Tag Archives: Future Focus

Dr. Jill Stein: People’s State of the Union

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From jill2016.com:

The Precarious State of Our Union: A Bipartisan Disaster We Can Fix

From the viewpoint of everyday Americans, the State of our Union, in point of fact, is not strong. In reality, we are in a state of historic crisis – for our economy, ecology, democracy and security.

Thankfully, these crises are still eminently solvable. With a majority of Americans disapproving of both establishment parties, there is unprecedented momentum for a new way forward, based on principles of democracy, justice and peace, towards an America and a world that works for all of us.

Republicans have long been recognized as unabashed servants of the economic elite, leading the charge against the public interest. But they have not been alone.

Democratic priorities were clear when President Obama had two Democratic Houses of Congress to support him, as the party went to bat for trillions in Wall Street bailouts, tax cuts for the rich, job-killing corporate trade agreements, austerity budgets, health care reform that locked single payer out and private profits in, mass deportations of hardworking immigrants, privatization of schools, expanding wars for oil and regime change, climate-killing “all of the above” energy policies, and unprecedented assaults on privacy and press freedoms.

As a result of this bipartisan assault, we have not had a recovery by any measure.

Read the full People’s State of the Union.

Lincoln activists head to Paris

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From the Lincoln Journal Star:

Two Lincoln climate activists, Kyria Spooner and Matthew Gregory, are part of a wave of humanity that has inundated Paris to show solidarity in calling for diplomats from across the world to reach a meaningful agreement to address climate change.

Negotiations for what could be the globe’s most significant environmental accord are being sponsored by the United Nations. Originally expected to conclude Friday, the Paris talks have been extended to Saturday.

Spooner, a trainer with a software company, and Gregory, the office manager for the Nebraska Farmers Union, shared news of their work by video from Paris with supporters who gathered Thursday afternoon at the Single Barrel in downtown Lincoln.

Read the full story.

McKibben: Paris climate pact is a new tool for activists

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From The New York Times:

… That we have any agreement at all, of course, is testament to the mighty movement that activists around the world have built over the last five years. At Copenhagen, world leaders could go home with nothing and pay no price.

That’s no longer true.

But what this means is that we need to build the movement even bigger in the coming years, so that the Paris agreement turns into a floor and not a ceiling for action. We’ll be blocking pipelines, fighting new coal mines, urging divestment from fossil fuels — trying, in short, to keep weakening the mighty industry that still stands in the way of real progress. With every major world leader now on the record saying they at least theoretically support bold action to make the transition to renewable energy, we’ve got a new tool to work with.

And we’ll try to keep hoping that it adds up fast enough to matter.

Read the full op-ed.

Attend the 2015 Nebraska Conservation Summit

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From the Nebraska League of Conservation Voters:

Held on the afternoon and evening of Dec. 7 in Omaha, this year’s Summit is centered on the theme of Water. We will explore how the global water crisis impacts Nebraska and how we can act to ensure water sustainability for future generations.

By attending the Summit, you will learn about some of the greatest threats to Nebraska’s water supply and what Nebraskans across the state are doing to address them. You will discover how different industries depend upon and manage water and how water is governed in our state. The goal of the Summit is to inform you about the issues facing water and to help you get involved in finding the solutions.

Why You Won’t Want to Miss The 2015 Nebraska Conservation Summit:

  • The event features eleven of Nebraska’s top water experts, providing you with the chance to learn, ask questions, and discuss solutions.
  • Our Keynote Presenter is Dr. Peter Gleick, known world-wide as a leading expert, innovator, and communicator on water and climate issues. He has literally written the book on water (multiple, actually), and he travels across the globe to discuss the most pressing water issues in any given locale.
  • Networking opportunities and a cocktail hour have been incorporated into the event, providing you with the opportunity to meet with other Nebraskans who care about water sustainability.
  • You will discover action steps that you can take as an individual to help ensure water sustainability now and in the future.

Read more and get tickets.

Obama rejects Keystone XL

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This post will be updated as more news and and perspectives are released.

From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — President Obama is expected on Friday to announce he has rejected the request from a Canadian company to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, ending a seven-years-long review that had become a flash point in the debate over his climate policies.

President Obama’s denial of the proposed 1,179-mile pipeline, which would have carried 800,000 barrels a day of carbon-heavy petroleum from the Canadian oil sands to the Gulf Coast, comes as he is seeking to build an ambitious legacy on climate change.

