Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Saskia O'Donoghue reports on the continued recognition by both risk experts and the general public that the climate crisis is the most important risk to life on Earth. And Laura Paddison reports on the observation by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water that the global water cycle is out of balance for the first time in recorded history, while Lori Dajose writes about new research showing that melting permafrost could cause rapid changes of course for rivers in the Arctic region. 

- The Climate Historian examines the manipulative individualization of responsibility for environmental issues that can only be met at the societal level. And Jean Schmitt et al. study how a transition to electric vehicles could produce population-level health benefits - as long as it's accompanied by a shift to clean power as well.

- David Climenhaga calls out Danielle Smith for using public money to serve as an outside advertiser for the federal Cons, while Max Fawcett notes that the ad campaign itself is based on false math. Jen St. Denis documents who's behind the BC Cons, including their word-for-word adoption of a platform developed by a right-wing pressure group assembled by people found to be too extreme by the former BC Libs. And Luke LeBrun reports on the warning from the BC Teachers' Federation as to the BC Cons' plans to attack LGBTQ+ students. 

- Ricardo Tranjan writes that the desperate lack of affordable housing can be traced largely to the decision by governments to cater to developers seeking "market" profits rather than building homes directly. And Mike Moffatt notes that there's some opportunity to reduce the cost of home construction by updating a GST rebate program. 

- Finally, Adam King discusses how the federal government's decision to force workers back to the office was based on complete disregard for the benefits of remote work.

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- The American Institute of Biological Sciences weighs in on the growing scientific recognition that we're approaching - and indeed barreling toward - irreversible climate disaster. Benjamin Shingler reports on the International Energy Agency's projections that renewable energy will make cheap and abundant power available in the very near future - but that an "all of the above" energy strategy won't go far in reducing fossil fuel use or carbon pollution. And Marco Chown Oved reports on a new study showing that a switch to an electric vehicle can lead to significant cost savings at the individual level. 

- The Jamaica Observer highlights the multiple environmental problems posed by electronic waste. And Nathan Proctor discusses the findings from a study of community repaid events - showing that numerous products are already capable of being repaired, and that the vast majority could be if not for design or parts issues.  

- Nicholas Shaxson writes that Keir Starmer's whining about "red tape" represents a deliberate choice to serve corporate elites at the expense of public health and safety. And Cory Doctorow writes that governments are perfectly capable of applying fair taxes to billionaires' wealth if they haven't abdicated their responsibility for the general welfare, while Thomas Piketty discusses the importance of not overcomplicating fair tax plans (as the wealthy are of course eager to demand in order to delay implementation and create loopholes). 

- Finally, Jeremy Appel calls out several corporate media outlets for fueling authoritarian drug policies through sensationalized reporting on mental health and homelessness issues. And Zak Vescera reports on the Alberta oil money swamping British Columbia's election with ads in order to install the violently loony BC Cons in power. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Perky cat.

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Alan Rusbridger highlights the glaring gap between the devastating extreme weather events caused by a climate breakdown in progress, and the complete lack of a meaningful response by the powers that be. Samuel Oakford, John Muyskens, Sarah Cahlan and Joyce Sohyun Lee discuss how the U.S.' existing flood maps fail to account for the more severe weather that's becoming commonplace. And Patrick Greenfield writes about the growing recognition by scientists that the Earth's natural carbon sinks are becoming less effective in a drier and warmer environment caused by greenhouse gas emissions. 

- Meanwhile, Matthew Zeitlin discusses Daron Acemoglu's observation that any transition away from carbon pollution will require a combination of large investment in clean technology, and restrictions on the continued use of dirty energy. 

- Kevin Scott discusses how the benefits of a guaranteed income include allowing people released from incarceration to overcome the traps which would otherwise deprive them of freedom and dignity. 

- Finally, Paul Willcocks points out how John Rustad is anything but a serious person (even though he's an entirely serious threat to take power in British Columbia). And Luke LeBrun traces how a group of anti-science cranks and conspiracy theorists became the political wing of B.C.'s corporate class. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Charlie Warzel warns that the level of disinformation saturation in the U.S. has reached the point of organized violence and sabotage. H. Colleen Sinclair notes that much of the spread of disinformation is the result of cynical opportunism rather than any belief in its truth, while Mike Caulfield points out that willing recipients tend to accept it in order to avoid challenging their existing belief system. Mary Annaise Haglar writes about the intersection of anti-science propaganda and emergencies caused by the climate crisis. Luke LeBrun reports that the BC Cons' detachment from reality includes peddling conspiracy theories about a United Nations takeover while supporting right-wing dictators. And Justin Ling reports on David O'Brien's work to try to bring dangerously-programmed extremists back from the brink - while noting the lack of resources for that effort (particularly compared to the immense disinformation machines pushing people in the opposite direction).

