Renewable energy transition in 5 charts


Climate scientists have shown that heat waves, coastal floods and tropical cyclones will grow increasingly violent if the world does not rapidly build infrastructure to make clean electricity.


In 2015, nearly 200 governments promised to try to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7°F) by the end of the century. But seven years later, as they meet again for a climate summit in Egypt, they are pursuing policies that will heat the planet by almost double that.

For world leaders to honor their promises, they must sharply cut the amount of planet-heating gas humanity pumps into the air each year. Greenhouse gas emissions would have to fall 45% by the end of the decade and reach net-zero by 2050. A key driver of that titanic shift would be making electricity cleanly, instead of with fossil fuels, and electrifying activities that involve burning coal, oil and gas.

Here's where the world stands in cleaning up its electricity supply.


Most electricity is made from coal, the dirtiest source of energy, and fossil gas, which is cleaner but still polluting. Burning these fuels releases gases that act like a greenhouse around the Earth, heating the planet and making extreme weather worse.

Just under 40% of the world's electricity comes from low-carbon sources like solar, wind, nuclear and hydropower.

The share of renewable energy in the global electricity mix has risen rapidly in the last decade, while the share of nuclear has fallen. The amount of fossil fuels in the mix has remained steady.


Total demand for electricity has nearly doubled in the last two decades. In countries where living standards have risen rapidly, like China and India, people have burned more coal as governments have connected people in rural towns and sprawling megacities to electricity grids for the first time. In rich countries where electricity has grown cleaner, like the US and parts of Europe, people have swapped from coal to gas as the main source of electricity.

Renewable energy sources like solar, wind and hydropower now make up about a quarter of the world's electricity.


The rise of renewable energy is set to speed up. As manufacturers have built more solar panels and wind turbines, the technologies have improved and the industry has become more efficient, making them cheap and easy to build. The costs of making electricity from sunlight or wind have fallen sharply enough to make them competitive with fossil fuels. In most of the world, building a new solar farm is now cheaper than keeping an existing coal plant running, let alone building new ones.

The calculations do not include the costs of storing electricity on cloudy days with little wind, or account for the health costs of breathing dirty air from burning fossil fuels.


Spending on clean energy is expected to hit $1.4 trillion (€1.4 trillion) in 2022, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency. But almost all the growth is in rich countries and China, where the costs of financing new infrastructure are lower. Middle-income countries must spend more than twice as much paying off debt, and struggle to get loans for projects. In sub-Saharan Africa, where 600 million people do not have access to electricity, finance is particularly hard to come by.

Rich countries promised poor ones $100 billion a year in finance by 2020 to cut their emissions and adapt to a hotter world. They broke their promise. The latest estimates show they raised $83 billion of public and private finance in 2020.



The share of low-carbon energy is growing. But it would have to rise six times faster than historical rates to put the world on track to keep global warming to 1.5 C, according to a report published in late October by two environmental research groups, Climate Action Tracker and the World Resources Institute.

Fossil fuels are projected to peak this decade, the International Energy Agency announced at the end of October. To cut emissions quickly enough for world leaders to honor their promises, electricity grids would have to become twice as clean by the end of the decade. In rich countries, they would have to hit net zero by 2035 – compensating for remaining emissions by sucking carbon out of the atmosphere – and in the rest of the world by 2040.
Ajit Niranjan Data journalist@NiranjanAjit

The COP27 is in Africa — but is it for Africa?


Felix Maringa


The COP27 serves as an opportunity for African leaders to voice their unique needs in the climate crisis. But, with the continent suffering disproportionately from climate change, calls for more funds are mounting.

The COP27 talks are to referred as the "African COP” — and not just because of the location where they're taking place. World leaders are gathering in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, marking the fifth time the UN Climate Change conference has come to the African continent.

But, this time, there's also a clear focus on seeking solutions for countries in the Global South — in particular in Africa. In addition to finding ways to help the continent meet climate targets, the conference will also hear delegates plead for more help for societies already suffering the effects of the climate crisis.

Question of funding

Many African countries are reeling from more immediate problems or are in the thick of various crises. From corruption to famine, from civil war to failing infrastructure, there is no shortage of challenges pushing the reckoning with climate change onto the back burner.

Africa is far more likely to suffer the effects of global warming — some of which are already being felt, such as during the ongoing drought that has taken hold over the Horn of Africa.

