DGI Brief - July 1, 2016
Happy Friday all. Today's top 5 news on global issues are about #carbonemissions #Austria #Myanmar #Libya and a #GoodStoryFriday about #Facebook #fundraising
- WORLD: What a regretful missed opportunity to reduce carbon emission. The issue is to end subsidies for the fossil fuel industry – currently at $444 billion annually in the G20 economies – phase out fossil fuel projects & move toward green renewable energy. But the members couldn’t agree: 2020, 2025or 2030? If we took the subsidies funds & invested into development of technologies to store solar energy at night… the sun gives us enough energy in one hour to power the entire planet for one year!!! Young generations time to take charge! Literally.
- The Greens leader won by less than 1% over a right-wing Freedom Party candidate, who challenged the handling of postal votes. The Constitutional Court upheld the challenge & a new presidential election is slated for September/October. Will the Brexit fallout help right-wing nationalism & xenophobia win?
- Despite progress made by the new government, MYANMAR is slow in combatting human trafficking, forced labor & recruitment of child soldiers for its armed forces. To the disdain of many human rights groups, Thailand upgraded to Tier 2 watch list even though its seafood industry has notoriously used slaves trafficked from abroad. The annual Trafficking in Persons report tracks 188 countries.
- LIBYA: The reasons? Not publicized, but apparently the 4 ministers hail from the eastern bloc, home to the rival (& internationally unrecognized) government. Last thing we need right now is Libya imploding – ISIS is strong, refugees continue to stream through the country…& the EU who has been instrumental in the negotiations is highly preoccupied with #Brexit. Not very good outlook for the future.
- #GoodStoryFriday For now the feature is only available to US users, but 1.6 billion Facebook users can contribute to about 100 vetted non-profits. In 2014, Americans donated $353 billion to charity, so this new feature can amplify the giving effect for causes & organizations that have been verified.
#carbon #carbonemissions #globalwarming #climatechange #G20 #fossilfuel #subsidies #savetheplanet #renewables #renewableenergy #greenenergy #solarpower #solarenergy #windpower #windenergy #rightwing #nationalism #presidential #election #rerun #humantrafficking #forcedlabor #slavery #slavelabor #humanrights #resignation #UnitedNations #unity #charity #charitablegiveing #fundraising #goodnews #Fridayfeeling
