Climate Politics
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The unfinished tale of climate legislation: Eric Pooley’s ‘The Climate War’
The pursuit of U.S. legislation to address the threat of climate change has been going on for more than 20 years. It has pit entrenched industries against scientists and campaigners, political appointees against agency staff, American diplomats against UN officials, propagandists against journalists, red states against blue states, and John McCain 2010 against John McCain […]
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![President Obama in Oval Office]()
![President Obama in Oval Office]()
A mildly contrarian take on Obama’s Oval Office speech
Reaction to Obama’s Tuesday evening speech was swift and brutal. “JUNK SHOT,” blared Huffington Post’s homepage. “What was the point?” asked Jason Linkins. “What a terrible speech,” said Kevin Drum. Having gone back and watched it a second time, I think these reactions may be a touch overwrought. Whenever Obama speaks, there’s always some set […]
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EPA modeling shows American Power Act brings economic and climate benefits
This post was co-authored by Richard W. Caperton. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) released analysis today of their American Power Act, or APA, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA’s analysis definitively demonstrates that we can reduce our carbon pollution and jumpstart the clean energy economy at a very small cost […]
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The BP oil disaster made a major energy bill more likely, but what about a climate bill?
When life gives you lemons … add some lemon dispersant and they’ll disappear from sight. Okay, wrong metaphor. Obama has suggested many times that he aspires to be a transformational leader like President Reagan, the “great communicator.” Tonight, we may well find out whether Obama is a Reagan or a Carter. Does Obama understand that […]
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Study finds American Power Act creates jobs while decreasing household costs
Cross-posted from NRDC’s Switchboard A new analysis of the American Power Act (APA), comprehensive climate and energy legislation released mid-May by Sens. Kerry and Lieberman, points to an economy with healthy growth in GDP and jobs, and significant savings in household energy expenditures. The analysis uses a new and highly innovative tool developed by McKinsey […]
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Carbon trades took a hit in the Great Recession
Photo: James Mitchell via FlickrAs we know, one of the few beneficial side effects of the Great Recession of 2009 was the decline in global greenhouse gas emissions as our consumer-centric economy sputtered. But that also sent the voluntary carbon markets into a tailspin, according to a new report released Tuesday by Bloomberg New Energy […]
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David Roberts, fellow experts, and readers critique Obama’s Oval Office address
Editor’s note: The chat’s now over, but you can replay it in full. Fresh from his fourth — and first overnight — trip to the Gulf, President Barack Obama delivered his first ever Oval Office address to the nation on Tuesday night. The president spoke about a new head for the hapless Minerals Management Service, […]
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EPA analysis of Senate climate bill shows modest costs, omits benefits
Photo: USDA Forest ServiceToday marks the release of the long-awaited EPA analysis of the American Power Act, Kerry and Lieberman’s climate bill. It could not come at a more consequential time: the decision about whether to include a carbon cap in the impending energy bill will be made in the next few days. Along with […]
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Obama BP speech should signal shift in energy future
Photo: The White HouseTonight, President Obama addresses the nation to talk about how his administration will hold BP accountable for the damages incurred by what has become the worst oil spill in U.S. history, and how he plans to reregulate the oil industry. The American public will be looking for bold action. Obama has a […]
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Afghanistan sitting on a motherlode
Mountains in Afghanistan.Photo courtesy Paolo Alfieri via FlickrNothing like the revelation of precious metals in a far off land to get the hyperbole flowing — and stir up the cynics. And so it goes in the wake of James Risen’s New York Times report that the U.S. has identified nearly a trillion dollars in mineral […]
