Category: Politics

A Sustainable Achievement for the Green Isle

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Irish Coast

Ireland to fully Divest from Fossil Fuels

This week the Irish Parliament voted to pull its investments from fossil fuel companies (The Guardian). What this means exactly is that it will divest the country from any funds currently supporting coal, gas, peat and petroleum. The national fund, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), currently represents €8.9 billion and is meant to support the long term employment and economic needs of the republic. Of this total amount, over €300m is invested in over 150 different fossil fuel companies. This is what parliament is looking to change.

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A New Hope: New York’s Ocasio-Cortez

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

 A Win for Democracy

This week Ms. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won the Democratic Congressional Primary in New York’s 14th District. It was a pretty big win for the believers in democracy who continue to hold out hope that the system can genuinely represent the people. Ocasio-Cortez was a relatively obscure candidate running for the first time against a highly placed and well-funded Democratic Party incumbent, who had held on to his position for the past 10 terms. June 26th offered up a dramatic change.

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The Golden State’s Shining Example

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The Golden Coast

California is Committing to Solar

Despite the current US President’s debilitating view on science and climate change, individual state governments are stepping up. Although plenty of states are now recognizing the need to address climate change, California in particular represents a shinning example, as it continues to pass progressive environmental legislation. Just last month, the California Energy Commission mandated that nearly all new residential construction will require solar panel or connections with a solar powered system. This requirement will take effect as of January 1, 2020, and is the first US state to do so.

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Canada’s Environmental Shame

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Oil Slick

Buying Into Oil Pipeline Expansion

Yesterday the Canadian government announced its decision to buy up the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline at a cost of $4.5 Billion dollars (CBC). For months now the expansion has been delayed due to its failure to meet environmental regulations and strong protests from Canadians, especially Indigenous groups. Despite the considerable resistance, the current government’s campaign promises to end fossil fuel subsidies, the lack of Indigenous consent, objections from the BC (provincial) government, and the Paris Accord commitments, the government is planning to go ahead with the purchase.

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French President Addresses US Congress

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Macron in US.jpg

 Calling for Unity and Engagement

This past week French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the US Congress, reminding the country’s elected leaders of their nation’s relationship with France and the world. The environmental, political, economic, and security issues facing the world today are complex and require cooperation and engagement.

This comes as a sharp contrast to the rhetoric and actions of the current US President who not only choses to follow a policy of isolationism and division, but is also blatantly turning away from the scientific consensus in the need for urgent climate action.

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