News, Boost, Updates
June 26th updates - Faiths4Future, Climate Cafe Multifaith.
Climate Cafe Multifaith is on summer break, though there may be special conversations upcoming. Below find other updates, news, and more.
Past Cafes Articles, Videos + More on the Blog.
Look for great follow ups soon for our conversation centering Guatemala, and the fight for Oak Flat, and the situation in Goldendale and the Yakama Nation. In the meanwhile, some have heard me rave about High Country News. This link will get you a free trial subscription.
Boost!
Solar for Congregations. If you missed the ‘solar for congregations’ webinar from IPL, you can find it here on youtube. There are other great links from the webinar, including the story of Hope UMC’s solar install, a special page for faith communities and federal funding information, and another webinar upcoming Climate and Energy Resources for Faith Communities: A Briefing with the U.S. Department of Energy on July 18th.
Faith and Food Systems. An online conversation from Center for Earth Ethics, one of a series of three, starting June 26. It is a companion series to the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit. Global Reflections on Faith and Food Systems: Policymakers and International Leaders Sharing Insights link to the registration info.
Wild Church Launch Pad. This course will specifically be for anyone looking to start a wild church our outdoor community. 6 sessions starting mid-August. This course will be led by Rev. Corey Turnpenny, planter of Church in the Wild. Learn more about the course.
Be a UM Earthkeeper! Global Ministries seeks U.S.-based United Methodists to lead grassroots environmental projects that are action-oriented, antiracist, bold and entrepreneurial. Is this you? Find the application and more information here. The next training begins in October.
Movement Cafe July 19st. The next Movement Cafe from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement will speak to Disaster Response and Resilience within the UMC denomination. Learn more and register.
Climate Prayer - a monthly prayer group, Climate Intercessors, formed in the runup to COP 26 and still meeting.
Your Support
Our conversation with Jorge Rodrigues only underscored the importance of supporting local journalists. Jorge’s work in Central America breaks through the bad news and misinformation to offer stories of land and people that help us better understand our neighbors, and share stories and improve policies. Jorge is asking for the help and support of the faith community for his project Viatori, a publication that brings Indigenous and Central American stories to English speakers. He has to raise a good chunk of funds, can you help support the effort?
Reports
Find reports on the reports page.
Statistical Review of World Energy report. There are changes of authorship this year and following for the World Energy Report. This is an industry report and has been produced annually by BP. Going forward will be produced by the Energy Institute—an industry group. The report indicates that despite the rise of renewables, energy consumption in general is rising, so fossil fuels are as plentiful as ever, comprising 82% of the mix and causing an increase of .08% in emissions for 2022. Read an article about the report it The Guardian Greenhouse gas emissions from global energy industry still rising – report and from Reuters Renewables growth did not dent fossil fuel dominance in 2022, report says. Read the report.
Fossil Fuels & Racism. A new study out helps illuminate the connection between burning fossil fuels and impacts experienced based on factors such as race. Read an article about the study from Greenpeace New Study: Fossil Fuels Disproportionately Impact Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Poor Communities Throughout The Supply Chain Read the study: Fossil fuel racism in the United States: How phasing out coal, oil, and gas can protect communities.
Fossil Fuel Subsidies & the Transition Economy. A new report from the World Bank shows that the millions-each-minute paid in subsidies globally needs to be redirected to fight climate change. Read an article about the report from The Guardian Vast fossil fuel and farming subsidies causing ‘environmental havoc’ Read another article from Common Dreams: World Bank Confirms Reallocating Fossil Fuel, Factory Farm Subsidies Key to Solving Climate Crisis. Read the World Bank Press Release: Trillions Wasted on Subsidies Could Help Address Climate Change. Read the report.
Gender Equity & Climate Change. Women’s health and empowerment is an essential component to address climate change. Yet there is a lot of work to bring gender equity globally. A new report details the issue. Read an article about the report from CNN Nine out of 10 people are biased against women, UN report finds and from the UN A Decade of Stagnation: New UNDP data shows gender biases remain entrenched. Read a quick reminder as to why women’s empowerment is essential. Read the report.
Resources
More resources on the reports page.
Heat Wave Explainer. I came across this heat wave explainer from VOX and it’s simple and handy. How heat waves form, and how climate change makes them worse
Disinformation Database. Wow (did I post this already?) DeSmog has a disinformation database where you can check on who-said-what-where to see if it’s true. Read the explainer DeSmog Launches Project to ‘DeBunk’ Climate Misinformation. View the database.
Visualizing Emissions. This is a crazy-cool, and horrifying, animation of fossil fuel and other emissions shows the volume of what is entering and swirling in the atmosphere. For visual learners, this animated globe with smoke will have an effect. From NASA Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Tagged by Source
Keep an eye on Climate Central. A lot of great information, succinct and to the point.
News this Week.
Find the news archive here.
Deeper Dive - Held v Montana — trial underway
“The state of Montana has an obligation to uphold our right to a clean and healthful environment…I know they have the power to do this. I know it.”
