With the 5th International Degrowth Conference taking place next week Spanish Ecologists Professor Joan Martinez Alier and Federico Demaria - both working at the Environmental Science and Technology Institute (ICTA) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) - explain why we need a 'less is more' alternative economic model and how the burgeoning Global Environmental Justice movement is a key concept in achieving the only goal that will halt Climate Change.
… interested in since my 2002 book titled " The Environmentalism of the Poor : A Study of … What solutions are proposed? JMA: The environmentalism of the poor and the indigenous, the environmentalism of the people, is growing in …
Instead of leaching the world's resources to support out-of-control consumerism, EU leaders could do worse than ponder novelist Victor Hugo's claim that whilst "you can kill people, you can't kill an idea whose time has come", writes NICK MEYNEN
Charting Environmental Conflict - The Atlas of Environmental Justice Nick Meynen | 20th July 2016 News Climate Change Justice Environment Protest EU Consumerism World Trade screenshot ejatlas.jpg …
A new report from Global Witness places India fourth in the league table of killings of environmental activists. As part of our collaboration with CLIMATE TRACKER, environmental law researcher MRINALINI SHINDE looks at the human trauma behind the statistics - and calls on India's urban elite to act.
India's urban elite must join the fight against environmental killings Mrinalini Shinde | 1st August 2017 News Environment Forest Protest Killing Shooting Police Justice Law dongriakhonds.jpg A new …
In a radical departure from it's 'pro free speech' rhetoric, Australia's 'Liberal' government wants to ban environmental boycotts. But as Bill Laurance writes, eco-boycotts are not only an effective tool for reining in corporate excesses - they are also a key democratic right.
… struggled to find a consistent line on both environmentalism and free speech . Straight …
The winter Olympics at Sochi have trashed the National Park that contains Russia's richest biodiversity, writes Igor Chestin. Worse, the gutting of key environmental laws means that it can happen all over again, and again.
Sochi - an Olympiad of environmental destruction Igor Chestin | 17th February 2014 News Russia Forests Natural World mzympta-dumping.png The winter Olympics at Sochi have trashed the National Park …
Protects against the extraction of fossil fuels and other natural resources - ecological distribution conflicts - cannot simply be resolved by payments of compensation. That is because for most people outside of the corporate boardroom, money is not the primary concern. JOAN MARTINEZ ALIER, a leading academic, investigates
Environmental protests succeed 20 percent of the time and 'compensation' rarely stops communities, research finds Joan Martinez-Alier | 31st January 2018 Comment Protest Mining Fossil Fuels Politics …
As China pursues a startling array of energy, mining, logging, agricultural, transport and other infrastructure projects on virtually every continent, it is having an unprecedented impact on the planet, writes William Laurance. It's not that China is any worse than historic colonial powers - the difference is in the sheer scale and pace of environmental destruction, and the total lack of oversight under which Chinese mega-corporations operate.
The dark legacy of China's drive for global resources William Laurance | 11th April 2017 News China Africa Development Mining Transport Biodiversity Forests china-road-africa-cut.jpg As China pursues …
Six environment heroes, one from each continent, are honoured for their work today - fighting threats from giant coal mines to forest destruction, fracking, high dams, illegal development and toxic waste dumps. Sophie Morlin-Yron reports.
2014 Goldman winners - fighting coal, dams, palm oil, fracking, toxic waste Sophie Morlin-Yron | 28th April 2014 News Fracking Fossil Fuels Waste Water Energy USA Indonesia Russia Peru Africa India …
We must beware an 'environmental' agenda that excludes the human dimension, Pope Francis writes in his recent Encyclical: the poor are least to blame for the ecological and climate crises, yet they are its primary victims. Humanity must make enduring decisions about the world we and our children will share.
Social and environmental justice: the struggle is one! Pope Francis | 28th June 2015 Comment Religion Economics Cliamte Chantge Pollution Forests pope-francis-cut.jpg We must beware an …
A constitutional amendment that would allow 'strategic' public works including dams, roads, mines and other mega-projects to go ahead following the mere completion of an environmental impact assessment is being considered by a Committee of the Brazilian Senate, writes Helle Abelvik-Lawson.
Brazil: rules protecting Amazon under threat Helle Abelvik-Lawson | 27th May 2016 News Brazil Forests Development Politics Law tapajos-cut.jpg A constitutional amendment that would allow 'strategic' …
What do the Australian Environment Foundation, the Renewable Energy Foundation and the Global Warming Policy Foundation have in common? They are all fiercely anti-environment, writes William Laurance - and we must beware their 'eco-doublespeak'.
… book ' Global Spin: The Corporate Assault on Environmentalism ' , Sharon Beder described …
Since December 2011, when it became clear that the government was intent on its badger cull, Defra and Natural England have been flooded with FOI requests about how the culls would be set up, conducted and monitored. The notable success of Anna Dale in cutting through official obfuscation has implications for everyone trying to protect the environment and wildlife.
