There are signs Oxford University is slowly “getting it” when it comes to climate change. Last year, it committed to selling its multimillion-pound investments in oil and gas companies, after years of student campaigning, and more recently it launched an ambitious Sustainability Strategy. But a 12-month-long investigation we’ve just published shows how much deeper the […]

The post Oxford University Has Pledged to Divest from Fossil Fuels – Now it Needs to Sever All Ties to the Industry appeared first on DeSmog.

Sorry my laptop is being looked at-all of a sudden the keyboard wouldn’t work. Not sure how long I will be without it. So – later, dude!

Fossil fuel companies could face legal challenges over their misleading advertising, after a DeSmog investigation uncovered the extent of their “greenwashing”. Environmental lawyers ClientEarth have put companies on notice with the publication of the Greenwashing Files. The analyses, which use DeSmog’s research, show how adverts of major fossil fuel companies and energy producers continue to […]

The post The Greenwashing Files: Fossil Fuel Giants Accused of ‘Deceptive’ Advertising appeared first on DeSmog.

Lauren Dobson-Hughes, in The Line, reflecting on Canada’s responses to COVID wonders if we are actually a country?Zeynep, in Insight, on the gaslighting of science.And in non-COVID writing, here’s my latest in Medscape How Dare There Be Effective Drug…

Last year was rough for major oil companies. BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Total suffered a combined $77 billion in losses for 2020. And now, as Reuters reports, many are trying to sell-off “dozens of oil and gas fields and refineries worth more than $110 billion to curb both their ballooning debt and their carbon […]

The post Fossil Fuel Companies’ Tough Sell: Oil and Gas Sites With Costly Environmental Clean-up appeared first on DeSmog.

The Science Museum is facing a major backlash after naming Shell as the sponsor of its flagship climate exhibition. ‘Our Future Planet’ will focus on ways of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through controversial Carbon, Capture and Storage (CCS) technology and nature-based solutions, as part of a programme of events leading up to the […]

The post Shell’s Sponsorship of Science Museum Climate Exhibition Sparks Outrage appeared first on DeSmog.

Leighton Security Services, a private security company accused of working without a license during construction of the controversial Dakota Access pipeline, is facing similar allegations in Virginia. The complaint against Leighton is one of two recently filed against private companies providing security for the Mountain Valley pipeline, a planned 300-mile pipeline that would carry fracked […]

The post Private Security Firm Accused of Working Illegally to Protect Oil and Gas Pipelines in Five States appeared first on DeSmog.

Fossil fuel companies “cannot be relied upon to decarbonize at the speed and scale needed” to tackle rising global emissions.

The post Oil Industry ‘Net-Zero’ Pledges are an Attempt to Delay Climate Action, New Paper Warns appeared first on DeSmog.

This story originally appeared in Grist & The Texas Observer and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. When Laura Briggs and her husband finally found their dream home in West Texas, they knew they’d […]

The post Waves of Abandonment appeared first on DeSmog.

A number of senior Irish politicians and agri-industry interests are trying to block a legal challenge to a new cheese factory brought by environmentalists over concerns relating to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.  Politicians and industry figures are applying sustained public and political pressure to have the appeal dropped, despite the High Court having approved […]

The post Environmentalists Decry Campaign of ‘Intimidation’ By Irish Politicians And Agri-Industry Over New Cheese Factory appeared first on DeSmog.

The overlap between racial inequalities and environmental issues is all too often ignored. A recent government report may claim that “we no longer see a Britain where the system is deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities”, but many UK companies still turn a profit by relying on abusive activities overseas. Environmental racism is widespread, deadly and […]

The post Environmental Racism is at the Heart of Europe’s Continued Coal Use appeared first on DeSmog.

The European Court of Human Rights has begun considering whether states have violated their citizens’ human rights by failing to do enough to cut emissions. The court, which is responsible for interpreting the European Convention on Human Rights, recently accepted two climate lawsuits with similar human rights arguments but brought by very different groups of […]

The post European Court Opens Itself up to Climate-Related Human Rights Challenges appeared first on DeSmog.

