March 24, 2023

How the American Legislative Exchange Council turns disinformation into law

State lawmakers introduced nearly 2,900 bills based on ALEC templates from 2010 through 2018. More than 600 of them became law. By Elliott Negin / Independent Media Institute In June 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a bill banning the state from contracting with or investing in businesses that divest from coal, oil or natural […]

As Cryptocurrency becomes mainstream, its carbon footprint can’t be ignored

As Bitcoin prices rise, so will the incentive to mine it, creating a feedback loop that spells trouble for the climate. By Robin Scher / Independent Media Institute For advocates of cryptocurrency, the promise of an economic future that is managed by a blockchain (a decentralized database that is shared among the nodes of a […]

Whales will save the World’s Climate—unless the military destroys them first

By Koohan Paik-Mander / Independent Media Institute The U.S. military is famous for being the single largest consumer of petroleum products in the world and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Its carbon emissions exceed those released by “more than 100 countries combined.” Now, with the Biden administration’s mandate to slash carbon emissions “at least in half by the end of […]

COP26: Climate pledges don’t match up with policies—or consumer behavior

The Glasgow Climate Pact kicks the climate can down the road. By Reynard Loki / Independent Media Institute After more than two weeks of negotiations during the United Nations COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, diplomats from almost 200 nations finally agreed on two major points: ramp up the fight against climate change and help […]

How Facebook’s quest for profits is paved on hate and lies

New revelations by a whistleblower prove that the world’s largest social media platform understands clearly its negative impact on society, but that profits are a greater lure than preserving democracy. By Sonali Kolhatkar / Independent Media Institute Facebook’s former employee Frances Haugen, in an interview on “60 Minutes,” explained to host Scott Pelley that the social media […]

Is the energy transition taking off—or hitting a wall?

With the Inflation Reduction Act, the federal government is illogically encouraging the increasing use of fossil fuels—in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. By Richard Heinberg / Independent Media Institute The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) constitutes the boldest climate action so far by the American federal government. It offers tax rebates to […]

Lula must save Brazil from savage capitalism, says Federal Deputy Juliana Cardoso

By Vijay Prashad and Zoe Alexandra Author Bio: This article was produced by Globetrotter. Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor, and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is an editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at […]

Populist climate action requires thinking about freedom from specific oppressors—not just species survival

The climate crisis is a form of oppression by a wealthy few. By Carter Dillard Author Bio: Carter Dillard is the policy adviser for the Fair Start Movement. He served as an Honors Program attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice and also served with a national security law agency before developing a comprehensive account […]

Peru’s oligarchy overthrows President Castillo

By Manolo De Los Santos Author Bio: Manolo De Los Santos is the co-executive director of the People’s Forum and is a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He co-edited, most recently, Viviremos: Venezuela vs. Hybrid War (LeftWord Books/1804 Books, 2020) and Comrade of the Revolution: Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro (LeftWord Books/1804 Books, 2021). […]

The U.S. egged on the coup in Peru

By Vijay Prashad and José Carlos Llerena Robles Author Bio: This article was produced by Globetrotter. Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor, and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is an editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident […]