Climate Politics

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  • Obama’s climate speech to the U.N.

    President Barack Obama spoke to the U.N. General Assembly on the morning of Sept. 22, as part of the U.N. Summit on Climate Change. Here are his remarks (and video is embedded below): President Obama addresses the U.N. on climate.U.N. WebcastGood morning. I want to thank the Secretary-General for organizing this summit, and all the […]

    Grist staff Politics

  • Sen. Ben Cardin answers Grist’s questions on public transit and mountaintop removal mining

    Beltway observers of all stripes owe Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) a debt of gratitude. In 2006, after 20 years in the House of Representatives, he ran for Maryland’s newly vacant Senate seat against then-Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. Steele’s defeat put him on a trajectory to become chair of the Republican National Committee, where he has […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • People pressure is key to action on climate change, say two climate movement leaders

    Kumi NaidooKumi Naidoo and Lord Nicholas Stern couldn’t be more different when it comes to climate action. One is chair of a worldwide citizen activist coalition; the other an economist and academic. But each is a cautious optimist when it comes to international action on climate change: While it may not be probable that world […]

    Emily Gertz Politics

  • Flash mobs barrage Obama and other world leaders with calls for climate action

    Around 30 people gathered at Union Square in Manhattan at 12:18 pm on Monday to make simultaneous cell-phone calls to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, asking them to support a strong international treaty to slash greenhouse-gas emissions and stop global warming.  The event, organized via text messaging, was part of a […]

    Emily Gertz Politics

  • Treasury memo hysteria shows media incapable of screening out junk

    Is any piece of nonsense from right-wing opponents of clean energy policy too silly, too outrageous, to get its day in the national press spotlight? It would seem not. Last week, CBS conservo-blogger Declan McCullagh breathlessly reported: “Obama Admin: Cap And Trade Could Cost Families $1,761 A Year.” That figure spread like wildfire through right-wing […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • Important week for global warming

    Today begins a week dubbed because of all the high-level climate discussions that are occurring.  And they just all happen to be occurring in the U.S. at an important time for the domestic debate to pass a clean energy and climate bill in the Senate. The high-level events begin on Tuesday (Sept. 22) with the […]

    Jake Schmidt Politics

  • Sen. Jeff Merkley answers Grist’s questions on Senate climate bill

    Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) won his 2008 race against 40-year Republican incumbent Gordon Smith in a squeaker, with a margin of just 3%. Despite the narrow win, Merkley has come out swinging on climate and energy issues, securing an appointment to the Environment & Public Works Committee, sponsoring or co-sponsoring a series of clean energy […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • Climate Week kicks off in New York with bigwigs and big hopes

    2009: The year so many met so often to talk so much about the perilous state of the climate — and as of September, accomplished so little.  Will this week be the charm? During several different international meetings this year, nations have been getting into position for this December’s international climate treaty talks in Copenhagen. […]

    Emily Gertz Politics

  • Lamar Alexander loves the earth too much to support solar and wind

    Alexander unveiled his nuclear plan in July.One of the few Congressional Republicans who talks about the need to address climate change, Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, made an interesting argument against wind and solar energy this week. He’s concerned about the amount of land required to produce energy from wind and solar, writing in the […]

    Jonathan Hiskes Politics

  • Climate change is a poverty issue

    “Where are you from?”  I was often asked that question while growing up in Southern Indiana in the 1970s.  I didn’t look like anyone else in my white hometown and people had a hard time believing I belonged there. I hated the question, but for them it was a polite way of dealing with their […]

    Aiko Schaefer Politics