11 March 2021 - NPWJ News Digest on Environmental Justice & Human Rights

Articles

Budget cuts and collapse in tourism revenue pose 'severe' threat to nature
The Guardian, 11 Mar 2021

Job cuts in nature reserves and environmental rollbacks by governments during the Covid-19 pandemic could undermine global efforts to conserve biodiversity and tackle the climate crisis, according to new research.

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Looks Like Elon Musk Is Plugging a Giant Battery Into the Texas Grid
Popular Mechanics, 10 Mar 2021

A Tesla subsidiary called Gambit Energy Storage LLC is reportedly constructing a massive ad-hoc battery that can plug right into Houston's feeble power grid, according to a recent report in Bloomberg. The battery is so large, with more than 100 megawatts of energy storage capacity, that it could "power about 20,000 homes on a hot summer day."

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MEPs back law to hold firms to account for environment and human rights abuses
The Guardian, 10 Mar 2021

MEPs voted by a large majority, 504 to 79 (with 112 abstentions), to push forward with proposed legislation that would require companies to conduct due diligence throughout their supply chain, to root out abuses and environmental harm such as deforestation and pollution.

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How the 2011 tsunami destroyed Japan’s trust in nuclear power
Aljazeera, 10 Mar 2021

Ten years after a tsunami hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan, controversy and doubts over its clean-up efforts continue to dog the industry. And the voices calling for the government to embrace alternative, greener forms of energy and to decommission its nuclear reactors have only grown louder.

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France’s environment minister faces tough battle over Macron’s green bill
Politico, 09 Mar 2021

Emmanuel Macron needs Barbara Pompili to succeed if he hopes to be reelected in 2022, but the French president has a tradition of riding roughshod over his ecological transition minister. That leaves her in a weak position as she begins the toughest job in her political career this week — shepherding the massive climate bill aimed at slashing France's greenhouse gas emissions through parliament

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Sea Turtles in Danger as Oil Spill Hits Lebanon
Nature World News, 09 Mar 2021

Tar washed up on Lebanon's beaches in the southern part of the country as Mediterranean tides swept an oil spill that had hit Israel days before up the coast. The direct effect would have an impact on two underwater parks, as well as the broader climate.

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Recognizing ‘historic tipping point’, UN begins push towards more sustainable energy future
UN News, 09 Mar 2021

Renewable energy is “crucial for building a sustainable, prosperous and peaceful future”, the UN chief said on Wednesday, launching an accelerated drive for clean energy and climate action.

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Impunity for killings of human rights defenders remains a key driver for more murders, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders tells Human Rights Council
ReliefWeb, 05 Mar 2021

The Human Rights Council this morning started an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. It also concluded its interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and the Special Rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism.

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