It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Saturday, April 20, 2024
The 84b or not 84b Fundraiser
We live in a society of great inequalities in wealth and power. Over the last two years, the world’s richest one per cent grabbed nearly two-thirds of all new wealth – £21 trillion. The global working class, however, has faced continued immiseration, bearing the brunt of a crisis riven world-system that increasingly denies us the basic necessities of human life.
Meanwhile, the forces of the left – particularly in Britain – remain scattered and weak. After decades of defeat, we are in dire need of rejuvenated institutions and infrastructure – spaces to meet; spaces to learn; spaces to grow.
The Freedom building at 84b Whitechapel High Street has aspired to be one of these institutions for more than 50 years. Best known as the home of Freedom Bookshop and publishing house, it also plays host to a variety of organisations struggling against the state and capital. Currently 84b provides offices for the:
Due to dramatic increases in the cost of energy and local business rates, we are in need of more funds and support to keep the building going, and to make key repairs. Some of the latter include:
Repairs/improvements to windows and frames
Stair and floorboard repairs
Plastering, painting and decoration
Internal insulation
Upgrading the roller shutters
Which is before we get to the bigger projects that we have in mind for the future, such as a disabled-access loo on the ground floor and some sort of central heating system.
Our last fundraiser was in the mid 2010s, which saw generous souls donate towards fixing the roof, repointing and generally getting the place waterproof, as well as sorting out our electrics and lighting. What we put off at the time was a lot of the less immediately vital works, some of which are things we should be starting to address now to keep the place in good fettle into the future. This coming year we’re aiming to raise £15,000 to get ourselves up to snuff.
Donations are welcome to kick the process off, and can be sent via:
Cheque made out to “Freedom Press” at 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX
Paypal (please note as “Building Fund” in the ‘What’s This For’ box)
Works in 2018 following our last fundraiser, which helped make the building water tight and eventually allowed us to sort out our electrics as well as many other fixes around the building.
We are socialists, disbelievers in property, advocates of the equal claims of all to work for the community as seems good — calling no-one master, and of the equal claim to each to satisfy as seems good to them, their natural needs from the stock of social wealth they have laboured to produce ...We are anarchists, disbelievers in the government of the many by the few in any shape and under any pretext.
Freedom, a Journal of Anarchist Socialism, Vol 1, No. 1, October 1886
UK
Palestine Action and Youth Demand paint Ministry of Defence
News,
Palestine Action and Youth Demand again bring disruption to Central Londonand the facilitators of genocide:
Palestine Action and Youth Demand have teamed up today to paint the Ministry of Defence headquarters in London while other supporters marched through London. They are demanding an end to the Ministry of Defence’s contracts with Israel’s largest weapons firm, Elbit Systems and an end to all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK, including revoking oil and gas licences issued since 2021.
Activists from each group sprayed red paint over the Government building on Victoria Embankment Gardens at 2 pm. Shortly afterwards, they were joined by supporters who had been marching through central London, holding a banner that read ‘YOUTH DEMAND AN END TO GENOCIDE’.
All five action takers were arrested at the scene by 3.15 pm.
Audrey Xiarui Corno, 21, is a dancer from Peckham and a supporter of Palestine Action who took action today. They said:
“The United Kingdom has been complicit in this genocide from the beginning. We still don’t have the exact figures for how much has been produced and traded, but we know that private arms companies like Elbit Systems have made a KILLING since October.”
“Elbit Systems is one of Israel’s biggest arms manufacturers and holds active contracts with the Ministry of Defence. I am ashamed of this country. We do not have a Ministry of Defence but a Ministry of Murder.”
The Ministry of Defence is training the Israeli military in Britain. The UK government has admitted that nine Israeli military aircraft have landed in Britain since October 7. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has refused to say what those planes are carrying or what they are doing.
Gavin Stephens, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said the police needs to facing these issues openly to rebuild trust within local communities. (Photo credit: Surrey Police)By: Vivek Mishra
ONE OF the leading police officials in the United Kingdom (UK) has said that police forces should admit to being “institutionally racist.”
Gavin Stephens, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said the police needs to facing these issues openly to rebuild trust within local communities.
Stephens, who took the helm of the NPCC in April after serving as the chief constable in Surrey, said that denial of institutional racism can hinder collaboration with certain community groups, reported The Telegraph.
“What I’ve found, over the last 11 months, is that some groups simply won’t work with us or take us seriously if we don’t accept the diagnosis of institutional racism and say it out loud,” he said.
