Climate Politics

Political wonks everywhere feel the electricity!

In what may be the blockbuster hit of the political season, Al Gore is testifying to Congress tomorrow — twice. Not only is his testimony expected to influence the direction of coming legislation, but it may also reveal something of his intentions on the presidential race. One way or another, there’s sure to be drama. […]

Not that they’re trying to obstruct progress or anything

Here’s a glimpse behind the scenes at how Republicans were chosen to serve on the new House global warming committee: House Republican Leader John Boehner would have appointed Rep. Wayne Gilchrest to the bipartisan Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming — but only if the Maryland Republican would say humans are not causing […]

Gag, You’re It

Congress revisits issue of feds messing with climate science You’ve seen this show before, but now it’s bigger, longer, and uncut: a heated hearing in Congress has exposed dark truths about federal interference with climate science. Brandishing more than 180 examples of doubt-injecting edits made to three climate reports, the House Committee on Oversight and […]

What You Herd Is Not What I Meant

Bush administration reinterprets Endangered Species Act The Bush administration has quietly issued a new spin on the Endangered Species Act that would have the feds protect imperiled animals and plants only in places where they’re in trouble — not where they’re thriving or have already disappeared. A memo announcing the change was posted on the […]

A case can be made

Is the fourth assessment report from the IPCC a conservative document? David Biello makes the case.

NYT on Waxman hearing

Here’s an account of Waxman’s hearing from NYT’s Revkin (who got this whole story going last year) and Wald. I think it supports my basic contention that nothing big happened, just a lot of quibbling over whether or not Cooney should have been editing. (An updated version.)

Quit arguing about the science already

I just got done talking with Betsy Rosenberg at EcoTalk about the Waxman hearings. More on that in a sec, but first of all: EcoTalk is one of the only national radio shows that focuses purely on environmental issues. It’s a fantastic source of commentary and ideas on green topics. Right now, the show’s in […]

Gore and Inhofe, mano-a-wacko

If you thought today's fireworks were entertaining, wait for Wednesday. Gore will address the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Gore and Inhofe, mano-a-mano. Or, more accurately, mano-a-wacko.

Pass the popcorn.

Redonkulous

Ah. It’s clear that Roy Spencer’s sole role before the committee is to establish that "Clinton did it too." Also, he’s whining that Hansen was allowed to say whatever he wanted and he had to keep his skepticism to himself. When the stories broke he said he was happy they were finally asking Hansen to […]

Don’t shoot the messengers

All social movements are susceptible to the "cult of personality." This is always dangerous. Not only are individuals invariably fallible, and never live up to the "purity standards" often imposed on them, but it is their message that is most important, not the messengers.