#and into marine conservation policy

[thatsleepymermaid]

I'm extra sad tonight. I know exactly why but I don't want to acknowledge it.

I came off my shift today and both my legs were in so much pain I waddled out. I had my mother drive me home because the fatigue was crushing. Currently, I'm working somewhere I absolutely love and don't want to leave, but dammit animal care is too taxing on my body.

I try to be clear of my limits but I don't even know my limits yet. It makes me nervous about summer research and graduate school.

Like, I really really tried to make the path towards a veterinarian work but it was clear to me in every clinic I assisted in (zoo, equine, small animal) that I wouldn't be accommodated properly due to understaffing*. I tried to make the path for a zookeeper or aquarist work but I fear it's too physically taxing on me now. I'm currently trying to make pure, hard research work but it's difficult when you don't have the academic connections needed to research vet med.

By all honesty I just want to know everything that's wrong with my body and if there's a way to manage it. Because I feel like I can be all I want to be once I get the pain and fatigue under control. Whether that's fully pursuing my PhD/DVM or something else. It's driving me crazy that I know there's at least something else in some other bodily system that my current meds aren't taking care of, but I don't even know where to start.

* Understaffing isn't the fault of the veterinarians or even the specific clinics but rather the field of veterinary medicine as a whole. It's a concerning trend that I don't think will get better in 5-7 years if I went to veterinary school right and planned to graduate in that time

[t-jfh]

Australia gains reprieve on threat to Great Barrier Reef World Heritage status.

By Mike Foley

The Age - August 1, 2023

Great Barrier Reef escapes 'in danger' recommendation ahead of UNESCO World Heritage decision

By the Specialist Reporting Team's Leonie Thorne, Penny Timms, Emilia Terzon and Evan Young

ABC News - 1 August 2023

Great Barrier Reef's first mass bleaching during La Niña season halts coral recovery.

AAP Australian Associated Press

ABC News - 9 August 2023

YouTube video >> Recovery has paused on the Great Barrier Reef - Marine Scientist Dr. Mike Emslie: AIMS (Australian Institute of Marine Science) annual summary update for 2023 [9 August 2023 / 3mins.+44secs.]:

Dr Mike Emslie says the Great Barrier Reef's recovery has paused.

Climate Change is the greatest threat to the Reef

In-water monitoring hard coral cover across the Great Barrier Reef remains at similar levels to that recorded in 2022, with small decreases in the Northern, Central and Southern regions.

AIMS' Annual Summary Report on Coral Reef Condition for 2022/23 (published 9th August 2023) found that while some reefs continued to recover, their increased hard coral cover was offset by coral loss on other reefs.

Most reefs underwent little change in coral cover.

The pauses in recovery in the Northern and Central regions were due in part to the 2022 mass coral bleaching event. Low numbers of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish and a cyclone in January 2022 also contributed to coral loss in the Northern region.

Continued crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and coral disease kept coral cover similar to last year's levels in the Southern region, with bleaching playing less of a role.

Read the report: https://www.aims.gov.au/monitoring-great-barrier-reef/gbr-condition-summary-2022-23

More about the AIMS Long-Term Monitoring Program: https://www.aims.gov.au/research-topics/monitoring-and-discovery/monitoring-great-barrier-reef/long-term-monitoring-program

YouTube video >> Monitoring the Great Barrier Reef - AIMS Coral Reef Ecologist Kate Osborne [25 July 2022 / 3mins.+52secs.]:

Monitoring the Great Barrier Reef

Not only is the Great Barrier Reef big, it is also diverse and dynamic.

For more than 35 years, the Australian Institute of Marine Science's Long-Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) has been dedicated to measuring its coral reef habitats to understand how surveyed reefs are responding to disturbances, such as severe cyclones, outbreaks of coral eating starfish and coral bleaching.

The LTMP provides an invaluable record of change on coral communities across the Great Barrier Reef.

To learn more, visit: https://www.aims.gov.au/research-topics/monitoring-and-discovery/monitoring-great-barrier-reef

[reasonsforhope]

"Mexico’s government recently announced the creation of 20 new protected areas across 12 states and two coastal areas in the country, covering roughly 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres). This follows a series of budget cuts to the nation’s environmental agencies.

Officials introduced four new national parks, four “flora and fauna protection areas,” seven sanctuaries, two biosphere reserves and three “natural resources protection areas” under the protection of the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP).

“This is a commendable step toward biodiversity conservation and environmental protection,” said Gina Chacón, director of the Wildland Network’s public policy program in Mexico. She told Mongabay these new areas will help preserve the country’s rich ecosystems, foster sustainable practices and protect a broad range of important species and habitats. Though some environmental and Indigenous groups are wary the budget cuts could hinder efforts to conserve these areas.

The newly protected areas will preserve habitat and ecologically important marine areas for various species, including whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), Mexican prairie dogs (Cynomys mexicanus) and jaguars (Panthera onca). They will also help safeguard ecologically important coral reefs and areas of cultural significance to Indigenous communities.

Bajos del Norte, a new national park in the Gulf of Mexico, is the largest new protected area, covering 1,304,114 hectares (3,222,535 acres), almost nine times the size of Mexico City. The area is important to the more than 3,000 families that belong to fishing communities on the Yucatán coast. It is also one of the main grouper fish (Epinephelinae) reproduction sites in the Gulf of Mexico and will safeguard threatened species, such as the rocky star coral (Orbicella annularis) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).

Joaquín Núñez Medrano, the secretary of the UEFAHG or Union of Forestry and Agricultural Ejidos Hermenegildo Galeana A.C. (Unión de Ejidos Forestales y Agropecuarios Hermenegildo Galeana), lives in an ejido — a type of communally owned land used for agriculture and forestry purposes — called Cordòn Grande in Sierra Grande of Guerrero, along the Pacific Coast. For more than 10 years, Medrano’s community has monitored species such as the jaguar and sustainably managed the ejido’s natural resources, without government assistance.

But now, the ejido has been designated a protected area in this latest round of decrees, as it falls inside part of the new Sierra Tecuani reserve. “The goal is to strengthen what we have already been doing but with support to do it much better,” he told Mongabay.

