[TheClimate.Vote] January 15, 2020 - Daily Global Warming News Digest

[Richard Pauli]

/*January 15, 2020*/

["follow the money" - now becomes "follow climate change for places to 
put money"]
*World's Largest Asset Manager Puts Climate At The Center Of Its 
Investment Strategy*
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/14/796252481/worlds-largest-asset-manager-puts-climate-at-the-center-of-its-investment-strate
- - -
[Black Rock posted document to CEOs]
*A Fundamental Reshaping of Finance...*
Climate change has become a defining factor in companies' long-term 
prospects. Last September, when millions of people took to the streets 
to demand action on climate change, many of them emphasized the 
significant and lasting impact that it will have on economic growth and 
prosperity – a risk that markets to date have been slower to reflect. 
But awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe we are on the edge of a 
fundamental reshaping of finance...
more at - 
https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter
- - -
[letter to clients today]
*Sustainability as BlackRock's New Standard for Investing*
*Sustainable, Resilient, and Transparent Portfolios *
Climate change is driving a profound reassessment of risk and we 
anticipate a significant reallocation of capital.
full document at - 
https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/investor-relations/blackrock-client-letter
- - -
[BlackRock FAQ in PDF]
*FAQs Making sustainability our standard*
https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/investor-education/sustainability-faqs-global.pdf



[European justice report from Voice of America]
*Swiss Judge Acquits Global Warming Protesters *
By VOA News
January 13, 2020 09:45 PM
A Swiss judge Monday found a group of activists not guilty of 
trespassing when they stormed into a branch of Credit Suisse bank to 
protest its investment in fossil fuels.

The defendants and their supporters screamed with joy when Judge 
Philippe Colelough dismissed the charges and waived the fine. He agreed 
with the activists that they were protesting against what they say is an 
"imminent danger" caused by global warming.

"Because of the insufficient measures taken to date in Switzerland...the 
average warming will not diminish or even stabilize. It will increase," 
the judge said, adding that the action of the defendants was "necessary 
and proportional."

Credit Suisse said it will analyze the verdict. It has previously said 
it respects freedom of expression, but cannot put up with "unlawful 
attacks on its branches."

About a dozen young men and women barged into the bank branch outside 
Lausanne in November 2018 and started playing tennis in the building -- 
a living reference to Swiss tennis star Roger Federer who is sponsored 
by the bank.

Along with protesting the bank's multi-billion dollar investment in 
fossil fuels, the activists are urging Federer to cut his ties to Credit 
Suisse.

Federer issued a statement saying he takes the impacts of climate change 
very seriously and is using his "privileged position to dialogue on 
important issues with my sponsors."
https://www.voanews.com/europe/swiss-judge-acquits-global-warming-protesters



[Down Under media dispute]
Jan 10th, 2020
*James Murdoch Slams Fox News and News Corp Over Climate-Change Denial*
Rupert Murdoch's younger son and his wife issued a rare public rebuke of 
the family's media empire and its promotion of climate-change skeptics 
during Australia's bushfire crisis...
https://www.thedailybeast.com/james-murdoch-slams-fox-news-and-news-corp-over-climate-change-denial
- - -
[here's some insider email]
*'Dangerous, misinformation': News Corp employee's fire coverage email*
A News Corp employee has accused the organisation of a "misinformation 
campaign" filled with "irresponsible" and "dangerous" coverage of the 
national bushfire crisis, urging executive chairman Michael Miller to 
think about the "big picture".

In an email distributed to News Corp Australia staff and addressed to Mr 
Miller, commercial finance manager Emily Townsend said she had been 
filled with anxiety and disappointment over the coverage, which had 
impacted her ability to work.
Ms Townsend, who has worked for News Corp Australia for five years, 
thanked Mr Miller for the email about fundraising initiatives in 
relation to the fires, but said the efforts did not offset the company's 
coverage of the bushfires.