- NASA unveils the first methane and carbon dioxide emission plumes detected by its new imaging spectrometer - and its ability to point out concealed carbon pollution is surely one of the reasons why Republicans are determined to kneecap NASA in particular and scientific observation generally. Cami Ferrell discusses a new report showing how the harm from fossil fuel pollution falls disproportionately on already-marginalized groups. And Evan Halper reports on the continued use of dirty coal power plants which were supposed to have been shuttered in Omaha (and elsewhere) to serve corporate data centres.

- The Guardian makes the case for the UK's Labour government to ensure the rich pay their fair share to support public well-being and growth, while Huw Evans offers a reminder that wanton deregulation has been the cause of immense harm under the previous Con regime. And Simon Fletcher laments that Labour has thus far operated as a right-wing government with no interest in addressing either inequality or the public interest - and lost public trust in a hurry as a result.

- Susan Elizabeth Turek reports on new research examining the most dangerous of ultra-processed foods.

- Finally, Rachel Aiello reports on the release of preliminary pre-approved housing designs - though the combination of a lengthy consultation process and a lack of resources to move past the design stage raises reason for doubt that much affordable housing will come from them.

Musical interlude

Shallou feat. The Knocks - Endless

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Emily Atkin writes about the importance of continuing to highlight the dangers of climate change even if - and indeed because - our political class refuses to fully engage with it. And Nature weighs in on the folly of planning to overshoot our planetary limits and trying to pull back only after the fact, while Discover points out that "deep warming" will continue to undermine habitability even if we're later able to zero out carbon emissions. 

- Arielle Samuelson discusses how Hurricane Milton became far more severe as a result of a warmed Gulf of Mexico. And Victoria Gill and Helen Briggs report on a jarring 73% drop in global wildlife populations over just the last half-century. 

- Michael Bachelard reports on the absolute fiction of Australia's largest source of carbon offsets. George Monbiot warns that UK Labour's plan to pour tens of billions of dollars into carbon capture and storage (while pleading poverty when it comes to anything that could actually help people) will inevitably turn into a similar fiasco in the making. And Jody MacPherson reports on a plea from Alberta's municipalities for the UCP to stop handing out money to oil companies while simultaneously relieving them of any responsibility for the costs of environmental degradation and cleanup. 

- Chris Hedges interviews Monbiot about the history and impact of neoliberalism as a means of undermining democracy:

- Ken Shirriff examines the continued concentration of wealth in the U.S., while Darren Major reports on the similar escalation of inequality in Canada. And David Olive discusses how workplace abuse is the norm in a society which treats workers as disposable commodities rather than people deserving of consideration and respect.

- Finally, Dale Smith calls out Danielle Smith's pitiful attempt to treat systemic denial and dehumanization of trans youth as being for their own good. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- William Ripple et al. provide an update on the state of the Earth based on 2024 data, and warn that we're continuing to spew carbon pollution even as it precipitates an active global emergency. Ripple and Thomas Newsome also discuss the implications of a projected path toward nearly 3 degrees Celsius of global warming. And each of Wim Carton and Andreas Malm and Peter de Kruijff warn that even leaving aside the folly of procrastinating on the preservation of a liveable environment, any planned "overshoot" of climate targets is highly likely to produce consequences that can't be reversed. 

- Peter Hannam reports on a new study showing that in Australia (as in many other jurisdictions) the fossil fuel industry is emitting far more methane than it's reporting. 

- Ajit Niranjan reports on the Clean Air Fund's observation that wealthy countries are pouring foreign aid into further fossil fuel development. And Isabella Kaminski points out the justified shock and outrage at the UK's plan to claim the burning of biomass fuel from North Korea and Afghanistan as a credit based on the inexplicable design of emission credit systems. 

- Amber Bracken documents how people in Fort Chipewyan are fighting for their lives in the face of water pollution and government denialism. And Will Falk discusses how Utah's response to the destruction of the Great Salt Lake by data centers has been to try to stop anybody from advancing rights of nature. 

- Finally, Ashleigh Fields reports on new research showing that the increases in the risk of strokes and heart attacks caused by COVID-19 can last for years after a single infection. And Sheryl Gay Stolberg discusses how U.S. Republicans are planning to make hostility to public health a foundational governing principle. 

Wednesday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Darius Snieckus reports on a new International Institute for Sustainable Development study finding that Canada is still spending three times as much subsidizing fossil fuels as supporting renewable energy - signaling that we're not only far away from achieving net zero emissions, but actively making matters worse in terms of current spending to serve oil barons. 

- Jake Johnson reports on an analysis showing that global warming has made the conditions feeding into Hurricane Milton 800 times more likely than they would have been otherwise. And John Morales warns that those changed underlying conditions mean that we need to treat constant extreme weather as the new normal. 

- Amy Westervelt discusses the reality that a crisis caused by the climate breakdown may only serve as a breeding ground for new forms of denialism. And Geoffrey Deihl asks when we may hit a point of no return with a climate in full breakdown and a political system oriented more toward exacerbating the problem than alleviating it. 

- Finally, Johannes Emmerling examines how the solutions to climate change and inequality are inextricably linked. And Mona Holmes reports on yet another minimum wage increase which has resulted in far better circumstances for workers without affecting jobs or prices.