The second- and third-largest newly protected areas are Sierra Tecuani, a 348,140-hectare (860,272-acre) biosphere reserve threatened by illegal logging, forest fires and land use changes, and the Semidesierto Zacatecas Flora and Fauna Protection Area, which is important for the recovery of the Mexican prairie dog.

The state of Oaxaca is where the government created the most new protected areas, numbering three: the 90-hectare (222-acre) Playa Morro Ayuta Sanctuary, the 56-hectare (138-acre) Barra de la Cruz-Playa Grande Sanctuary and the 261-hectare (645-acre) Playa Cahuitán Sanctuary. Other protected areas were created in the states of Quintana Roo, Veracruz, Campeche, Nayarit, Zacatecas, Chiapas, Colima, Durango, Jalisco, Chihuahua, Guerrero and the State of Mexico...

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has protected more areas than any previous administration, with a total of 43 new areas across 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres). But Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), which works to safeguard the environment, has become severely cash-strapped throughout his six-year term.

SEMARNAT is one of many sectors in Mexico undergoing funding cuts. In recent years, Obrador’s government has implemented a series of strict austerity measures to free up more money for other areas like pensions and wages, boosting the leader’s popularity among citizens, particularly the working-class. Judicial workers, health services and academia have also had their budgets slashed in 2024...

Juan Bezaury-Creel, the director of the organization Fundación BD BioDiversidad Mexicana, said a protected area is better than no protected area because, once a decree is formalized, the government has a duty to protect it. However, this puts “huge pressure on existing personnel because they have to take care of more surface area with less resources,” he told Mongabay.

“The personnel from CONANP are heroic,” he said. “They are putting their lives on the line many times with little budget and little help.”"

-via Mongabay, January 25, 2024

[montereybayaquarium]

🎉Happy World Ocean Day! We’ve got some good news to share!🎉

Some of California’s most important coastal habitats—kelp forests, eelgrass meadows, and oyster beds—are being protected and restored! A bill (AB1407) authored by Assemblymember Dawn Addis and co-sponsored by the Aquarium and The Nature Conservancy is moving ahead! …but what does that mean? 🤔

Kelp, eelgrass, and oyster beds—oh my!—are homes for animals, strengthen coasts against storms, and even capture carbon dioxide. They’re basically superheroes of the sea. 🦸🏽‍♀️🌊

But these heroic homes are under attack! Our terrific trio are threatened by sinister super villains like pollution, overharvesting, climate change, and habitat loss. 🦹🏽

Yet there’s hope! A massive coastal restoration policy is being proposed for approval and it’ll set goals to conserve and rebuild these excellent ecosystems. Supporting policy to protect the ocean means that together we can be heroes and ensure a healthy future for sea life and future generations of marine stewards. 🌊💙🌊

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A group of Canadian conservationists says it has launched a legal challenge against Ottawa's $2 billion plan for an expanded container terminal in Delta, B.C.

The David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the Wilderness Committee say they have filed an application for a judicial review in federal court under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. 

"The federal government has failed Canadians by approving this new terminal. Their own environmental review showed this project could condemn southern resident killer whales, and the chinook salmon they depend on, to extinction," said Jeffery Young, senior science and policy analyst for the David Suzuki Foundation.

The 2020 report by a federal review panel found a new terminal would result in the destruction of the protected killer whale's critical habitat.

But in April, Ottawa announced it had approved the expansion plans — which would see an additional 2.4 million 20-foot shipping containers go through the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 each year — saying the move will open up Canada's throttled marine supply chain. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[eaglesnick]

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

We know Rishi Sunak would rather he and his cronies made even more money than they already have than save the planet. Even those within the Conservative party acknowledge this fact, and this was BEFORE Sunak decided to issue hundreds of new licenses for oil and gas extraction from the North Sea, or scrap clean air policies for our cities.

“Goldsmith says Sunak is apathetic about the environment. It’s Hard to disagree. Evidence suggests PM has done little to advance green issues and is allowing the UK to fall behind in climate fight.” (Guardian: 30/06/23)

Are people really going to vote for a man who has allowed our waterways and beaches to become polluted by raw sewage? This was a headline from the Mirror newspaper only yesterday:

“Sewage pours into conservation sites including Lake District for 300,000 hours.” (Mirror: 31/07/23)

Back in January the BBC reported this warning from MP’s to Rishi Sunak:

“England's rivers are contaminated by a "chemical cocktail" of sewage, agriculture and road pollution,,,  Microplastics, slurry, car tyre particles, oils and wet wipes are all part of the problem, they said. No English river free of pollution, MPs warn.” (BBC News: 13/01/23)

Clearly, Sunak couldn’t care less as he is advocating more car use, more gas and oil exploration, and has given the privately owned water companies until 2050, to clean up our waterways and coast line.

Even if you are still sceptical about global warming and the lethal consequences this could have for our planet , everyone should care about our rivers and beaches. Two years ago, it was reported “Britain’s rivers are suffocating to death" and that “water pollution (was) causing death by a thousand cuts for rivers”.

In Whitby, there have been “unprecedented levels of crab, lobsters, coral and seabirds…dying on the northeast coast”. (Guardian 10/02/23, while in Kent, Whitstable’s world famous oyster beds are being threatened with extinction from repeated raw sewage discharges into the sea.

“Sewage spills threaten to “wipe out” Whitstable oyster farmers” (The Times: 11/04/23)

Sunak is not interested in you or me. He couldn’t care less about contaminated water, be it inland rivers and lakes or our beaches. He doesn’t care if the waters around our coast are contaminated and dangerous to health, be that human health of the health of marine animals. He doesn’t care for our coastal fisheries or the businesses than make their living from marine farming.

Sunak, a multi-millionaire with a bolthole in sunny California, doesn’t have to live with the consequences of his short-sighted and environmentally damaging actions. It wont be his children paddling in raw sewage. It wont be his children swimming in poisoned waters. It wont be his children who are forced to breathe in polluted air day after day because he has scrapped his own clean air policies. Mr Sunak is an unelected multi-millionaire whose only concern is to make more money for himself and his rich friends. If that means trashing the environment in the process, then so be it – he doesn’t have to live with the consequences. Unfortunately, you and I, and our children and grand children, do.

