David Tong

New report examines fossil fuel ties of dozens of Trump administration hires Public Citizen and the Revolving Door Project found 43 fossil-fuel industry insiders among nominees and appointees to agencies charged with enforcing energy and environmental policy.

New report examines fossil fuel ties of dozens of Trump administration hires.

grist.org/accountabili...

#Politics #Oil #FossilFuel #Politics #Report #News

Government lowers methane target, rules out methane taxes The government is lowering its biogenic methane target for the next 25 years, a move welcomed by the industry but opposed by the Greens and environmental activists.

New Zealand’s far right, ass backwards government has unsurprisingly bowed to big agriculture industry lobbyists and slashed the country’s 2050 methane target. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Vanuatu working toward UN vote aimed at fighting fossil fuel industry influence Ralph Regenvanu, minister of climate change for the Pacific island nation said the step was on ‘behalf of everybody’

Vanuatu’s Climate Minister @rregenvanu.bsky.social says the fossil fuel industry is the greatest obstacle to tackling the climate crisis and implementing the International Court of Justice opinion that international law requires all states to protect the climate:

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Egypt's President Sisi pardons high-profile Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, al Qahera news says Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pardoned high-profile Egyptian-British activist, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, after a lengthy imprisonment and repeated hunger strikes that prompted international pleas for his release, Al Qahera news said on Monday.

Huge news. @freealaa.bsky.social pardoned.

Free Alaa. Free them all. www.reuters.com/world/africa...

I’m not sure Apple’s new “sleep score” is all that smart. I went to bed at almost 1am after hours of late Zoom calls.

Whatever the killer’s motives, it is clear that political violence is a problem that extends across ideology. Prominent conservatives, moderates and liberals have all been victims in recent years.

It's worth asking why every elite institution is issuing statements like this rather than pointing out the obvious fact that the institutional right commits and glorifies violence far more than the left. Is there a reason you feel you can't say that out loud?
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/o...

52/🚨The Court then delivers a powerful statement: failure of a state to take appropriate action to regulate fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel licences, fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act which is attributable to that state

🌍 BREAKING: Climate impunity ends today - by order of the world’s highest court.

The International Court of Justice has spoken:
✅ States are legally obliged to act
✅ Inaction = human rights violation
✅ Polluters must be held accountable

This is a legal revolution for our planet.

🚨BREAKING: World’s Highest Court Tells Countries to Halt Emissions Faster and Protect the Climate

Press Release: oilchange.org/news/worlds-...

#Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateJusticeAtTheICJ

A woman dances in floral clothing

In a landmark global victory, the International Court of Justice has ruled that governments must step up and protect our right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
act.gp/3IB7w3
...🧵

20/ The Court notes in particular the relevance of customary norms related to:
🔹duty to prevent significant harm to the environment
🔸duty to cooperate internationally!
👉 These norms are going to be critical to the responses of the Court to the questions before it.

Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die July 21, 2025 AFP has been working with 1 writer, 3 photographers and 6 videographers, all freelance, in the Gaza Strip since its staff journalists left in 2024. Along with a few others, they are now the only ones left to report what is happening in the Gaza Strip. The international press has been banned from entering the territory for nearly two years. We refuse to watch them die. One of them, Bashar, has been working with AFP since 2010, first as a fixer, then freelance photographer, and since 2024, as lead photographer. On July 19th he managed to post a message on Facebook: “I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can’t work anymore.” Bashar, 30, works & lives in the same conditions as all Gazans, moving from one refugee camp to another under Israeli bombings. For > a year he’s lived in utter destitution, working at extreme risk to his life. Hygiene is a major issue for him, with recurring bouts of severe intestinal illness. Since Feb, Bashar’s been living in the ruins of his home in Gaza City with his mother, 4 brothers & sisters and the family of one of his brothers. Their house is devoid of any furnishings, except a few cushions. On Sunday morning, he reported that one of his brothers had “fallen, due to hunger.” Even though these journalists receive a monthly salary from AFP, it’s no longer enough to buy food, or they have to pay completely exorbitant prices. The banking system has collapsed, and those who exchange money via online bank accounts charge a commission of up to 40%. AFP no longer has the ability to provide them with a vehicle and there is not enough fuel to allow these journalists to travel for their reporting. Driving a car means becoming a target for Israeli airstrikes. AFP reporters therefore travel on foot or by donkey cart. (alt txt continued in next post)

A horrifying statement published today by the Editorial Committee of the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency.

"Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die"

Translation from French to English by @cnorristrent.bsky.social:

🧵Historic milestone coming up, following the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights:

On July 23, the International Court of Justice – the world’s highest court – will deliver its much-anticipated ruling on States’ obligations to address #ClimateChange & uphold #HumanRights.

