Climate change: Power companies ‘hindering’ move to green energy – BBC News

By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent

• 1 September 2020

New research suggests that power companies are dragging their feet when it comes to embracing green energy sources such as wind and solar.

Only one in 10 energy suppliers globally has prioritised renewables over fossil fuels, the study finds.

Even those that are spending on greener energy are continuing to invest in carbon heavy coal and natural gas.

The lead researcher says the slow uptake undermines global efforts to tackle climate change.

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In countries like the UK and across Europe, renewable energy has taken a significant share of the market, with 40% of Britain’s electricity coming from wind and solar last year.

…(read more).

White Slavery in the Barbary States: Charles Sumner

Sumner’s “views of Christianity and Islam will fascinate historian, clergyman, and educated lay-person alike.” -Goodreads

First published in 1853 by Charles Sumner, “White Slavery in the Barbary States” outlines the history of the centuries in which Moslems enslaved Europeans and later, Americans; and what led to its halt.

Sumner focuses on many specific instances of Europeans and Americans captured and sold at Moslem slave markets.

The Barbary slave trade refers to the slave markets that flourished on the Barbary Coast of North Africa, which included the Ottoman provinces of Algeria, Tunisia and Tripolitania and the independent sultanate of Morocco, between the 16th and middle of the 18th century. The Ottoman provinces in North Africa were nominally under Ottoman suzerainty, but in reality they were mostly autonomous. The North African slave markets were part of the Arab slave trade.

The Barbary Coast European slaves were acquired by Barbary pirates in slave raids on ships and by raids on coastal towns from Italy to the Netherlands, as far north as Iceland and east into the Mediterranean.

The Ottoman eastern Mediterranean was the scene of intense piracy. As late as the 18th century, piracy continued to be a “consistent threat to maritime traffic in the Aegean”.

For centuries, large vessels on the Mediterranean relied on galley slaves supplied by North African and Ottoman slave traders.

Merchants, Missionaries & Migrants: 300 Years of Dutch-Ghanaian Relations: Kessel, Ineke Van

by Ineke Van Kessel (Editor)

• Item Weight : 2.25 pounds
• Hardcover : 160 pages
• ISBN-10 : 9988550774
• ISBN-13 : 978-9988550776
• Publisher : Sub-Saharan Pub & Traders (April 1, 2002)

GOP’s Mark Sanford says Democrats can ‘absolutely’ win control of Senate in November

RT America

Published on Sep 1, 2020

Former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) talks politics with Larry, including why he believes Democrats can win control of the Senate this fall. Plus, how he’s trying to stem the U.S. government’s runaway spending with the launch of a non-profit

Earth in 2052: Jorgen Randers at TEDxTrondheimSalon

TEDx Talks

May 27, 2013

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations) TEDxTrondheim Salon 26.4.2013 Rethinking Green Jørgen Randers Earth in 2052 and Short-termism

It’s Population Decline We Need to Worry About: Dr. Keith Jakee at TEDxFAU

TEDx Talks

May 15, 2013

Paul Ehrlich predicted widespread human suffering from population explosion, just as Thomas Malthus did centuries earlier. Dr. Jakee will argue that not enough intellectual attention has been devoted to recognizing and considering the implications of exactly the opposite trend.

Dr. Keith Jakee is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Wilkes Honors College of FAU.

Population growth and food supply– bottom up or top down? | Tom Wilson | TEDxTucsonSalon

TEDx Talks

Jul 9, 2014

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. University of Arizona Professor Tom Wilson presents an economic perspective about population growth and food supply.

Tom Wilson is an Associate Professor of Practice at The University of Arizona, as a faculty member of the Soil, Water and Environmental Science Department for over 12 years. After getting an undergraduate degree in Biology from Reed College he worked at various jobs including a position as a horticulturist at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. He later received his Ph.D. in Soil and Water Science from The University of Arizona and shortly afterwards accepted a Lecturer position in the same Department. He is a Bart Cardon Teaching Academy Fellow, and works closely with the UA Honors College, serving on the Curriculum Committee and teaching two Honors classes, including HNRS 170A1 Human Reproduction and the Environment. He also teaches several classes for Soil, Water and Environmental Science, including the introductory Soil Science Class. Outside of the fall and spring semesters he co-teaches a summer class in Namibia and a winter class in Ecuador, and is developing a second summer class in Australia, all through the UA Study Abroad program. He has received the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Teaching Award, the Provost’s General Education Teaching Award, and was a finalist for this year’s UA Five Star Faculty Award.

Overpopulation facts – the problem no one will discuss: Alexandra Paul at TEDxTopanga

TEDx Talks

Jan 3, 2013

Actress Alexandra Paul breaks the silence on one of the most taboo subjects of our time: human overpopulation and how to resolve the crisis that is adding 220,000 more people to the planet every day. In this fact filled talk, Alexandra discusses the overpopulation problems of 7 billion humans multiplying at a rate of 1 billion more people every 12 years and offers a simple solution: Transform negative cultural attitudes about the Only Child, and celebrate the short and long term benefits of small families.

Alexandra reminds us that coercion in any form is not the answer to changing cultural and biological norms. Instead, rewiring our biology through strong cultural messaging, education of girls and empowerment of women are the solutions to stopping the current momentum towards 10 billion people on the planet in 40 years.

Alexandra emphasizes that because each American born uses so many more resources than someone from a developing country, it is equally important that wealthy countries have small families. She discusses the economic tradeoffs of a smaller population in a world where capitalism reigns: because the capitalist system depends upon more and more consumers, there are strong forces at work to keep the numbers of people on earth growing. But at what expense?

And since human numbers cannot keep getting larger forever, at what point will we change our ways? When it is too late?

Most controversially, Alexandra believes that, if humans are to survive on this planet, the ideal family has one child and the ideal number of people on earth is 2 billion. “If that is too radical, then it is time for radicalism. Too much is at stake to be polite.” This talk is full of overpopulation facts..