[rabbitcruiser]

Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Marine Mammal Rescue Day is celebrated on April 27 annually. It is a holiday initiative by the state of California’s Senate. This day honors the people who have made a positive difference in the lives of marine mammals, such as wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and animal care specialists. It is also a day to consider our individual contributions to climate change that affect marine mammals’ lives. For the west coast, spring is the peak of animal rescue season owing to disease and famine. Action is conducted by marine mammal rescue organizations.

History of Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Toni Atkins, a California State Senator, passed the bill that designates April 27 as Marine Mammal Rescue Day. The celebration began in 2017. Gratitude is also given to the Marine Mammal Stranding Network for its continued dedication to the rescue, rehabilitation, and return of creatures stranded off the coast of California. The Marine Mammal Rescue Day celebration may be fairly recent, but the work of these marine mammal rescues has been in existence for far longer.

In 1975, The Marine Mammal Center (T.M.M.C.), formerly known as The California Marine Mammal Center, a private and non-profit organization based in the United States was founded to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured, ill, or abandoned marine animals. Lloyd Smalley, Pat Arrigoni, and Paul Maxwell created it in Sausalito, California. T.M.M.C. has rescued nearly 23,000 marine mammals since 1975. It also acts as a research and education facility for marine animals such as whales, dolphins, pinnipeds (seals, walruses, and sea lions), otters, manatees, and dugongs.

Many water species require medical assistance due to illness or damage. Polluted waters, marine trash, and illegal fishing gears injure and kill aquatic life in general. The ocean has been polluted and tainted as a result of human acts and inaction. The waters have warmed as a result of climate change, and the patterns in which fish swim have changed. Young marine mammals are frequently unable to travel long distances or dive deep enough to get the food they require. All types of aquatic life are harmed by illegal fishing gear, pollution, and garbage. This is where aquatic mammal rescuers and specialists come in, devoting their time, energy, and resources to safeguard the safety of the marine life that we all should care about.

Marine Mammal Rescue Day timeline

1972

Marine Mammal Protection Act

President Richard Nixon signs the Marine Mammal Protection Act (M.M.P.A.) into law, establishing a national policy.

1975

The Marine Mammal Center

The Marine Mammal Center (T.M.M.C.), a private and non-profit organization based in the United States, is founded.

1992

Foundation for Marine Animal Husbandry

The Foundation for Marine Animal Husbandry, a nonprofit organization in Florida, opens.

2017

Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Toni Atkins, a California State Senator, creates Marine Mammal Rescue Day through a bill.

Marine Mammal Rescue Day FAQs

What are baby whales called?

Baby whales are referred to as ‘calves.’

What are the kinds of marine mammals?

Cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, and marine fissipeds are the four taxonomic groups that make up marine mammals.

Do dolphins lay eggs?

Dolphins are mammals. Thus, they do not lay eggs. Instead, they give live birth to their young.

How to Observe Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Simple steps to improve your actions to assist in reducing marine body pollution can make a tremendous difference. Reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. Single-use plastic should be avoided and other trash should be disposed of sustainably.

Learn about ocean conservation: Learn as much as you can about ocean conservation. Discover what it entails and how you can help. Know about ocean conservation organizations and consider donating to support their objectives.

Volunteer yourself: Make yourself available to help marine conservation charities. Joining and volunteering with beach cleanup is one of many ways to do so. It may not seem like much but if everyone performed their modest part, we could have a significant influence collectively.

5 Interesting Facts About Marine Mammals

Sea otters have deft hands: Sea otters have deft hands for smashing sea urchins off rocks.

Sleeping with one eye open: Dolphins only sleep with one half of their brain and one eye closed at a time.

Semi-aquatic creatures: Sea lions are semi-aquatic creatures.

Penguin proposal: During mating season, several species of male penguins "propose" to their lady with a pebble.

Elephant relatives: Manatees are related to elephants and have more in common with them than they do with dolphins or whales.

Why Marine Mammal Rescue Day is Important

Human and marine life interaction: Whale watching benefits local economies in a variety of ways. According to studies, people can derive economic benefits from simply knowing that marine mammals are present and healthy even if they are unable to see them.

Marine mammal protection: The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects all 125 species of marine mammals that live in American waters. This makes it illegal to harm a marine mammal in any way that would interfere with its normal behavior.

It promotes a healthy ocean ecosystem: Maintaining the equilibrium of marine ecosystems requires robust marine mammal populations. Reduced numbers of whales, dolphins, or seals can have unpredictably negative consequences for other key species such as fish, birds, and invertebrates.

Source

[panicinthestudio]

Best Of: A Powerful Theory of Why the Far Right Is Thriving Across the Globe, March 31,2023

In last November's midterm elections, voters placed the Republican Party in charge of the House of Representatives. In 2024, it’s very possible that Republicans will take over the Senate as well and voters will elect Donald Trump — or someone like him — as president.  But the United States isn’t alone in this regard. Over the course of 2022, Italy elected a far-right prime minister from a party with Fascist roots; a party founded by neo-Nazis and skinheads won the second-highest number of seats in Sweden’s Parliament; Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party in Hungary won its fourth consecutive election by a landslide; Marine Le Pen won 41 percent of the vote in the final round of France’s presidential elections; and Jair Bolsonaro came dangerously close to winning re-election in Brazil. Why are these populist uprisings happening simultaneously, in countries with such diverse cultures, economies and political systems? Pippa Norris is a political scientist at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where she has taught for three decades. In that time, she’s written dozens of books on topics ranging from comparative political institutions to right-wing parties and the decline of religion. And in 2019 she and Ronald Inglehart published “Cultural Backlash: Trump, Brexit and Authoritarian Populism (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/... which gives the best explanation of the far right’s rise that I’ve read. In this conversation, taped in November 2022, we discuss what Norris calls the “silent revolution in cultural values” that has occurred across advanced democracies in recent decades, why the best predictor of support for populist parties is the generation people were born into, why the “transgressive aesthetic” of leaders like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro is so central to their appeal, how demographic and cultural “tipping points” have produced conservative backlashes across the globe, the difference between “demand-side” and “supply-side” theories of populist uprising, the role that economic anxiety and insecurity play in fueling right-wing backlashes, why delivering economic benefits might not be enough for mainstream leaders to stave off populist challenges and more.

Mentioned:

Sacred and Secular (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/...) by Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart

“Exploring drivers of vote choice and policy positions among the American electorate (https://perryundem.com/wp-content/upl...

