to label oil from Alberta’s vast tar sands as highly polluting, the Guardian can reveal, before a key vote in Brussels on 23 ...---READ-->>
- Activist exposes the lies of Australian's gas frackersAn advertising campaign by Australia’s Coal Seam Gas industry claims to provide ‘facts’ about the benefits of fracking. Their claims don’t stand up. Australian activist Jess Moore is a member of Stop CSG Illawarra, the Socialist Alliance, and won the New South Wales Nature Conservation Council’s 2011 “Rising Star” award. ++++++++++++ By Jess Moore Green Left Weekly, February 18, 2012 A coal ...---READ-->>
- Anti-nuclear conference in Japan calls international day of action, March 11“We now stand at a crossroads. We have the choice to break out of the nuclear fuel chain and move towards efficient, renewable and sustainable energy that does not threaten health or environment.” The Global Conference for a Nuclear Power Free World was held at Pacifico Yokohama on 14 and 15 January 2012. 6000 people on ...---READ-->>
- Murray Bookchin: Anthropocentrism versus biocentrism – a false dichotomyIntroduction by Ian Angus — Some green writers, particularly those who support the viewpoint known as deep ecology, accuse socialist environmentalists of anthropocentrism, of giving absolute priority to human needs and ignoring or downplaying the needs of non-human nature. To that, they counterpose what is variously called biocentrism or ecocentrism – the view ...---READ-->>
- Obama's anti-climate crusadeby Donna Goodman President Obama’s State of the Union speech Jan. 25 contained distressing news for opponents of global warming who recognize the need to begin substantially reducing reliance upon carbon based fossil fuels. “Over the last three years,” Obama said, “we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration. And tonight, I’m directing my ...---READ-->>
- Announcement: Climate & Capitalism and Monthly ReviewClimate and Capitalism is five years old this month. I’m excited to mark this anniversary by launching an alliance with Monthly Review, the world’s …---READ-->>
- UN biodiversity plan: neoliberal measures to commodify natureAcción Ecológica is gathering signatures for this letter, in advance of the Global Dialogue Seminar on Scaling up Finance for Biodiversity, to be held in Quito, Ecuador, March 6-9 ++++++++ Open letter to the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the governments of Japan, India, Norway, Sweden and Ecuador On 6 to 9 March 2012 the Global Dialogue ...---READ-->>
- Eight ways Monsanto fails at sustainable agricultureMonsanto has held back the development of sustainable agriculture, and continues to do so. None of its competitors come close to matching its impact on global agriculture ++++++++++ Monsanto Company is the dominant player in commercial genetically engineered (GE) crops, the biggest seed company in the world, and—to hear them tell it—a leader and ...---READ-->>