Author Archives: John Scales Avery

Ecology and economics

Humanity has reached a critical decade

A new report, published on 14 March 2021 in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences’ journal Ambio, points out that humanity is hurtling towards destruction unless we have the collective wisdom to change course quickly. Continue reading

Challenges for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

The majority of Americans, and the vast majority of people in other countries throughout the world, heaved a sigh of relief when Joe Biden won the 2020 US presidential election. Hopes for the future soared, as the world seemed to be rid of Trump at last! Continue reading

Our world is burning

The central problem which the world faces in its attempts to avoid catastrophic climate change is a contrast of time scales. In order to save human civilization and the biosphere from the most catastrophic effects of climate change we need to act immediately. Fossil fuels must be left in the ground. Forests must be saved from destruction by beef or palm oil production. Continue reading

Attacks on Iran, past and present

The assassination of General Qasem Soleimani

On Friday, 3 January 2020, progressives in the United States and all peace-loving people throughout the world were horrified to learn that Donald Tromp had added to his long list of crimes and imbecilities by ordering the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, who is a hero in his own country, Iran. The murder, which was carried out by means of a drone strike on Friday, immediately and drastically increased the probability of a new large-scale war in the Middle East and elsewhere. Against this background, I would like to review the history of oil-motivated attacks on Iran. Continue reading

Trump’s major crimes

Impeachment finally under way

The long-delayed impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump are finally starting, but at present the focus is on a relatively minor crime—the Ukraine-Biden scandal. However, Trump has committed (and is still committing) major crimes, and these ought to be in the spotlight. Let us look at a few of them. Continue reading

Climate crisis and the 2020 US elections

Trump and his party must be defeated. Continue reading

Money, media and the climate crisis

Immediate action is needed to save the future

The central problem which the world faces in its attempts to avoid catastrophic climate change is a contrast of time scales. In order to save human civilization and the biosphere from the most disastrous effects of climate change, we need to act immediately. But it is difficult to mobilize public opinion behind urgently needed action because the most severe effects of global warming belong to the long-term future. Continue reading

Attacking Iran would risk global disaster

On Monday, 13 May 2019, the New York Times posted an article with the title “White House Reviews Military Plans Against Iran. in Echoes of Iraq War”. Besides the aircraft carrier and other naval forces already sent to the Persian Gulf, plans include sending as many as 120,000 US troops to the region. There is a great danger that an attack on Iran might be sparked by a Gulf-of-Tonkin-like false flag incident involving Saudi oil ships. Continue reading