Meanwhile, the continent only receives 5.5% of climate financing, as it is responsible for generating less than 3% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Africa Development Bank President Akinwunmi Adesina told DW that governments needs up to $1.6 trillion during this decade to implement the continent's commitments to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

During the 2021 COP climate talks in Glasgow, delegates from developing countries therefore asked the countries responsible for the biggest emissions of greenhouse gases to pay for climate-related damages — in addition to any funds already pledged to to help Africa cut emissions.

So far, global leaders have at best been slow in reacting to either demand.
Irreversible changes

Regardless of what funds may or may not be made available to African nations, some of the effects of global warming are already irreversible, said Kenneth Kemucie Mwangi, a climate analyst who works with the Climate Prediction and Application Center, run by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (ICPAC).

"Temperatures globally have increased at an average of 1.2 degrees in the last years, when you compare the current period to before industrialization," Mwangi said, "and that change is not reversible right now."

Kenneth Mwangi believes that some effects of global warming already are irreversible

Mwangi highlighted the fact that temperatures in the Western Indian Ocean in particular have warmed significantly, resulting in extreme weather events across much of Africa, including the ongoing drought situation. And those changes to climate patterns are likely here to stay, he added.

"We used to think we will get to climate impact in future," Mwangi said. "We used to talk about the future. Now, we are not talking about the future. We are in it, very deep in it."
Humanitarian aid needed

In addition to funding to mitigate the effects of global warming, many countries across Africa will also have to rely on increasing aid, as climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent.

Gemma Connell, head of the Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told DW that the drought has already affected more than 36 million people.

"More than 21 million people are facing high acute levels of food insecurity, which means they do not know where their next meal will come from," Connell said, adding the 300,000 people in Somalia alone are imminently facing death from starvation.

Countries in the Horn of Africa such as Somalia are already suffering the effects of the climate crisis

Connell said the issue of unfairness needed to be highlighted above all others during the COP27. "If we look at this drought, every one of these countries — Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia — contribute less than 0.1% of the global greenhouse gas emissions," Connell said. "Less than 0.1%! And yet it is their people who are dying as a result of the global climate crisis."
Immediate action needed

Connell said the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh presented an opportunity for African leaders to speak up on an issue that is affecting the people of the continent, and highlights that the voices of young people in particular are needed to bring about real change.

"Young people from the African continent are calling for accountability, are calling for justice. ... And I can only hope that it results in real change," Connell said.

The drought in Kenia and across the Horn of Africa is directly related to global warming

Mwangi said some change could still happen — but only if richer nations sign up to doing much more to combat the climate crisis in the Global South without shying away from paying the costs.

"We still have a chance of probably salvaging the situation," Mwangi said. "We can still reduce [emissions] in the next years, and that is the commitment that we want countries to commit to — especially the developed nations. …" he added. "But we may not be able to reverse the changes when we hit 1.5 degrees."

Connell said making funds available immediately to help regions already affected by climate change took precedence.

"Cash is a huge component of this, especially multipurpose cash that enables people to make choices in a dignified way about what they need in order to survive a crisis," she said.

UN deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed wants to see Western nations keep their promises

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Jane Mohammed told DW earlier this year that the COP27 talks should serve as "an implementation COP," as little of the money available for climate finance found its way to Africa.

"It's happening in Africa," she said. "If we can't demonstrate commitments to Africa at this time, then really the promises are broken."Edited by Sertan Sanderson

Iran's universities under spotlight as protests persist

Universities in Iran have turned into a battleground between authorities and student demonstrators. The latest protests mirror the experiences of earlier generations.

Kersten Knipp

https://p.dw.com/p/4J9ln

In videos circulating on social media, male and female students students on Iranian university campuses are seen eating together, often outside the gender-segregated dining halls that were closed after students tore down the walls dividing men and women.

Eating together in front of the closed cafeterias is considered act of resistance. The videos are an act of protest and solidarity with anti-government demonstrations that have been going on for months in Iran.

In many videos, protesters holding placards also draw attention to fellow students who have been arrested. According to media reports, about 300 students have been detained by authorities .

The protesters appear not to be intimidated by the government's clampdown on the demonstrations.

"A student may die but will not accept humiliation," they chanted at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, in an online video verified by AFP.

The university students also show solidarity with Iranian schoolchildren, who are active in the protests and, as a result, paying a price.

Could Iran's protest movement pose a threat to the regime?
03:19

Schoolgirls at the Shahid Sadr Girls' Vocational School in Tehran, for instance, were recently beaten for taking part in the demonstrations, according to activists.

"Schoolgirls from Sadr High School in Tehran were attacked, strip-searched and beaten," the activist group 1500tasvir reported.