“I’ve [publicly accepted institutional racism.] I did it when I was chief in Surrey as well,” Stephens added. His approach also calls for a broader recognition of discrimination, drawing from the findings of Dame Elish Angiolini’s report on Met police officer Wayne Couzens, suggesting a commitment to combating all forms of discrimination.
“You may have seen one of the Angiolini recommendations is about having a commitment to being anti-sexist, misogynistic and so on. I think we extend that. We need to be anti-discriminatory in all of its forms,” Stephens said during a police leadership conference at Staffordshire University.
His stance contrasts with that of Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who has expressed reservations about the term “institutional,” used by Dame Louise Casey in her review to describe the Met’s issues with racism, misogyny, and homophobia. Rowley described the term as “ambiguous” and a “political term,” which could be misconstrued as labeling most Met personnel as racist.
The former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, supported Rowley’s view, criticising the notion that the police are institutionally racist as harmful to both police morale and community relations. Braverman argued that police chiefs should concentrate on reducing crime and maintaining public safety rather than engaging in what she termed “virtue-signalling.”
Despite these controversies, some police chiefs, including those in Scotland and Avon and Somerset, have acknowledged institutional racism within their ranks, which has stirred dissent among frontline officers, The Telegraph reported.
Stephens recognised the divisiveness of this issue but suggested that misunderstandings about the term’s meaning are widespread.
“In amongst all that debate, I completely accept that – even today – there isn’t a settled position across all chiefs on institutional racism. There are differences of views about the use of the term and the language,” he said.
“Some, in my view, quite wrongly imply that it means widespread racism across the workforce. I think that it’s a leadership responsibility to explain that’s not what it means. That’s not what Sir William Macpherson meant by it. It’s not what Louise Casey meant by it either,” Stephens said, referencing the definition by Sir William Macpherson: “The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behavior which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.”
Who are Doppelgänger? The Russian group behind Princess of Wales conspiracies
Russian "hacking" group Doppelgänger were first detected spreading misinformation in May 2022.
But despite many cyber-security experts now tracking what they're up to, it's thought they could have a significant influences on elections both at home and abroad.
They have been called the "largest" and "most aggressively persistent" group online.
Although it's not clear exactly where in Russia the group operates, we do know they are given a contract by the Kremlin to provide information manipulation services online.
"They came to our attention by creating fake media website," a security expert tells ITV News.
Martin Innes, a professor from the Security, Crime, and Intelligence Innovation Institute at Cardiff University, reveals how the group were first identified.
"The group began by mimicking well-known Western media brands online and would then copy some of their content but manipulate it."
Credit: EU MisinfoLab
The group have also faked government websites around the world and even pretended to be NATO.
More recently, though, the group were found to have been instrumental in the spread of misinformation around the Princess of Wales' cancer treatment video.
The original video, posted to X, has been viewed more than 106 million times.
And on TikTok there were more than 14 billion views on Kate-related videos in just a month.
It led to a large number of unfounded claims.
"We started to see these quite suspicious spikes in social media traffic around some elements of the story," Mr Innes says.
"And when we started looking into those in a bit more detail, we saw some patterns of behaviour that we recognised from things we'd done before and were then able to track them to Russia."
In a single day, 45 different accounts were found to be pushing and repurposing conspiracy theories related to the the Princess of Wales - and security experts say this was enough to link back to Doppelgänger
.
Credit: PA
Mr Innes continues: "They weren't posting original content. What they were looking for was trending hashtags about the Princess of Wales and then they would post replies to comments made by other users."
Accounts would also post comments, often around an unrelated topic, like the war on Ukraine.
Usernames would also begin with the capitalised letter "A" or "B" - seen as another big giveaway.
Experts say the group are doing this to slowly erode trust in institutions and the media.
Social platforms have already issued warnings over the group.
Meta - who own Instagram and Facebook - said similar Russian and Chinese groups are already "well on their way" to influencing elections both here and in the US - by spreading misinformation.
In a 'threat report' issued by the company, the accounts they'd removed are believed to be linked to the organisation.
Credit: AP
Security experts have also warned about the impact groups like Doppelgänger could have over countries in the longer term.
"You get this kind of drip, drip, drip, corrosive effect that just builds up, where public trust in democracy declines, public trust in institutions declines", explains Mr Innes.
"Nobody knows what to believe when they read stuff online. That's probably the more worrying, destabilising effect that we need to focus our concerns upon."
UK Government unlawfully granted gamebird release licences
THE UK Government has conceded a claim by environmental group Wild Justice alleging the unlawful grant of licences for the release of gamebirds in and around two protected habitats. Documents disclosed to Wild Justice showed that the licences had been granted against the advice of Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ expert panel.
