• Mountains of coal are piling up in Newcastle, Australia, the world’s largest coal port. Despite global climate change commitments to phase out coal, Newcastle is doing a booming business. Asian nations including Japan, South Korea and Vietnam are eager to buy the coal that passes through the port.
(“Who is Keeping Coal Alive,” Economist, June 4, 2023)
• For two years, indigenous activists in Colombia have organized direct action protests against the Irish packaging giant Smurfit Kappa over its logging operations. The Dublin based company that produces cardboard for the world market owns more than 68,000 hectares of forest plantations in the South American nation. Colombian activists who have occupied these forests, complain local farmers have lost land cultivated for food to corporate “monoculture” while the use of agrochemicals have caused extensive environmental damage to local rivers and streams.
(“Colombian Peasants Are Taking On an Irish Multinational. And Being Met With Violence,” In These Times, May 25, 2023)
• Every five years Democrats and Republicans in Congress wrestle over the final shape of the Farm Bill, where billions of dollars in farm subsidies are allocated to various constituencies. Progressive Democrats work to prevent cuts to the food stamps received by 42 million poor Americans, while Conservative Republicans fight to maintain and increase subsidies for their Big Ag campaign contributors.
(“How Washington Bargained Away Rural America,” American Prospect, May 24, 2023)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
