Arguments
2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37
Posted on 14 September 2019 by John Hartz
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Sep 8 through Sat, Sep 14, 2019
Editor's Pick
Greta Thunberg To U.S.: 'You Have A Moral Responsibility' On Climate Change
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, 16, attends a protest outside the White House on Friday. She launched the Friday school strikes last year, and since then, her notoriety has steadily grown. She is known for speaking in clear and powerful terms about why people — particularly young people — must pay attention to Earth's climate. Photo: Mhari Shaw/NPR
Greta Thunberg led a protest at the White House on Friday. But she wasn't looking to go inside — "I don't want to meet with people who don't accept the science," she says.
The young Swedish activist joined a large crowd of protesters who had gathered outside, calling for immediate action to help the environment and reverse an alarming warming trend in average global temperatures.
She says her message for President Trump is the same thing she tells other politicians: Listen to science, and take responsibility.
Thunberg, 16, arrived in the U.S. last week after sailing across the Atlantic to avoid the carbon emissions from jet travel. She plans to spend nearly a week in Washington, D.C. — but she doesn't plan to meet with anyone from the Trump administration during that time.
"I haven't been invited to do that yet. And honestly I don't want to do that," Thunberg tells NPR's Ailsa Chang. If people in the White House who reject climate change want to change their minds, she says, they should rely on scientists and professionals to do that.
Greta Thunberg To U.S.: 'You Have A Moral Responsibility' On Climate Change by Bill Chappell & Ailsa Chang, Environment, NPR, Sep 13, 2019
Click here to access the entire article posted on NPR.
Articles Linked to on Facebook
Sun Sep 8, 2019
- Dorian is no longer a hurricane but its winds are causing damage in Canada, by Madeline Holcombe & Ralph Ellis, CNN, Sep 8, 2019
- How to make more dirt down on the farm and get paid for it by Pip Courtney & Anna Levy, Landline, ABC News (AU), Sep 8, 2019
- The Trump administration has taken its war on climate crisis action to a new level, Analysis by Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, Sep 6, 2019
- All I Want for Grandparents Day Is a Climate Conversation by Michel A Smyer, Graying Green, Psychology Today, Sep 5, 2019
- NOAA staff warned in Sept. 1 directive against contradicting Trump by By Andrew Freedman, Colby Itkowitz & Jason Samenow, Politics, Washington Post, Sep 7, 2019
- The hotter the planet grows, the less children are learning by Nsikan Akpan, Science, PBS News Hour, Sep 6, 2019
- 4 inconvenient truths about climate change by Noah Millman, The Week, Sep 7, 2019
- Climate Gentrification: Coming to a Community Near You by Nathalie Baptiste, Environment, Mother Jones, Sep 5, 2019
Mon Sep 9, 2019
- Typhoon Faxai batters Tokyo, causing evacuations, blackouts and transport chaos by Justin McCurry, Japan, Guardian, Sep 8, 2019
- Bushfires: more than 20 homes lost as more than 70 blazes rage in Queensland and NSW, Australian AP/Guardian, Sep 7. 2019
- Grand Bahama right now is dead': A firsthand look at Dorian's destruction by Patrick Oppmann, Jaide Timm-Garcia and Jose Armijo, CNN, Sep 9, 2019
- Key facts about the new EPA plan to reverse the Obama-era methane leaks rule by Danna Nuccitelli, Yale Climate Connections, Sep 9, 2019
- On climate change, younger Republicans now sound like Democrats by Kate Yoder, Politics, Grist, Sep 9, 2019
- NOAA scientist: agency likely broke science integrity rules by Jay Reeves & Seth Borenstein, AP News, Sep 9, 2019
- Commerce Chief Threatened Firings at NOAA After Trump’s Dorian Tweets, Sources Say by Christopher Flavelle, Lisa Friedman & Peter Baker, Climate, New York Times, Sep 9, 2019
- Dorian One of Strongest, Longest-Lasting Hurricanes on Record in the Atlantic by James Bruggers, InsideClimate News, Sep 7, 2019
Tue Sep 10, 2019
- Ban Rich White Guys From Writing Their Thoughts About Climate Change by Brian Kahn, Climate Change, Earther, Sep 9, 2019
- Extreme heat a far greater threat for most Australians than extreme cold weather, study finds by Peter Hannam, Environment, Sydney Morning Herald, Sep 10, 2019
- Renewable Energy's Booming, But Still Falling Far Short of Climate Goals by Kristoffer Tigue, InsideClimate News, Sep 6, 2019
- Alaska just had the most ridiculous summer. That's a red flag for the planet., by Bill Weir, CNN, Sep 10, 2019
- Amazon Office Workers Plan to Strike Over Company's Inaction on Climate Change by Jennings Brown, Earther, Sep 9, 2019
- Climate crisis is greatest ever threat to human rights, UN warns, Agence France-Presse, Environment, Guardian, Sep 9, 2019
- California’s wildfire season is roaring to life by Diana Leonard, Capital Weather Gang, Washington Post, Sep 10, 2019
- Benefits of Investing in Climate Adaptation Far Outweigh Costs, Commission Says by Nicholas Kusnetz, InsideClimate News, Sep 10, 2019
Wed Sep 11, 2019
- Why China’s CO2 emissions grew 4% during first half of 2019, Guest Post by Lauri Myllyvirta, Carbon Brief, Sep 5, 2019
- Rich countries aren't stopping climate change. Can poor nations save themselves? by Jame Griffiths, Health, CNN, Sep 9, 2019
- Top weather official who defended 'Sharpiegate' makes tearful clarification, AP/Guardian, Sep 10, 2019
- If carbon dioxide hits a new high every year, why isn’t every year hotter than the last? by Rebecca Lindsey, NOAA's Climate.gov, Sep 9, 2019
