Climate Politics

Once upon a time you dressed so fine

In a Rolling Stone interview with magazine founder and media bigwig Jann Wenner, John Kerry says that global warming would be his No. 1 environmental priority.  Asked whether he agrees with Al Gore that the time of the internal-combustion engine is ending, Kerry, ever the audacious fella, says, "I wouldn't make that kind of a bold pronouncement."

Much as Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) does in Grist's interview with her, Kerry endeavors to sell his environmental plan as a jobs plan.

I want American workers working; I want American cars made in America; I want American cars to be able to be sold anywhere in the world. I want to lead the world in these technologies. So I want these companies part of the solution -- not the problem. I think we can get there -- I really believe that.

Kerry disputes that environmental issues have disappeared from the presidential campaign and says he talks about the environment and energy independence in every stump speech.

In all, Wenner asks the candidate eight or nine questions on the environment. Kerry hasn't been quoted as much on the environment since, well, Grist's exclusive environment-only interview with him ...

Oh Mighty Crisis, Crisis, Crisis

Candidates and country in denial about looming energy crisis The San Francisco Chronicle is running a three-part series on the looming energy crisis and the peculiar refusal of the presidential candidates — and the country — to deal with it realistically. Global oil demand is rising, prices are rising, and production is relatively static. Despite […]

Environment could prove decisive in Senate races

In the midst of one of the most pivotal presidential campaigns in decades, it’s easy to forget that we are on the brink of what could be a momentous election in the Senate as well: 34 senatorial seats are up for grabs this year, 19 of them currently held by Democrats, 15 by Republicans. Several […]

An interview with Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm

Jennifer Granholm. If John Kerry becomes president, he’ll owe an awful lot to Jennifer M. Granholm, Michigan’s environmentally minded first-term Democratic governor. For all but a few shaky days in early September when some polls indicated that Michigan may have been leaning President Bush’s way, the state and its 17 critical electoral votes have stayed […]

The Polluter Still Pays

Enviro issues play big in the race for Florida’s electoral votes

The brutal hurricanes have passed, but now Florida is in the eye of the swirling swing-state storm — and environmental issues are being swept into the fray by high-ranking politicians and hot-ticket celebrities alike. The Everglades are now faced with a campaign hurricane. Photo: USGS. © Martin Miller. With its 27 electoral votes — more […]

Cross Purposes

Prominent Brit bishop booted from enviro group for advocating nuclear England’s Reverend Hugh Montefiore — member of the Church of England, former Bishop of Birmingham, and long-time champion of the environment — has been forced to resign from the board of Friends of the Earth for arguing that nuclear power is the only viable way […]

Don’t bet on Bush tackling climate change in a second term

RUSSIA MOVES TO RATIFY THE KYOTO PROTOCOL CALIFORNIA IMPOSES GREENHOUSE-GAS STANDARDS ON CARS NORTHEAST STATES TO IMPOSE GREENHOUSE-GAS CAP EASTERBROOK SAYS “SECOND-TERM BUSH WILL BE THE PRESIDENT WHO IMPOSES GLOBAL-WARMING CONTROLS” Could this man be a climate hero? Guess which headline is bogus? The winner gets a free transcript of the portion of the third […]

Startling stats on Bush’s and Kerry’s energy agendas

$13.3 million — amount George W. Bush has received from the energy/natural resources, agribusiness, and transportation sectors during the 2004 presidential campaign1 $1.9 million — amount John Kerry has received from the energy/natural resources, agribusiness, and transportation sectors during the 2004 presidential campaign2 40 — number of recommendations made by Dick Cheney’s energy task force […]

Environmentalists have given up too much by not being radical enough

Photo: © 2000 David-Lorne Photographic We are destroying our country — I mean our country itself, our land. This is a terrible thing to know, but it is not a reason for despair unless we decide to continue the destruction. If we decide to continue the destruction, that will not be because we have no […]