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  • Cause and defect

    “How in the hell — heck — are you going to change it unless you know what caused it?” — Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, commenting on Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin’s repeated contention that the cause of climate change is uncertain

  • At the Arctic frontlines of climate change, politics not seen as answer

    Donald Mearns, his wife Meeka, and dog Akuliq overlooking Pangnirtung Fjord. Photo: Donald Mearns Global warming has been a top issue for much of Canada’s federal election campaign, which ends Tuesday when Canadians will pick a party to form a new government. First affected by changes in the environment are Canadians who live on the […]

  • Environmental crimes rampant and under-investigated, report says

    Environmental crimes such as illegal logging, trade in endangered species, illegal fishing, and trade in banned refrigerants are rampant and growing, according to a report from the nonprofit Environmental Investigation Agency. Organized-crime networks are raking in over $10 billion a year through commission of environmental crimes, and national and international police organizations are doing little […]

  • Colo. Democrat Mark Udall talks to Grist about energy issues and his tough Senate race

    One of the most lively debates over energy and environmental policy is taking place in Colorado’s Senate race this year, where Rep. Mark Udall (D) and former Rep. Bob Schaffer (R) are duking it out in the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R). Bob Schaffer. Schaffer represented Colorado’s 4th Congressional District from […]

  • Brooks Brothers rioter turns attention to energy this election season

    This post was originally published on the website of the Center for Public Integrity and is reposted on Grist with CPI’s kind permission. —– An advocacy group run by a political operative with oil industry ties (and a famous photo-op history) is spearheading a late advertising blitz to sway Senate races, spending more than $650,000 […]

  • McCain’s ‘Farm and Ranch Team’ is chock full of agribiz heavies

    In a recent Victual Reality column, I gave John McCain his due for holding fast to his positions against crop and biofuel subsidies — even if his overall farm policies generally suck. In an attempt to boost his flailing campaign and shore up support in the Farm Belt, the self-declared maverick may be abandoning those […]

  • Palin again mangles facts on energy

    On Wednesday, John McCain told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that his VP pick Sarah Palin is “probably one of the foremost experts in this nation on energy issues,” and reaffirmed his desire to put her in charge of energy policy in his administration. But on Thursday, Palin once again mangled the facts about energy issues, […]

  • One way to get the economy moving

    “They have a whole range of new tools from … all sorts of technical terms that I do not know. But they’re working very hard. And [former Goldman Sachs banker, now Treasury official] Neel Kashkari will be in charge of that. He’s setting up shop and trying to hire as many people as possible.” — […]

  • Obama and McCain advisers spar over whose candidate can best address climate change

    Last night, the PBS program Frontline hosted a sneak preview of its new global warming documentary, “Heat,” which will air on Oct. 21. The film covers both the science and the politics of climate change, and we’ll have more on that for you soon. More interesting for political junkies, though, was the panel afterward, which […]

  • Full frontal scrutiny

    The current Consumer Reports has a quiz to help educate readers about those benign-sounding industry-funded front groups. As CR writes, “You think Americans for Balanced Energy Choices tout solar power? Nope.” Match the groups with their missions (click to enlarge, answers below): Even better, CR has set up a website with the Center for Media […]