Between July and October 2023, the former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey, along with Lord Richard Benyon, who at the time was Minister of State for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs, unlawfully granted 28 gamebird release licences in and around the Breckland and Deben Estuary Special Protection Areas (SPAs). They allowed the release of gamebirds such as pheasant and red-legged partridge into areas specially selected to protect rare or threatened species of wild birds.
Wild Justice applied for a judicial review of the decision to grant the licences, arguing:
The decisions were taken in breach of the Habitats Regulations in that there were no cogent reasons given to depart from the judgement of Natural England, the Government’s statutory adviser on nature conservation under the regulations, that licences should not be granted.
Regulation 63 of the Habitats Regulations was not complied with, which requires an “appropriate assessment” by a competent authority to be carried out.
The decisions appeared to be tainted by bias.
This week the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) conceded it had acted unlawfully in failing to provide cogent reasons for departing from Natural England’s advice and failing to undertake an appropriate assessment that complied with the Habitats Regulations.
Its disclosures to Wild Justice and the court revealed that advice was given by civil servants to Thérèse Coffey and Richard Benyon which said that the grant of the licences might be unlawful.
Natural England’s advice was that, in order to prevent any adverse impacts on rare wild birds as a result of the spread of bird flu from the release of the gamebirds, licences for one of the SPAs should not be issued at all and that licences could only be issued for the other SPA under strict conditions. However, licences were granted for releases in and around both SPAs without complying with Natural England’s advice.
Instead, the Secretary of State and Lord Benyon took advice from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), which has strong links with the shooting industry and promotes game management as a key part of nature conservation. Lord Benyon had also previously been a GWCT trustee until 2021.
In light of this, the Secretary of State was advised by her civil servants to request information from other groups such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the British Trust for Ornithology in order avoid the perception of bias. This advice from DEFRA was not followed.
A number of the licencing applicants were also personally known to Lord Benyon and civil servants advised that an alternative minister should make the licensing decisions in those cases. That also did not happen.
A spokesperson from Wild Justice said: “Defra had ‘No cogent reasons’ to disregard Natural England’s expert advice. So to find out that Therese Coffey and Richard Benyon have licensed releases of pheasants and partridges into what are supposed to be some of our most precious places, against that advice – and during a catastrophic outbreak of bird flu – it frankly reeks of both recklessness and arrogance. It seems to us they may have had more regard for the interests of the shooting industry than those of the environment in this matter. Natural England has faced legal challenges by Wild Justice in each of the past five years, but in this case we support them and have stood up for them. We challenged these decisions because government is bound by the law, just as the rest of us are. We shall expose more about this reprehensible behaviour over the next few weeks.”
Wild Justice is represented by Leigh Day solicitors Ricardo Gama and Carol Day, and barristers David Wolfe KC and Katy Sheridan of Matrix Chambers.
Carol Day said: “We are pleased that the UK Government Legal Department has conceded that the decision to grant the licences was unlawful, with key documents in the claim revealing that the decision breached the Habitats Regulations and failed to explain why the Secretary of State went against Natural England’s advice. Our client maintains the view that these decisions were influenced by apparent bias.”
'Truly Significant' Paleolithic Artifacts Discovered During Highway Works
Archaeologists Unearth 25,000 Finds In Historic City—Including 11,000 Bones
By Aristos Georgiou Science and Health Reporter Published Apr 19, 2024
Archaeologists have unearthed a set of "truly significant" Stone Age artifacts during an excavation being conducted ahead of planned road improvement in northern England, researchers told Newsweek.
The dig, which is taking place along the A66, a major road that runs west to east across the region connecting the counties of North Yorkshire and Cumbria, has already uncovered a wealth of remains from thousands of years of history.
The remains include a prehistoric settlement, a potential early medieval building and Roman-era artifacts, National Highways, a U.K.-government-owned body, in collaboration with the Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) partnership, announced in a press release at the end of February.
Now the archaeology team has revealed to Newsweek that during the dig, it uncovered a pit containing four prehistoric flint tools. The objects are of a type that were made and used across Europe in the Upper Paleolithic period (the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic, or Old Stone Age), which covers the latter part of the last Ice Age. According to the archaeologists, the tools could possibly be anywhere from 10,000 to 14,000 years old.
Two of the prehistoric artifacts found during the A66 excavations in northern England. The flint tools are thought to date to the Upper Paleolithic.OXFORD COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
The Upper Palaeolithic finds are "truly significant, given the rarity of finds from this period," Maria Bellissimo, a spokesperson for Oxford Archaeology (a charitable company that makes up one half of the OCA partnership with Cotswold Archaeology), told Newsweek.
