From this week’s news on: the climate crisis, environmental issues, and nuclear threats [Note: Content Warning - links to distressing reports on this topic. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

Note: in my “from the news” posts, quotes are shown italicised and blue, my comments are in a different shade of blue, and “good” items are shown in green. I have loosely grouped the posts where such seemed reasonable, but that is subjective (i.e., my opinion - others are free to disagree), and challenging, as some posts belong in multiple “groups”.

From this week’s news on the climate crisis, environmental issues, and nuclear threats (note: I may continue to add links for a few days, possibly up to a week, after these are published), noting that at least some issues will not have made it into the news that I see: 

• “Surge in extreme forest fires fuels global emissions”   https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-04033-y   
  

• “2023’s extreme Storms, Heat and Wildfires broke Records, and Burning Fossil Fuels Played a big Part”   https://www.juancole.com/2023/12/extreme-wildfires-records.html   but   “Your 2023 Climate Wins, Wrapped | Atmos”   https://atmos.earth/conquering-climate-change-your-2023-climate-wins-wrapped/   “This year’s climate extremes may give the impression that the planet is screwed, but climate experts say we’ve made record progress in 2023—and that gives them hope”   Making gains is both true and good, but the question remains: are those gains enough and being made quickly enough? I consider both sides need to be considered - and we clearly need to keep doing more  
  

• “What Happened at COP28?”   Global Dispatches   “The international climate change conference, COP28, concluded in Dubai on 13^th December, one day later than its scheduled end-date. Negotiators went into overtime to hammer out an agreement  that for the first time addressed the politically fraught question of phasing out fossil fuels.  Joining me to discuss that key outcome and other significant results of COP28  is Pete Ogden, Vice President for Climate and Environment at the United Nations Foundation. We kick off discussing why this particular meeting in Dubai was an important moment for the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to at least 1.5 degrees Celsius. We then discuss the contentious politics and diplomacy around an agreement to phase out fossil fuels and other key outcomes of this UN Climate Conference.”   Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/global-dispatches-world-news-that-matters/id593535863?i=1000638509175   and   “Instagram Influencers Paid to Boost UAE’s Climate Credentials Over COP28 - DeSmog”   https://www.desmog.com/2023/12/14/instagram-influencers-paid-to-boost-uaes-climate-credential-over-cop28/   “Social media influencers were paid to boost the UAE’s climate credentials in and around COP28 in what appears to be a coordinated PR effort by the oil-dependent host nation, DeSmog can reveal”   (This appears to be a DeSmog exclusive - I have just subscribed to their email newsletter)  
  

• workplace activism is getting results   https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/work/2023/12/20/workers-climate-change-activism   
  

• “Solar and on-shore wind provide cheapest electricity and nuclear most expensive, CSIRO analysis shows”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/21/solar-and-on-shore-wind-provide-cheapest-electricity-and-nuclear-most-expensive-csiro-analysis-shows   “Estimates show small modular nuclear reactors would provide most expensive power and will not be available until 2030”   and   “Atlas Network strategies: how fossil fuel is using "think" tanks to delay action - The Australian Independent Media Network”   https://theaimn.com/atlas-network-strategies-how-fossil-fuel-is-using-think-tanks-to-delay-action/   
  

 

• “North Queensland’s record-breaking floods are a frightening portent of what’s to come under climate change”   https://theconversation.com/north-queenslands-record-breaking-floods-are-a-frightening-portent-of-whats-to-come-under-climate-change-220039   

• “From COVID to climate: Queensland’s new emissions pledge shows state governments are once again leading change”   https://theconversation.com/from-covid-to-climate-queenslands-new-emissions-pledge-shows-state-governments-are-once-again-leading-change-220040   Qld still needs to fix it police abuses, youth, and racism problems (the article includes a reminder on why the Commonwealth is still essential)   
  

• “Alan Kohler: When the world burns, China will be driving the fire engine”   https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2023/12/18/kohler-china-climate-change-energy   Excellent analysis - especially of the way the USA’s self destructive politics will leave the way open for China ... and that we (Australia), as has been pointed out for DECADES could be a renewables superpower   
  

 

My links for activism post may aid any activism  you may decide to do on any/all of these.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering”.