Iran's Education Ministry has denied reports that a female student was killed in the confrontation, according to the ISNA news agency.
Khomeini's mistrust of universities

Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iranian students have faced pressure from the Muslim clergy.

When the Shah was overthrown, some sections of students, motivated by either Islamism or socialism, initially stood by the revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Khomeini.

But the two sides became estranged immediately after the new Islamic regime was established.

Students bore witness to how classmates who disagreed with the new leaders were kidnapped or killed by the regime's security forces. The mistrust between the two sides ran so high that the Revolutionary Council shut down all of the nation's universities in June 1980.

The decision was in line with Khomeini's distrust of students and professors. "We are not afraid of military attacks," he said. "We are afraid of colonial universities."

At the time, the regime viewed universities as the home of the "people's mujahedeen," which was the main source of opposition to the leadership.

Khomeini's supporters "removed thousands of books with 'anti-Islamic tendencies' from libraries and expelled thousands of teachers and professors from their posts labeling them 'lackeys of Western ideology,'" journalist Gerhard Schweizer wrote in his book "Understanding Iran."

Leading universities remained closed for years.

'Nothing more than a cultural revolution'

Khomeini's call had severe consequences, Mehdi Jafari Gorzini, an Iranian political analyst living in exile, told DW.

"Thousands of students were forcibly de-registered," Jafari Gorzini said. "Some fled abroad, while others were arrested and executed. Khomeini sought nothing more than a kind of 'cleansing' of the universities. In essence, this was nothing more than a cultural revolution."

Iran protesters refuse to back down

02:00

Since their reopening, Iranian universities have been consistently expanded and modernized. The result is that they now have more than 4 million students enrolled, according to a study by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Modernization is also reflected in gender equality, with the proportion of female students in Iranian universities currently exceeding 50%.

According to DAAD, the Iranian university system also focuses on quality assurance and enhancement. Many Iranian scientists who were educated abroad, especially in the West, have also contributed to this development.

But, with the arrival of liberal ideas, the universities once again became centers of opposition. This was evident, for example, in July 1999.

At that time, the government decided to close the reform-oriented newspaper Salam. Students at Tehran University took to the streets in protest. Security forces then raided the dormitories on campus. At least one student was killed and hundreds were injured.

The protests soon morphed into a broader movement demanding accountability from the government. The memory of the security forces' brutality at the time is still fresh in the student milieu today, Jafari Gorzini said.

Liberal leanings and greater awareness

The students can still count on the liberal leanings of many professors. At the end of September, about 70 professors from Tehran University published an open letter to the government in the newspaper Etemad.

In it, they clearly described the political and economic grievances of the country and demanded the release of all demonstrators.

Iran protests: Rallies and graffiti worldwide in support of Iranian women

Graffiti artists all over the globe are creating art in support of the women-led anti-government demonstrations raging in Iran for the past few weeks. Solidarity rallies are also being held in various cities worldwide.

Francois Mori/AP/picture alliance

At the Iranian Embassy in Mexico City

A woman spray-paints messages against "macho country" Iran on a wall of the Iranian Embassy in Mexico City in solidarity with Iranian women and in memory of Jina Mahsa Amini — the 22-year-old woman who died in custody after she was detained by Iranian authorities for allegedly violating strict Islamic dress codes for women.Image: Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto/picture alliance

At a demonstration in Frankfurt

Protests calling for the fall of the Islamic regime have swept the Middle Eastern nation following the death of the 22-year-old in mid September. Authorities have denied responsibility for Amini's death but few believe them. Many women have experienced the brutality of the so-called morality police. This image shows protesters taking to the streets in Frankfurt in support of Iranian women.

Simpsons in solidarity in Milan

In Iran and abroad, many women have been cutting off locks of their hair in a gesture of support for the protest movement. On a wall in the Italian city of Milan, directly opposite the Iranian consulate, Marge

Jina Mahsa Amini to become honorary citizen of Paris

In Paris, it's not just murals that commemorate Jina Mahsa Amini and the protest movement. The French capital is also planning to posthumously make Amini an honorary citizen, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has said. A location in the city would also be named after Amini "so that no one forgets her," she noted. "Paris will always be on the side of those who fight for their rights and their freedom."Image: Francois Mori/AP/picture alliance


'Women, Life, Freedom' in Frankfurt

Artists from "Kollektiv ohne Namen" (Collective Without Names) have painted a picture of the Kurdish activist on a vacant building in Frankfurt. Next to it are the Kurdish words "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" — women, life, freedom. This is the omnipresent slogan of the demonstrators against the Islamic regime in Tehran, borrowed from the Kurdish feminist movement in Syria.