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The A66, in part, follows the course of an ancient Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith, although the roadway has an even longer history, having been in use for about 10,000 years.
"The route followed by the modern A66 through the Eden Valley and Stainmore Pass was ancient even when the Romans formalized it with their own road, nearly 2,000 years ago," Stephen Rowland, project manager at Oxford Cotswold Archaeology, said in the February press release.
"Significant road and river junctions and crossings are still marked by prehistoric monuments, Roman forts and medieval castles, whilst the fertile valley has supported communities since the end of the last Ice Age," he said.
The possible age of the recently revealed Upper Paleolithic finds places them in a time when the local conditions would have looked quite different than how they do now.
"The cold climate and tundra-like natural environment would have been rather different to those today and, whilst they're popularly characterized as cave people, it's likely that small communities led a fairly mobile existence, hunting and foraging," Rowland, Helen Evans—another project manager for the excavations—and stone tool expert Antony Dickson told Newsweek.
"They would have followed herds of animals, such as reindeer, wild horses and the rather imposing wild cattle—beasts that migrated seasonally up and down the Eden Valley and into the Pennines [a range of uplands] via the Stainmore Pass that, as now, was a main link between northeast and northwest Britain."
In fact, these people were likely to have been part of a wide-ranging culture, with Britain connected to continental Europe via an expanse of land that was later swamped as water from the melting Ice Age glaciers created the North Sea, according to the archaeologists.
"Several of the tools we found were points, which could well represent the business end of a hunting weapon. Not only are such finds rare in Cumbria, but it's also unusual to find Upper Paleolithic artefacts in a man-made feature like a pit—more often they've been disturbed by thousands of years of weathering," the researchers said.
"Indeed, the pit seems to have survived due to having been sealed by a deposit of soil washed down a slope; it'll be interesting to expand that trench and see what else might have survived and whether the findings represent part of a larger encampment."
The flint finds, along with the wide range of discoveries from later periods, are helping to shed light on the history of the region. And more discoveries are expected as the work continues.
"All the bits taken together really allow us to start piecing together a picture of this part of prehistoric Cumbria that is becoming clearer and clearer," Bellissimo said.
"Do keep in mind that this phase of work was only the beginning and it was an evaluation to inform where larger excavations will take place in the next phase. We will probably start the next phase in the summer, so it is fair to expect more finds and more data. Until then, we will continue our research in the lab and over the next three to six months we will start receiving radiocarbon dates that will add even more detail."
CLIMATE CRISIS IS CAPITALI$T CRISIS
Northern Ireland fruit, vegetable and potato crops at risk after months of rain
Shauna Corr Fri, 19 April 2024 at 10:56 am GMT-6·4-min read
UFU president and Fermanagh farmer, David Brown -Credit:UFU
Orchards under water, late spring planting because of waterlogged fields and manual harvesting of leeks, turnips, parsnips and carrots are just some of pressures NI farmers are facing because of increased rainfall climate scientists warned of.
While one single weather event can be put down to the climate crisis as this would take singular investigations of the data, Northern Ireland has faced almost continual rains since last July - like the rest of the UK and Ireland.
According to the Ulster Farmers' Union the ongoing wet weather is "causing concern resulting 'in increased financial and emotional pressure on farms".
UFU president and Fermanagh farmer, David Brown, says the challenges now being faced are unprecedented.
He added: "We are well used to coping with wet weather, but the present situation is beyond anything that could have been planned for. The rain is relentless, and frustration is now giving way to despair, as the realities of a potentially bad grazing season and harvest come on top of concerns about prices not covering the cost of production.
"This is as serious a situation as most farmers can remember – and it is affecting every sector of agriculture."
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir recently met with UFU leaders for a farm walk at Caledon Estate followed by round table discussions about the challenges for arable and horticultural farmers, when we understand he committed to further exploring the future of the sector.
A UFU spokesperson said: "All sectors are suffering but UFU cereal, vegetable, top fruit and potato growers now struggle to get crops planted, established and managed as a result of the prolonged wet weather."
They also said "the stark reality of economic analysis of yields and prices are an unknown compounded by many other countries also facing difficult growing conditions" and that it is feared "late spring bean planting beyond mid-April will also result in late harvesting and add to grower frustrations and the additional cost on wear and tear on machinery".
They said potato growers have been affected by flash flooding, the weather has made it almost impossible for veg growers to get into fields with machinery and growers have had to revert to manual harvesting for leeks, turnips, parsnips and carrots to meet orders adding to cost of production.
