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Dear reader,
World Environment Day on June 5, and World Oceans Day on June 8 come this year against a backdrop of escalating climate movements and an ever escalating crisis. As the impact of climate change becomes increasingly apparent, some wealthier nations, who owe their industrialisation to climate-wrecking dirty energy, continue to shirk their responsibilities.
Climate was a key discussion in Australia’s recent elections, but the electorate still opted for a conservative government with a grim record.
The Trump administration has continued its onslaught on climate science. Elsewhere, we have seen the political resurgence of climate denialists, like Brazil’s president Bolsonaro who has set his sights on stripping the Amazon.
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 Melbourne climate strike Photo credit: Takver/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
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Meanwhile student strikes continue to spread across the world, and climate was a decisive factor in the recently-held EU parliamentary elections. All these events mean that the work of progressive social movements is cut out for them. As we focus on the environment, give a listen to our latest podcast, on gas extractivism in Italy, and have a look at our suggested reading section for more takes on the recent EU elections.
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As the European Elections unfolded last week, many activists and progressive forces around the world paid particular attention to the municipal elections taking place at the same time in Spain. For years, Spain has been a beacon for the possibilities of progressive change at the municipal level.
TNI’s Sol Trumbo Villa unpacks what happened.
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Controversy continues over a suspended mega-dam project, backed by China, on the Irrawaddy River in Kachin State, Myanmar. The social and environmental consequences of the proposed project cast a shadow not only over the local Kachin population but over all the nationalities of Myanmar. Public awareness is growing why protecting the Irrawaddy is of national importance. Lahpai Seng Raw, a 2013 Ramon Magsaysay Award winner and co-founder of the Metta Development Foundation and Airavati, reflects on the importance of keeping the Irrawaddy river flowing.
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Recent events have exposed how Northern Ireland hasn’t experienced peace as much as a cold war. The structural violence, legacy of conflict and democratic deficit can’t be left to dangerously smoulder any longer.
TNI’s Niamh Ni Bhriain gives her take.
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How can we reconcile migrant communities’ right to the enjoyment of a full cultural life (including the use of traditional plants) with international drug control obligations? The coca leaf travels from the Andean Amazon to the European courts.
It is crucial that the voices of poppy-growing communities are heard in decision-making processes that affect their lives. During 8-10 May 2019, representatives from Kayan, Kayah, Pa-O, Shan, Lahu and Kachin opium farming communities came together to discuss the challenges they face, and to find ways to solve their problems. Here is the formal statement from the forum.
How do “good regulatory practices” in trade agreements erode protections for the environment, public health, workers and consumers?
If you are a student, curious, diligent and love the thought of digging into our material, learning something about some of the major struggles of the 20th century history and about contemporary digitisation and archiving, then please get in touch.
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This episode of the State of Power podcast examines the case of the resistance against the TAP pipeline in Salento, Italy. Expected to bring 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Azerbaijan, the pipeline has been hailed as an impressive feat of engineering that will help solve Europe’s energy needs. However, there is no overstating how much the local populations along the pipeline detest this development. We use the resistance against TAP to explore a process we call “pacification”, which is part of how capitalist elites, states and transnational corporations deal with protest and resistance against their activities.
Subscribe to State of Power on Spotify, TuneIn or AudioBoom
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| Here’s what we’re reading |
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The results of the EU parliamentary elections are out, but the underlying conflicts and contradictions will remain for the foreseeable future. Here’s what TNI ally CEO unpacked about ‘anti-elite’ parties serving big business interests.
Do these latest election results point to the dawn of a European Epoch? European Alternatives believes that this is “the birth of a Europe of many visions.”
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Get 15% discount in TNI's Bookshop!
'TDIC59U2' voucher takes 15% off the price (not including the shipping). Valid until 30th of June 2019.
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"If only we had the resources of those we are up against, we could change the world!" - TNI President Susan George
Every amount will make an impact towards the Transnational Institute. You can choose to make a once off gift or ongoing donation of support.
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Nota - A partir de enero de 2019, nuestro boletín se enviará en dos versiones separadas: una en inglés y otra en español. Si quieres recibir el boletín en español, tendrás que darte de baja de esta lista y suscribirte en esta.
Amigos y amigas del TNI,
El día 8 de junio se celebra el Día Mundial de los Océanos, concebido para concienciar a la opinión pública sobre el papel que desempeñan los océanos en nuestras vidas. Últimamente, los titulares de la prensa abundan en llamadas de atención sobre la alarmante cantidad de plásticos que inundan nuestros mares y sobre iniciativas para reducir su uso.
Aunque esta realidad, al igual que la crisis climática, requiere una acción urgente, no debemos olvidar el marco de políticas más amplio por el que se rigen los océanos y que parece orientado en la dirección contraria: promover lo que se denomina ‘crecimiento azul’ o ‘economía azul’. En realidad, no se trata de nada nuevo, sino que se recicla la idea equivocada, ya promovida con el concepto de ‘economía verde’, de que solo hay una forma de promover un mundo sostenible: más capitalismo.
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En nuestro último informe, La fórmula azul, desvelamos la sed de petróleo, gas, minerales, proteínas y conservación que alimenta y define la agenda del crecimiento azul. Y explicamos que algunas empresas y organismos están asumiendo todo el protagonismo, mientras que las comunidades de pequeños pescadores y pescadoras quedan marginadas.
No te pierdas nuestro último informe y el vídeo de resumen… ¡Y compártelos en tus redes!
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En 2012, la comunidad de Highland Park, en Michigan (Estados Unidos), se reunió para fundar Soulardarity y promover la democracia energética y un desarrollo equitativo. Desde entonces, ha instalado siete farolas solares, desplegado tecnología solar en la zona y fomentado la propiedad comunitaria, la transparencia y la responsabilidad ambiental en los servicios.
Nos explican su experiencia en primera persona.
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En enero, la Organización Mundial de la Salud realizó el primer examen científico del cannabis y presentó una serie de recomendaciones que podrían afectar a la forma en que esta planta está regulada en el marco internacional. A pesar de algunos elementos positivos, las recomendaciones también plantean algunas preocupaciones importantes que deben estudiarse cuidadosamente y someterse a un debate sincero y basado en datos empíricos. Todos los detalles en este breve informe y resumidos en este vídeo.
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¿Estás estudiando, eres una persona curiosa, te interesaría adentrarte en los archivos del TNI para saber más sobre algunas de las luchas de los movimientos sociales del siglo XX, y te gustaría aprender más sobre técnicas de digitalización y archivística? Sí la respuesta a todo esto es que sí, ponte en contacto con nuestro compañero John para solicitar esta pasantía en nuestra oficina de Amsterdam.
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Si valoras el pensamiento crítico y las alternativas reales, ¿por qué no realizar una donación? Todas las aportaciones, por pequeñas que sean, suman y son muy bienvenidas. ¡Gracias!
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