Latest news with #climateactivism
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Lindsey Graham's 'Deranged' Post About Greta Thunberg Is Condemned Online
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) drew fierce blowback on Sunday over his social media post about 22-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Graham shared a news article about Thunberg's presence on a flotilla that is headed to Gaza and whose occupants want to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, amid the monthslong, starvation-inducing Israeli blockade. 'Hope Greta and her friends can swim!' the top ally of President Donald Trump, who is a staunch supporter of Israel, wrote on X, the Elon Musk-owned platform formerly called Twitter. Critics condemned Graham as a 'shitty person' for the post. 'In a good country, this kind of tweet would be disqualifying for public office,' said one. Asked another: 'Are you aware that you are a sitting US Senator??' New England Patriots Prompt Right-Wing Freak Out With Pride Post Trump 'Clearly' Wants To Avoid 1 Thing With Elon Musk, Says Maggie Haberman Kayleigh McEnany Makes Chilling Demand For '60 Minutes' Reporter Over Anti-Trump Speech
Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Greta Thunberg sets sail for Gaza to ‘break Israeli blockade'
Greta Thunberg, the climate activist, has set sail for Gaza in a bid to 'break the Israeli blockade'. Ms Thunberg, a vocal opponent of Israel's war on Gaza, boarded the ship Madleen with 11 other activists including Liam Cunningham, the Game of Thrones actor, and the European parliamentarian Rima Hassan. They left Sicily on Sunday with the aim of reaching Gaza's shores and drawing attention to the plight of civilians in the Strip, who have endured more than a year and a half of intense bombardment. 'The world cannot be silent bystanders. This silence and passivity that we are seeing from most of the world is deadly. We are seeing a systematic starvation of 2 million people. Every single one of us has a moral obligation to do everything we can to fight for a free Palestine,' Ms Thunberg, 22, said in a statement. Ms Hassan said the aims of the trip were 'to condemn the humanitarian blockade and ongoing genocide, the impunity granted to the state of Israel and raise international awareness'. The activists expect to take seven days to get to their destination if they are not stopped. However, it is unlikely they will reach Gaza because Israeli authorities strictly control the enclave's waters and have a reputation for dealing ruthlessly with intruders. In 2017, the Israeli navy shot and killed a Palestinian on a Gaza fishing boat in the Mediterranean after it claimed the vessel had ignored warning shots and continued to stray out of its authorised zone. In 2010, nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed and dozens injured when an Israeli commando unit raided an aid flotilla that tried to breach the Gaza blockade. The flotilla was trying to transport aid supplies to Gaza despite an Israeli naval blockade. International prosecutors said Israeli soldiers may have committed war crimes during the incident, but ultimately decided the case was beyond their remit. The Madleen is operated by Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an activist group that attempted to reach Gaza by sea in early May. That attempt failed, however, after another of the group's vessels, the Conscience, was attacked by two alleged drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. 'We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that's part of a broader strategy of mobilisations that will also attempt to break the siege by land,' Thiago Avila, an activist, said about the latest voyage. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accuses Israel of genocidal acts in its war in Gaza, a claim Israel denies.