Stephen Maher, in Macleans, with the comprehensive story of Canada’s first year with the pandemic.
Emily Anthes, in The New York Times, on the end of overzealous cleaning.
Gregg Gonsalves, in The Nation, on what comes after the end of this stage of th…

Dangerous numpty. If you see, ignore.
Peter Hotez, in Scientific American, on the anti-science movement and the danger it poses to global public health. 
Derek Thomspon, in The Atlantic, explains why you should unfollow, unfriend, or at the very l…

After breaking his ankle — Russell Jones noticed that his dog Billy was limping too. After an exam, X-rays, and a $400 vet bill Billy presented no injuries. He was just sympathetically limping like his hooman…pic.twitter.com/8mvmNpwMNR— Rex Cha…

everyone’s anti-godzilla until there’s a 200,000 ton boat that can’t be moved— Emma Berquist (@eeberquist) March 27, 2021 So now the world is following the tale of the boat stuck in the Suez Canal, there’s even a website Is The Ship Still Stuck?And al…

Saskia Popescu and Alexandra Phelan, in The New York Times, discuss the unwieldy realities that vaccine passports might face. Leslie Boehm and Gregory P. Marchildon, in Policy Options covers the past realities and future needs of Canadian vaccine…

Javed Anees, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Reid Wilson, in The Hill, on the world leading way in which Africa approached COVID treatment and prevention supplies. 
David Spiegelhalter, in the Guardian, on why you need not be terribly worried about rec…

When you don’t have time for this crap. pic.twitter.com/JzfWuh8dEz

— 𝖠𝖺𝗋𝗈𝗇 𝖶𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗋 (@Wieneraaron) March 13, 2021

Never has there been a better introductory paragraph to a textbook, nor will there ever be. #higherEd https://t.co/e8TAuwJLGa pic.twitter.com/zp2HRmSszR

— Dr. Alec Couros (@courosa) March 7, 2021

Prince George and Princess Charlotte after the monarchy is abolished. pic.twitter.com/W8s984Ensq

— Rohita Kadambi 🍾 (@rohitak) March 8, 2021

And one more – its hilarious:

I’m never letting this video die pic.twitter.com/QAOXjNLAqk

— Best Videos 🎬🍿 (@30SECVlDEOS) February 7, 2021

Akiko Iwasaki, in Medium, on how vaccination might help COVID longhaulers.
Jennifer Murphy, in The New York Times, reflects on her experiences as a NYC EMT during the worst of their pandemic.
Jane Philpott and David Walker, in The Ottawa Citizen, disc…

Sarah Zhang, in The Atlantic, on the forgotten power of windows in a pandemic.
Luisa Beck, in The Washington Post, on the 1,200 new German words coined for the pandemic.
Aisha Lofter, in TVO, on the need for an anti-racist response to COVID.
 &#1…

On March 5, 1963, 30-year-old singer Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash – one of the first musical losses I can remember, though far from the last. Here is a pretty good documentary about Patsy Cline and her music:

And this happened here, in Saskatoon: Meanwhile in Canada:A 10-year old boy wanted to do something nice for the dogs in his neighborhood.So he built them a stick library.He now has two locations and is already expanding to more.🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/fzC4p…

Meanwhile in Canada, please remember social distancing is still in effect. 😶 pic.twitter.com/y5RgTrN8AB— Terry Small (@terrysmall) February 25, 2021

Angela L. Rasmussen, in the New York Times, explains how yes, the vaccines will work to stop the spread.
Julia Belluz, in Vox, interviews the inimitable Hilda Bastian, the scientist who has been right on COVID vaccines every step of the way. 

Ca…

Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, in The Guardian, discusses which vaccine you should get.James Hamblin, in The Atlantic, on what summer might look like (in the US mind you, here in Canada, given our exceedingly slow pace of vaccination, this might not apply)

…

Sort of a lousy day, really — stupid cold, and Trump is found GUILTY but he skates away without any penalties so far. Well, anyway, here’s some funny tweets just to lighten the mood for Valentine’s Day:

Just fit in to some of my old clothes from 20 years ago. Feeling pretty proud.
It’s a scarf by the way but its a start.

