Dear Mr Lambrinidis,
The undersigned organisations urge you to include in the updated EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy an objective for the EU to pursue a human rights based approach in all areas of its external action without exception, including climate change related activities.
Climate change is a global injustice to present and future generations, and one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time. We are highly concerned about the grave harm that climate change is already causing both in Europe and beyond, and will continue to cause, to people and communities as well as to the environment on which we all depend.
It is well recognized—by the UN Human Rights Council and others—that climate change and certain actions being taken to...
Lifestyle
Dear Mr. Banquet,
New York Times Editor
As a former New York Times contributor I am wondering why you all have missed the ball on reporting about the environment? About Climate Change? Why is there is no environmental desk at your magazine? No Climate Watch?
This despite the fact that the US Military, an overwhelming number of scientists, the US President and many prime ministers throughout the world as well as leaders like the Pope and now billions of people see climate change as the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced.
It seems that your only real competitor, the UK Guardian, has left you in the proverbial radioactive fracking dust here.
I write this not as a science writer, photographer and journalist, but as a human being out here on the frontline of what is a...
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Dear Senator [Chris] Back and Senator [Dennis] Jensen,
We are writing to you with regard to your support for Parliament to "examine the evidence" on climate change before agreeing to any post-2020 emissions cuts.
The evidence of climate change has been available for all to see for a number of decades and as understanding increases, we are only becoming more acutely aware of the threat we face.
The time for delay is over. The question now is how we in Australia should act efficiently and decisively to rapidly cut carbon emissions and adapt to protect and strengthen our environment and economy.
In the next few weeks, the government will lay out its post-2020 climate policy. It is of great importance that the decisions taken are based on the best science available today. Not to...
2,322
Dear Ministers:
In June 2010, the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) issued a position statement calling for a ban on the mining, transformation and export of chrysotile asbestos. A copy of this document is attached for your information. CPHA has taken this position based on the known toxicity of chrysotile asbestos; in fact, use of this substance in the workplace has resulted in nearly 5000 approved death claims since 1996. These deaths are in spite of Canada’s limited use of asbestos.
The upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention provides Canada with an opportunity to lend its voice to the efforts, internationally, to add asbestos to the Annex III of this Treaty. Such an action would require countries exporting products containing asbestos to clearly label...
2,783
Dear Everyone,
My name is Naomi. I am Canadian. I worked for Environment Canada, our federal environmental department, for several years before our current Conservative leadership (under Stephen Harper) began decimating environmentalism in Canada. I, along with thousands and thousands of federal science employees lost any hope of future work. Their attitude towards the environment is ‘avoid research that contradicts the economic growth, particularly of the oil sands’. They have openly and officially denigrated anyone that supports the environment and opposes big-money oil profit as ‘radicals’ (http://tinyurl.com/7wwf8dp).
Every day in Canada, new information about their vendetta on science and the environment becomes quietly public and keeps piling up. I have been privy to much...
2,571
Dear Members of the Budget Committee,
We are very encouraged by the findings of the Watson...
2,386
Dear Folks at FactsCan.ca:
Re: Navigable Waters and Environmental Protection
We write in regard to your recent “fact check” of a 2014 petition by the New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) related to the removal of environmental protection from 2.5 million of Canada’s lakes and rivers. The NDP states that “Canada went from 2.5 million protected lakes and rivers, down to just 159 under the Conservatives.” You conclude that this statement is “misleading” (indeed, on Twitter, “VERY misleading.”)
We have ourselves made similar statements to the one made in the NDP Petition. Indeed, on 31 August 2015 we tweeted a graphic asserting that “Since 2011, 99% of Canada’s Lakes and Rivers lost their legal protection.” We stand by that statement, even after reviewing your analysis.
We believe...
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Dear Readers,
We are just about 6 weeks away from finishing up 2015 and as usual there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Now is as good of a time as any to look back at how we got here so we can take a weight-of-the-evidence approach and put together a thesis of what we should expect going forward. At AllStarCharts, we prefer to incorporate a global top/down approach focusing our attention on various liquid asset classes with exposure both domestically and outside of the United States. With our long/short mentality, we look for opportunities to profit from both good and bad markets striving for absolute returns regardless of the economic environment.
Today we’ll start with the U.S. Stock Market which is relatively flat year-to-date. In large-caps, the S...
5,595
Dear Low-Life-Scumbag-Who-Stole-My-Wallet-While-I-Was-Running,
First, I’d like you to know I do not wish you bodily harm. Let me rephrase that: I do not wish to inflict bodily harm on you. If you were to step in front of a train, well, I guess I wouldn’t be too broken up about it.
It was a beautiful day last Saturday, Low-Life-Scumbag-Who-Stole-My-Wallet-While-I-Was-Running, but you already knew that. You too were excited by the gorgeous weather and clear blue skies and thought spending some time by the river in Saint Paul might just be the cure for our collective winter blues. There you saw my adorably masculine little hatchback and decided that yes, today might be a good day to commit a little petty larceny.
Can I blame you for having such a positive attitude? No, Low-Life-...
3,615
Dear Dude With 500 Bumper Stickers On Your Car,
I’m pretty sure that when you share that much information with a stranger, it’s called a blind date and after being stuck in traffic behind you, I’m miffed that dinner and a movie are not part of the deal. Are you the kind of person who politely avoids politics, religion and sex as topics of conversation and then assaults the driving world with your views on whirled peas and Darwinism and the multi-colored Obama Hope sticker from 4-score-and-seven-bailouts ago? “Extinction is forever” and so, apparently, is your self-righteousness.
First, let’s talk about where you stand with animals. I get that you love dogs. You let me know that “Dog is your co-pilot” (how does the lady in the passenger seat feel about that?) and that you’d like...
2,089