The climate crisis explained

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The climate crisis explained in 10 charts

The problem – rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

The level of CO2 has been rising since the industrial revolution and is now at its highest for about 4 million years. The rate of the rise is even more striking – the fastest for 66m years – with scientists saying we are in “uncharted territory”.

The causes – fossil fuel burning

Billions of tonnes of CO2 are sent into the atmosphere every year from coal, oil and gas burning. There is no sign of these emissions starting to fall rapidly, as is needed.

The climate crisis explained in 10 charts continued at the Guardian

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THIS IS NOT A DRILL ~ AN extinction rebellion HANDBOOK

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My copy of THIS IS NOT A DRILL ~ AN extinction rebellion HANDBOOK has just arrived. Here’s an excerpt for you from ‘The Civil Resistance Model’ by Roger Hallam.

The key lesson about all structural political change is this: disruption works. Without disruption there is no economic cost, and without economic cost the guys running this world don’t really care. That’s why labour strikes are so effective against companies and why closing down a capital city is so effective against governments. You have to hit them where it hurts: in their pockets. That’s just the way it is.

The central dynamic here is the ‘dilemma’ action. When you create a dilemma for the authorities you open up a space of opportunity which was not there previously. Within that space you can get noticed, speak truth to power, negotiate, and more.

The authorities now have a serious dilemma: let people party on the streets, or opt for repression.

The lesson then is you don’t wait until everyone is ready, because you’ll be waiting for ever. You just need to go out and do it.

Rebellions are created because some people have had enough. They are all over it and don’t care if they’re successful or not. It’s sublime madness. It ‘s the only thing that will save us now.

I care about succeeding and it’s a matter of continuing until then.

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Time for rebellion on climate crisis :: I propose commencing 31 October 2019

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[29/9/19 This was only ever a proposal. There are suggestions that insane PM Boris Johnson may invoke the Civil Contingencies Act to pass a no-deal Brexit. I do not want to assist BJ in this way and so I am withdrawing this proposal.

The Civil Contingencies Act provides the government with powers to create emergency regulations at times of national crisis and threats to safety (including wartime), emergencies that threaten “serious damage to human welfare”, or to the environment or the security of the UK. Damage to human welfare is defined in the act to include disruption to transport networks or to the supply of food, money, energy, or health services.]

I further propose that the strategy should be to prevent travel. If travel is prevented, everything is prevented. (Traffic lights, etc)

[Ed: Perhaps that date may be a mistake?] [Further ed: Just go for it?]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/25/time-to-rebel-greta-thunberg-makes-musical-debut-on-the-1975-track

The full text of Greta Thunberg’s speech.

We are right now in the beginning of a climate and ecological crisis.

And we need to call it what it is. An emergency.

We must acknowledge that we do not have the situation under control and that we don’t have all the solutions yet. Unless those solutions mean that we simply stop doing certain things.

We admit that we are losing this battle.

We have to acknowledge that the older generations have failed. All political movements in their present form have failed.

But homo sapiens have not yet failed.

Yes, we are failing, but there is still time to turn everything around. We can still fix this. We still have everything in our own hands.

But unless we recognise the overall failures of our current systems, we most probably don’t stand a chance.

We are facing a disaster of unspoken sufferings for enormous amounts of people. And now is not the time for speaking politely or focusing on what we can or cannot say. Now is the time to speak clearly.

Solving the climate crisis is the greatest and most complex challenge that homo sapiens have ever faced. The main solution, however, is so simple that even a small child can understand it. We have to stop our emissions of greenhouse gases.

And either we do that, or we don’t.

You say that nothing in life is black or white.

But that is a lie. A very dangerous lie.

Either we prevent a 1.5 degree of warming, or we don’t.

Either we avoid setting off that irreversible chain reaction beyond human control, or we don’t.

Either we choose to go on as a civilisation or we don’t.

That is as black or white as it gets.

Because there are no grey areas when it comes to survival.

Now we all have a choice.

We can create transformational action that will safeguard the living conditions for future generations.

Or we can continue with our business as usual and fail.

That is up to you and me.

And yes, we need a system change rather than individual change. But you cannot have one without the other.

If you look through history, all the big changes in society have been started by people at the grassroots level. People like you and me.

So, I ask you to please wake up and make the changes required possible. To do your best is no longer good enough. We must all do the seemingly impossible.

Today, we use about 100 million barrels of oil every single day. There are no politics to change that. There are no rules to keep that oil in the ground.

So, we can no longer save the world by playing by the rules. Because the rules have to be changed.

Everything needs to change. And it has to start today.

So, everyone out there, it is now time for civil disobedience. It is time to rebel.

Continue ReadingTime for rebellion on climate crisis :: I propose commencing 31 October 2019

Climate Crisis :: Google sucking up to the rich and famous destroying the planet

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We need big influential companies like Google to stop sucking up to rich polluting, climate destroying cnuts and start behaving responsibly …

Google Camp 2019 contributed in no small way to destroying the planet inviting rich, planet-destroying cnuts to destroy the planet more to discuss the climate crisis …

They could have instead of inviting rich climate-destroying criminals to Sicily in their private jets and ridiculous ‘super-yachts’ simply spent their money giving away really slinky bikes to persuade youngsters away from driving cars(?)

Google could also support Greta Thunberg …

I suggest to Google that they don’t have any more of these climate-destroying events.

We also have to make clear to these rich climate-destroying criminals that private jets, super-yachts and space tourism is not tolerated.

[ed: Cities and ports have got to start refusing entry to superyachts]

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