Vegetable planting is said to be now well behind schedule with earlier crops are looking stressed and farmers waiting for better weather to resume their work to meet "retail supply demand for local seasonal produce" while top fruit Armagh Bramley apple orchard owners are also impacted with some orchards under water, which could impact the quality of harvests.
The UFU has urged DAERA to provide more support for farmers facing these concerns.
He added: "“We are disappointed, that no support was available for the potato and vegetable farmers who suffered significant flooding losses last autumn, even though £15 million was allocated for the UK and it appears that farm businesses in NI are not going to receive the support that has been allocated in England."
He also called for greater fairness along the supply chain to supermarkets after Tesco announced their pre-tax profit of £2.3bn - a major jump from £882 million the previous year saying farmers will be frustrated by comments from Tesco that a surge in profits is on the back of easing 'price pressures'.
Mr Brown added that this must not lead to a further correlation on the prices paid to farmers, which remain under pressure from aggressive retailers despite rising costs on farms.
He said: "We have long advocated greater fairness along the food supply chain. That cannot go hand in hand with retailers enjoying big profit increases while losses rise on farms. By no standards could that ever be described as fair," said the UFU president as wet weather has worsened the cash flow on many farms, putting them under more pressure.
"In many cases, Tesco will have been paid for food off farms, long before farmers have been paid for it. The retailer is taking no risks, while farmers struggle with costs, weather, and the incessant pressure from retailers on their margins.
"These figures confirm that Tesco is getting all the rewards, while farmers carry all the risks. An effective food chain depends on fairness and these figures confirm that does not exist for farmers," said Mr Brown.
‘Funeral for Nature’ taking place globally this weekend – with one UK city set to be ‘bathed in blood’
A dramatic street theatre performance ‘Funeral for Nature‘ will take place throughout the streets of Bath on Saturday 20 April to mark the devastating decline of the natural world in the lead up to Earth Day on 22 April, an annual event which engages up to a billion people around the world each year.
Funeral for Nature: worldwide events
The Funeral for Nature procession includes 400 Red Rebels dressed in their distinctive red outfits and hundreds of mourners in black. They will be accompanied by drummers playing a single funeral beat as they make their way through the city’s historic streets, culminating in a dramatic finale in front of the Abbey.
This will be the largest global assembly of Red Rebels ever seen, 400 in total. This is five times more than ever before, with people travelling from all over the UK and joined by groups from the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.
Funerals for Nature will be taking place simultaneously in Boston, Sydney, Gothenburg, and Lisbon. The Gothenburg event will be a ‘Nordic Funeral for Nature’ with groups joining from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Bath: raising awareness of nature depletion
The procession has been designed to raise awareness of the UK’s position as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with 43% of UK bird species in decline, and 97% of wildflower meadows disappearing since the second world war. The organisers say statistics like these have motivated the group to take action, flooding the city in red and declaring ‘Code Red for Nature’.
Thousands of ‘Orders of Service’ will be given out to onlookers, containing information about the crisis and what they can do about it.
The Bath procession will be joined by nature campaigner Chris Packham who will deliver a ‘eulogy’ to the crowd at the finale of the event when it arrives in front of the Abbey. This will follow a flashmob performance by the West of England Youth Orchestra.
The centre-piece of the procession will be a beautiful funeral bier, constructed from willow, with a ‘Mother Earth’ figure created by renowned artist Anna Gillespie. It will lie on a naturalistic bed of planting staged by Chelsea award-winning landscape designers Dan Pearson Studio, followed by mourners in black hats and veils. The sixth mass extinction event
The event has been planned to coincide with Earth Day, happening just two days later on 22 April, to highlight that we are at ‘CODE RED’ for nature and that around the world, biodiversity is being annihilated at a terrifying rate.
Organisers say that we are entering the ‘sixth mass extinction’ event and the consequences could be catastrophic if we do not act swiftly, and that in spite of promises from governments, biodiversity loss shows no sign of slowing.
Rob Delius, head of sustainability & architect at Stride Treglown – one of the organisers and the person who put forward the Funeral for Nature idea – said:
The intention is to send a powerful SOS message for nature by creating a visual spectacle, that will in equal measures shock and inspire onlookers. The UK has sleepwalked into this nature crisis and the fact that we are now one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world simply isn’t being talked about enough.
We want the processions to create a talking point and for the public to be moved to demand that Government, Local Authorities, landowners and businesses urgently do more to restore biodiversity.
