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<i><font size="+1"><b>July 17, 2020</b></font></i><br>
<br>
[Vice has a question from 20 May 2020]<br>
<b>The Obvious Government Mistake That Could Make Future Pandemics
Even Worse</b><br>
Governments claim they're guided by "the science". So why are they
scrapping environmental regulations?<br>
By Tristan Kennedy - <br>
- - <br>
Governments everywhere like to claim that they're being guided by
"the science" when it comes to their coronavirus response. Yet the
science suggests that, far from aiding economic recovery, the
slashing and burning of environmental regulations is likely to make
things worse. There's no proof of a direct link between global
warming and the current outbreak, but according to a slew of
recently-published papers, the climate crisis makes similar
pandemics far more likely in the future.<br>
<br>
Professor Arturo Casadevall is chair of the department of molecular
microbiology and immunology at John Hopkins University, the
Baltimore institution that's been spearheading global efforts to
monitor the spread of coronavirus. He's currently working flat-out
on a project that uses blood plasma from people who've recovered
from the virus to treat COVID-19. Back in January, he published an
article in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, warning of the
ways in which climate change will make outbreaks of new infectious
diseases more likely.<br>
<br>
It's long been known that changes in atmospheric temperature can
affect the range of disease-carrying "vectors", such as mosquitos,
Dr Casadevall explains, allowing them to thrive in areas where the
cold might once have killed them. But less attention has been paid
to the evolution of pathogens themselves. "There is concern that
global warming will select for microbes with higher heat tolerance,"
he writes. This would allow new diseases to emerge that can beat our
"endothermic defences" and infect warm-blooded human bodies more
easily.<br>
- - <br>
If governments were really listening to scientists like Dr
Casadevall or Professor Johnson, they'd be strengthening
environmental protections, not weakening them. "We need to take a
more holistic approach," says Dr Casadevall. "Our health, the
climate, we need to realise that everything on this planet is
interconnected. We need to give more thought to how small changes
can have an enormous effect...<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/dyz8gy/climate-change-link-pandemic-virus-coronavirus">https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/dyz8gy/climate-change-link-pandemic-virus-coronavirus</a>
<p>- - -<br>
</p>
[told us so in Jan 2020]<br>
<b>Climate change brings the specter of new infectious diseases</b><br>
Arturo Casadevall<br>
First published January 6, 2020 - More info<br>
<br>
Climate change will bring major changes to the epidemiology of
infectious diseases through changes in microbial and vector
geographic range. Human defenses against microbial diseases rely on
advanced immunity that includes innate and adaptive arms and
endothermy, which creates a thermal restriction zone for many
microbes. Given that microbes can adapt to higher temperatures,
there is concern that global warming will select for microbes with
higher heat tolerance that can defeat our endothermy defenses and
bring new infectious disease...<br>
- - <br>
Outlook<b><br>
</b>Whereas climate change will almost certainly bring new
infectious diseases and change the epidemiology of many existing
diseases, it is worthwhile to note with optimism that humanity has
confronted new deadly diseases in recent years, such as SARS
coronaviruses and Ebola. Previous successes should not be a cause
for complacency, and these reflect advances in science and clinical
medicine that provide our species with tools to cope with new
microbial threats. Clearly, prior success is no guarantee for future
success, especially given that each new infectious disease brings in
its own set of challenges. The best insurance against future threats
is continued investment in surveillance, epidemiology, antimicrobial
therapeutics, and basic research into mechanisms of microbial
pathogenesis.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.jci.org/articles/view/135003">https://www.jci.org/articles/view/135003</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
[Climate change activism by letter]<br>
<b>Pandemic shows climate has never been treated as crisis, say
scientists</b><br>
Letter also signed by Greta Thunberg urges EU leaders to act
immediately on global heating<br>
Pandemic shows climate has never been treated as crisis, say
scientists<br>
Letter also signed by Greta Thunberg urges EU leaders to act
immediately on global heating<br>
<br>
Matthew Taylor -16 Jul 2020 <br>
A climate protest in Duesseldorf, Germany, last week<br>
A climate protest in Duesseldorf, Germany, last week. Photograph:
Sascha Steinbach/EPA<br>
Greta Thunberg and some of the world's leading climate scientists
have written to EU leaders demanding they act immediately to avoid
the worst impacts of the unfolding climate and ecological emergency.<br>
<br>
The letter, which is being sent before a European council meeting
starting on Friday, says the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that most
leaders are able to act swiftly and decisively, but the same urgency
had been missing in politicians' response to the climate crisis.<br>
<br>
"It is now clearer than ever that the climate crisis has never once
been treated as a crisis, neither from the politicians, media,
business nor finance. And the longer we keep pretending that we are
on a reliable path to lower emissions and that the actions required
to avoid a climate disaster are available within today's system …
the more precious time we will lose," it says.<br>
<br>
The EU unveiled its green new deal proposal this year, aiming to
transform the bloc from a high to a low-carbon economy without
