Climate Politics
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The return of the uranium boom?
In a small community near a broad expanse of valley floor known as the West End, there’s a certain glow in the air. It’s the glow of progress, the glow of prosperity … and the glow of the uranium miners coming home from work? The Paradox Valley in southwestern Colorado.Courtesy U.S. Geological SurveyProbably not; we […]
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Supreme Court rules against coal company accused of buying a West Virginia judge
After the Massey Energy coal mining company lost a $50 million verdict to a competitor, CEO Don Blankenship spent $3 million electing a friendly judge to West Virginia's Supreme Court of Appeals who went on to cast the deciding vote in a case that overturned the verdict. But yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed a setback to Massey, a company notorious for its reliance on destructive mountaintop removal mining throughout Central Appalachia, with a ruling that elected judges must recuse themselves from cases involving big campaign contributors.
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Will health care eclipse climate in Congress this year?
Halfway through the second debate of last fall’s presidential campaign, moderator Tom Brokaw asked the candidates what their top priority would be if elected. McCain hemmed and hawed, but Obama answered in plain language: energy is “priority No. 1” and health care “priority No. 2.” Fast forward. In an NYT Magazine piece this weekend on […]
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Climate bill would be a net gain for federal budget, says CBO
Were it to become law, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) would be a net gain for the federal Treasury, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office. The report finds that the bill, sponsored by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), would raise roughly $845.6 billion in federal […]
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The good, the bad, and the ugly at Bonn
Apparently, neither rain or large groups of NGOs descending on them to discuss climate change negotiations serves to deter people in Bonn from enjoying their orchestra in the park. That’s how the Climate Action Network meeting (an umbrella group of NGO actors) was serenaded today by traditional band music. It was all very innocuous until, […]
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Some heated exchanges from Bonn on “binding commitments” for Copenhagen
Photo: Ellas DadPhoto: Ella’s DadIn the climate negotiations occurring in Bonn, Germany there is an emerging debate on the form of “commitment or action” developing countries will undertake (as the Economic Times in India points out). This has been a long running debate in the international global warming negotiations, but it has gained more focus […]
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Quiz S.F. Mayor Gavin Newsom about his green agenda
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is running for governor in California, and boy oh boy is he thumping on the green platform. Here’s your chance to determine and shape the environmental issues that our political leaders discuss with the media. Here’s how it works 1. Submit your questions to Gavin Newsom about his green platform […]
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Why does the much-touted climate bill look like it was stolen from the Republican playbook?
“Command and control” is a military term the Republicans long ago appropriated to caricature and condemn Democratic programs. Republicans like to contrast the Democrats’ embrace of a command and control, regulation-based you-will-do-as-I-say-or-else strategy with their own, presumably, more effective market-based we-will-make-it-worthwhile-for-you-to-do-what-we-want approach. Nowhere is the phrase “command and control” used more often and with more […]
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Big Meat says, “Keep the FDA away from our CAFOs!”
National Cattlemen: butt out of our business, you … regulators!Roll Call is reporting that Big Meat is less than pleased with the food safety bill currently moving through Congress. While on its face, this might be surprising, what’s been notable to this point, as Jill Richardson recently pointed out, is the overwhelming support the bill […]
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Climate envoy Todd Stern on U.S. climate action and the possibility of deal with China
Todd Stern.U.S. Climate Envoy and former Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Todd Stern spoke at CAP Tuesday. If you want to know where US-China negotiations are headed on climate, I highly recommend watching the video of his talk here (a PDF of his prepared remarks are here). He is a blunt guy for someone […]