— mariana Z (@mariana057) January 29, 2021

Just gonna leave this here… pic.twitter.com/VZ8wXkOOVS

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) February 10, 2021

😂😂
pic.twitter.com/sESspGCxxs

— Mystery Solvent (@MysterySolvent) February 11, 2021

Cats, y’all…pic.twitter.com/cmIhWmeGmJ

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) February 10, 2021

Well well, how the turntables…

📹: Imgur user Chingelmarie pic.twitter.com/kHWvi0OkxO

— Paul Bronks (@SlenderSherbet) February 11, 2021

Life goals: Find someone who loves you even half as much as this dog loves opera. 🔊 🆙

📹: Imgur user MonStar1203 pic.twitter.com/neVHObBNzc

— Paul Bronks (@SlenderSherbet) February 1, 2021

Cute.🐯🐾⛄️ pic.twitter.com/XAl5hQ1EAJ

— Andrei (@AndreiAndrei63) January 24, 2021

Michaeleen Doucleff, in NPR, explains how a small town in Brazil has tragically shown us that without vaccines, herd immunity is impossible.Derek Thompson, in The Atlantic, on the waste of resources and the disinformation that is hygiene theatreBrooks…

Damien Cave, in The New York Times, on how Australia is maintaining near normalcy of life in the time of COVID19
James Hamblin, in the Atlantic, on the Brazilian variant that’s currently rampaging through a city that had been thought to be immune due …

Angela Rasmussen, in Slate, on how we can’t rely on vaccines alone to end this pandemic (this is especially true right now in Canada where our vaccination program is barely off the ground)
Alice Lu-Culligan and Akiko Iwasaki, in the New York Times, on…

What a relief it is to just have normal politics-as-usual going on everywhere these days – blaming Trudeau for stuff that isn’t his fault, blaming O’Toole for stuff that IS his fault, watching Biden taking over the US government, its all good these day…

Scott Gavura, in Science Based Medicine, on the anti-vaxx campaign to erode confidence in COVID vaccines.Julia Belluz and Umair Irfan, in Vox, on the new South African COVID variant that may challenge current vaccines.André Picard and Adalsteinn Brown…

Cartoon for @chronicleherald #trump #BidenHarrisInauguration #BidenHarris #TrumpTreason pic.twitter.com/t5Wm5V3OSX

— Michael de Adder (@deAdder) January 19, 2021

And so after four years as a failed president, tomorrow Donald Trump will return to his previous career as a failed businessman.

— Victor Laszlo (@Impolitics) January 19, 2021

It feels a bit like Christmas Eve, but you already know what you’ll get when you open the present. A restoration of American democracy, decency, and hope.

— Dan Rather (@DanRather) January 19, 2021

I’m like a little kid on Democracy Eve

— Tom and Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) January 19, 2021

would he settle for me launching water balloons filled with cat piss at him as he’s wheeled out of town in a garbage can https://t.co/QtqNmum4ri

— kilgore trout, brad r’s brother (@KT_So_It_Goes) January 15, 2021

If you’re not already following Dr. Popescu, you should be.
Stephen Reicher and John Drury, in the BMJ, on how adherence to COVID recommendations is reliant more on resources and less on motivation or energy.Gideon M-K, in Medium, with the plain truth …

Here’s a map I found that illustrates the Jan 6 Trump Insurrection: The New York Times has an excellent interactive article which describes how the attack on the US Capital building went, and here’s an article from the Washington Post describing what W…

 Here’s some stuff I collected from Twitter – enjoy! My goal was to lose 10 lbs by the end of 2020. Only 24 lbs to go!— Jordan (@FoxyDocKnoxy) December 28, 2020 Okay, who did this? pic.twitter.com/Ezmgd3p441— jamie (@gnuman1979) December 28, 2020…

What an awful week. I’m still processing the horror of what happened, and what almost happened, in Washington.  It seems pretty clear now that Trump and his grotesque family wanted the mob to invade Congress and lynch them if they would…

Daniela J. Lamas, in The New York Times, reflects as a front line physician on her vaccination.
Julia Belluz in Vox, on the new COVID variants and their implications for vaccinations

Alex Crozier, in The Guardian, on how lockdowns can’t work without …

When Trump doesn’t succeed on Wednesday to get Pence to “do something” about winning the election, I believe he is going to try to declare Martial Law, thinking that will stop Biden from being sworn in. It’s going to be a nightmare. We’re alr…