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Heels, joy and climate action: Why artist Pattie Gonia blends drag with activism
Joy, glitter and a pair of thigh-high heels might not sound like standard-issue gear for climate activism, but for drag queen Pattie Gonia, they're just some of the essential tools in her fight for the planet. Pattie Gonia, known offstage as Wyn Wiley, is an environmental advocate who works to make climate education and advocacy more engaging and accessible. "The climate movement needs some more joy and some more fun," she told What On Earth host Laura Lynch. "So our shows are just that. They're a chance for the community to come together, to celebrate solutions and to celebrate the people making those solutions happen." For Pattie Gonia, climate activism is not just about grim statistics or dire predictions. It's about bringing people together through creativity, performance and a bit of irreverence. "If there's one thing that drag has taught me, it's that you can take fighting for something seriously without taking yourself too seriously," she said. Different kind of environmental activism taking root Pattie Gonia's approach is part of a broader movement known as creative activism, which blends art and advocacy to make activism more accessible. Stephen Duncombe, co-founder and research director at the Centre for Artistic Activism and a professor of media and culture at New York University, sees this approach as essential to modern activism. "Using things like creativity or humour or a drag show is a way to kind of bring people in before they've made up their mind about what the issue is," he said. "Cognitive scientists have been telling us for about 20 years that we usually dismiss facts that don't align with our beliefs, but if we don't know what something is, we're more open to it." In a public experiment he co-led in Copenhagen, Duncombe found that creative forms of activism were "much more effective at a whole sort of range of objectives," in part because people described them as "fun, funny, surprising," and "something they wanted to approach rather than avoid." Making climate activism more accessible But making activism accessible isn't just about adding fun for Pattie Gonia. It's also about challenging the exclusivity often found within environmental movements. Climate activism, particularly at high-profile events, is often financially inaccessible due to steep fees that exclude many from participating, she said. "You have to have a $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 ticket to even get into the room where the conversations are happening. I don't think that's equitable. I don't think that's a climate movement by the people for the people." As an alternative, Pattie Gonia works with groups, such as Outdoorist Oath, which she co-founded, to help BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and femmes connect with nature through education and community. Whether leading a Pride hike in Yosemite National Park or organizing an annual environmental drag show tour, her work is rooted in community. How drag is breaking down barriers in the climate fight 17 days ago Duration 1:30 Drag queen Pattie Gonia is bringing style and sass to the climate fight. Through her TikTok account and community events, she aims to show why 2SLGBTQ+ people need to be involved in protecting the environment. "Grassroots solutions are actually how change is made," Pattie Gonia said. "When problems feel too large, get local — focus on your local community." Duncombe sees this blend of art and activism as essential: "Politics is played out in a level of signs and symbols and stories and spectacles," he said. "That's the terrain of artists ... it's affective insofar as it gets people feeling things, but it's also really effective, because that's the world we live in." And when activism connects on that emotional level, it can unite people — not just around a cause, but around each other, said Pattie Gonia. "People united will never be defeated."
Reuters
6 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Pacific Islanders are fighting to protect the ocean. Now the world must, too
May 28 - The ocean is our lifeblood. It is our provider, the foundation of our cultures, and our home. But it is changing before our eyes. Growing up in Samoa, an island nation ringed by a vast blue horizon, it became clear to me early on that my life, and the life of my community – our stories and culture – were inextricably linked to the ocean. Our lives are woven into the ocean, and when it suffers, we suffer too. The latest UNESCO State of the Oceans report confirms what Pacific Islanders have known for years: the rate of ocean warming has doubled in just 20 years. Villages are disappearing as rising seas creep further inland and saltwater intrusion destroys our crops and drinking water sources. More frequent and intense cyclones are displacing families and wiping out infrastructure. Entire nations, such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, face the terrifying prospect of becoming uninhabitable within a generation. And yet, Pacific Islanders' calls for urgent action to restore our greatest climate ally, the ocean, continue to be met with half-measures and empty promises. The upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) is a major moment for leaders to change course. We need leaders to deliver on their commitment to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (30x30), which means doing so with urgency and accountability. If we don't act now, these impacts will spread far beyond the Pacific, threatening coastal communities around the world. The question is: will they? When I began my climate work in Samoa, I thought we were alone on this journey. But I quickly uncovered the opposite: people in the Pacific are not only enduring the impacts of the climate crisis – we are leading the response. Travelling across the Pacific Islands, documenting the lives of communities, I discovered people and projects weaving Indigenous knowledge into the modern day to adapt and