Solidarity in Polan

The uprising of girls and women against their oppressors in Iran deserves solidarity, say many women worldwide. And they are taking to the streets around the world — as seen here in Krakow, Poland. In many places across the globe, women are disadvantaged or even discriminated against because of their gender. The idea of a feminist revolution in Iran has attracted their support.

Protest performance by art students in Tehran

Art students from Azad University in Tehran protested in front of the art faculty building on Monday, October 9. The red paint on their hands symbolizes the bloody repression of the protests by the security forces.


Desired domino effect

The protests following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini are not directed solely against the strict dress codes for girls and women. Throughout the country, demonstrators are questioning the legitimacy of the Islamic regime and chanting slogans like "Get rid of the mullahs" or "Death to the dictator," targeting the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Image: NNSRoj

In the days that followed, the faculty of other universities formulated similar letters. However, this also widened the rift within the universities, as leadership roles within these institutions are held by confidants of the regime.

In addition to being well-educated, the students are also very familiar with life outside Iran's borders thanks to the new media, Jafari Gorzini said.

"Since the early 2000s at the latest, many young people, including students, have had their own blogs or webpages, and have used them to communicate with people in other countries," he said.

"This showed them how life is beyond the borders and at the same time gave them other concepts of life than the one spread by the regime," he added.

In addition, people have repeatedly tried to vote the system out of office, Jafari Gorzini said. "But that never worked, nor did attempts to initiate reforms. Even the youngest generation understood that."

They have been told by their parents the stories of failed attempts at reform, demonstrations and large protests, Jafari Gorzini said. "It is clear to this generation that everything so far has been in vain, that there can be no dialogue with the mullahs. Hence the radicalism we are experiencing right now."

This article was originally written in German.

Kersten Knipp Political editor with a focus on the Middle East

Africa faces climate disaster but is also a beacon of hope

Jennifer Collins

Africa is suffering most from climate change but, with proper support, could also play an "indispensable, positive role in the planet's climate change future," Kenyan President William Ruto says.

The rich nations most responsible for the fossil fuel emissions that have warped the climate must meet decarbonization pledges and help developing countries hardest hit by global heating, Kenyan President William Ruto said at the UN COP27 climate conference in Egypt.

African countries have contributed little to emissions but are "most severely impacted by the ensuing crisis," Ruto said on Monday, speaking on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN).

He called "delaying tactics" and "procrastination" on climate action "cruel and unjust." At the same time, Ruto told world leaders that Africa could play an "indispensable, positive role in the planet's climate change future" because of its untapped renewable energy resources, vast tracts of land and youthful, dynamic workforce.

Ruto announced plans to convene an African continental summit focusing on climate action, green growth and sustainable transformation next year. He also announced a plan to increase Kenya's tree cover from about 12% to 30% over the next 10 years.

Africa the most vulnerable to climate change

African nations combined contribute no more than 3% to cumulative CO2 emissions, while the United States, the European Union and United Kingdom are responsible for nearly half.

Yet they are the most vulnerable to ravages that go hand-in-hand with a warming planet.

Leah Namugerwa, a young Ugandan climate activist, said during Monday's opening talks that, at 14 years old, she had witnessed "landslides killing so many people because of harsh weather conditions" and asked whether it was "justice for world leaders to choose profits over lives."

Meanwhile, a historic prolonged drought in Kenya has caused over 90% of water sources to dry up. Crops are failing, and animals are dying, meaning that many people do not have enough to eat. Ruto said the drought had "visited misery on millions of people" and had caused over a billion dollars in economic losses.

Dead livestock are just one outcome of the devastating drought in Kenya

Kossivi Tiassou/DW

Polluters must pay

The government has diverted large amounts of money from health and education to provide food aid to millions of affected Kenyans, Ruto said. Having to make such trade-offs is an example of how climate change harms the development of vulnerable states and the futures of their citizens, he added.

African nations, as well other climate-vulnerable states, are demanding an official mechanism by which rich polluters pay compensation to cover the costs of severe loss and damage caused by global heating. But wealthy nations fear being on the hook for all extreme weather events.

It's a major sticking point in negotiations. Still, on Monday, Belgium pledged €2.5 million to help Mozambique, joining Scotland and Denmark as the third nation to make a funding commitment to help developing countries deal with unavoidable climate loss and damage.