Badger cull: protestors' legal right to information upheld Lesley Docksey | 1st April 2016 Activism Law Badgers UK FOI Protest Natural World badger-demo-cut.jpg Since December 2011, when it became …
Protests of unprecedented scale have been taking place in China against rapid and deadly environmental destruction. A new youth movement is taking to the streets and demanding change. Sam Geall reports
Chinese environmental protesters take to the streets Sam Geall | 7th June 2007 News China Pollution Protests China Industrial Campaigns Protest Fresh Water Climate Change Politics And Economics …
Multinational paper and palm oil companies are rushing to declare 'zero deforestation' policies. It looks like a huge victory for the rainforests and forest peoples, but Peter Gerhardt asks - what is a no-deforestation promise really worth?"
Don't be fooled by 'zero deforestation' promises Peter Gerhardt | 19th May 2014 News Forests Indigenous Peoples Corporations Campaigning cargill-palm-oil-cut.jpg Multinational paper and palm oil …
Instead of making exaggerated claims about species becoming extinct, NGOs could make progress on issues like deforestation by collaborating more closely with companies, reports Tom Levitt
Blackwashing: do NGO tactics risk long term public trust? Tom Levitt | 1st January 2010 News Wildlife NGO Environmentalists Protest Activism Orangutans Rainforest Action Network Friends Of The Earth …
A second canal joining the Pacific and Atlantic oceans is planned for Nicaragua, writes Nathan Wood. But the gigantic project is raising growing fears due to a grossly unfair contract, glaring failures of process, close links to the Chinese government, and its enormous - but uncosted - ecological impacts.
The Nicaragua Canal - a disaster in waiting? Nathan Wood | 15th August 2014 News Nicaragua China Transport Water Forests Economics lake-nicaragua-cut.jpg A second canal joining the Pacific and …
As Peru prepares to host UN climate talks, Global Witness exposes the murder of Peruvian eco-defenders - 57 killed since 2002, including indigenous leaders protecting their forests from illegal logging ignored by police and Government.
Peru: indigenous leaders murdered for protecting their forests The Ecologist | 18th November 2014 News Peru Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Forests Unfccc denounced-no-action-small.jpg Indigenous …
Which of hand dryers or paper towels have the greatest impact on the environment? asks Simon Lockrey. Are your paper towels recycled or tree-pulped, your dryers power-hungry and long-blowing or short-blast and power-saving. Only full Life-Cycle Analysis can reveal the true punches these seemingly harmless items can deliver to our environment.
The great bathroom debate: paper towel or hand dryer? Simon Lockrey | 6th January 2016 Ethical Living Energy Forests Water handdryer_cut.jpg Which of hand dryers or paper towels have the greatest …
Australia's rainforest state, Queensland, is destroying well over 100,000 hectares of native vegetation a year, and rising, write Martine Maron, Bill Laurance & colleagues, including 'at risk' habitats and Koala bear forests. This is more than reversing the entire nation's eco-restoration programs and pushing endangered species ever closer to extinction.
Queensland's land clearance is costing Australia and its wildlife dear Martine Maron Bill Laurance colleagues | 22nd February 2016 Comment Australia Forests Natural World Conservation Extinction …
It's not that Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's ousted President, was wonderful for the environment, writes Ed Atkins. It's that Michel Temer's new regime is certain to be far worse. Plans are afoot to weaken environmental assessments for large projects like mines, roads and dams. And the new Minister of Agriculture is a notorious campaigner for hugely increased deforestation.
Brazil’s new government to sacrifice the Amazon for 'growth' Ed Atkins University of Bristol | 19th September 2016 News Brazil Farming Forests Politics Indigenous Peoples yanomami-children-cut.jpg …
Rio Tinto's QMM mine in Madagascar was meant to be an exemplar of 'corporate social responsibility' and environmental best practice. But the reality experienced by local communities is different, writes Yvonne Orengo, with uncompensated land seizures, food insecurity, deforestation and social deprivation. New concerns are emerging about the infringement of legal buffer zones and radiation exposure. Rio Tinto must be held responsible for its actions!
Tall tales and tailings - the truth about Rio Tinto's rare earth mine in Madagascar Yvonne Orengo | 3rd April 2017 Activism Mining Biodiversity Madagascar Forests Corporations Indigenous Peoples …
For sheer guts, vision and results, a single organisation stands out among the US's environmental defenders - the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. Jeffrey St. Clair met its leader, Mike Garrity, winner of 2014's Grassroots Activist Award.
Defender of the Rockies Jeffrey St. Clair | 3rd March 2014 Comment USA Natural World Law Forests bridger-mtns.png For sheer guts, vision and results, a single organisation stands out among the US's …
There's a simple way to induce us to make good environmental choices, writes Cass R. Sunstein: make them the default setting. Whether it's selecting double sided photocopies or renewable electricity tariffs, defining easily-overridden 'green defaults' is by far the most efficacious means to influence consumer choices for the environment and the planet.
Green by default - how a nudge and wink can save the planet Cass R. Sunstein | 27th September 2016 Ethical Living Consumerism Science Energy Renewables Forests photocopier-cut.jpg There's a simple …