Funeral for Nature – we must act now
Doug Francisco, creative director and founding member of The Invisible Circus, said:
There is no better time to act than right now. It is clear that we are in a crisis and there are no second chances – we have to do something immediately. We hope that this demonstration, in its beauty and urgency, will incite action in more cities across the world. We want to see Red Rebels on streets across the globe, spreading the message that if we don’t act now, we won’t be able to act at all!
Anna Gillespie, artist, said:
Unlike conventional protests, the procession will be free of banners or placards. Instead we are relying on the strong imagery of the huge assembly of Red Rebels and the impact of the figure of Mother Nature on a funeral bier carried by mourners to get the message across.
Everyone participating has a powerful desire to express their desperate feelings of loss and fear as the natural world struggles to survive in the face of our human onslaught.
Featured image via Code Red for Nature
Just Stop Oil just exposed the greenwashing at Earth Fest for all the world to see
Just Stop Oil fundraisers were kicked out of greenwashing Earth Fest for doing anti-capitalist fundraising. Ironic, really, considering the group was one of the few things that was actually addressing the climate crisis properly at the sham Earth Fest. Just Stop Oil: showing up Earth Fest
Two Just Stop Oil supporters were forcibly ejected from Earth-Fest whilst collecting donations for the group. The supporters were asking attendees to financially support effective direct action whilst donations to Just Stop Oil are doubled for the next three days:
Earth Fest has been criticised for being a ‘greenwashing’ event with sponsors including AutoTrader and attendees including JP Morgan, Jet 2, Tesla, and Drax. Peak greenwashing
For example, as the Canary previously reported Drax is the UK’s single largest carbon emitter, and world’s biggest tree burner. The company currently receives around £1.7 million per day in renewable subsidies from UK energy bills to burn wood – some of which comes from protected forests.
Meanwhile, Tesla has also come under repeated fire for its “capitalist sham solutions” to the climate crisis. As the Canary previously detailed, the extractive mining and manufacture of electric vehicles is a carbon-intensive and exploitative process:
There’s still the not so small matter that producing vehicles to replace the entire existing petroleum fleet will generate a lot of emissions. On top of this, you have the pollution and ecological destruction of extracting the multitude of critical minerals required for their manufacture. Not to mention the labour violations, rights abuses, and land-grabbing linked to mining for these materials.
Mack Preston and Isla Greenwood, a former Greenpeace fundraiser, carried buckets asking for donations at Earth Fest whilst wearing Just Stop Oil t-shirts. The pair took to a megaphone and could be heard saying “Are we really going to sit here and talk about electric cars? We need radical action!”
Give us your money (but not in the Bob Geldof way)
For the next three days, until Earth Day, all donations to Just Stop Oil will be doubled by a group of generous donors.
You can donate to the campaign and have your donation doubled here – money better spent than at Earth Fest.
A spokesperson for the group said:
We’re out of time. It is no longer appropriate to be sitting in endless conferences that achieve nothing. We need radical action now and we need system change to avoid the worst effects of ongoing climate breakdown and societal collapse.
We need to be funding effective direct action that gets the headlines and forces this issue up the news agenda and to the forefront of the public consciousness. History has shown over and over that disruptive civil resistance gets the goods. Donate to Just Stop Oil and have it doubled at Just Stop Oil.org. Featured image and additional images via Just Stop Oil
Elevation of France as Major Arms Exporter in the World Causes and Implications
The global arms trade has long been a subject of scrutiny and debate, with its impacts reverberating across geopolitical landscapes.
The global arms trade has long been a subject of scrutiny and debate, with its impacts reverberating across geopolitical landscapes. In recent years, significant shifts have occurred within this sphere, notably with France’s ascension as a major arms exporter on the world stage. This transformation raises pertinent questions regarding the underlying causes driving France’s newfound position and the implications it carries for international security dynamics. Examining the factors behind France’s rise in arms exports and the potential ramifications of this development is crucial for understanding contemporary geopolitical trends.
Between the periods of 2014–18 and 2019–23, arms exports from the United States, the leading arms provider globally, experienced a notable increase of 17 percent. Conversely, during the same timeframe, arms exports from Russia saw a substantial decline, plummeting by over half at 53 percent. Meanwhile, France’s arms exports witnessed a significant surge, growing by 47 percent, consequently propelling it ahead of Russia to claim the position of the world’s second-largest arms supplier.
