Climate Politics

An interview with Renate Künast, Germany’s Green Party chair

As the U.N. climate-change conference heats up this week in Nairobi, Kenya, strategies to promote clean energy and slow global warming top the agenda for many nations — not least of all Germany, which is Europe’s biggest economy, a global leader in green technology, and the country set to take over the 12-month presidency of […]

Ethanol subsidies, that is

Oh great. The White House needs to recapture some political momentum after its party got shellacked this week. It also needs to make good on its laughable promise to "change the tone" and start working with Democrats to "get things done."

So where does it turn? What issue can unite politicians across the fractious partisan divide?

You guessed it: ethanol subsidies energy independence!

The Bush administration will soon launch a big "energy independence" initiative, likely to include renewed emphasis on biofuels, as part of an attempt to regain the political initiative following the midterm elections.

Ugh. The question, as always, is whether this momentum toward biofuels will serve as a kind of kickstart to a broader conversation about energy and climate, or whether it will be a diversion and a dead end. I go back and forth.

Let me just pick on one thing from this article. Look at this:

Activists say environmental issues helped push green candidates through tough races

Fist-pumping, chest-thumping, and hallelujahs abounded yesterday at a press conference of top environmental strategists responding to the results of the Tuesday elections, which ushered in a Democratic Congress after 12 years of near-total GOP control. Jon Tester, one of the greener senators-to-be. “Let me be clear: The environment won last night!” Sierra Club Political Director […]

Still Giddy After All These Hours

All but one land-use proposition voted down, post-election high continues In the wake of this year’s election, greens are riding a buzz the likes of which no carnival-going six-year-old has ever felt. In an outcome deemed a blow to the property-rights movement, three of four “regulatory takings” propositions were defeated. The initiatives copied a successful […]

A majority of states retain green-leaning guvs

A few more important results from gubernatorial races:

Green candidates claim a number of seats

Dems solidly took the House last night, gaining 28 seats. The results from key races we were watching, with the good news first:

A Green Party

Midterm election results find U.S. environmentalists hopeful Whew, what a night. Environmentalists of all stripes hailed this year’s election results, though exit polls determined that Democrats were 53 percent giddier. With eco-foes like Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) defeated and green-leaning govs like Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) reseated, things are looking up. “The […]

Rep. Richard “Dick” Pombo is gone, at long last

... is a Rep. no more.

We bring you a special Grist tribute to the man who dreamt at night of shoving oil drills down the throats of endangered species.

[Tune to "The Way We Were" rises in background ...]

Ah, Dick. Remember when you tried to sell off drilling rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to fund transportation pork? That was insane funny. You always did have a sense of humor.

Who could forget your Ahabian quest to gut the Endangered Species Act? You were like the bad guy from a cheap horror movie, springing to life again and again. Points for persistence!

Enviro voters hope to green the statehouses as well

Muck's got the complete scoop here and here, but here's a quick rundown on governors' races with a green tinge:

Enviros turn eco ear to House races

There are few key House races we here at Gristmill will be keeping an eye on tonight, races where the environment has been a big issue in the run up to today's elections. We're looking for feedback from you on others where environmental issues will be a factor in tonight's results.