Africa's six-point climate plan

Action on loss and damage is part of a six-point action plan put together by AGN for delivering on the promises made at the Paris climate conference in 2015.

The plan states that climate change is a "global problem that will require global solutions," but adds that the causes and impacts are unequal and inequitable. That has to be reflected in any solutions.

"It is vital that developed countries finally hold to their promise to deliver the agreed climate finance that can pay for adaptation, a loss-and-damage fund and accelerate decarbonization," Nemera Gebeyehu Mamo, state minister at Ethiopia's Planning and Development Ministry and AGN chair, wrote in the plan.

Wealthy nations have so far failed to live up to their commitments to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing countries pay for adaptations such as flood defenses or drought-resistant crops.

Climate-vulnerable nations need funding to help with climate adaptation measures like proper flood defenses

Ruto said on Monday that failure to fulfill the pledges made in 2009 has created a persistent "distrust."

The UK agreed to speed up the flow of climate financing to Kenya to fast-track six green investment projects when the leaders of both countries met at COP27 on Monday.

The AGN also called for more support outside of financing for adaptation measures and to help the continent move quickly to green energy sources such as solar and wind power. That includes providing technology and training.

Countries frequently hit by drought, such as Spain and Senegal, announced an alliance to share knowledge and technology to help manage their water resources at the climate conference on Monday.
Africa: A continent abundant with green energy

Environmentalist and former US Vice President Al Gore said at the climate conference on Monday that the Global North had to "move beyond the era of fossil fuel colonialism."

Instead of supporting a transition to renewables, European countries are scrambling to find alternatives to Russian fossil fuels and are in a "dash for gas" in African countries.

Gore called the moves a "dash down a bridge to nowhere, leaving the countries of the world facing climate chaos and billions in stranded assets, especially here in Africa."

Africa has huge untapped renewable energy potential

www.vestas.com

Just 2% of global investments in renewable energy over the past 20 years were made in Africa, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), an intergovernmental body that promotes green energy use.

But Africa has huge potential, Nemat Shafik, a leading economist and director of the London School of Economics, told world leaders at the COP.

"Many African countries are rich in sunshine, wind, rivers and forests. With support, they could leapfrog the dirty energy systems of the past," Shafik said. "The green industrial revolution could be the new growth story for Africa."

Edited by: Tamsin Walker

India: Conjugal rights debate puts focus on jail reform

After India's Punjab state became the first in the country to allow conjugal rights for prisoners, rights activists hope the scheme could be a nationwide example.

Murali Krishnan New Delhi

Since September, prisoners in the northern Indian state of Punjab have been allowed conjugal visits, which proponents say can improve rehabilitation and preserve family bonds during jail terms.

The conjugal visit scheme, India's first, is allowed in 17 of Punjab's 26 prisons after a test run at three prisons.

"It will improve marriage ties, reduce stress on prisoners and hopefully help in reformation. Priority will be for shortlisted prisoners with good behavior," said Harpreet Singh Sidhu, the state's director general of prisons, when the scheme started.

The visits are limited to meetings of two hours every two months in a secure room with an attached bathroom and basic furniture. Gangsters, high-risk prisoners and inmates involved in sexual offenses are excluded.
Will other states follow Punjab?

Currently, there is no nationwide provision in the legal framework governing prisoners allowing conjugal visit rights. Some activists say this should change.

"The Punjab prison department has taken an important step by providing low-risk prisoners the opportunity to meet with their spouses," Madhurima Dhanuka, the head of the prison reforms program at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, told DW.

"There are a number of benefits of granting facilities like this especially as prisons are considered to be places of reformation and rehabilitation," she added.

India's packed prisons may be courting disaster

Conjugal visits are allowed in many countries around the world to add incentives for prisoners to follow rules and maintain good behavior.

"As society evolves, there is realization and increased understanding of the value of continued conjugal relations for the well-being of a person," Dhanuka said.

In Indian prisons, family members of incarcerated people have a tough time waiting in long queues leading to jam-packed visitors rooms inside the prison, for a visit that is usually brief.

But the issue of conjugal visits currently remains in the hands of state-level courts. For example, the Madras High Court in the southern state of Tamil Nadu has ruled that conjugal visits are "a right and not a privilege."

Reforming India's jails

India's prison population continues to rise, with more than 554,000 prisoners recorded in 2021, an increase from around 466,000 in 2018. More than 77% of these prisoners are sitting in pre-trial detention, according to official figures.

Navsharan Singh, a political scientist and researcher, told DW that alternatives to incarceration should be considered for different categories of offenders.