In the period of 2019–23, as mentioned earlier France surpassed Russia to claim the position of the world’s second-largest exporter of major arms. French arms exports constituted 11 percent of all arms transfers during this timeframe, marking a notable increase of 47 percent compared to the period of 2014–18. In 2019–23, France supplied major arms to 64 countries, with India emerging as the largest recipient, accounting for 29 percent of French arms exports. The majority of France’s arms exports during this period were directed towards countries in Asia and Oceania (42 percent) and the Middle East (34 percent). Despite ongoing efforts to expand arms sales to other European nations, France’s exports to European states accounted for only 9.1 percent of its total arms exports in 2019–23. Notably, over half of its European arms exports (53 percent) were directed to Greece, primarily comprising transfers of 17 Rafale combat aircraft.
The Surge in France’s Arms Exports: Why?
France’s proactive export policies, including government support, technological advancements, and strategic targeting of regions like the Middle East, fueled a rise in arms exports during the period. This positioned them to capitalize on Russia’s decline as a major exporter following the Ukraine war, allowing France to secure the number two spot with advanced weaponry like the Rafale fighter jet.
It’s noteworthy that India stands as the largest arms importer globally, with France and Russia supplying 33 percent and 36 percent of its imports, respectively. In July 2023, New Delhi granted preliminary approval for the acquisition of six Scorpène submarines and 26 Rafale jets for the Indian Navy. Shortly thereafter, on July 25, reports from France’s La Tribune newspaper indicated Qatar’s contemplation of adding an additional 24 Rafales to its arsenal. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report released in March 2023, France’s share of the global arms trade surged to 11 percent between 2018 and 2022, compared to 7.1 percent in the preceding four-year period. Conversely, Russia’s share of the international arms trade dwindled from 22 to 16 percent during the same period. So, this can be one of the indicators.
Figure 1: The 25 largest exporters of major arms and their main recipients, 2019–23
The imposition of multiple rounds of international sanctions on Russia may have hindered its ability to access the necessary materials for arms production, thereby hampering its export capabilities. Reports from Ukraine have cast doubt on the efficacy of Russia-built armaments, tarnishing their reputation on the global stage. Some importers have expressed dissatisfaction with Russian products in recent years. India, a longstanding importer of Russian arms suppliers, has raised concerns about the technical performance of Russian weaponry. As noted by Pieter Wezeman, the author of the SIPRI report 2023, India’s discontent has prompted a shift towards sourcing arms from France.
Furthermore, the United States wields significant influence over countries procuring weapons from Russia, a trend that predates the Ukraine conflict, according to Wezeman. For instance, Indonesia opted to abandon a planned purchase of Russian aircraft in 2021 in favor of options from the US and France.
A significant surge in the delivery of Rafale combat aircraft played a pivotal role in driving the growth of French arms exports during the period of 2019–23. In the preceding period of 2014–18, France exported 23 Rafales, a number that skyrocketed to 94 in the subsequent period of 2019–23. Remarkably, these exports accounted for nearly one third (31 percent) of French arms exports during this timeframe. Furthermore, the pipeline for Rafale exports remained robust, with an additional 193 Rafales on order for export by the end of 2023. However, it is noteworthy that the majority of the Rafale aircraft already delivered (96 out of 117) and those on order (178 out of 193) are destined for states outside Europe, including Egypt, India, Indonesia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. This underscores the persistent challenge France encounters in selling its major arms to European states, particularly amidst fierce competition from the United States. Notably, out of the 10 European states that preselected or ordered combat aircraft in the period of 2019–23, eight opted for US F-16s or F-35s, with only Croatia and Greece opting for the Rafale.
In addition to bolstering its sales of combat aircraft, France also witnessed a 14 percent increase in exports of military ships, along with the weaponry required to equip them, between the periods of 2014–18 and 2019–23.
Figure 2: Global share of exports of major arms by the 10 largest exporters, 2019–23
Therefore the Rafale fighter jet, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, has emerged as a cornerstone of France’s recent achievements in the realm of defense exports, according to Olivier Gras, the general secretary of EuroDéfense-France, an association based in Paris comprising civil and military officials. Despite entering service as early as 2002, it wasn’t until 2015 that the Rafale made its inaugural foray into the international market. Since then, these twin-engine jets have found homes in Greece, Qatar, India, and Egypt, with impending deployments to Croatia, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates, which placed an order for 80 Standard F4 Rafales in 2021. The global tally of Rafale deliveries and orders now stands at nearly 500, representing approximately half the volume of its primary American counterpart, Lockheed Martin’s F-35. Moreover, potential orders from additional countries are on the horizon, with Colombia nearing a deal for 16 aircraft while Serbia, historically aligned with Russia’s arms industry, contemplates acquiring 12 planes.