Book Recommendations:

Popular Dictatorships (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/...) by Aleksandar Matovski

Spin Dictators (https://press.princeton.edu/books/har...) by Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman

The Origins of Totalitarianism (https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-orig...) by Hannah Arendt

The Ezra Klein Show, New York Times Podcasts

[notwiselybuttoowell]

In a significant win for the Puyallup Tribe, Puget Sound residents, and health and conservation groups who had opposed an expansion of a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in Tacoma, Puget Sound Energy announced that it is abandoning its permit from the City of Tacoma for the project.

While the LNG terminal has been operational since February 2022, the proposed expansion would have allowed new vessels and “bunkering barges” to load LNG to power their own ships or to transfer fuel to other ships. This risky new use of the terminal would have significantly altered the activities allowed at the terminal, essentially allowing LNG barges to act like floating gas stations, refueling other ships in the Salish Sea and beyond.

Because the City of Tacoma processed the project as a permit “revision” rather than a new permit, there was no public process or environmental review. Many Tacoma residents and Puyallup tribal members were unaware of the project until after it had been approved. Tribal members and residents expressed concerns about increased safety, health, environmental, cultural and climate impacts that would result from the expansion.

The appeals filed in December by the Tribe and Earthjustice argued that the city’s authorization violated the Shorelines Management Act, Tacoma’s city code, and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act.

This is good news, though I've always been appalled that it was approved and built in the first place. But I'll certainly take it, and be doubly glad that it was followed a few days later by the biden administration "pausing" the construction of any other new facilities (though again, not the best case scenario, is it?)

[mariacallous]

With the radical right Reform party planning to run candidates in all seats at the next UK election, and Trump’s best British friend, Nigel Farage, hinting he may return to politics to help it, everyone agrees that the Conservatives may face an electoral wipeout. The nerds among you will know about how the first-past-the-post system went haywire in the 1993 Canadian election when the ruling conservative party was reduced to just two seats. A radical-right rival split the vote, and a collapse followed. The same just might happen in the UK in 2024.

But hold on a minute. The conventional narrative for the next election already feels false, and the campaign has not even started yet.

How can there be a threat to the Conservatives from the radical right when the Conservatives have given a decent impression of being a radical right party for close to a decade now?

Let me count the ways

They have taken their country out of the European Union, a policy so extreme not even Marine le Pen or Viktor Orban will imitate it.

They won the 2019 general election by taking the vote of the Brexit party, Farage’s previous vehicle, with the promise of a hard Brexit.

They slashed the public sector. They let Liz Truss turn the country into a laboratory for Reaganite economics.

How can anyone say the trouble with the Conservatives is that they have not been right-wing enough?

And yet the radical right is saying that. Partly it is the failure of Brexit to end mass immigration. More than that, I believe, we are witnessing among politicians right-wing journalists and intellectuals a frankly cowardly and dishonest move to distance themselves from the reality of Conservatism in power.

To analyse where the UK and Western right is heading, I was joined on the Lowdown by Rob Ford, professor of politics at Manchester University. There is no person better qualified for the task. With his co-author Matt Goodwin (of whom more later) he wrote Revolt on the Right the first book to take the new radical right seriously.

He began our conversation by making an important distinction, which settled a question that had been bothering me. Conservatives make a good point when they say that leftists call everything they don’t like fascist/far right/racist. And yet we have movements far to the right of conservatives of the late 20th century, and they need naming.

Usefully Ford calls politicians and movements that, whatever their policies, respect democratic norms radical right, but those that threaten democracy far right. On this reading Donald Trump began as a radical right politician and became a far-right leader when he tried to overturn the 2020 US presidential election result.

We talk about

How and why, if Farage comes back, Reform could do serious damage to the already battered Conservative party.

How radical-right ideas are now mainstream Conservative policies – nationalism, anti-Europeanism, a belief in a pure people and a hatred of all elites other than right-wing elites.

How the best means for Farage to win influence over the Conservative party in 2025 is to show how badly he can hurt it in 2024.

We finished by looking at Rob’s former collaborator, Matt Goodwin, who stared into the abyss of radical right politics for too long and found the abyss staring back into him. The academic who studied Farage is now a radical right hustler and agitator who wishes to emulate Farage . Goodwin is building up his monetary base on Substack and his media profile as a national conservative talking head on the BBC.

Earlier this year when Goodwin wrote a book on how “Britain is in the grip of a new elite” I gave him a proper polemical going over on this site. You can read it below (there’s a free trial for non-subscribers).

Slobbery and Sycophancy: the case of Matt Goodwin

I first came across the professor of politics at Kent University in 2018, when Matt Goodwin compiled a list of journalists guilty of disparaging the millions who voted to leave the EU in 2016. I had, apparently, greeted their democratic choice by saying that it was as if the “sewers have burst”.

Odd, I thought, I don’t remember denigrating Brexit voters in those terms. I Googled myself and discovered the sly professor had pulled a move ideally suited to the propaganda needs of a conservative elite that poses as the people’s dearest friend.

In June 2016,  I described how Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings had begun their Brexit campaign with a solemn promise that they would never play the race card. We do “not need to focus on immigration,” Cummings said. The essential task for his respectable leave campaign was not to incite fears of foreigners, but “to neutralise the fear that leaving may be bad for jobs and living standards.”

His high-mindedness didn’t last. As referendum day approached, Gove, Johnson and Cummings decided to pull whatever trick they could to get over the line. The race card was a winning card, they decided. They switched to issuing the fake news that 76 million (mainly Muslim)  Turks could head our way if we didn’t leave.   

Looking at their breach of promise and incitement of fear, I said “it is as if the sewers have burst.”

I told Goodwin on Twitter that he was confusing my criticism of the powerful with criticism of the powerless. He ignored me. I realised then that the professor did not abide by the normal academic standards of accuracy but was, when it came down to it, a bit of a slob. And not just any old slob but a sycophantic slob, who slobbered all over the powerful. 

Any student of politics, let alone an actual professor of politics, ought to be able to see through the trick he pulls.

Democracy depends on holding the powerful to account so that an informed electorate can judge them. But in the professor’s formulation, criticising Boris Johnson and Michael Gove meant criticising the people who voted for them. Performing your democratic duty became anti-democratic; holding the elite to account became elitist.