The expected decision comes ahead of a major United Nations summit meeting on climate change to be held in Paris in December, when Mr. Obama hopes to help broker a historic agreement committing the world’s nations to enacting new policies to counter global warming. While the rejection of the pipeline would be largely symbolic, Mr. Obama has sought to telegraph to other world leaders that the United States is serious about acting on climate change.

Press release from BOLD Nebraska.

Send a thank-you to the White House via BOLD Nebraska.

President Obama’s Statement.

Article from the Omaha World-Herald.

Article from the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Vox’s Brad Plumer on what this means going forward.

More next steps at 350.org

Watch a video thanks from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

 

TransCanada abondons effort to use eminent domain

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From BOLD Nebraska:

TransCanada announced Sept. 29 that the company will pull out of the lawsuit filed by over 100 Nebraska landowners challenging their right to use eminent domain to seize land for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Facing mounting legal expenses and a likely loss in court, the company will instead go through the Public Service Commission (PSC) review process it had originally hoped to avoid.

The PSC process will take at least a year, and cannot move forward if and when President Obama rejects the federal permit for the pipeline.

“This is a major victory for Nebraska landowners who refused to back down in the face of bullying by a foreign oil company,” said Jane Kleeb, director of Bold Nebraska.

Read the full story from BOLD Nebraska.

Read related coverage in the Wall Street Journal.

Get together for Pope’s address to Congress on climate action Sept. 24

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From BOLD Nebraska:

Join Nebraska Interfaith Power & Light, Bold Nebraska, Green Omaha Coalition, Citizens Climate Lobby, Nebraska Sierra Club, Nebraska Wildlife Federation, Protectors of the Ogallala, Nebraskans for Solar, and Nebraska 350 at Aksarben Cinema in Omaha for a group viewing of Pope Francis’s address to members of Congress on Thursday, September, 24. The Pope will speak to Congress in the morning, but we will show the Pope’s full speech that evening in the theater, followed by a group discussion with local members of the faith, science and environmental communities. Pope Francis’s address to Congress comes after the release of his papal encyclical “Ladauto si,” which calls for bold action to address climate change and poverty in our world.

  • Thursday, September 24, 2015 – 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Aksarben Cinema, 2110 S 67th St, Omaha, NE 68106

Register for free here.

Jane Kleeb on Hillary and KXL

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Pipeline Fighter Jane Kleeb discusses Hillary Clinton’s climate proposals and the Keystone XL on MSNBC’s The Ed Show:

“On the one hand, we have Sec. Clinton saying she wants to be a climate champion and rolling out this renewable energy plan, and on the other hand, she says she’s ‘inclined to support Keystone XL’ — a pipeline that’s not only going to risk our land and water here in Nebraska, but is going to contribute to climate change 20 times worse than traditional oil. While I appreciate that she’s thinking about tomorrow, with solar panels, I need her thinking about today — about the risk on climate that tarsands brings to our country.”

Watch the full interview via BOLD Nebraska and YouTube.

Save the date: Bill McKibben to speak in Lincoln Oct. 6

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From the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues website:

  • What: Bill McKibben will speak on “The Climate Fight at its Peak”
  • When: October 6, 2015, 7:00 pm.
  • Where: Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th Street, Lincoln

In the weeks before the world gathers in Paris for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Bill McKibben will provide an update on how the movement to slow global warming is progressing, both in the United States and around the world. He will share inspiring examples of grassroots climate-focused actions that have been launched by 350.org members in more than 188 countries; then, he will turn his focus to his host state and highlight ways in which Nebraskans can become involved in advocating and campaigning on global environmental issues.

Happy Earth Day!

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From the Green Party of the United States:

Today is Earth Day! Every day this month we have posted an ecological issue we care about to our followers on social media. We want you to spread the word to your social media connections that the Green Party is working year-round to elect candidates and promote a party that will take action on issues like the climate crisis, fracking, oil and gas mining, and more!

We brought you 22 different ecological issues as we counted down to Earth Day, including some that we may not think about every day (like the ecological impact of landmines, the importance of our underfunded national parks, and bees), but we know the list doesn’t end there. No matter what issues are affecting your community, your place is in the Green Party, working to build city councils, state legislatures, and a Congress that understands the connections between our human communities and natural communities.

Thank you for your work in your community, and for your support of the Green Party on Earth Day. Use the hashtag #GPEarthDay to spread the word! Search #GPEarthDay on Facebook and Twitter to follow our outreach. Share our tweets, Facebook messages and graphics! Happy Earth Day!