This would include allowing those awaiting trial to have the chance to live in their communities and to give support to their children and family members.

She added that women prisoners also need to be included in conjugal visit schemes.

"At the moment, the policy seems to be framed with male prisoner as the norm," said Singh.

Uma Chakravarti, a historian and filmmaker, who has documented prisons in India, said more needs to be done to "humanize" conditions and administration of prisons, before expanding rights to conjugal visits.

"Why privilege conjugality over other relationships in Indian jails? There is absolutely no human bonding in prisons. Jail conditions are abysmal and that should be improved first. Dignify jails and then let's take it to another level," Chakravarti told DW.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

Greek PM slams wire-tapping claims as 'incredible lie'


A Greek newspaper has reported that more than 30 people, including government ministers, have been under state surveillance. But Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the claims were made "without the faintest proof."

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday slammed a report about him wiretapping his own ministers as "an incredible lie" as his conservative government vowed to ban the sale of spyware.

The development comes after a newspaper reported that more than 30 people, including ministers and business people, had been under state surveillance via phone malware.

The main opposition party has threatened to table a no-confidence motion over the scandal.

PM says there is no proof

Greece's Supreme Court has ordered an investigation, while Syriza, the far-left party of former PM Alexis Tsipras, demanded the government shed light on the affair before the next election, which is due next year.

Mitsotakis hit back on Monday, though, calling the report by left-wing weekly newspaper Documento, which is close to Syriza, "shameful."

"We have a publication revealing a series of people allegedly under surveillance without the faintest proof that that was actually happening," he told private broadcaster Antena1.

"I have never claimed there wasn't any surveillance. It's another thing to accuse the prime minister of orchestrating this action," he said.
Snowballing scandal

The newspaper report is part of an ongoing wiretapping scandal that has sparked outrage in Greece, as the European Union takes a closer look at the use and sale of spyware.

A Greek prosecutor began an inquiry earlier this year while the alleged targets include a former conservative prime minister and the current foreign and finance ministers.

jsi/dj (AFP, Reuters)

Japan to tighten rules on donations to religious groups after Abe murder

By AFP
November 8, 2022

A government investigation is under way into the Unification Church in Japan - Copyright AFP Kazuhiro NOGI

The Japanese government will propose a new law to prevent harmfully large donations to religious groups, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday, after Shinzo Abe’s assassination heightened scrutiny of the Unification Church.

Kishida has been battling criticism over links between the sect and politicians since former premier Abe was shot dead in July.

The man accused of Abe’s murder reportedly resented the Unification Church over massive donations his mother made that bankrupted the family.

Kishida said he had met people who had suffered because of large financial contributions to the church, which denies wrongdoing and has pledged to prevent “excessive” donations.

“It was heartbreaking to hear their stories,” the prime minister told reporters as he outlined plans to curb “malicious donations” in which members of religious groups are pressured to donate often excessive amounts.

“Regarding the new legislation to help victims of malicious donations … the government will do its utmost to submit the bill as soon as possible,” hopefully during the current parliamentary session which ends December 10, he said.

Details of the law are under discussion, but it will focus on “banning socially unacceptable and malicious recruitment practices” and “allowing donations to be recalled”, Kishida said.

Last month, he ordered a government investigation into the Unification Church, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

The probe could lead to a dissolution order, which would cause the church to lose its status as a tax-exempt religious organisation, though it could still continue to operate.

Founded in Korea in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon, the church — whose members are sometimes referred to as “Moonies” — rose to global prominence in the 1970s and 80s.

It is famous for its mass wedding ceremonies, and groups affiliated with the church have secured addresses from powerful speakers over the years, including Abe and former US president Donald Trump, neither of whom belonged to the sect.

The government’s approval ratings have plummeted in recent months and recently hit the lowest level since Kishida took office last year when a Japanese minister resigned following scrutiny over his links to the church.

Australian Insurer Warns Of 'Distressing' Data Threat

By AFP News
11/07/22 

Medibank Private, one of Australia's largest insurers, has told customers to be "vigilant" after a purported hacker threatened to release data within 24 hours from a hack affecting 10 million people

Amajor Australian health insurer warned Tuesday of a "distressing" threat by a purported hacker to release data within 24 hours from a hack affecting 10 million people.

Medibank Private, one of Australia's largest insurers, told customers to be "vigilant" after the reported threat, issued a day after it had ruled out paying any ransom demand.

The warning came a day after a hack originally thought to have breached the data of 3.9 million customers had in fact given access to the names, birth dates, addresses, phone numbers and emails of about 9.7 million former and existing clients.