Youth Plaintiff Olivia V.; Held v Montana
Last week Held v Montana, the first youth-driven climate lawsuit in the US wrapped up its case in court and it is now in the hands of the judge. Check out previous weeks of updates for prior links. This week, the story appeared nationally in Time Magazine: Kids Just Brought Montana To Court Over Climate Change. The Case Could Make Waves Beyond The State; internationally in The Guardian Groundbreaking youth-led climate trial comes to an end in Montana; with regional coverage from High Country News, In the nation’s first youth-led climate trial, a case for hope, and locally in the Flathead Beacon, With Landmark Climate Trial Over, Youth Plaintiffs Describe it as ‘Just the Beginning.’ The Flathead Beacon together with other state publications have a news site dedicated to the trial, find it here: mtclimatecase
Background: The lawsuit was brought by 16 young plaintiffs, and calls the state to attend to its core values as enshrined in its constitution, that “The state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations. [and]…The legislature shall provide adequate remedies for the protection of the environmental life support system from degradation and provide adequate remedies to prevent unreasonable depletion and degradation of natural resources.” A lot more at this link which is a one-stop link for the case. Click here to read the complaint.
Spotlight—Thacker Pass Lithium Mine
“…for too many indigenous communities, mining has desecrated sacred sites and poisoned the water.”
Gary McKinney, Western Shoshone/ Northern Paiute - Defending the land at Thacker Pass
I am keeping tabs on the news surrounding the contested lithium mine at Peehee Mu’huh / Thacker Pass, a mine which the People of Red Mountain have not consented to. Read the latest from the Nevada Appeal / AP Activists oppose lithium mine as ‘green colonialism’. Concerns have also appeared in publications such as Counter punch Dispatch from the Lithium Mining War on the West – McDermitt Creek, Thacker Pass and Beyond And TOMORROW, June 27, is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals hearing, where the plaintiffs are fighting to overturn an earlier court ruling which allowed the mine.
Good news:
Natural Lands Restoration. A new study underscores the importance of saving natural lands in order to meet essential goals for saving species and ecosystems—which has an effect also on climate change, water quality and so much more. Read an article about the study in Mongabay To meet U.N. climate, biodiversity goals, 79% of plant cover must be saved, study Read the study Retaining natural vegetation to safeguard biodiversity and humanity. And, here’s the good news, In Africa, where there has been much deforestation, small farmers are restoring forests. Read the story in Yale 360 As Africa Loses Forest, Its Small Farmers Are Bringing Back Trees.
Clean Energy. A trio of encouraging stories! Two from CleanTechnica: Cargo Ships Return To Wind Power, Again, and this includes some of the big names in shipping. Also, in Wind Powers Africa, a breakdown of what and where clean projects in Africa are being built. Another big story from Electrec, A landmark US clean energy transmission line just broke ground, which will carry electricity from Wyoming to the Southwest.
Faith and Divestment. I shared this last week but I am sharing again as I am just so pleased—the Church of England is divesting: Jesus vs. Big Oil: Church of England divests. In addition, a number of United Methodist Conferences this month voted to divest funds, including personal, conference, and denominational funds (depending on the resolution). Some take effect immediately, others go to the next step. But it’s all good news!
Bad news:
Heat waves. This is just going to be recurringly bad news. Intense heat waves right now in Texas, Mexico, and China. A couple articles from Inside Climate News address the issue in Texas, Texas Cities Set Temperature Records in Unremitting Heat Wave. And, is it climate related? Yes. Climate Change Made the Texas Heat Wave More Intense. Renewables Softened the Blow. Covering China, news from the BBC Beijing heatwave: China capital records hottest June day in 60 years. Is it climate related? Yes. “A study released last month found climate change had made heatwaves 30 times more likely in Asia.” What to do? Oregon for one is suing. From Common Dreams Oregon County Sues Big Oil and 'Misinformation Agents' Over Deadly 2021 Heatwave, and from DeSmog Oregon County Sues Fossil Fuel Entities and Enablers for Contributing to Deadly 2021 Heatwav
Georgia Peaches. The disruption is real. Prayers up for farmers everywhere, and especially in Georgia as the peach crop is basically a total loss. From the Washington Post Wild weather swings have devastated Georgia’s peaches
Oceans - Species Migration. I have written a number of time before about the warming ocean. I have written of ocean plastic pollution and carbon pollution (bringing both acidity to the water, and heat). It was record heat last year, and record heat this year, too. Fisheries close, and ocean animals are at risk of disease and dislocation just like humans are. Recently—and this is good news—nations met together to craft a first ever-ocean treaty. But also—and this is bad news—OPEC plans to increase oil production. Emissions, despite a huge build-out of renewables, rose almost 1% last year as we continue to extract and burn fossil fuels. And I say all this because we really need context for stories like this one: The Atlantification of the Arctic Ocean Is Underway. The headline hides this news: Temperatures in both the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans have risen and species continue to move, die off, and relocate. The ecosystems of each ocean are changing, and we do not yet know the extent of what the real consequences will be for this. It is clear, tho, and it has been clear: We must seal every oil well. We must stop extracting and burning fossil fuels.
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Prayers this week. Prayers this week for the People of the Red Mountain and their fight to save Peehee Mu’huh / Thacker Pass from lithium mining. Prayers Up.
Richenda