While South Africans celebrate the lifting of many Covid-19 restrictions and the full reopening of the economy, the news is not all good as Eskom has reported a severely constrained power system, resulting in continued load shedding. This latest round of load shedding comes as ten generation units at seven power stations have suffered breakdowns in the last 48 hours. “These … [Read more...]
Bold action and strategies required to tackle climate change
The City of Cape Town’s draft Climate Change Strategy is available for public comment from 1 to 30 September 2020. Climate change is a global threat and Cape Town is particularly vulnerable. Residents and interested parties are encouraged to please participate in this process. It is the City’s vision to create an urban environment that is climate resilient, resource … [Read more...]
True sustainability can only be achieved by design
COVID-19 has caused humanity’s ecological footprint to contract by three weeks. However, true sustainability that allows all to thrive on Earth can only be achieved by design, not disaster. Even though there has been an incredible cost to human life and the economy from the COVID-19 pandemic, our ecological footprint in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has still more-or-less … [Read more...]
Time to end consumption-driven capitalism
Here follows the final statement of the 2020 Ecosocialist Conference for Climate Justice, which took place online last week: The corona pandemic has exposed the fragility of the neoliberal global economy. We will face yet another wave of austerity and unemployment, as pro-business governments raise taxes and slash spending, just as they did after the financial crash of 2008. … [Read more...]
Concern over Minister Gwede Mantashe’s fixation on nuclear power
Extinction Rebellion South Africa shares the concern voiced by many people and organizations over Minister Gwede Mantashe’s unreasonable fixation on nuclear power. In May, Minister Mantashe said, when addressing the Portfolio Committee: “We are going to explore all options, when there is appetite for nuclear in the market, we will go ahead with it.” Is that a sound plan? Why … [Read more...]
Green New Deal can stimulate economic recovery and create jobs
While lockdown inadvertently helped to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, it is critically important that sustainability of the environment is at the heart of post-Covid-19 recovery efforts. This is according to the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI). “This is where the much-talked about Green New Deal (GND) becomes crucial and while it’s no panacea … [Read more...]
Collapse of civilisation likely according to climate scientists
Australia’s top climate scientist says “we are already deep into the trajectory towards collapse” of civilisation, which may now be inevitable because 9 of the 15 known global climate tipping points that regulate the state of the planet have been activated. Australian National University emeritus professor Will Steffen (pictured) told Voice of Action that there was already a … [Read more...]
Fossil fuel phase-out: It’s time to say it loud and clear
Mixed signals about the future of fossil fuels are delaying climate action. The energy transition - and our planet - depends on absolute clarity, writes WWF's Jesse Fahnestock. The past weeks have seen the publication of the Global Renewables Outlook from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), as well as a variety of articles discussing how historically low oil … [Read more...]
Germany and Britain call for ‘green recovery’ from pandemic
Germany and Britain said Monday that efforts to revive the global economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic must ensure a ‘green recovery’ that helps the world tackle climate change. Speaking ahead of a virtual meeting of officials from some 30 countries, Germany’s environment minister said it was important for economic recovery programs to invest in future-proof jobs … [Read more...]
Minister Barbara Creecy talks about climate change
The following speech was delivered by Minister Barbara Creecy during a Parliament debate on climate change, at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, Cape Town, Western Cape Province on 11 March 2020: Allow me at the outset, to once again welcome the President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to establishing the Presidential Climate Change Commission to lead our just … [Read more...]
Condemning eco-fascism in the time of COVID-19
People have commented on the virus in many different ways. You may have seen posts connecting the impact of the coronavirus with positive changes in the environment. We are greatly concerned by these, and as climate justice activists, we wish to address this urgent issue. COVID-19 has definitely changed our lives; isolation, working from home and shocking news headlines have … [Read more...]
Which corporations are genuine about fighting climate change?
When Larry Fink announced in mid-January he’d be putting solving the climate emergency at the center of his US$7.43 trillion investment company BlackRock’s strategy, even long-time critics acknowledged it was a huge deal. “It takes leadership and a certain kind of courage to admit that change is needed,” wrote Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune at CNBC. “Now we … [Read more...]
Air pollution from fossil fuels costs the world billions daily
Air pollution from burning fossil fuels – primarily coal, oil, and gas – is attributed to an estimated 4.5 million deaths each year worldwide and estimated economic losses of approximately 3.3% of global GDP, new research from Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) shows. The report is the first of its kind to assess the global cost … [Read more...]