On Tuesday, an anonymous poster on a hacking blog -- widely cited by Australian media -- said "data will be publish in 24 hours".

It was not possible to confirm whether the poster was connected to the hack or had access to people's stolen information.

"We knew the publication of data online by the criminal could be a possibility, but the criminal's threat is still a distressing development for our customers," Medibank chief executive David Koczkar said, calling for customers to be "vigilant".

"We unreservedly apologise to our customers," he added, describing the "weaponisation" of their data as malicious.

The hacker could also attempt to contact customers directly, the company warned.

The data breach of Medibank -- one of Australia's largest insurers -- included 1.8 million international customers.

The company had said in Monday's announcement that they believe "all of the customer data accessed could have been taken by the criminal", which contained people's health claims along with codes exposing their diagnoses and medical procedures.

Passport numbers and the visa details of international students were also part of the data hack.

Medibank said it was working with the Australian government and with the police, who were trying to prevent the sharing and sale of the stolen data.

Cybercrime experts had advised that paying a ransom had only a "limited chance" of ensuring the return of the stolen data, Koczkar said, adding that it could encourage the direct extortion of its clients.

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"It is for these reasons that we have decided we will not pay a ransom for this event," he said.

Two law firms said Tuesday they had joined forces to investigate a possible class action lawsuit against Medibank.

"We believe the data breach is a betrayal of Medibank Private's customers and a breach of the Privacy Act," said a joint statement by Bannister Law and Centennial Lawyers. "Medibank has a duty to keep this kind of information confidential."

The Medibank hack followed an attack on telecom company Optus in September that exposed the personal information of some nine million Australians -- almost a third of the population.

Twitter takeover raises fears of climate misinfo surge

by Roland LLOYD PARRY

Researchers and campaigners say that climate misinformation is thriving.

Climate deniers looking to block action and "greenwashing" companies could have free rein on Twitter after Elon Musk's takeover, analysts warned as leaders pursued anti-warming efforts at the COP27 summit.

The Tesla billionaire and self-declared free-speech absolutist has fired thousands of staff -– with sustainability executives Sean Boyle and Casey Junod among those signing off from the platform last week.

Musk has promised to reduce Twitter's content restrictions and after the takeover announced plans to create a "content moderation council" to review policies.

"It's not clear what Mr Musk really plans to do. However... if he removes all attempts at content moderation, we can expect a surge of disinformation, as well as increases in misleading and greenwashing advertisements," said Naomi Oreskes, a professor of the history of science at Harvard University who has authored leading studies on climate misinformation.

"Greenwashing" means companies misleading the public about their impact on the planet through messages and token gestures.

"We may also see an increase in hateful comments directed towards climate scientists and advocates, particularly women," Oreskes said.

Following the buyout, one climate journalist tweeted that he had received death threats on the platform. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sustainability execs axed

Researchers and campaigners say that despite measures announced by social platforms, climate misinformation is thriving, undermining belief in climate change and the action needed to tackle it.

Twitter and other tech giants such as Facebook and Google have said they are acting to make false claims less visible.

But the Institute for Strategic Dialogue think tank said in a detailed study this year that messages aiming to "deny, deceive and delay" regarding climate action were prevalent across social media.

Under Twitter's policy before the takeover, it said "misleading advertisements on Twitter that contradict the scientific consensus on climate change are prohibited".

"We believe that climate denialism shouldn't be monetised on Twitter, and that misrepresentative ads shouldn't detract from important conversations about the climate crisis," Boyle and Junod wrote in an Earth Day post on Twitter's blog.

Both posted messages on November 4 with the hashtag "LoveWhereYouWorked", indicating they were among those laid off after Musk's $44-million takeover. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Scientists at risk

Beyond false information, some specialists warned that climate scientists themselves face threats if moderation falters.

A surge in hate speech drove Twitter's head of safety and integrity Yoel Roth to respond, trying to calm concerns. He tweeted that the platform's "core moderation capabilities remain in place".

Musk wrote on November 4 that "Twitter's strong commitment to content moderation remains absolutely unchanged."

"I worry that scientific falsehoods will find a bigger platform on Twitter under Musk's leadership," said Genevieve Guenther, founder of the media activism group End Climate Silence.

"But I worry even more that the website will start deplatforming climate scientists and advocates who criticise right-wing views, preventing them from connecting to each other and to decision-makers in media and government."

Blue ticks at COP?

