Global News & Policy – Ecosystemic Magazine

A Summary of The Inflation Reduction Act

10Nov

By Riley SheltonNo Comments

Global News & Policy

A Summary of The Inflation Reduction Act

Riley Shelton Signed into law on August 16, 2022 by President Joe Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act is meant to lower prescription drug costs, curb inflation, lower healthcare insurance, and incentivize clean energy. Pouring $370 billion (Penn Today, 2022) into legislation addressing climate change, this bill is extremely progressive in terms of environmental legislation. By Elson Bankoff This bill was initially proposed by Biden as the “Build Back Better Act.” It was meant to make the largest public investments into social, infrastructural, and environmental programs since the New Deal during the Great Depression. Passage of the Build Back Better Act was halted when West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (Democrat) pulled his support due to his opinion that the bill consisted of ove...

Effects of the Climate Crisis Spotlight: India

8Nov

By Lucas FlahertyNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Effects of the Climate Crisis Spotlight: India

Lucas Flaherty Industrialization and urbanization have led to an increase in carbon emissions and temperature. While developed nations contribute to this trend the most, the effects of the subsequent climate crisis are often felt most in developing areas. Some of these nations hardly contribute pollution to the atmosphere, while others have less of a choice as they must support a rising population. This is the case in many parts of India, a rapidly developing country where adverse climate conditions threaten its citizens. India’s diverse topography renders it highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Considered the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, India has spent increasing amounts of money in recent years fighting climate change’s dangerous effects (UNICEF,...

Understanding the Supreme Court EPA Ruling as a Youth Climate Activist

31Jul

By Helen ManciniNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Understanding the Supreme Court EPA Ruling as a Youth Climate Activist

By Helen Mancini The Supreme Court’s EPA vs. West Virginia ruling was expected news for most Americans concerned with US climate policy. The week before, every environmental activism group and media outlet flooded social media feeds with headlines precidicting, correctly, that the conservative court would restrict the EPA from regulating the greenhouse gas emissions of power plants. But, in such a fast moving digital world, headlines quickly shifted before many people could grasp a deeper understanding of the ruling once it passed. Much of the climate movement is made up by young people, who, at the time, may have been too busy with school finals and the start of summer plans to learn more about the case. The legal jargon, too, may have deterred young people from gaining a deeper unders...

The Statewide Overlap Between Reproductive Injustice and Environmental Injustice

22May

By Ariana ThorntonNo Comments

Global News & Policy

The Statewide Overlap Between Reproductive Injustice and Environmental Injustice

This map depicts the states that will be most impacted by climate change and where women are most likely to lose their reproductive rights if the Supreme Court Strikes down Roe v. Wade. The climate crisis is a prevailing challenge closely linked with reproductive injustice. Of all the states likely or certain to ban abortion if the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, a majority was graded "C" or below by Climate Central and ICF International for their climate change preparedness. The intersection doesn't stop here. The intensity of Hurricane Harvey--exacerbated by climate change--forced abortion clinics to close down. Texas's anti-abortion legislation, coupled with storm-caused logistical and financial barriers, meant that many people went without essential care. Communities...

22May

By Sophie CaoNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Democracy Gaps

By Sophie Cao The Constitution begins with the phrase “We the people” and with it, the American government establishes our defining democratic process. On the outside, America truly appears to have one of the highest functioning democracies in the world. After all, there are checks and balances between the three branches of government, amendments protecting individual rights to free speech, no religious obligations, local governments, state governments, and federal governments–– all with policymakers elected by voters. Additionally, there is a multi-party political system in America, which gives voices to a wide range of political opinions. However, the pillars of democracy in the United States are gradually crumbling apart as a result of two main gaps. One gap in the democrati...

Abortion and Environmental Issues are Healthcare Issues

22May

By Anya VedantambeNo Comments

Eco-STEM, Global News & Policy

Abortion and Environmental Issues are Healthcare Issues

By Anya Vedantambe When I, as a middle schooler who was living through a politically turbulent time in early 2020, heard rumors of a disease sweeping across the globe, I experienced mixed emotions. It was a disease and could of course shatter the lives of many–– but a tiny part of me was slightly grateful that the whole world would experience something, something that could draw us closer and possibly bridge political divides. 2020 me believed that disease and health issues could be the one thing that could bring the world together, because no one wanted to be sick. What happened over the course of the next two years shocked me. Mitigation strategies for the pandemic somehow became just as politicized as many of the other issues on which there were large partisan divides. Even now, in ...

SCOTUS and Climate Cases. Could they be overturned? What would be the harm in doing this?

22May

By Krish GuptaNo Comments

Global News & Policy

SCOTUS and Climate Cases. Could they be overturned? What would be the harm in doing this?

By Krish Gupta With the recent leak of the revised draft of Roe v. Wade, women all around the country have to worry about whether they will have the power to make decisions about their own bodies. It will soon be up to state governments to decide whether women can or cannot have abortions, which would control women even more than patriarchal governance already does. If the conservative Supreme Court can overturn such an important court case that affects people all across the country, what is stopping them from overturning other important cases? What if they overturn essential environmental decisions? Unfortunately, even before the overturning of Roe v. Wade became a possibility, necessary Supreme Court environmental cases mostly relating to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have...

One City Council at a Time: The Role of Local Leadership in Combating the Climate Crisis

1May

By Tara PrakashNo Comments

Global News & Policy

One City Council at a Time: The Role of Local Leadership in Combating the Climate Crisis

By Tara Prakash Mayors and city councils play crucial roles in combating the climate crisis — as the chief executive officers in a community, they direct the structure and focus of city councils, appointing and removing department heads as needed. Along with proposing, passing and ratifying laws, city councils represent the interests of their constituents by managing budgets and investigating local agencies when necessary. City councils are the central and chief policy-making bodies for their respective regions. For example, the D.C Council’s mission is “to provide strong, innovative and effective leadership for the benefit of residents across the city,” as stated on its website. By proposing and passing laws, city councils and mayors also serve as legislative bodies, ultimately cata...

16Apr

By William AshfordNo Comments

Global News & Policy

Corporate Lobbying Kills the Earth

By William Ashford Political lobbies are deeply ingrained in the American political system. From technology to pharmaceuticals, corporations and political action committees (PACs) strategically fund policymakers to bend their will into opposing progressive legislation, and in doing so, fighting public opinion. Despite overwhelming public support for policies included in legislation like Build Back Better, corporate bribing blocks favorable clean energy bills (Center for American Progress, 2021). In 2021, a staggering 60% of American voters supported the Green New Deal, and a mere 29% opposed it (Deiseroth and Blank, 2021). Despite this, the Senate defeated the bill, as all Republican senators voted in opposition along with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. This opp...

My Speech on a GreenSteps School Program and a Green New Deal

16Apr

By Curran NeelyNo Comments

Global News & Policy

My Speech on a GreenSteps School Program and a Green New Deal

By Curran Neely With catastrophic, human-caused climate change looming, we must invest in every way possible to mitigate its effects. The Minnesota GreenStep schools program offers a framework for educators, community members, non-profits, and government agencies to collaborate to combat the climate crisis, and promote healthy communities and sustainable economies. They provide a set of “best practices” for schools to follow and recognize schools that succeed in implementing environmentally-friendly changes. This program could help us significantly on our path to environmental and community sustainability, and has already been endorsed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Education, both the Minnesota Design Center and the Institute on the Environment a...