Global military expenditure experienced a significant increase of 9 percent from the previous year, reaching a historic high of $2.2 trillion in 2023. This surge was attributed to heightened insecurity worldwide, fueled by numerous conflicts, as indicated by a recent report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Meanwhile, NATO’s budget hike can influence other actors in two ways. First, it sets a precedent. By collectively investing more, NATO strengthens the message of shared security concerns. This can pressure members who haven’t met spending targets to step up. Second, a larger NATO budget allows for more joint exercises and capabilities, potentially making individual militaries seem less essential. This might nudge some countries towards increasing their own budgets to maintain their national defense posture. And here France was an option to spend on.
Figure 3: Changes in volume of exports of major arms since 2014–18 by the 10 largest exporters in 2019–23
Who are the Importers?
In the period spanning 2019–23, the primary suppliers of major arms to Africa included Russia, constituting 24 percent of African imports, followed by the USA at 16 percent, China at 13 percent, and France at 10 percent. France emerged as the third-largest supplier to sub-Saharan Africa during this period, capturing an 11 percent share of subregional arms imports. Turning to South America, France assumed a prominent position as the leading supplier, contributing 23 percent of subregional imports. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the United States dominated arms imports, commanding a significant share of 52 percent. Following the USA, France emerged as the next significant supplier, accounting for 12 percent of Middle Eastern arms imports, alongside Italy at 10 percent and Germany at 7.1 percent.
Qatar’s arms imports during the same period predominantly came from the United States, representing 45 percent of Qatari arms imports, followed by France at 25 percent and Italy at 15 percent. Notably, Qatar’s acquisitions included 36 combat aircraft from France, 36 from the USA, and 25 from the UK, in addition to 4 frigates procured from Italy.
Implications of Rising Arms Exports
The surge in arms exports across the globe is poised to have far-reaching implications, reshaping geopolitical dynamics and fostering a climate of heightened tension and competition. As importing countries bolster their military capabilities, several key implications emerge.
Firstly, heightened arms imports are likely to exacerbate existing tensions in importing countries and their surrounding regions. The influx of sophisticated weaponry may fuel regional rivalries and increase the likelihood of conflict, raising concerns about stability and security.
Secondly, importing countries are expected to allocate a larger portion of their budgets towards defense expenditures, reflecting a shift in their strategic priorities. The growing defense budgets signal a commitment to enhancing military capabilities and preparedness in response to perceived threats and geopolitical uncertainties.
Thirdly, the influx of arms into different regions, driven by increased exports from major suppliers, is poised to contribute to a proliferation of armaments. This proliferation not only amplifies the potential for conflict but also complicates efforts towards disarmament and non-proliferation initiatives.
Fourthly, Eastern Europe, already a region marked by geopolitical tensions and historical rivalries, is likely to experience further strain as arms imports increase. The influx of weaponry, coupled with ongoing political disputes, could exacerbate existing conflicts and raise the risk of escalation.
Fifthly, the surge in arms exports is expected to intensify competition among major exporters, particularly China, France, and Russia. As these countries vie for market share and influence, competition in the global arms trade is set to escalate, potentially leading to new marketing strategies and geopolitical maneuvering.
Sixthly, the rise in arms exports is likely to contribute to heightened polarization among nations, as countries align themselves with different suppliers based on strategic interests and geopolitical considerations. This polarization may further exacerbate regional tensions and complicate efforts towards diplomatic resolution of conflicts.
Finally, India’s increased arms imports from France, despite its longstanding relationship with Russia, signal a significant shift in procurement patterns. This shift underscores India’s strategic diversification efforts and reflects evolving geopolitical dynamics in the region.
The surge in arms exports has profound implications for global security and stability, with tensions likely to rise in importing countries and their respective regions. The growing competition among arms exporters, coupled with increased defense budgets and regional rivalries, underscores the need for concerted efforts towards arms control, disarmament, and diplomatic dialogue to mitigate the risk of conflict and promote peace and security on a global scale.
The elevation of France as a major arms exporter in the world marks a significant juncture in the evolving dynamics of the global arms trade. While driven by various factors such as strategic partnerships, technological advancements, and evolving defense policies, France’s newfound position underscores its growing influence in international security affairs. However, amidst the shifting landscape of arms proliferation, it becomes imperative for policymakers and stakeholders to carefully assess the implications of this trend on regional stability, conflict dynamics, and the broader geopolitical landscape. Through informed analysis and proactive engagement, efforts can be directed towards fostering a more secure and stable global environment.
Syed Raiyan Amir Research Associate The Center for Bangladesh and Global Affairs (CBGA)
Two of the prehistoric artifacts found during the A66 excavations in northern England. The flint tools are thought to date to the Upper Paleolithic.OXFORD COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
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