Among Musk's plans is an $8 monthly charge for users to have a blue tick by their name—currently a mark of authenticity for officials, celebrities, journalists and others.

"To me, this is opening the door to highly coordinated disinformation and manipulation," said Melissa Aronczyk, an associate professor in communication and information at Rutgers University.

Musk said the move aims to reduce hate speech by making it too expensive for trolls to have multiple accounts.

Aronczyk argued the system would give a mark of authenticity to those willing to pay for a blue tick to push an agenda.

She pointed to the controversy around Hill+Knowlton Strategies—a PR company working for big fossil fuel companies -– reportedly hired by host Egypt to handle public relations for the COP27 summit.

"Picture every Hill+Knowlton staffer working for COP27 creating a network of blue-check accounts to promote the business-led initiatives at the summit. Or downplaying the conflicts. Or ignoring protests," Aronczyk said.

"It's basically letting corporate greenwashing become the default communication style around climate change."

© 2022 AFP

Twitter layoffs before US midterms fuel misinformation concerns

Canada facing ‘aggressive games’ from China, others amid interference report: Trudeau

Aaron D'Andrea - Yesterday 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends and speaks at the opening ceremony of the Triennial Congress of Ukrainian Canadians at the Delta hotel in Winnipeg, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. 

THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

China and other nations are playing “aggressive games” with democracies, Justin Trudeau says amid reports Beijing is allegedly targeting Canada with a vast campaign of foreign interference.

The prime minister on Monday responded to a Global News investigation that detailed alleged efforts by China to fund a clandestine network of at least 11 federal candidates who ran in the 2019 election, among other allegations of election interference in that campaign.

“We have taken significant measures to strengthen the integrity of our elections processes and our systems, and we'll continue to invest in the fight against election interference, against foreign interference of our democracy and institutions,” Trudeau told reporters in Montreal.

“Unfortunately, we're seeing countries, state actors from around the world, whether it's China or others, are continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies.”

Read more:
Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates, sources say

In January, Canadian intelligence officials presented Trudeau and several cabinet ministers with a series of briefings and memos with the allegations, including other detailed examples of Beijing’s efforts to further its influence and subvert Canada’s democratic process, sources told Global News.

Those efforts allegedly involve payments through intermediaries to candidates affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and placing agents in the offices of MPs to influence policy, according to recent information from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

Furthermore, the national spy agency believes China has been seeking to co-opt and corrupt former Canadian officials to gain leverage in Ottawa, and mounting aggressive campaigns to punish Canadian politicians whom the People’s Republic of China (PRC) views as threats to its interests.

Chief among the allegations is that CSIS claims China’s Toronto consulate directed a large clandestine transfer of funds to a network of at least 11 federal election candidates and numerous Beijing operatives who worked as their campaign staffers.

Video: Trudeau warned about interference by China: sources

The funds were reportedly transferred through an Ontario MPP and a federal election candidate staffer. Separate sources aware of the situation said a CCP proxy group, acting as an intermediary, transferred around $250,000.

The 2022 briefs said some, but not all, members of the alleged network are witting affiliates of the CCP. The intelligence did not conclude whether CSIS believes the network successfully influenced the October 2019 election results, sources said.

Canada’s national spy agency can capture its findings through warrants that allow electronic interception of communications among Chinese consulate officials and Canadian politicians and staffers.

Sources told Global News they revealed details from the 2022 briefs to give Canadians a clearer understanding of China’s attacks on Canada’s democratic system. Out of fear of retribution, they have asked for their names to be withheld.

Video: Former Canadian ambassador to China says it ‘should be easy’ for Ottawa to identify Beijing as strategic rival

In response to the briefing details, experts said the alleged interference points to weakness in Canada’s outdated espionage and counterintelligence laws, which sophisticated interference networks run by China, Russia and Iran are exploiting.

The 2022 intelligence asserts that China conducts more foreign interference than any other nation, and interference threats to Canada increased in 2015 when Chinese President Xi Jinping elevated the CCP’s so-called “United Front” influence networks abroad.

Back in Montreal, Trudeau said Ottawa is “constantly working with our intelligence committees and officials” to better improve national security. He cited the creation of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians in 2018 as an example.

“We will continue to make the investments and changes necessary to both hold up our rights, our freedoms and our values as Canadians while keeping us safe from those who would do harm to those values and rights and freedoms,” Trudeau said.

“The world is changing and sometimes in quite scary ways, and we need to make sure that those who are tasked with keeping us safe every single day are able to do that.”

-- with files from Global News’ Sam Cooper