There are no rules any more. The political pendulum is now a wrecking ball OPINION: Compromise is out, consensus is dead, and the country is being governed by tantrum and teardown.

There is a lot to agree with in this Andrea Vance column.

But she misdiagnoses the problem and engages in unjustifiable both-sides-ism. MMP is not the problem. The populist far right is the problem.

www.thepress.co.nz/politics/360...

At the United Nations #JuneClimateTalks, leaders are expressing deep outrage about Israel’s brutal campaign of bombing, massacres, and starvation against Palestinians.

Great coverage of our 🆕report on funding the #JustTransition away from fossil fuels in the @FT today.

Say it with us: “Public money is a non-negotiable part of the green transition." 💸 www.ft.com/content/8e5f...

World’s largest banks pledged $869bn to fossil fuel firms in 2024, new report finds Two-thirds of the biggest 65 banks increased financing by $162bn from 2023 to 2024, walking back climate promises

“By injecting a staggering $869bn into fossil fuel financing in 2024 alone, the world’s largest banks fund the climate chaos... Governments must step in & take urgent action to hold financial institutions accountable for their role in the #climatecrisis” - @davidxvx.bsky.social‬

World’s largest banks pledged $869bn to fossil fuel firms in 2024, new report finds Two-thirds of the biggest 65 banks increased financing by $162bn from 2023 to 2024, walking back climate promises

By injecting a staggering USD 869 bn into fossil fuel finance in 2024, the world’s largest banks have shown again: the market won't solve the #climate crisis.

Governments must act to hold financial institutions accountable.

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

📣 BREAKING: The 16th #BankingOnClimateChaos reveals that fossil fuel financing from the world’s top 65 banks has reached $7.9 TRILLION since 2016.

▶️ See how your bank is using your money at bankingonclimatechaos.org 🌍

#DefundClimateChaos #BOCC #ClimateCrisis

Local movements, Palestinian activists, and international social and climate justice groups gathered today at the United Nations #JuneClimateTalks to express deep outrage about Israel’s brutal campaign of bombing, massacres, and starvation against Palestinians.

🚨 NEW 🚨

Four rich Global North countries are responsible for nearly 70% of projected CO2 pollution from new oil and gas 2025 - 2035, equal to 3X the annual emissions of all the world’s coal power plants combined. oilchange.org/blogs/planet...

As Nnimmo Bassey powerfully argues, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine should not merely be pardoned.

They should be completely and fully exonerated.

Read more >>> www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-new...

On June 16, EU ministers discuss Europe’s energy security. More #LNG means locking us into climate chaos & insecurity. #TrumpGas, #PutinGas, or any gas = harm to health, planet & frontline communities. It’s time for a just transition—no to fossil fuel traps. #PhaseOutGas

🔊 BREAKING NEWS!

In a historic moment, @mayorofgm.bsky.social and Massive Attack came together at a sold-out concert in Manchester to endorse the #FossilFuelTreaty on #WorldEnvironmentDay.
🎶🌍

Mark Carney courts oil industry in bid to Trump-proof Canada’s economy Prime minister and Liberal party head touts ‘grand bargain’ with fossil fuel sector

In case anyone is wondering, “decarbonized oil and gas” does not exist, is a complete contradiction in terms, and a dangerous lie that Canadian government after Canadian government has tried to spin under the spell of industry lobbying. How disappointing.

www.ft.com/content/17ce...

Big polluters damaging our communities should face legal consequences. The #SaulvsRWE case shows these dangerous companies are increasingly vulnerable to litigation – accountability for their pollution and climate harms is coming.

Europe: break with TrumpGas! Across Europe people are standing up for what is right and just. We are calling on our European leaders to break free from Trump and Putin’s gas and to double down on a fair, green and secure future.

Today, the @ec.europa.eu released its roadmap to exit #RussianGas. But it's at risk of falling into another trap: #TrumpGas
🚫 More #TrumpGas means volatile energy bills, more climate disasters, more 💰 for fossil fuels.
✍️ Tell the #EU to break free from #TrumpGas
act.oilchange.org/forms/europe...

Might as well suggest planting magic beans.

Researching CCS might be more politically palatable to the centre/far right than phasing out fossil fuels but that's mostly because IT DOESN'T WORK and prolongs the polluting industries that fund centre- and far-right political parties and lobbyists.

Tony Blair is a unique kind of broken clock that quite possibly hasn't even been right once since 2001.

Blair & his experts suggest not doing things that cut emissions like not burning fossil fuels and instead double down on things that mostly don't work like CCS.

Oh, also, every person I’ve seen waving placards for the Liberals has been a young white guy with a striking resemblance to Saxon from the White Lotus…