By this logic, complaints about a corporation become complaints about its customers, and complaints about a newspaper baron become complaints about its readers. Indeed, you can practice the Goodwin manoeuvre on any prominent person or institution. Criticism of Keir Starmer must surely be an attack on the millions who vote Labour. Attacks on James O’Brien can only reveal elite disdain for the hundreds of thousands of ordinary folk who make up his talk-show audience. As for condemning BBC managers… Take that silver spoon out of your pouting mouth, posh boy. Nothing better reveals the snobbish contempt of ivory tower elitists than that moment when they look down their dainty noses at the plebs who find simple pleasure in watching the Antiques Roadshow.

Oh, hold on a minute. You can’t say that. In an unfact-checked piece for the Sunday Times,  Goodwin lambasts Starmer, O’Brien, and BBC managers as leaders of a new elite that in terms of attitude and background often live “in a galaxy of its own.” He takes drive-by shots at Stephen Bush and Afua Hirsch, who are among the handful of national newspaper columnists from ethnic minority backgrounds. Their prominence, such as it is, shows that while the new elite “lecture us endlessly about diversity, when it comes to the class, education and values of people who work in them, they are really not diverse at all.” I don’t know about Hirsch’s background, but Bush was raised by a single mother in a tower block, and makes an unlikely woke aristo.

Goodwin condemns me, again, and tells the Sunday Times that along with Laurie Penny and Matthew d'Ancona, I described “leavers as thickos, racists, bigots or far-right extremists.” Would we “tolerate this kind of prejudice were it directed towards any other group in society” he demanded.

I had, as I have already mentioned, criticised a breach of promise by Johnson (a cabinet minister and future prime minister), Cummings (who would be his chief of staff) and Gove (another cabinet minister). Free societies must “tolerate this kind of prejudice” against the powerful if they wish to stay free.

I hope you can now see how the Goodwin manoeuvre works.  Oppose conservatives, and you are an enemy of the people. Oppose liberals and you are people’s friend. Heads Goodwins, tails you lose.

I won’t detain you with the obvious objections that the Conservatives have been in power for as long as anyone can remember, and any analysis of elites that excludes the actual government of the country is partial – to put the case against Goodwin at its kindest. And I am sure you have already noticed that Sir Keir Starmer, whom Goodwin thinks lives in a woke galaxy far, far away, looks set to win the popular vote at the next election.

You can certainly argue that there is a deadening ideological conformity in parts of the arts, liberal media, and publishing that is often brutally enforced. Suzanne Moore was driven out of the Guardian and Kathleen Stock was driven out of Sussex University because they were gender-critical feminists. London publishers effectively ban books that contradict progressive orthodoxy. I am not denying the existence of authoritarianism and neuroticism in wokish culture. Nor do I reject the argument of Ed West who can often seem the last thoughtful Conservative in England, that people consistently think that they must pretend to be more progressive than they really are, if they want to get ahead in the public, cultural and charitable sectors. This ability to impose ideological conformity is certainly redolent of a version of elite power.

The question remains: what do conservatives want to do about it? They might offer a generous vision of politics, which forswore the witch hunts and viciousness of the worst of the left. They might offer a more tolerant and less condemnatory culture. They would be surprised how many people might vote for them if they did.  

There is no chance of that happening. None whatsoever. The dominant forces on the right, in the Tory press and think tanks, and among Tory donors, want a cancel culture of their own.  The nature of today’s right-wing elite demands it.

Among Goodwin’s many failures is his inability to understand how the right in which he moves has shifted. He talks as if it is a continuation of England’s old ruling class “defined by its wealth, inherited titles, estates, small-c cultural values and, often, its lack of university education.”

He cannot see, or does not want to see that the globalisation of capital has changed the Tories irreversibly. There are no great British business tycoons influencing their policy, because most of the corporations operating in the UK aren’t British firms but multinationals, which can always move to the USA or India – as, indeed, can Rishi Sunak. The party is dominated by the concerns of the elderly now, and funded by hobbyist oligarchs, who don’t represent a coherent business interest, but see politics as a means of silencing the banshees who wake them in the small hours of the night.

In 2016, Cummings wanted to “neutralise” the fear that Brexit would weaken the economy. But, of course, it did weaken the economy, and was always going to weaken it, which is why a right-wing party that had any organic connection to the business interest would never have left the EU.  Equally, it would never have allowed Liz Truss to panic the bond markets either.

Conservative voters once believed in national sovereignty, but the failure of Brexit destroyed that dream. They believed in low taxes and a small state, but Truss did for that as well.

The dead ends the Tory party has led the UK down mean that Goodwin’s culture war is not just the only war the right wants to fight. It is the only war it can fight. Prepare to hold your nose. It will be as if the sewers have burst.

[earaercircular]

Pula wins world’s first Friend of the Sea Sustainable City Award

The efforts and initiatives of the Croatian city of Pula to preserve its marine environment and species have been recognised by Friend of the Sea[1], a project of the World Sustainability Organisation (WSO)[2]. Pula has become the world’s first winner of the Friend of the Sea Sustainable City Award[3], which aims to promote sustainable practices and the protection of marine ecosystems.

The award handed by the Friend of the Sea project praises Pula’s efforts to preserve the environment and improve its citizens’ quality of life by embracing sustainable solutions, according to a press release from the WSO.

“We recognize the city of Pula’s impressive record in adopting sustainable practices and marine conservation initiatives. For this reason, we decided to award it with the Friend of the Sea placard”, said Paolo Bray, founder and director of the WSO, which promotes sustainable practices through its two main certification programs – Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

Pula is also among the 100 most sustainable destinations in the world, which demonstrates its ability to work with all stakeholders, particularly environmentally conscious companies, individuals, and associations committed to adopting sustainability, according to the statement.

The sustainability initiatives that Pula has implemented so far include establishing and improving a waste management system, implementing a green model of storm water drainage, and introducing eco-buses that use compressed natural gas, as well as electric bicycles and electric scooters in its public transportation system. It also plans to co-finance the purchase of energy-saving devices and the installation of solar panels.

In June this year, the Pula Aquarium received the Sustainable Aquarium certification from Friend of the Sea for its contribution to promoting environmental policies and animal welfare. At the award ceremony, a sea turtle rehabilitated in the Aquarium’s Rescue Center was released into the sea.

