Uncategorized
All Stories
-
CDM still a miserable failure
Since there seems to be resurgence of attempts to defend the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) offset system, it seems time for a reminder of how badly the idea has failed. The fundamental idea behind CDM is that greenhouse gas polluters in rich nations could continue to release greenhouse gases, but pay polluters in poor nations […]
-
Is the pipeline victory a turning point for the climate movement?
Two days ago, I was convinced that the amazing Keystone XL pipeline victory won by the North American climate movement on Nov. 10 was going to be, without question, a pivotal turning point. Today, having thought more about it, I’d say it’s more like somewhere between “maybe” and “probably.” I’m reminded of another “victory” that […]
-
![]()
![]()
Friday music blogging: Portugal. The Man (exclusive world premiere videos!)
The annoyingly punctuated Portugal. The Man is a psychedelic rock band originally from Wasilla, Alaska, home of … oh, what was that crazy lady’s name again? They made their way down to their current home, Portland, Oregon, in the mid-2000s and have been cranking out albums ever since, gathering momentum and popularity along the way. […]
-
Using Sustainable Water to Plan for the Next Billion
Last week, Danica May Camacho of the Philippines became the world’s symbolic seven billionth person. The occasion drew mixed feelings in the policy world — what does a booming global population mean for climate risks? To cite one issue, leaders are worried about the declining supply of water in regions vital to economic growth. This isn’t […]
-
California study is NOT about technological limits. Why glass is 100% full
A recent state sponsored study shows that California could reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 60% compared to 1990 by 2050 with today’s technology(pdf). That has sparked a debate. The glass-half-full crowd, among whom I usually count myself would argue that if we have the technology today to achieve a 60% reduction, if we start implementing […]
-
Another Congressional Attack on Clean Air
Why should you care about the Cross State Air Pollution Rule? Because it could save your life, or the life of someone you love. Congress is continuing its attacks on clean air this week, and the latest target in their crosshairs is the life-saving Cross State Air Pollution Rule. This clean air safeguard would require […]
-
Solar Industry Executives Talk About Massive Solar Jobs Growth
In mid-October, my Tigercomm colleague Mark Sokolove and I took Scaling Green’s Communicating Energy lecture series on the road to the Solar Power International 2011 (SPI) conference and trade show in Dallas, Texas. With so many articulate, knowledgeable, clean energy thought leaders and company representatives in attendance, the opportunity to interview several of these folks on the state of the solar […]
-
Energy from U.S. forests: mostly unsustainable according to peer reviewed study in Nature
A peer reviewed paper in the November 2011 issue of Nature/Climate, shows that, at least in the U.S., biofuel production from forestry results in higher carbon emissions than not producing biofuel in most cases. Even just increasing fire management, removing biomass that acts as tinder, will result in a net reduction in forest sequestration in […]
-
A mini-Keystone XL in Utah
Photo: RL MillerThe Keystone XL pipeline symbolizes our national debate: a governmental policy to be made that will set policy, for good or bad, for years to come: claimed energy security (access to friendly North American oil) and jobs vs environmental ruin and carbon bomb continuing our addiction to cheap-ish fossil fuels. Keystone XL is a huge […]
-
Demographics loom large in state failure
After a half-century of forming new states from former colonies and from the breakup of the Soviet Union, the international community is today faced with the opposite situation: the disintegration of states. Failing states are now a prominent feature of the international political landscape. The most systematic ongoing effort to analyze countries’ vulnerability to failure […]
