The John James Newsletter 16
27 September 2014.
On 23 September 2014 Kathy Jetnil-Kijner addressed the Opening Ceremony of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit with her new poem “Dear Matafele Peinem” written to her daughter.
United Nations Climate Summit Opening Ceremony – A poem to my Daughter
Who will feed China? or “How China will starve the world”
China is a leading importer of grain and it imports a staggering 60 percent of all soybeans entering world trade—and it looks like this will continue. The problem is not population growth, but China’s rising affluence, which is allowing its population to move up the food chain, consuming more grain-intensive livestock, poultry, and farmed fish.
http://www.earth-policy.org/blog/who_will_feed_china
China’s shrinking grain harvest
After a remarkable expansion from 90 million tons in 1950 to 392 million tons in 1998, China’s grain harvest has fallen in four of the last five years—dropping to 322 million tons in 2003. This drop of 70 million tons exceeds the entire grain harvest of Canada. China is the first major grain-producing country where environmental and economic trends have combined to reverse the historical growth in grain production. This decline in a country that is home to more than one fifth of the world’s people will affect all of us. Moving grain from the United States to China on the scale that is needed will likely involve loading two or three ships every day. The long line of grain-laden ships that may soon stretch across the Pacific will bring these two countries closer together economically, but could become a major foreign policy challenge.
http://www.earth-policy.org/plan_b_updates/2004/update36
On the ground it’s hard to tell friend from foe
Some of the weaknesses of the air war are already apparent since Isis had evacuated its leaders, fighters and heavy equipment from buildings that were targeted. Its fighters avoid large gatherings and mix with the civilian population. The shock effect of being bombed will be the less because the Syrian air force has long been bombing rebel-held cities and towns.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article39783.htm
Struggle Against ISIS Shields US Oil Grab – Jean Shaoul
President Barack Obama and Hagel’s talk of going after the ISIS is a cover for their plans to overthrow Assad. But an additional issue at stake is the control of Iraq’s vast energy resources and the supply routes through its territory
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/09/23/iraq-s23.html
South Australia sets 50% renewable energy target for 2025
“We took action at the local level, passing the nation’s first dedicated climate change legislation and were the first State with a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have demonstrated in South Australia that, with the right policies and incentives, and with strong leadership and clear goals, even highly ambitious targets can be achieved and surpassed” – Premier Weatherill,
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/south-australia-sets-50-renewable-energy-target-for-2025-2020
Has this become the only way?
The Coming Climate Revolt – Chris Hedges
“If the response of the corporate state is repression rather than reform then our strategy and tactics must be different. We will have to cease appealing to the system. We will have to view the state as antagonistic to genuine reform. We will have to speak in the language of … revolution. We will have to carry out acts of civil disobedience that seek to cripple the mechanisms of corporate power. The corporate elites, blinded by their lust for profit and foolish enough to believe they can protect themselves from climate change, will not veer from the path towards ecocide unless they are forced from power. And this means beginning a titanic clash between our corporate masters and ourselves.” http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_coming_climate_revolt_20140921