The turtle was released at Pula’s Ambrela Beach, which is in final stages of the certification process to receive the Friend of the Sea Sustainable Beaches[4] label, the WSO said in the statement, adding that the requirements include the absence of disposable plastic, water quality, and respect for the natural ecosystem.

In addition to the already implemented activities, the city of Pula plans to introduce other environmentally friendly measures such as co-financing the purchase of energy-saving devices and the installation of solar panels.

Source

Pula wins world’s first Friend of the Sea Sustainable City Award, in: Balkan Green Energy News, 13-10-2022, https://balkangreenenergynews.com/pula-wins-worlds-first-friend-of-the-sea-sustainable-city-award/

[1] Friend of the Sea is currently a project of the World Sustainability Organization, an international NGO whose mission is to promote environmental conservation. Friend of the Sea has become the leading certification standard for products and services which respect and protect the marine environment. The certification awards sustainable practices in Fisheries, Aquaculture, Fishmeal and Omega 3 Fish Oil. Friend of the Sea also promotes pilot projects related to restaurants, sustainable shipping, whale and dolphin-watching, aquaria, ornamental fish, UV creams and others. https://friendofthesea.org/friend-of-the-sea/

[2] WSO is the only organization proposing two consumer friendly logos which can potentially certify sustainability for the whole food range (seafood and agro) as well as non-food products and services. WSO delivers the certifications based on 30 years’ experience in the field, in full independence and by mean of audits of accredited certification bodies. https://www.wsogroup.org/

[3] https://friendofthesea.org/the-city-of-pula-receives-the-first-friend-of-the-sea-sustainable-award-for-its-merits-in-showcasing-sustainability-and-environmental-awareness/

[4] https://friendofthesea.org/sustainable-standards-and-certifications/sustainable-beach/

[kp777]

By Julia Conley

Common Dreams

Sept. 29, 2023

"End Fossil Fuels is pretty clear," said one advocate. "Not 'hold slightly fewer lease sales,' not 'talk about climate action'—End. Fossil. Fuels."

Rejecting the corporate media's narrative that U.S. President Joe Biden's newly-released offshore drilling plan includes the "fewest-ever" drilling leases, dozens of climate action and marine conservation groups on Friday said the president had "missed an easy opportunity to do the right thing" and follow through on his campaign promise to end all lease sales for oil and gas extraction in the nation's waters.

The U.S. Interior Department announced Friday its five-year plan for the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, including three new areas in the Gulf of Mexico where fossil fuel companies will be permitted to drill.

Biden promised "no new drilling, period" as a presidential candidate, and the plan was announced six months after climate advocates were incensed by the administration's approval of the Willow oil drilling project in Alaska.

The new leases will be added to more than 9,000 drilling leases that have already been sold, and is "incompatible with reaching President Biden’s goal of cutting emissions by 50-52% by 2030," said the Protect All Our Coasts Coalition, citing the findings of Biden's own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Office of Atmospheric Protection earlier this year.

While the final plan scales back from the eleven sales that were originally proposed, said the coalition, "the plan is a step backwards from the climate goals the administration has set and for environmental justice communities across the Gulf South, who are already experiencing the disproportionate impact of fossil fuel extraction across the region."

The coalition includes the Port Arthur Community Action Network, which has called attention to the risks posed to public health in the Gulf region by continued fossil fuel extraction.

"Folks in Port Arthur, Texas die daily from cancer, respiratory, heart, and kidney disease from the very pollution that would come from more leases and drilling," said John Beard, the founder, president, and executive director of the group. "If Biden is to truly be the environmental president, he should stop any further leasing and all forms of the petrochemical build-out, call for a climate emergency, and jumpstart the transition to clean green, renewable energy, and lift the toxic pollution from overburdened communities."

Kendall Dix, national policy director of Taproot Earth, dismissed political think tanks that applauded the "historically few lease sales" on Friday.

"The earth does not recognize political 'victories,'" said Dix, pointing to an intrusion of saltwater in South Louisiana's drinking water in recent weeks, which has been exacerbated by the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis.

"As the head of the United Nations and has said, continued fossils fuel development is incompatible with human survival," he added. "We need to transition to justly sourced renewable energy that's democratically managed and accountable to frontline communities as quickly as possible."

Along with groups in the Gulf region, national organizations on Friday condemned a plan that they said blatantly ignores the repeated warnings of international energy experts and the world's top climate scientists who say no new fossil fuel expansion is compatible with a pathway to limiting planetary heating to 1.5°C.

"Sacrificing millions of acres in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas extraction when scientists are clear that we must end fossil fuel expansion immediately is a gross denial of reality by Joe Biden in the face of climate catastrophe," said Collin Rees, United States program manager at Oil Change International. "Doubling down on drilling is a direct violation of President Biden's prior commitments and continues a concerning trend."

Rees noted that 75,000 people marched in New York City last week to demand that Biden declare a climate emergency and end support for any new fossil fuel extraction projects.

"End Fossil Fuels is pretty clear," said Rees, referring to campaigners' rallying cry. "Not 'hold slightly fewer lease sales,' not 'talk about climate action'—End. Fossil. Fuels."

Despite Biden's campaign promises, Rees noted, the U.S. is currently "on track to expand fossil fuel production more than any other country by 2050."

"I feel disgusted and incredibly let down by Biden's offshore drilling plan. It piles more harm on already-struggling ecosystems, endangered species and the global climate," said Brady Bradshaw, senior oceans campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity, another member of the Protect All Our Coasts Coalition. "We need Biden to commit to a fossil fuel phaseout, but actions like this condemn us to oil spills, climate disasters, and decades of toxic harm to communities and wildlife."

The lease sales, said Sarah Winter Whelan of the Healthy Ocean Coalition, also represent a missed opportunity by the administration to treat the world's oceans "as a climate solution, not a source for further climate disaster."

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, negotiated by the White House last year, the government is required to offer at least 60 million acres of offshore gas and oil leases before developing new wind power projects of similar scope.

"A single new lease sale for offshore oil and gas exploration is one too many," said Whelan. "Communities around the country are already dealing with exacerbating impacts from climate disruption caused by our reliance on fossil fuels. Any increase in our dependence on fossil fuels just bakes in greater impacts to humanity."