"I have been severely impacted by the coverage of News Corp publications 
in relation to the fires, in particular the misinformation campaign that 
has tried to divert attention away from the real issue which is climate 
change to rather focus on arson (including misrepresenting facts)," she 
said.

*"Everything I said in the email I stand by. I feel sick, not because 
the email has been circulated but because I have been contributing to 
this deception by continuing to work for this organisation. I haven't 
been able to sleep, this has really preoccupied my thinking; it is 
unconscionable what this company has been doing when it comes to climate 
change," she said.*

Mr Miller stood by News Corp's coverage of the bushfires and said that, 
while he respected Ms Townsend's views, he did not agree with them.

"Ms Townsend resigned in December and was due to leave News Corp 
shortly," Mr Miller said.

"News Corp stands by its coverage of the bushfires. The dedication and 
professionalism of our journalists and photographers have kept the 
community - particularly those Australians affected directly - informed 
and supported. We respect Ms Townsend's right to hold her views but we 
do not agree with them."
Mr Miller said the company would continue to provide information to 
affected communities and "strongly support" them as they begin to 
rebuild and recover from the damage.

"Contrary to what some critics have argued, News Corp does not deny 
climate change or the gravity of its threat. However, we - as is the 
traditional role of a publisher - do report a variety of views and 
opinions on this issue and many others that are important in the public 
discourse on the fires," Mr Miller said.
Ms Townsend's comments follow an influx of false and misleading posts 
spread on social media websites this week about the cause of the 
bushfires, which have raised concerns among politicians and academics.

The company's approach to covering the bushfires and climate change has 
attracted international attention in recent days.

This week, The New York Times wrote an article about the coverage of the 
crisis by News Corp, referring to exaggerated claims about the role of 
arson in fires.

However News Corp Australia said the coverage recognised Australia was 
having a conversation about climate change, adding the role of arsonists 
were legitimate stories to report.
News Corp columnists including Maurice Newman and Andrew Bolt have 
previously expressed scepticism over climate change.

However, at the company's annual general meeting last year, founder and 
chairman of News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, rejected claims his company 
promoted an agenda of climate-change denial.

"We were the first North American media company to commit to 
science-based targets to limit climate change," Mr Murdoch said. "There 
are no climate change deniers around, I can assure you."

This week Australian federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher urged 
the public to maintain a "healthy scepticism" about bushfire-related 
information posted online.

The email was removed from News Corp employee inboxes within an hour of 
it being sent.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/dangerous-misinformation-news-corp-employee-s-fire-coverage-email-20200110-p53qel.html



[Digging back into the internet news archive]
*On this day in the history of global warming  - January 15, 2016*
The Seattle Times reports:

    "Five Washington activists who blocked BNSF Railway tracks were
    convicted of trespass Friday in a Snohomish County District Court
    trial that defense attorneys used to showcase the environmental and
    health threats posed by trains transporting oil and coal.

    "A six-person jury reached guilty verdicts on misdemeanor trespass
    charges for all five defendants. The defendants were found not
    guilty of the additional charge of obstructing or trying to delaying
    trains.

    "Their protest, which lasted for eight hours, unfolded Sep. 2, 2014,
    on a BNSF rail yard in Everett as they sought to draw attention to
    the risks of coal and oil trains that travel through the state.

    "Defendant Abigail Brockway positioned herself some 20 feet off the
    ground on top of a metal tripod while the four others -- Patrick
    Mazza, Jackie Minchew, Michael Lapointe and Liz Spoerri -- chained
    themselves to the structure's legs.

    "The trespassing count carries a sentence of up to 90 days in jail.

    "The defendants have served one day in jail, and they received a
    suspended sentence for the other 89 days as well as two years of
    probation. Four of the defendants also must pay $553 in fines and
    fees, according to Bob Goldsmith, an attorney for Brockway."

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/5-activists-convicted-of-trespass-on-everett-tracks-in-protest-over-oil-coal-trains/

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