Published

7 months ago

July 3, 2025

Alice Rush

United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights Elisa Morgera on Monday presented a new report to the General Assembly calling for the criminalization of spreading disinformation regarding the climate crisis, as well as a complete ban on fossil fuel lobbying and advertising by the industry.

In The imperative of defossilizing our economies report, Morgera argues that the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and other rich fossil fuel countries are legally bound by international law to phase out gas, oil and coal by the end of the decade, in addition to compensating communities for the harms caused.

1/ TODAY – UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change Elisa Morgera presented a historic report to the Human Rights Council: The Imperative of Defossilizing Our Economies: bit.ly/3Gl0xuG

CIEL welcomes this urgent call to end #FossilFuels.

Our press statement: bit.ly/448p8fn

[image or embed]

— Center for International Environmental Law (@ciel.org) June 30, 2025 at 10:43 AM

“There is no scientific doubt that fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil) are the main cause of climate change, and the main driver of other planetary crises – biodiversity loss, toxic pollution, inequalities and mass human rights violations. Several United Nations mechanisms have already identified an international human rights obligation to phase out fossil fuels and related subsidies,” the report says.

Morgera, a global environmental law professor at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, argues that fossil fuel exploration, investments and subsidies should all be banned, along with gas flaring, fracking, oil sands and “false tech solutions.”

A protest against “clean coal” outside the Victorian Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia on Dec. 10, 2013. John Englart / Flickr

“Despite overwhelming evidence of the interlinked, intergenerational, severe and widespread human rights impacts of the fossil fuel life cycle… these countries have and are still accruing enormous profits from fossil fuels, and are still not taking decisive action,” Morgera said, as The Guardian reported.

Indigenous Peoples, island nations and other vulnerable communities are facing the most serious and compounding harms from the extraction and use of fossil fuels and the climate crisis, while benefiting the least.

The report highlights overwhelming evidence of the far-reaching, cumulative damage wrought by big oil and fossil fuel byproducts like plastics and fertilizers on nearly all human rights, including the right to life, health, food, water, housing, education, livelihoods, information and self-determination.

“Despite these legal clarifications, and the recognition of the need for a fossil fuel phaseout in the international climate change regime and the Pact for the Future, fossil fuel extraction and use are projected to increase. This is despite the significant progress made in decarbonizing the energy sector: in 2023, renewables provided 30 per cent of global electricity supply, and scientific evidence points to the feasibility of a 100 per cent global reliance on renewable energy, including leapfrogging opportunities for developing countries and for workers,” the report says.

Morgera says the “defossilization” of entire economies is necessary to address the universal and escalating harms caused by fossil fuels in all sectors, including finance, food, tech, politics and media.

Morgera said international human rights law requires nations to inform citizens of the harm fossil fuels cause, and that the best way to tackle the climate crisis is to phase them out.

People are also entitled to know that the fossil fuel industry, its partners and supporters have been obstructing the knowledge of its culpability for six decades by disseminating falsehoods while interfering with meaningful climate action by attacking activists and climate scientists and taking over democratic gatherings like the UN climate conventions.

An Extinction Rebellion advert at a bus stop near the News UK headquarters protests against control of the UK media by just four billionaires, at London Bridge in London, England on June 27, 2021. Hollie Adams / Getty Images

“Extensive research has documented the fossil fuel sector’s evolving strategies to keep the public uninformed about the severity of climate change and about the role of fossil fuels in causing it (‘the playbook’). This has undermined the protection of all human rights that are negatively impacted by climate change for over six decades,” the report said.

Morgera said lobbying and fossil fuel advertising must be banned, greenwashing must be criminalized and penalties for attacking climate advocates must be enforced.

Threats of drought, desertification, sea-level rise, flooding and other impacts related to the climate crisis are increasingly impacting communities around the world. This is in addition to water scarcity, air pollution, forced displacement of Indigenous Peoples and biodiversity loss.

At the same time, the fossil fuel industry and petrochemical companies have seen huge profits while benefiting from tax avoidance schemes, taxpayer subsidies and receiving undue protection by way of international investment law while refusing to address economic inequalities and reduce energy poverty.