Gulf communities, added Beard, "refuse to be sacrificed" for fossil fuel profits.

"We say enough is enough," he said.

[musingsofmine-em]

Sustainable Travel in the Maldives

The Maldives, a picturesque island nation in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty and vibrant marine life. However, as tourism flourishes, the delicate ecosystems of this island paradise face unprecedented challenges. To ensure that future generations can experience the Maldives' wonders, sustainable travel practices are essential. 

The Maldives boasts a unique ecosystem that includes vibrant coral reefs, lush mangroves, and diverse marine species. However, factors like climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing pose severe threats to the ecological balance. Initiatives to combat these challenges are crucial to preserving the natural wonders that attract tourists from around the globe.

Eco-Friendly Resorts

A growing number of resorts in the Maldives have embraced eco-friendly practices to reduce their environmental impact. From renewable energy sources to eco-conscious construction materials, these resorts aim to harmonize luxurious travel experiences with nature preservation.

Many resorts like Holiday Inn Kandooma Maldives have invested in eco-friendly infrastructure and green technologies, where the resort harnesses solar energy to power its facilities, reducing its carbon footprint and reliance on conventional energy sources.

Marine Conservation Efforts

The Maldives takes significant strides in protecting its marine environment. Government-led conservation projects, such as the creation of marine protected areas and coral reef restoration programs, play a pivotal role in safeguarding the underwater wonders.

Responsible Wildlife Encounters

Encountering the Maldives' exotic water life is an enchanting experience for travellers. However, it is essential to engage in responsible wildlife tourism to minimize disturbances and protect the natural habitats of these creatures.

Community-Based Tourism

Community-based tourism initiatives empower local communities by involving them in the tourism industry. These projects promote cultural preservation and generate income for the residents, reducing their reliance on practices that harm the environment.

Sustainable Dining

Culinary experiences play a vital role in the travel industry. Sustainable dining practices, such as sourcing locally grown produce and supporting eco-conscious restaurants, contribute to the overall sustainability of the destination.

Plastic-Free Initiatives

Plastic pollution is a global concern, and the Maldives is taking steps to address it. Many resorts have adopted plastic-free policies, and initiatives to reduce single-use plastics are gaining momentum throughout the islands.

Education and Awareness

Raising awareness among tourists about the importance of sustainable travel is critical. Educational programs and initiatives that promote environmentally friendly behaviour help visitors become active participants in preserving the Maldivian paradise.

Responsible Diving and Snorkelling

Diving and snorkelling are among the most sought-after water activities in the Maldives. Encouraging responsible diving practices, such as not touching or disturbing marine life, is essential for protecting the delicate underwater ecosystems.

Supporting Local Conservation Organizations

Various non-profit organizations in the Maldives work tirelessly to preserve the environment and wildlife. By supporting these initiatives, travellers can actively contribute to the conservation efforts.

The Maldives, with its awe-inspiring beauty and abundant marine life, stands as a beacon for sustainable travel practices. By promoting local community-based tourism and preserving Maldivian cultural heritage, Holiday Inn Kandooma contributes to the preservation of this paradise for future generations. 

[environmentday]

Comprehensive global database of marine and terrestrial protected areas.

The World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global database of marine and terrestrial protected areas, updated on a monthly basis, and is one of the key global biodiversity data sets being widely used by scientists, businesses, governments, International secretariats and others to inform planning, policy decisions and management. The WDPA is a joint project between United Nations Environment Programme and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The compilation and management of the WDPA is carried out by United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), in collaboration with governments, non-governmental organisations, academia and industry. There are monthly updates of the data which are made available online through the Protected Planet website where the data is both viewable and downloadable. Data and information on the world's protected areas compiled in the WDPA are used for reporting to the Convention on Biological Diversity on progress towards reaching the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (particularly Target 11), to the UN to track progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, to some of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) core indicators, and other international assessments and reports including the Global Biodiversity Outlook, as well as for the publication of the United Nations List of Protected Areas. Every two years, UNEP-WCMC releases the Protected Planet Report on the status of the world's protected areas and recommendations on how to meet international goals and targets. Many platforms are incorporating the WDPA to provide integrated information to diverse users, including businesses and governments, in a range of sectors including mining, oil and gas, and finance. For example, the WDPA is included in the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool, an innovative decision support tool that gives users easy access to up-to-date information that allows them to identify biodiversity risks and opportunities within a project boundary. The reach of the WDPA is further enhanced in services developed by other parties, such as the Global Forest Watch and the Digital Observatory for Protected Areas, which provide decision makers with access to monitoring and alert systems that allow whole landscapes to be managed better. Together, these applications of the WDPA demonstrate the growing value and significance of the Protected Planet initiative.

[pcfishingtrips]

Punta Cana Deep Sea Fishing Adventure: Unveiling the Ocean's Treasures

Welcome to an adrenaline-fueled aquatic expedition like no other! Embark on a thrilling journey with us as we take you deep into the heart of Punta Cana's azure waters for an unforgettable deep sea fishing adventure. Whether you're a seasoned angler seeking a challenge or a curious novice eager to reel in your first big catch, our premier fishing services are tailored to provide an experience of a lifetime.

Punta Cana, nestled on the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic, boasts a tropical paradise where the Caribbean Sea meets the vast Atlantic Ocean. The balmy weather, pristine beaches, and a kaleidoscope of marine life make this destination an angler's dream come true. Our expert crew has charted the most promising fishing grounds, ensuring that your time with us is maximized for optimal results.

Step aboard our state-of-the-art fishing vessel, fully equipped with cutting-edge technology and safety measures. As the sun begins to rise over the horizon, we set sail, leaving the worries of everyday life behind. The salty breeze in your hair and the rhythmic waves underfoot create the perfect backdrop for an exhilarating day ahead.

Our experienced and knowledgeable crew members are passionate about fishing and the bountiful ocean that surrounds them. They will guide you through the process, sharing valuable tips and tricks, ensuring you have the best chance to land the trophy fish of your dreams. Whether it's battling the mighty Marlin, the acrobatic Sailfish, or the powerful Tuna, you'll be equipped with the skills and guidance to reel them in like a pro.

