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Rich countries halt Barcelona climate talks with inaction; Africa walks out

African negotiators at the U.N. climate talks in Barcelona refused to continue formal discussions about all other issues until wealthy countries live up to their legal and moral responsibility to commit to deep emissions reductions. Rich countries (also called “Annex 1 countries”) have ground negotiations to a halt by failing to agree to their new […]

Interior will consider mountaintop removal rule in 2011?

It’s funny how these embarrassing announcements always come on late Friday afternoon. While anti-mountaintop removal protests spread across the nation and at the EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C. last Friday, a legal representative for the Department of Interior checked the empty parking lot of the National Press Club and then scurried over to the dark […]

Reactions to Al Gore’s book o’ solutions, “Our Choice”

Al Gore’s last book, in case you hadn’t heard, was about the climate problem. The new followup to An Inconvenient Truth lays out solutions. The Vice President, Nobel laureate, and veteran climate advocate describes the most promising responses to the climate conundrum in Our Choice, released November 3. We’re tracking reviews, analysis, screeds, and tirades […]

Green jobs for real people: The story behind the recovery numbers

640,329 That figure represents the number of jobs that have been created or saved so far through the Recovery Act, according to a report released by the Obama administration on Friday. But the true significance of this number lies in the people behind it. People like Thalia Williams. Thalia is a single mother of a […]

If you can’t beat ’em, cheat ’em

Photo: Kat… via FlickrConsider the weasel: so unassuming, even sweet — on the outside. But put them near their prey and watch out! I’ve got weasels on my mind, of course, thanks to Ohio Issue 2, which goes before voters tomorrow. Issue 2 is the Ohio livestock industry’s attempt to head off restrictions on their […]

Sen. Inhofe and U.S. Farm Bureau chief casually chat about destroying the climate bill

Break out the heavy artillery: Sen. Inhofe leads the denier brigades. Photo: U.S. ArmyPaging Michael Specter: I’ve got some live ones for you. Deniers, that is–folks who irrationally cling to faith-based beliefs, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. I’m not talking fear-mongering Internet bandits here–guys who amplify their dubious screeds on large-type blogs. I’m […]

The power of the people

The 350.org International Day of Climate Action a week ago was unprecedented, historic, stirring, and inspiring. Watching the pictures scroll across the computer screen at 350.org from literally all over the world, seeing the very concrete evidence of a worldwide grassroots movement for climate justice, was truly unforgettable. It was impossible not to feel that, […]

The real reason the climate bill is going to suck

The clean energy bill slogging through the U.S. Congress is far weaker than what’s needed. There’s every chance it will a) get weaker still and b) fail to pass in the end. These facts are widely acknowledged among progressives. What’s less agreed upon is who or what is to blame. You see a lot of […]

Why Does Oklahoma Want To Drown New York?

As the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee began hearings on carbon regulation, debate ran along traditional battle lines, but with a new script. Democrats Barbara Boxer (CA) and John Kerry (MA) moved away from discussing the environmental impacts of climate change – – and the reason, therefore, to take action to reduce carbon emissions […]

Graham and Kerry are in talks with White House “to discuss a possible compromise.”

The big climate bill story of the last few weeks is the breakthrough Senate climate partnership between Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.). The result — E&E News’s latest analysis shows, “At least 67 senators are in play” on climate bill. This isn’t to say Senate passage will be easy, but I think it […]