Climate Politics
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The moral argument for curbing climate change
Robert Farley has a point I would like all environmentalists to have seared to the insides of our eyelids: Simply because something must happen does not mean that it will happen … It’s not that people are stupid (although many are) or dishonest (although many are); its that the institutions make certain outcomes difficult to […]
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Missourians to vote on renewable energy ballot initiative in November
Renewable things are happening in the heartland. Ohio passed a renewable portfolio standard in the spring, and Michigan did the same a few weeks ago. Renewable activists in Missouri recently qualified a renewable energy standard — Proposition C — for the ballot, and this week the Kansas City Star endorsed the effort. The measure calls […]
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New California law aims to cut CO2 emissions by discouraging sprawl
A brand new law in California, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Tuesday night, aims to cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the state by discouraging sprawl. The influential California Air Resources Board will develop GHG-reduction goals for different regions in the state within the next two years and then regional planning agencies will compete for billions […]
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More Couric and Palin, on drilling and climate change
More excerpts from the Couric interview with Palin, on subjects including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The trademark borderline-incoherence is in full effect: Here’s the transcript. Here’s the part on climate change, where she tries to back off or at least muddy up her skepticism: Couric: Is it man-made, though in your view? […]
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It’s just that they keep talking about the causes of the problem …
It’s clear to anyone paying attention that much if not most of global warming “skepticism” is driven by political opposition to the solutions, but you rarely hear people slip up and admit it: “I do believe we need to be good stewards and I think we are, but some of the issues that I have […]
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Obama says energy will remain a top priority despite financial crisis
On the campaign trail in Reno, Nev., today, Barack Obama attempted to quell fears that the financial crisis would lead him to shelve key components of his agenda if he were elected. During Friday’s debate, he said he would still “make sure we’re investing in energy … to solve this problem,” but also said there […]
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McCain claims U.S. has ‘the world’s largest oil reserves’
John McCain did an interview via satellite yesterday with WSYX ABC News in Columbus, Ohio, in which he claimed that the United States has the world’s largest oil reserves. You can watch the video, or here’s a transcript of the relevant section: Reporter: Now, some say it would be health care, some say it’s the […]
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Bill to ban U.S. mercury exports passes Congress
A bill to ban mercury exports from the United States after 2013 passed Congress on Monday and now awaits President Bush’s signature to become law. The bill, sponsored by Barack Obama and Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine), aims to reduce the amount of elemental mercury on the global market, which is often used for gold mining […]
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Wired passes along conventional wisdom on climate policy
Andrew Sullivan approvingly cites this piece from Steve Rayner, a letter to the next president about what to do on climate change. It seems Wired has made it company policy to publish only stuff that drives me up the wall. First, it says "cap and trade won’t work" on the basis of the fact that […]
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Debate part 2: Obama stays on energy independence message
Some people worry that Obama seemed to put energy independence on the “back burner” by suggesting his clean energy plan was the “first thing” he would cut to make room for the $700 billion bailout rescue deal. Significantly, that isn’t the message heard by at least one group of crucial voters — undecideds. During the […]