reducing prosperity and while improving people's quality of life,
through cleaner air and water, better health and a thriving natural
world.<br>
<br>
But the authors of the letter dismiss its target of net zero
emissions by 2050 as dangerously unambitious. "Net zero emissions by
2050 for the EU - as well as for other financially fortunate parts
of the world - equals surrender," they say.<br>
<br>
They add that the target is based on a carbon budget that gives only
a 50% chance of limiting global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial
levels, the figure set out in the 2015 Paris agreement.<br>
<br>
"That is just a statistical flip of a coin, which doesn't even
include some of the key factors such as the global aspect of equity,
most tipping points and feedback loops, as well as already built in
additional warming hidden by toxic air pollution. So in reality it
is much less than a 50% chance."<br>
<br>
The letter also argues that the climate and ecological emergency can
only be addressed by tackling the underlying "social and racial
injustices and oppression that have laid the foundations of our
modern world".<br>
<br>
It says the EU, with its political and economic clout, has a moral
obligation to lead the fight to create a fair and more sustainable
world.<br>
<br>
"We understand and know very well that the world is complicated and
that what we are asking for may not be easy. The changes necessary
to safeguard humanity may seem very unrealistic. But it is much more
unrealistic to believe that our society would be able to survive the
global heating we're heading for, as well as other disastrous
ecological consequences of today's business as usual."<br>
<br>
Thunberg and the other signatories - including the scientists
Michael Mann and Johan Rockstrom - call on EU leaders to immediately
halt all investments in fossil fuel exploration and extraction and
end subsidies. They say the EU must advocate to make ecocide an
international crime and establish annual, binding carbon budgets.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/16/pandemic-shows-climate-has-never-been-treated-as-crisis-say-scientists">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/16/pandemic-shows-climate-has-never-been-treated-as-crisis-say-scientists</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
[both ends]<br>
<b>The world's methane emissions are at a record high, and burping
cows are driving the rise</b><br>
By Jack Guy, CNN<br>
Wed July 15, 2020<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/15/world/methane-emissions-record-scli-intl-scn/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/15/world/methane-emissions-record-scli-intl-scn/index.html</a><br>
<br>
<br>
[fully charged video ]<br>
<b>Dirty Money, Banned Adverts & New EVs | FULLY CHARGED for
Clean Energy & Electric Vehicles</b><br>
Jul 14, 2020<br>
fullychargedshow<br>
LIKE if you think it's time to switch away from Fossil Fuels, and
SHARE if you think it's time for your friends & family to Stop
Burning Stuff.<br>
<br>
In this latest episode, Robert reveals the distressing story of
'dirty money' for 'dirtier diesel' in Nigeria, and a
counter-productive ban on an advert in France, but don't worry, it's
not all negative! There are also positive updates on EV-only car
factories in Germany, two new electric cars, and the fact Royal Mail
are slowly starting to deliver. OK, so the last one might have
resulted in an ever so minor Roberty rant! <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scv62CbqYSQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scv62CbqYSQ</a>
<p><br>
</p>
<br>
[See for yourself]<br>
<b>France bans Dutch bike VanMoof TV ad for creating 'climate of
fear' about cars</b><br>
Jul 1, 2020<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jrr5zVPFQY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jrr5zVPFQY</a><br>
<br>
<p><br>
</p>
[writer Mike Roddy]<br>
<b>Timber hunger in the American Housing Sector</b><br>
SIXDEGREES on 07/13/2020 <br>
MIKE RODDY<br>
AMERICANS CONSUME 23% OF THE WORLD'S WOOD PRODUCTS, WITH 4% OF
GLOBAL POPULATION. THIS IS FUELLED BY SUBSIDIZED TIMBER, ENTRENCHED
IN A NEXUS OF THE LUMBER, CONSTRUCTION, AND INSURANCE INDUSTRIES...<br>
More at -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.sixdegreesnews.org/archives/28698/timber-hunger-of-the-american-housing-sector">https://www.sixdegreesnews.org/archives/28698/timber-hunger-of-the-american-housing-sector</a><br>
<br>
<br>
[discussing social media]<br>
<b>Jonathan Haidt Explains How Social Media Drives Polarization |
Amanpour and Company</b><br>
Dec 4, 2019<br>
Amanpour and Company<br>
In a time of heightened political tension, Jonathan Haidt has a good
idea of what's driving this polarized atmosphere around the world.
He is a social psychologist who believes social media has
transformed in recent years to become an "outrage machine,"
spreading anger and toxicity. He sits down with Hari to discuss this
difficult problem and what the possible solutions could be.<br>
Originally aired December 4, 2019. <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://youtu.be/G9ofYEfewNE">https://youtu.be/G9ofYEfewNE</a><br>
<p><br>
</p>
[Digging back into the internet news archive]<br>
<font size="+1"><b>On this day in the history of global warming -
July 17, 2014 </b></font><br>
<p>Australia repeals its two-year-old carbon tax.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/17/australia-kills-off-carbon-tax">http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/17/australia-kills-off-carbon-tax</a><br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/opinion/julia-baird-why-tony-abbott-axed-australias-carbon-tax.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/opinion/julia-baird-why-tony-abbott-axed-australias-carbon-tax.html</a><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
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