- A Shantytown’s Warning About Climate Change and Poverty from Hurricane-Ravaged Bahamas by Phil McKenna, InsideClimate News, Sep 11, 2019
- Six takeaways from The Post’s analysis of the globe’s fastest-warming areas by Chris Mooney, Climate & Environment, Washington Post, Sep 11, 2019
- Dangerous new hot zones are spreading around the world by Chris Mooney & John Muyskens, Climate & Environment, Washington Post, Sep 11, 2019
- Shut Up, Franzen by Kate Marvel, Hot Planet, Scientific American, Sep 11, 2019
Thu Sep 12, 2019
- Trump pushed staff to deal with NOAA tweet that contradicted his inaccurate Alabama hurricane claim, officials say by Andrew Freeman, Josh Dawson, Juliet Eilperin & Jason Samenow, Capital Weather Gang, Washington Post, Sep 11, 2019
- The Best Place for Harvesting Solar Energy Is Not Where I Expected It to Be by Tom Philpott, Food, Mother Jones, Sep 5, 2019
- What it will take to actually fight climate change by Ryan Cooper, The Week, Sep 10, 2019
- Are Category 5 hurricanes such as Dorian the 'new normal'? by Doyle Rice, Nation, USA Today, Sep 11, 2019
- Climate denier scientists think these 5 arguments will persuade EU and UN leaders by Dana Nuccitelli, Skeptical Science, Sep 11, 2019
- Third Debate Is Tonight: Here's Where 2020's Leading Democratic Candidates Stand on Climate Change, Inside Climate News, Sep 12, 2019
- Extreme Weather Displaced a Record 7 Million in First Half of 2019, by Somini Sengupta, Climate, New York Times, Sep 11, 2019
- Can we please base our climate change discussions on facts?, Opinion by Naomi Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, Sep 12, 2019
Fri Sep 13, 2019
- What Is Nitrous Oxide and Why Is It a Climate Threat? by Sabrina Shankman, InsideClimate News, Sep 11, 2019
- Can We Turn Down the Temperature on Urban Heat Islands? by Jim Morrison, Yale Environment 360, Sep 12, 2019
- Brazil environment minister to meet US climate denier group before UN summit by Dom Phillips, Brazil, Guardian, Sep 13, 2019
- I never thought I'd see the Australian rainforest burning. What will it take for us to wake up to the climate crisis?, Opinion by Joëlle Gergis, Comment is Free, Guardian, Sep 10, 2019
- How the Greenland ice sheet fared in 2019, Guest Post by Ruth Mottram, Martin Stendel & Peter Langen, Carbon Brief, Sep 6, 2019
- 2050: The Fight for Earth, Special Report, Time Magazine, Print Issue dated Sep 23, 2019
- Teen activist Greta Thunberg takes her youth climate campaign to Washington by Sarah Kaplan & Brady Dennis, Climate & Environment, Washington Post, Sep 13, 2019
- Meet 15 Women Leading the Fight Against Climate Change by Staff, 2050:The Fight for the Earth, Time Magazine Special Report, Sep 12, 2019
Sat Sep 14, 2019
- Highlighting Number of Years Left to Save Earth, Greta Thunberg Joins 11-Minute Die-In Outside White House by Jake Johnson, Common Dreams, Sep 13, 2019
- How Trump may bulldoze 'America's Amazon' by Bill Weir, CNN, Politics, Sep 13, 2019
- An ill wind fans the flames by Peter Hannam, Environment, Sydney Morning Herald, Sep 14, 2019
- Greta Thunberg To U.S.: 'You Have A Moral Responsibility' On Climate Change by Bill Chappell & Ailsa Chang, Environment, NPR, Sep 13, 2019
- Trump administration opens huge reserve in Alaska to drilling by Steven Mufson & Juliet Eilperin, Climate & Environment, Washington Post, Sep 13, 2019
- Highlights: The net-zero climate change conference in Oxford by Josh Gabbatiss & Robert McSweeney, Carbon Brief, Sep 12, 2019
"You are such a big country," she says. "In Sweden, when we demand politicians to do something, they say, 'It doesn't matter what we do — because just look at the U.S.'
"I think you have an enormous responsibility" to lead climate efforts, she adds. "You have a moral responsibility to do that."
That comment from Greta regarding the USA is stating the long understood ethical expectations/requirements of those who are more able to influence things. But it is not fair to simply name the USA as the required leader. The expectations are for all of the more 'developed nations' to lead the sustainable corrections of the harmful unsustainable developments that have occurred (including increasing awareness and understanding), and help all of the less 'developed nations' advance in less harmful more sustainable ways.
That has been the globally agreed understanding for a long time, since before the Kyoto Accord which presents action expectations based on that understanding.
But it is an understanding that is improved by replacing 'developed nations' with 'fortunate people'.
The result is understanding that embraces all human interaction, not simply the actions of 'Nations'. It includes the actions within nations and within communities (admittedly it does not properly include consideration of future generations). And it more accurately highlights the portion of the population that needs to have its 'worth or merit' evaluated against a high expectation of helpfulness, with the truly most fortunate (in all nations, and in all multi-nationals) required to be 'most helpful' to those who are less fortunate (any more fortunate person found to be less helpful than a less fortunate person deserves to lose status).
That may sound 'radical'. But versions of that understanding have exited for 1000s of years, with powerful groups within the most fortunate portion of the population seen to be consistently fighting against that awareness and understanding becoming more popular, fighting against it developing into a Common Sense.