Climate Politics

Obama parries ABEC

Obama gets buttonholed by a planted ABEC coal shill: Nothing he says here is particularly objectionable. The priority on reducing CO2 emissions is welcome. It is true that if we can figure out a way to cost-effectively sequester coal emissions, it will bring some benefit. More important, though, is what’s not said. He says we […]

Tonight’s climate-less Democratic debate: Brought to you on behalf of ABEC

I looked through the transcript, and as far as I can tell there wasn’t a single question about climate change in tonight’s Democratic debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. This is the fourth CNN debate sponsored by coal front group Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC). Not one of the four has contained a […]

Bush drops mismanaged ‘NeverGen’ clean coal project

For those remaining seven or eight three or four people who still buy the Bush rhetoric that he cares about global warming and is committed to addressing the problem with new technology, Exhibit 435C for the prosecution is the just-canceled "clean coal" project called FutureGen.

[Amusing anecdote for FHA (Future Historians of America): I once had a boss at the U.S. Department of Energy who practiced repeating "clean coal" in front of a mirror so as not to break out smiling when uttering that oxymoron.]

Yes, I know Bush said as recently as Monday (in the most vetted of all presidential speeches), "Let us fund new technologies that can generate coal power while capturing carbon emissions." But he wasn't lying or flip-flopping or anything. He didn't say, "We are funding new technologies ..." or "Anyone who actually meant what they said would keep funding new technologies ..." Give the guy a break. He said, "Let us fund new technologies ..." He was imploring Congress for help in a "Let my people go" vein.

Yes, two months ago, "administration officials were calling it a 'centerpiece' of their strategy for clean coal technologies," but centerpieces are largely decorative, no?

This is sort of a setback for those who believe coal gasification combined with carbon capture and storage could be a major global warming solution. I say "sort of" for two reasons. First, the program was being horribly mismanaged:

"The idea of FutureGen makes complete sense," Dr. Moniz [undersecretary of energy during the Clinton administration] said. However, a study he helped direct concluded earlier this year that the FutureGen project was badly structured, with confusion about whether it was a research project or a demonstration. Among its problems, he said in a telephone interview on Friday, was that it has "a cast of thousands" ...

New report compares military and climate spending

The Institute for Policy Studies has a new Foreign Policy in Focus report out: "The Budget Compared: Military vs. Climate Security." As you’d expect from the name, it’s a close look at how federal dollars are allocated for military vs. climate protection, and as you’d expect from, you know, being awake, there’s an enormous disparity. […]

Kansas dirty-energy advocates make their play to allow coal plants

The fight over coal plants in Kansas has taken another turn. State legislators have introduced a new law that they say is "fair to both sides." That characterization could not be more comical. First of all, the bill was crafted in secret by four legislators who are members of the Kansas Electric Transmission Authority and […]

Schwarzenegger endorses McCain for president, cites green credentials

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Photo: AP/Ric Francis California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger officially endorsed fellow Republican John McCain today in the presidential race. The announcement, held at a solar-energy company in California, is expected to aid McCain’s campaign in the same way an earlier endorsement from green-leaning Florida Gov. Charlie […]

Cali gov Schwarzenegger endorses John McCain

So Schwarzenegger endorsed McCain today, citing his fight against wasteful spending, his "vision" for protecting the environment ("and the economy simultaneously"), and his national security credentials. Of course McCain’s battle against earmarks is entirely symbolic, given that they are a tiny sliver of federal spending. His "vision" on global warming amounts to an outdated and […]

California hopes to spur development of less-toxic chemicals

California officials are aiming to spur development of less-toxic chemicals as safer alternatives to widely used toxics and will today unveil their proposals to kick-start the “green chem” revolution. One idea that’s not included on the list of over 800 proposals is additional bans or restrictions on the use of toxic chemicals. Instead, ideas range […]

Greenpeace pulls off a doozy of a stunt

Some fiendishly clever visual protest from Greenpeace: Joe Romm must be flattered.

All four Republican prez candidates express support for California’s EPA waiver

Last night’s Republican debate spawned at least one memorable surprise: all four GOP candidates appeared to express support for California in its battle with the U.S. EPA to get a waiver it needs to implement its greenhouse-gas emissions standards for vehicles. The Bush administration denied the waiver in December, arguing that recent changes to federal […]