Climate Politics

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.

Good fun

Here’s Waxman’s opening: And here’s Welch v. Deutsch:

Dispatch from San Francisco

I saw Barack Obama speak in San Francisco this weekend.

In his standard stump speech (I assume, anyway), he spoke for 45 minutes, without notes, with passion. As he wryly noted, he's very articulate.

Healthcare and education were the themes he stressed the most. He spoke starkly of the need to confront climate change, and referenced briefly the opportunities and benefits of investing in "alternative technologies." That said, I didn't get the sense that it is an animating passion of his.

This election cycle, people want to fall in love. And on that front at least, he's got the goods. A personable, warm, and impressive man.

Live-blogged!

… is streaming live. Drama! Update [2007-3-19 8:57:46 by David Roberts]: Wow, this is squirm-inducing. Deutsch is on the stand. He is getting drilled. One member of the committee actually offered him a chance to apologize to Hansen. Update [2007-3-19 9:1:28 by David Roberts]: Oh, man. Chris Shays talking-points-I-got-from-some-right-wing-staffer vs. James Hansen I-know-WTF-I’m-talking-about. Advantage: Hansen. […]