Green Social Thought

by Norman Solomon

But 25 years ago, the impulse to avenge the horrors of 9/11 was instant. Fear and rage blended into high octane for war machinery.

by Theresa Leisgang and Gerriet Schwen

Climate communication has often emphasized hope, success and the possibility of staying within the 1.5°C threshold. Theresa Leisgang and Gerriet Schwen argue that this approach can obscure the severity of the climate crisis. Drawing on climate science, research and conversations with scientists, journalists and activists, they examine the growing evidence of ecological and social breakdown and the limits of optimistic narratives. They call for more honest communication about climate overshoot, systemic risks and the possibility of profound disruption. Rather than abandoning action, they argue for a form of hope grounded in realism: acting to protect life, prepare for crises and pursue meaningful gains even when outcomes remain uncertain.

by Stacy Malkan

Twenty years ago, the Gates and Rockefeller foundations launched the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), promising agricultural transformation from improved seeds, synthetic fertilizers, mechanization, and commercial markets. Now, nearly 20 years of data are in, and AGRA’s results fall far short of its promises. They raise fundamental questions about AGRA, the Gates Foundation and their influence on African governments and institutions.

by Feroze Mithiborwala

Greece is witnessing growing public opposition to the government’s strategic relationship with Israel. The backlash has spread across political parties, trade unions, port workers, civil society groups and local communities. Dockworkers have blocked shipments of military equipment, while left-wing parties have called for an arms embargo and an end to military cooperation. Protests have also targeted Israeli investment in Greek real estate and the impact of foreign capital on housing. As the 2027 national elections approach, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s pro-Israel policies are facing increasing scrutiny. Feroze Mithiborwala examines the political, economic and social forces behind this growingopposition.

by Isabella La Rocca González

Photographs, storytelling, poetry, and well-documented research unveil the immense suffering, ecological devastation, worker exploitation, and economic injustice caused by the animal agricultural industry.

by Kayla Vasilko

“The book isn’t just a celebration of the past, but an encouragement to see what we can learn to help us today” (Scipes, p. ix, 2026,). Dr. Kim Scipes’ Unions, Race, and Popular Democracy: Building A Progressive Labor Movement is a commemoration of one union’s distinctive approach to social justice unionism that should change the way that we think about organizing not only in the workplace, but in any response to important issues around the world. Though centered in labor activism from a sociological lens, the findings and framing of Scipes’ work produce an analysis critical for Northwest Indiana and […]

by Robert Jensen

Berry didn’t exempt himself from this critique of the destructive habits that draw down the ecological capital of the planet: "I am … still in bondage to the automobile industry and the energy companies, which have nothing to recommend them except our dependence on them. I still fly on airplanes, which have nothing to recommend them but speed; they are inconvenient, uncomfortable, undependable, ugly, stinky, and scary. I still cut my wood with a chainsaw, which has nothing to recommend it but speed, and has all the faults of an airplane, except it does not fly."

by Kohei Saito & Antonin Horcica

Transcript of my interview with Kohei Saito on 1 st September, 2023 on the occasion of the 9th International Degrowth Conference in Zagreb. This interview was originally published in Czech in Alarm, a Czech left-wing online magazine, on 28 September 2023. This is the first English publication of the full transcript, approved by Kohei Saito.

by Roberto Sirvent

The IMF and World Bank are not subjects the corporate media cover in any real sense. Instead, their role is treated as unquestionably immutable and beneficial.

by Nate Halverson

Scientists are wary of glyphosate. MAHA loathes it. And our yearlong investigation shows California is spraying it everywhere.

by Junko Edahiro

Japan offers a distinctive perspective on degrowth, shaped less by deliberate economic contraction than by depopulation, ageing, and shrinking rural economies. Junko Edahiro examines how communities are adapting by placing wellbeing, resilience, sufficiency, and local participation ahead of conventional growth. From Transition Town Fujino’s local energy initiatives to the “Half Farmer, Half X” lifestyle model and Ama Town’s approach to living with fewer material resources, these examples show how communities can reorganize around what matters most. The article also explores Toyama’s wellbeing indicators and a practical framework for community development that connects future visions, systems thinking, and local action.

by Martin Hart-Landsberg

Marty Hart-Landsberg cuts through the fog of AI hype to outline some of the dangers we face from AI use and highlight avenues of effective resistance.

by Soumya Dutta

The catastrophic floods and debris flows in Nepal and Tibet on 26 August have exposed the growing vulnerability of the Himalayan region. The disaster comes amid rapid glacier loss, expanding glacial lakes, destabilising mountain terrain and increasing development in fragile valleys. Soumya Dutta examines how climate change is interacting with infrastructure expansion to create more complex and potentially cascading hazards. The article looks at lessons from recent disasters in Sikkim and Uttarakhand and argues for stronger transboundary monitoring, real-time early-warning systems, comprehensive hazard mapping and climate-resilient development. It calls for reconsidering infrastructure and settlements located in high-risk Himalayan corridors.

by Sunil Acharya

Nepalis and Tibetans must not pay the price – with their lives, livelihoods and money meant for education and health – for global heating caused by wealthy states.

by Jon Queally

The abuses by the Israeli government and military are “a stain on the conscience of humanity, requiring the UK and France to act.”

by Zeeshan Aleem

There is no possibility of an arrest happening for the foreseeable future. But it illustrates a sea change in the U.S.-Israeli relationship.

by Pon Chandran

The Save Silent Valley Movement remains one of India's defining environmental struggles. Faced with a proposed hydroelectric dam that threatened an ancient rainforest in Kerala, scientists, writers, activists and local communities united to protect one of the Western Ghats' richest ecosystems. Their sustained campaign led to the cancellation of the project and the declaration of Silent Valley as a National Park. This article revisits the history of the movement, the people who shaped it, and the enduring lessons it offers for balancing development with ecological conservation and protecting irreplaceable natural heritage for future generations.

by Dr. Ramzy Baroud

Dr Ramzy Baroud examines Israel’s expanding diplomatic counter-offensive as governments in Colombia, Venezuela, Slovenia and elsewhere move to reverse or weaken policies supportive of Palestine. He argues that Israel is seeking to overcome growing international isolation through changes in government, diplomatic pressure and strategic alliances. The article places these developments against the wider global response to the Gaza war and Israel’s conduct across the Middle East. It also considers the role of Arab states in preserving positions on Palestine and occupied territories, arguing that diplomatic statements alone are insufficient. The struggle over Israel’s international standing is entering a decisive phase.

by Oliver Moore

Since 2012, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has implemented a collaborative food storage programme. In this, regional reserves “allow countries to pool resources, spread fiscal burdens, collaboratively achieve efficiency gains, and reduce overall stockpile sizes.”

by Eduardo Miguel Álvarez Estévez

Russia says it is Cuba’s strategic ally. They repeat it at every summit. In every communiqué. On every anniversary of our bilateral relations. But the oil is not arriving. The ships do not appear. And the electric power blackouts continue to happen.