According to the report, oil and gas companies in 2023 earned $2.4 trillion in profits worldwide and coal companies made $2.5 trillion.

Getting rid of fossil fuel subsidies alone would lower emissions by as much as 10 percent by 2030.

Morgera said land that has been unjustly appropriated for use by fossil fuel companies should be remediated, cleaned up and returned to its rightful owners if they so desire, or they should receive fair compensation.

“Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent and peasants have faced evictions and displacement without adequate compensation, violence, and legal intimidation, with access restrictions and environmental degradation of their territories by fossil fuel operations, terminating alternative livelihoods, for instance in adjacent grazing areas. Decommissioning and site reclamation (dismantling and removing fossil-fuel extraction, processing and storage infrastructure) can leave residual pollutants in the soil and water, hindering the restoration of ecosystems, agricultural productivity and water safety for human consumption for generations,” Morgera said in the report.

The report presents the human rights argument for decisive political action to reduce the devastating impacts of the climate crisis, reported The Guardian. Morgera’s recommendations prioritize people’s basic rights over the benefits and profits reaped by a small minority of the world’s population.

“Paradoxically what may seem radical or unrealistic – a transition to a renewable energy-based economy – is now cheaper and safer for our economics and a healthier option for our societies,” Morgera told The Guardian. “The transition can also lead to significant savings of taxpayers’ money that is currently going into responding to climate change impacts, saving health costs, and also recouping lost tax revenue from fossil fuel companies. This could be the single most impactful health contribution we could ever make. The transition seems radical and unrealistic because fossil fuel companies have been so good at making it seem so.”

The post UN Climate Expert Urges Criminalization of Fossil Fuel Disinformation to Protect Basic Human Rights appeared first on EcoWatch.

https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-crisis-disinformation-criminalization.html

Green Living

Earth911 Inspiration: Nothing In Vain

Published

16 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Alice Rush

Aristotle, who saw purpose and design in everything, wrote in several different works that “Nature does nothing in vain.” We reply that regardless of purpose, nature does everything with grace; we are fortunate to witness the miraculous results of 13.4 billion years of experimentation.

Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.

The post Earth911 Inspiration: Nothing In Vain appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-nothing-in-vain/

Green Living

Can You Recycle Computers?

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Alice Rush

Last Updated on January 21, 2026

Picture this: Your laptop of three years decides it’s going to conk out. What’s the most sustainable solution? Seeing if you can get it repaired, of course.

Fighting planned obsolescence is a full time job, and it occurs with way more than just electronics.

But lets say you can’t repair your laptop for some unforeseeable reason…what then? You recycle it of course.

Computers don’t belong in landfills, nor do most conventional curbside recycling programs accept them. So how do you recycle computers? Here’s everything you need to know about computer recycling (and why we need to dispose of them properly).

why should you recycle computers?

First, lets tackle the reason we should bother to recycle computers. Computers are made up of several components – and when we dump them out, they become notorious for leaking toxins and carcinogens into the environment. This poses a risk for humans, wildlife, and soil quality alike.

However, if we recycle computers, all those components get a second shot at life. There are several valuable materials in our old computers that can be used to make new electronics, thus reducing waste and pollution.

According to the EPA, recycling 1 million laptops saves enough energy to power ~3,500 U.S. homes for a year.

And if that’s not reason enough – improperly disposed computers can put your personal or business files at risk of being recovered. And that can escalate to data breaches or reputation damage (yikes).

how do I get rid of my old computer?

To get rid of your old computer, you must first back up your data, sign out of all accounts, wipe & destroy the hard drive, then recycle the computer through local e-waste centers or retailers with take-back programs (Best Buy, Staples, etc.).

To wipe a hard drive, be sure to back up any important data first. Use built-in tools like ‘reset this PC’ or check with your computer’s manufacturer to see specific instructions. For example, here’s how to wipe a Dell hard drive and erase a Mac hard drive.

For absolutely no chance of your data being recovered, it’s always best to remove and destroy the hard drive, if possible. Here’s a guide to destroying a hard drive safely.

Once the hard drive is no longer an issue, you can recycle computers through a number of drop-off or mail-in options.

drop off:

Local e-waste recycling events (make sure to ask if your specific computer will be accepted in advance). Check your local .gov to see when your next one will be!

