Climate Politics

McCain’s offshore drilling plan irks coastal state governors

The Obama campaign hosted a press conference this afternoon with Democratic governors to highlight opposition to John McCain’s call to end the moratorium on offshore drilling. The governors expressed uniform distaste with the proposal, and skepticism that voters in their states would approve of drilling off their coasts. “Our economy is driven by tourism and […]

McCain goes to Springfield, talks up nukes and coal

John McCain followed up yesterday’s energy speech with more energy talk today during a roundtable at Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo. Today he focused more specifically on his support for two energy sources: nuclear power and “clean coal.” The roundtable also featured Greg Boyce, CEO of Peabody Energy, the world’s largest coal company, and […]

Did McCain switch positions on windfall profits tax?

John McCain on a windfall profits tax, in his speech on energy policy delivered in Houston yesterday: So what does Senator Obama support in energy policy? Well, for starters he supported the energy bill of 2005 — a grab-bag of corporate favors that I opposed. And now he supports new taxes on energy producers. He […]

A look back at James Hansen’s seminal testimony on climate, part two

Worldwatch Institute is partnering with Grist to bring you this three-part series commemorating the 20-year anniversary of NASA scientist James Hansen's groundbreaking testimony on global climate change next week. Part one is here; part three is here.

-----

An unprecedented heat wave gripped the United States in the summer of 1988. Droughts destroyed crops. Forests were in flames. The Mississippi River was so dry that barges could not pass. Nearly half the nation was declared a disaster area.

The record-high temperatures led growing numbers of people to wonder whether the climate was being unnaturally altered.

Meanwhile, NASA scientist James Hansen was wrapping up a study finding that climate change, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, appeared inevitable even with dramatic reductions in greenhouse-gases. After a decade of studying the so-called greenhouse effect on global climate, Hansen was prepared to make a bold statement.

Hansen found his opportunity through former Sen. Tim Wirth (D-Colo.), who chose to showcase the scientist at a Congressional hearing. Twenty years later, the hearing is regarded as a turning point in climate science history.

Backing up McCain, Bush calls for ending offshore drilling moratorium

President Bush has joined John McCain in calling for an end to the offshore drilling moratorium that’s been in effect for most U.S. waters since the early 1980s. Bush’s reversal on the offshore-drilling issue follows on the heels of McCain’s big energy speech in Houston on Tuesday, where he advocated offshore drilling as a way […]

Public trusts Obama more than McCain on gas prices, global warming, energy

Interesting results from a new ABC/WaPo poll. Who do Americans trust more on the economy? Obama 52%, McCain 36% How about gas prices? Obama 50%, McCain 30% Global warming? Obama 55%, McCain 28% Energy policy? Obama 51%, McCain 36% Issues where McCain is more trusted: international affairs, war in Iraq (by one point), and war […]

Yet another climate bill introduced in the House; greens applaud

Since climate change legislation failed to gather steam in the Senate this month, all eyes are now on the House. Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) has been promising a bill for months. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, put out an ambitious bill in […]

McCain calls for offshore drilling, renewables, and conservation in energy speech

Republican presidential candidate John McCain tried to pack something for everyone into a big energy speech yesterday, saying the U.S. needs more conservation and renewables as well as more oil drilling, oil refineries, “clean-burning coal,” and nuclear power plants. He called for ending a federal moratorium on offshore oil drilling, but reiterated his opposition to […]

McCain adviser on oil drilling in ecologically sensitive areas

McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin held a press call with reporters tonight after the candidate’s energy speech in Houston. One particularly interesting question came up: A reporter asked why, if McCain thinks people who live in coastal states should decide whether to allow drilling off their shores, that view doesn’t extend to the Arctic National Wildlife […]

McCain’s free pass

Great post from Hilzoy over at Obsidian Wings, starting with McCain’s confused statements on climate change, moving out to McCain’s confused statements on other matters of policy, and asking: why is no one in the mainstream media covering this? Why is McCain allowed to get away with it?