Climate Politics

Vive la Discorde

E.U. leaders gather for summit, squabble over renewable-energy target As European Union leaders gather for a two-day summit that starts tomorrow, one question is dominating the agenda: what exactly did the Olsen twins buy on their recent Paris shopping spree? Once that’s answered, the heads of state will move on to more mundane topics like […]

The Hill Is Alive With the Sound of Musing

Pelosi and Boxer aim to green Capitol Hill Tired of talking the energy-efficiency talk in an eco-unfriendly setting, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Barbara Boxer (both D-Calif.) are aiming to green Capitol Hill. On Friday, Pelosi wrote a letter directing the House chief administrative officer to look into implementing “the most up-to-date industry and […]

Knock that junk off

Washington state is one of a half dozen states considering legislation this year to create a "do not mail" list for residents, similar to the feds' popular "do not call" registry.

And like the telemarketing industry's cries that it would be utterly destroyed and millions of contented telemarketers would be out of a job, similar forces are mobilizing against the "do not mail" bills, including the Direct Marketing Association, the mail carriers' union, and others who argue that junk mail is simultaneously essential, irreplaceable, and innocuous.

Bollocks.

Hint: the people who deny we’re causing it

A right-wing news site called … Right Wing News recently sent a poll to 240 "right-of center" bloggers. Sixty-three responded. There’s much amusement to be had reading through the results, but let’s focus on this: 4) Do you think mankind is the primary cause of global warming? Yes (0) — 0% No (59) — 100% […]

Good God, Y’all

U.N. chief says climate change poses as big a threat as war When we were in school, assemblies were a chance to see something fun, like a juggler or a movie. How times change. Two months after taking office, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gave his first climate-change speech, saying all kinds of gloomy things to […]

She Will Have Her Way

Hearing held on Inuit climate and human-rights claim against U.S. In the northern reaches of the world, climate change is more than a theory. For years, native Inuit have seen extreme weather and weak ice interfere with their lives, and they say big emitters like the U.S. are to blame. Today — more than a […]

That’s, What, Two Days in Iraq?

U.S. Department of Energy to grant up to $385 million for cellulosic ethanol The U.S. plans to sink up to $385 million into cellulosic ethanol, doling out grants for six bio-refineries across the nation. The funds, spread over four years, will cover up to 40 percent of a $1.2 billion push expected to result in […]

Meany in a Bottle

Baby bottles found to leak chemicals, California may ban them Most parents discourage their kiddos from ingesting known toxics, so a new study from green group Environment California is a bit of a bummer: when run through a simulated dishwasher 50 to 75 times, name-brand baby bottles leach the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, in […]

An Old Lease on Life

U.S. Interior Department negotiating to recoup lost royalties Not yet recovered from its embarrassment at a contractual omission that lost the U.S. a hell of a lot of money, the Interior Department is negotiating with 22 oil and gas companies to try and recoup the dough. When the feds issued deep-water drilling leases for the […]

There’s a coalition waiting

Not trying to play into stereotype, but my guess is that most people on Grist aren't regular readers of National Review. I am. And the Weekly Standard, Commentary, Cato Unbound, Reason, and many other right-leaning publications. I often disagree with what they say, but as I tell my students, understanding those you disagree with is more important than understanding those whose opinions you share.

Also, every so often you come across an article like this, and you realize that sound environmental policy shouldn't be a left-right issue. The things most damaging to the environment are actually anti-market distortions such as subsidies and the incorrect pricing of polluting activities.

If environmentalists can develop a strong grasp of these fundamental economic principles they will realize that there is a huge potential bipartisan coalition just waiting to be formed that will make huge strides and can accomplish most of their goals.