 As we venture further from the shore, the deep blue sea reveals its hidden secrets. The excitement builds as you cast your line into the depths below, anticipation growing with every second. Suddenly, your reel starts to scream as you feel an irresistible tug on the other end. The chase is on! With every battle, you'll be pushed to your limits, adrenaline surging through your veins, and the memories etched forever.

Beyond the thrill of fishing, our journey allows you to connect with the ocean's majestic residents. Marvel at the grace of dolphins dancing in the waves, witness the soaring leaps of flying fish, and keep your eyes peeled for the gentle giants – humpback whales – breaching in the distance. It's not just about the catch; it's about being one with the marine world, fostering a profound appreciation for the delicate ecosystem we're privileged to explore.

To ensure you relive these treasured moments, our crew is equipped with high-definition cameras. They will expertly capture every exhilarating moment of your deep sea fishing adventure. From the adrenaline-charged battles to the breathtaking encounters with marine life, you'll leave with a personalized keepsake that you can share with family and friends for years to come.

Deep sea fishing in Punta Cana is more than just an adventure; it's an opportunity to create lasting bonds and memories with loved ones or fellow fishing enthusiasts. Whether you're on a solo quest for serenity or surrounded by a group of friends, the camaraderie forged on these waters is incomparable.

At the heart of our fishing services lies a deep commitment to responsible fishing practices and ocean conservation. We strictly adhere to catch and release policies for certain species, ensuring the sustainability of the marine ecosystem for generations to come. By participating in our fishing expedition, you become an ambassador for marine conservation and a guardian of these oceanic treasures.

Prepare yourself for a life-changing adventure as you delve into the world of deep sea fishing in Punta Cana. Join our passionate crew for an unforgettable journey where nature's raw beauty meets the thrill of the chase. So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the deep, embrace the adventure, and let Punta Cana's secrets unfold before your very eyes. Book your fishing experience today and become a part of something extraordinary.

[beardedmrbean]

Italian voters go to the polls on Sunday with a right-wing coalition dominated by the Brothers of Italy party, which can trace its origins to a post-World War II neofascist movement, widely expected to win.

Following the 2022 success of the Swedish Democrats (SDs) and Marine Le Pen's National Rally, this is sparking fears that parties with neofascist origins, even if they now reject the label, are becoming embedded within European politics.

The Brothers of Italy are led by 45-year-old Giorgia Meloni, who is on track to become both Italy's first female prime minister and its most right-wing since World War II.

Its origins can be traced to the Italian Social Movement (ISM), which was founded by a group of Benito Mussolini's supporters in December 1946.

The ISM merged with a more mainstream right-wing party in 1995, repudiating overt fascism to form the National Alliance. This was rolled into Silvio Berlusconi's The People of Freedom party in 2009, before a 2012 breakaway including Meloni formed the Brothers of Italy.

Meloni has pledged to defend "God, country and family," calling for a "naval blockade" to prevent illegal migrants reaching Italy. As a youth she called Mussolini a "good politician, the best in the last 50 years," though she has since disowned this stance.

The Brothers of Italy strongly denies that it is fascist, though it maintains the ISM's tricolor flame as its logo and had to suspend a candidate who compared Meloni favorably to Hitler.

Over the past four years, the Brothers of Italy party has seen an explosion in popularity, going from just 4 percent of the vote in 2018 to polling at 24 percent early in September.

The party has been assisted greatly by the collapse in support for two other radical parties, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and Matteo Salvini's hard-right Lega, following spells in government.

Meloni has gained support by pledging to tackle migrant crossings of the Mediterranean, which saw nearly 60,000 arrive in Italy between January and November 2021.

Meloni is also benefiting from Italy's worsening economic situation, with growth forecast to shrink sharply in 2023 after Putin's invasion of Ukraine caused energy prices to soar.

Notably, however, the Brothers of Italy do not support leaving the Euro or EU, back NATO and are in favor of arming Ukraine to fight Russian aggression. These more mainstream policies have helped detoxify the party for traditional conservatives.

Speaking to the U.K. newspaper The Guardian, Petros Fassoulas, secretary-general of European Movement International, said the party had learned from Brexit: "Meloni, just like other far-right populist leaders, has learned from the example of the U.K. and the chaos that leaving the EU has caused.

"Their intention isn't so much to attack the EU; their intention is to take over from within and transform it into something closer to their ideas – a nightmare for all of us here in Brussels."

Earlier in September, the hard-right SDs came second in Sweden's parliamentary elections, taking 20.5 percent to the Social Democrats 30 percent. As the overall right-wing bloc was bigger, this could see the SDs enter government, if they can agree a deal with the Moderate Party and other factions.

The SDs were founded in 1988, with a number of its early lead figures coming directly from the far-right. Gustaf Ekström, the party's first auditor, was a Waffen-SS member during World War II, while Anders Klarström, the SDs' first chairman, had been a member of the neo-Nazi Nordic Realm Party.

However, like the Brothers of Italy, the SDs worked to rehabilitate their image, while benefiting from growing public concern about immigration, Islamist fundamentalism and surging fuel prices after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The party has also benefited from a surge in violent gang crime, which it links to immigration and failed integration efforts. In 2022, up to the election, Sweden recorded 273 shootings that killed 47 and injured another 74, some of whom were random bystanders.

The country has also been hit by a wave of crime related explosions, many caused by hand grenades, with 100 attacks reported in 2019 alone.

Speaking to London's Financial Times newspaper, Mattias Karlsson, the SDs ex-leader and chief ideologue, said: "We have accepted more immigrants than we could integrate and in its place, an American-inspired gangster culture has taken root."

After the election results were announced, SD leader Jimmie Åkesson wrote: "We have had enough of failed social-democratic policies that for eight years, have continued to lead the country in the wrong direction. It is time to start rebuilding security, welfare and cohesion. It is time to put Sweden first."

In June, Marine Le Pen's hard-right National Rally saw an explosion in support during French parliamentary elections, from 7 seats to 89 in the National Assembly.

The party, then called the Front National, had been run by Marine's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was convicted of Holocaust denial after calling the gas chambers a "detail" of World War II.

Marine Le Pen sought to moderate the party after taking over in 2011, expelling her father in 2015. She also toned down her party's Euroscepticism after Britain's 2016 Brexit vote, ending a plan to take France out of the euro.

In April, Le Pen secured her party's best-ever result, losing the presidential election to Emmanuel Macron by 58 percent to 42 percent.