Climate Politics

An Embarrassment of Richard

Richard Pombo in danger of losing House seat to Jerry McNerney Rep. Richard Pombo (R), chair of the House Resources Committee and bugbear of the environmental community, is in a knock-down, drag-out fight to win an eighth term representing California’s 11th congressional district. Pombo has far more moolah than his Democratic challenger, Jerry McNerney, but […]

Bern Johnson, head of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, answers questions

What work do you do? I’m executive director of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide. What does your organization do? ELAW helps grassroots lawyers around the world protect human rights and the environment. We’re working with partners in 70 countries and helping them challenge environmental abuses, enforce environmental laws, give communities a voice about the environment, […]

Bordering on Ridiculous

Border-fence plan could wreak havoc on environment Congress approved a plan late last week to build a 700-mile-long, two-layer fence along the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to keep out illegal immigrants, eliciting an overwhelmingly negative reaction from environmentalists and, well, folks with a firm grasp on reality. “The fence is a knee-jerk reaction by […]

Brit’s Eye View: Britain’s Conservatives challenge Labour for mantle of greenest party

This is the first installment of a new monthly column on sustainability in the U.K. and Europe, from Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, Britain's leading sustainable development charity.

Something strange and wonderful is happening in British politics. American readers, prepare to be envious: both of our main political parties are actively competing to be seen as the greenest. What is perhaps even more interesting is that it's the Conservatives (a traditionally right-wing, pro-business, and tax-cutting party more or less equivalent to your Republicans) who are currently winning.

In a recent opinion poll, people were asked, "From what you have seen or heard, which of these three politicians as prime minister would do most to protect the environment?" Only a quarter opted for Tony Blair, and 18 percent for his likely successor as head of the Labour Party, Gordon Brown, while 33 percent chose David Cameron , the Conservative leader. It is difficult to imagine a comparable result in the United States.

The change is mainly down to the 39-year-old Cameron himself (pictured at right). Dave, as he prefers to be called, is a slick, approachable, and media-friendly politician. Indeed, he has many of the qualities -- of freshness, of being in touch with ordinary people's aspirations -- that made Tony Blair so popular a decade ago.

Cameron has already shown a strong personal commitment to environmental issues. He rides a bicycle to the House of Commons, he grows organic carrots, and he is fitting a wind turbine to his house.

It’s Always Greener on the Other Side of the Pond

Britain’s Conservatives challenge Labor for mantle of greenest party Americans, prepare to be jealous, says Peter Madden, head of Britain’s Forum for the Future. In the U.K., the two main political parties are competing to be seen as the greenest — and the Conservatives are currently in the lead. That’s largely due to Conservative Party […]

Circuit Breaker

Senators clash over proposal to split green-friendly 9th Circuit Court For years, Republicans have loathed the San Francisco-based U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the nation’s largest federal appeals court and most left-leaning. Its long record of upholding environmental laws is but one of its sins in the eyes of conservatives. Now, for the umpteenth […]

I Know What You Did With That Last Hummer

Schwarzenegger sells his Hummers, pals around with NYC Mayor Bloomberg [See correction below.] Had your doubts that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was walking his green talk? Oh, he’s walking all right — the guv has sold his eight Hummers. It was Schwarzenegger who originally convinced then-manufacturer AM General to make a version of the […]

Bush’s climate plan will kick-start a new era of bargaining over the planet’s future

On your mark … Get set … Go? Photo: iStockphoto And so the bargaining has begun. After almost two decades of inaction, at long last America seems ready to start considering some kind of action to address global warming. With states setting conflicting standards, with the scientists announcing weekly updates on the speed and size […]

The New Nuisance Thing

California sues automakers over greenhouse-gas emissions California sued the six largest auto manufacturers yesterday, saying that vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions are a public nuisance and seeking compensation for damage to the state’s air, water supplies, coast, forests, wildlife, and people. “Basically, what we are saying is, it’s old-fashioned economics. You should pay for the damage you […]

Tech-alekahi Tech-aheiny Ho

Bush admin. releases plan to fight global warming with technology As part of its 2002 plan to fight global warming (what, you never heard about that one?), the Bush administration promised a technology-development plan. A mere four years later, it has arrived! To the surprise of absolutely no one, the “Climate Change Technology Program Strategic […]