Best Buy accepts various desktops, laptops, and tablets, including some accessories. There’s a limit of 3 items per household per day. They charge a small fee for recycling monitors.

Staples accepts computers & Macs. They charge a fee for monitors. When you recycle, you get rewards with their store!

Use ERI’s recycle search and find recycling locations near you. Just type in “computer recycling” and your zip code to learn what your options are.

mail-in:

Several manufacturers will accept mail-in recycling for their computer models. Dell and HP have trade-in programs for computers that meet certain standards, as well as recycling options for lesser functioning computers of any brand. Apple also accepts trade-in and recycling for several devices, including computers.

Green Citizen offers free mail-in recycling for laptops, desktops, and tablets, but there may be fees for data destruction.

Most of these places will also accept computer accessories, like keyboards, mice, etc. But be sure to double check!

should you remove the hard drive from a computer before recycling?

Yes, always remove the hard drive before recycling. It’s best to wipe it, then remove it and destroy it. Because even a wiped hard drive can still be recovered, to an extent.

Even if you empty the recycling bin on your computer it doesn’t guarantee that the content is gone because the computer marks that data space to be overwritten with new data. So if the data hasn’t been overwritten, data recovery software can pick it up.

does best buy erase hard drives when recycling?

Best Buy offers tips and advice on wiping hard drives and data for Windows computers prior to drop off, but won’t actually do it for you. It’s best to go prepared by wiping/destroying your hard drive first.

So, what did you think of this guide to recycling computers? Let me know in the comments!

The post Can You Recycle Computers? appeared first on Going Zero Waste.

Can You Recycle Computers?

Green Living

Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: Carbonfuture is Building the Trust Infrastructure for Carbon Removal

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Alice Rush

Read a transcript of this episode. Subscribe to receive transcripts: Learn more.

The carbon removal industry stands at a crucial crossroads. While cutting emissions remains essential, avoiding catastrophic warming now requires pulling billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere permanently. But as this nascent field grapples with questions of legitimacy, scalability, and accountability, a critical challenge remains: How do we build the infrastructure needed to track, verify, and certify that carbon has actually been removed and stays removed? Meet Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture, a company helping define the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) infrastructure that could transform carbon removal from scattered efforts into a functioning ecosystem. Launched five years ago, Carbonfuture has emerged as what CDR.fyi describes as “the largest facilitator of durable carbon removal” by volume. The company’s digital platform integrates data across the carbon removal life cycle, connecting diverse approaches like biochar, enhanced rock weathering, and direct air capture with buyers seeking to meet climate commitments. “We are probably more the crowd, the ground keepers in a stadium that makes sure that everything is provided properly,” Hannes explains, using a sports analogy to describe their role: “We are the ground keepers in a stadium [who ensure] the players have a playing field that’s in shape and no one gets hurt, and the audience can come and they pay their tickets and have a good experience.”

Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture, is our guest on Sustainability In Your Ear.

The MRV infrastructure becomes crucial as corporate demand for verified carbon removal grows and trust becomes currency. One of the most interesting aspects of the conversation centers on balancing data confidentiality with transparency needs, particularly when collecting data along industrial value chains from agricultural residue producers to biochar processors to end users. Perhaps most telling is Junginger-Gestrich’s unwavering commitment to scientific rigor over short-term economic gains: “We never had to trade off between rigor and allowing a not so good project on our platform for economic reasons. We always lean to the scientific and rigorous side.” This philosophy has guided Carbonfuture’s work with leading buyers like Microsoft, helping develop increasingly sophisticated approaches to carbon removal verification. While Junginger-Gestrich expresses concern about delayed emission reductions globally, he remains optimistic about carbon removal scaling: “I think we will be on the path to the gigatons by 2040 for sure.” His vision emphasizes ecosystem thinking over vertical integration, aiming to drive down costs while creating network effects that could accelerate the entire field. As governments worldwide grapple with climate policy, the monitoring, reporting, and verification systems companies like Carbonfuture are developing now may well determine the success of our collective effort to reverse climate change. You can learn more about Carbonfuture at carbonfuture.earth.