rebuild. From Tuvalu to Palau, from Fiji to the Cook Islands, we are planting, restoring and protecting. We are fighting to save what we love. Take Tuvalu, for instance. Despite being labelled a 'sinking island', Tuvaluans are not surrendering. Local youth groups are planting mangroves as natural barriers against rising tides. These tangled roots do more than hold the soil, they hold hope. They buffer coastlines from storm surges and nurture fish nurseries, restoring marine life the way our ancestors once did, long before scientists confirmed the value of such ecosystems. In Fiji, communities on Leleuvia Island are taking a different approach. There, I visited a coral nursery where marine scientists and locals work side by side to cultivate heat-resistant coral species, such as the 'Pink Lady'. These corals are surviving where others bleach and die. Once mature, they're replanted onto damaged reefs, bringing colour and life back to once-ghostly underwater landscapes. These gardens of resilience show exactly what climate adaptation can look like. Palau, too, is showing the world what's possible. This small island nation has protected 80% of its offshore waters, creating the world's first national shark sanctuary and banning destructive fishing across an area larger than France. There, conservation is more than just policy: it's personal. Visitors must pledge to 'tread lightly', guided by the words of Palauan children. And it works. The reefs here teem with life. The people here understand: protecting the ocean is about protecting your future. And in the Cook Islands, the Marae Moana ocean governance framework draws on both Indigenous wisdom and modern science to protect their vast waters for generations to come. Their approach to managing fisheries, seabed mining and even plastic pollution is rooted in community voices, intergenerational stewardship and balance. It's not just about drawing lines on a map. It's about ensuring that the ocean continues to provide, as it always has. These are not just inspiring anecdotes. They show that 30x30 is not a fantasy – it's happening. But we need more of it, faster and at scale. Today, globally only 8% of the ocean is designated as protected and not even 3% of the ocean is deemed to be effectively protected, leaving almost all of the ocean vulnerable to harmful industrial activites such as seafloor trawling and offshore drilling. The crisis unfolding in the Pacific is a warning for the world. If global leaders fail to take action, coastal cities from Miami to Manila will also face rising waters and increasing extreme marine storms. Ocean acidification will strip marine ecosystems of life, collapsing fisheries that millions depend on for food and livelihoods. At the U.N. Ocean Conference in June, I am joining with the Together for the Ocean campaign, calling on governments to scale ambition, create and enforce marine protected areas, and ensure finance flows towards ocean conservation with direct access for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. As a priority, leaders need to step up to protect our shared ocean: the high seas. Until 60 countries ratify the High Seas Treaty, it won't become international law. Twenty-one nations have stepped forward already, but more must follow. No more excuses, no more delays. The solutions exist. The knowledge exists. The urgency could not be greater. Governments must be held accountable to their pledges.
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Telegraph
Just Stop Oil poster girl avoids jail for M25 protest
A Just Stop Oil poster girl has avoided prison for her part in M25 protests that caused misery for motorists. Phoebe Plummer, 23, and fellow activist David Mann, 51, were among 45 demonstrators who scaled gantries to protest about oil and gas licences in November 2022. Mourners missed funerals and students were late for exams as traffic ground to a halt during the protests. Plummer, of Lambeth, south London, was convicted of conspiring to disrupt the M25 by a jury at Southwark Crown Court, while Mann earlier admitted the offence. Judge Justin Cole branded the protesters 'arrogant' for thinking they were 'cleverer' than those whose everyday lives they disrupted. He said: 'It was part of a plan to cause major disruption to the M25 by climbing on motorway gantries. 'Neither of you played an organisational role but you were motivated by a desire to cause large-scale disruption and to attract publicity for JSO and their aims.' The judge said the protests continued over four days and cost the Met Police more than £1million and the economy more than £750,000. Mann was in breach of a conditional discharge at the time over a previous protest while Plummer was on bail for another matter, the court heard. Before she was sentenced Plummer, who represented herself, said: 'I will always try to speak the truth even when there are attempts to silence me. 'Whatever sentence you give me today will not deter me.' The judge said there was a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation' when he sentenced Plummer to a two-year prison term suspended for two years. She was also ordered to perform 150 hours of community service. Mann was handed an 18-month community order including 100 hours of community service. Plummer, who is on benefits, was ordered to pay £500 in costs but told she can pay it off at £30 a month. Mann was ordered to pay £200 and can pay monthly instalments of £20. In 2024 Mann took to GoFundMe to raise cash after complaining about the fines that he has racked up through his climate change protests In July 2024 JSO co-founder Roger Hallam, 58, and four other activists were jailed for a total of 21 years after they helped bring the M25 to a standstill on four consecutive days. Earlier in May Abigail Percy-Ratcliffe, 25, and Ian Bates, 65, were also convicted of plotting to disrupt the M25 in November 2022. Percy-Ratcliffe was given a 15-month sentence suspended for 21 months, while Bates received 18 months suspended for 21 months, running consecutively with a six-month suspended sentence for a previous offence.
