Climate Politics

Ignorance is Remiss

U.S. EPA not conducting environmental-justice reviews In a sharp break with the rest of the Bush administration’s focus — no, obsession — with social and economic justice, the U.S. EPA has failed to conduct environmental-justice reviews to make sure low-income and minority neighborhoods get equal eco-protection to other communities. The reviews have been required since […]

Rhymes With “Kulongoski”

West Coast governors band together to defend Pacific Ocean Governors of the three West Coast states announced yesterday that by their powers combined, they will strive to improve the health of the Pacific Ocean. “We know that isolated local efforts cannot adequately address the breadth of degradation to our oceans,” said Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire […]

Gore calls for carbon freeze in major speech on climate solutions

It is “time for a national oil change,” said Al Gore with a sly wink in his voice. “That is apparent to anyone who has looked at our national dipstick.” “Freeze right there!” says Gore. Photo: David Lodge/WireImage This was one of the few moments of comedy in what was billed as a “major policy […]

The most noteworthy features

Just to follow up a bit on Amanda's post, it seems to me that there are three particularly newsworthy features of Gore's speech:

• A "carbon freeze"? I've never even heard of that. But if we took it seriously -- if we really halted, immediately, the growth of our collective GHG emissions -- it would functionally amount to huge cuts. Those new coal-fired power plants in Texas would certainly be off the table. In fact, the coal industry would be forced to shift entirely to IGCC/sequestration. Needless to say, coal barons aren't going to like that.
• With Gore's backing, a revenue-neutral carbon tax -- the best immediate policy available to us -- is now squarely in the mainstream. Thanks, Al!
• He conspicuously failed to endorse nukes. He didn't oppose them, he just dismissed them as unworkable. That's just the right stance to take.

More later, maybe, after I look at the speech more closely.

Here, for your reading pleasure, is the speech in its entirety:

After months of gloom and doom, Gore’s all about solutions

Against a backdrop of eight American flags -- ceremoniously arranged behind a podium emblazoned with the scales of justice -- Al Gore took the stage at the New York University Law School early this afternoon to deliver what was billed in press releases as a "major policy address on global warming."

Major it was -- in terms of the media turnout, anyway. There were nearly a half-dozen cameras rolling and most major publications represented.

It was also major in terms of length (over an hour of factually dense commentary, sans visual aids) and gravitas (a more somber, more serious, dare I say more presidential Gore than the one we've seen pumping his fists and cracking jokes as he roars across the country on his climate lecture circuit). And major enough to have elicited rumors, as reported in the Independent yesterday, that the White House is hoping to steal Gore's climate thunder.

As with most policy addresses billed as "major," the rhetorical flourishes were legion. Take, for instance, the way Gore framed the address:

Nixon Goes to Reality

Rumors fly about possible new Bush climate policy First there was the tantalizing hint that President Bush’s thoughts on climate change have “evolved,” and that a major new energy initiative would soon be announced. Then there was the Onion-esque claim that Bush would announce a goal of stabilizing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere at […]

If Friedman had a blog, he’d be learning right now

Sometimes Dave's remarks border on mustacheism. I suspect it is more envy than malice, and I am not saying that just because I have a mustache. I finally got around to reading the article Dave posted about and have decided to use the Gristmill bully pulpit rather than bury my thoughts (that grew into a diatribe) in the comments, thus boring to tears a wider audience.

Sorry you can't read said article without a paying for it. I don't care much for newspapers. This piece was an example of why. If Friedman's column were a blog, he would be learning a great deal right about now from comments.

Environmentalists pick their sides in key Senate races

It’s a rare political event that can draw applause from both the White House and environmental groups, but Lincoln Chafee’s victory in the Rhode Island Republican primary on Tuesday was just that. Lincoln Chafee. The Bush administration reasons that Chafee — the most liberal Republican in the Senate, and frequently at odds with Bush on […]

The Magnificent 87

California’s Prop. 87, which would tax oil to fund renewables, spurs big spending Proposition 87, a California ballot measure that would tax oil production and use the proceeds for research into alternative energy, is spurring some big spending. Oil companies have raised nearly all of the more than $35 million in the “No on 87” […]

Mopping Up the Florida

Activists hope Florida gubernatorial candidates will prioritize oceans Fed up with mediocre oceans management from Gov. Jeb Bush (R), Florida activists are urging gubernatorial candidates Jim Davis (D) and Charlie Crist (R) to make the deep blue sea a priority. Yesterday, 20 environmental, recreational, and civic groups released a report with recommendations for curbing coastal […]