Climate Politics

Sanders’ second amendment

He wants to carve out funds, currently expected to benefit the auto industry, and dedicate them to improving efficiency. Sanders notes that the language in the bill is extremely weak -- it indicates a flood of subsidies to the auto industry without spelling out specifically what's expected from the auto industry in return.

How did chairman Lieberman react? He opposed it, of course! (That basically kills it.)

Update: It failed.

Amendments

Bernie Sanders' amendment would carve out a chunk of money from the subsidy package for low-and-zero-carbon technologies and earmark it specifically for wind, solar, and other renewable-energy companies. Lieberman opposes it on the grounds that (a) it's too large a handout to wind and solar, and (b) he wants to wait to spell out the winners of the subsidies in order to keep a coalition of support (which includes an antinuclear faction) in the Senate together. That will pretty much kill the amendment.

Update: Yup, it's dead.

Canadian government’s eco-strategies not working, says audit

Sustainable development strategies introduced regularly by the Canadian government since the mid-1990s have largely failed to produce results, according to a new audit. A report by Environment Commissioner Ron Thompson notes that officials seem to just go through the motions, that there is no accountability, and that there has been no provision of “baselines or […]

Why can’t legislators connect nuclear power and water shortages?

Holy cognitive dissonance, Batman! Listen to this, from E&E (sub rqd): Of the two Republicans on the subcommittee, Sen. Johnny Isakson (Ga.), repeated his call to use the [Lieberman-Warner] legislation for the promotion of nuclear power. … Isakson said he would likely miss the subcommittee markup to attend a White House meeting on the Southeastern […]

More objections to Lieberman-Warner from Bernie Sanders

Earlier, Brian noted one statement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on the Lieberman-Warner climate bill. There’s another over on The Hill blog that gets into the technical details of Sanders’ objections. It’s worth reading. To begin with, it shows that Sanders is one of the only legislators in D.C. that really gets it: On most […]

If Dingell’s your Rep., tell him what you want

Are you a constituent of Michigan Rep. John Dingell? Via the grammatically challenged but well-meaning Think Global: Act Dingell, you can let him know you’d like him to show genuine leadership on energy and climate. Whatever else Dingell may be — and I expect we’ll be having that argument again before the year’s out — […]

Former N.D. governor nominated as Agriculture Secretary

George W. Bush has nominated Edward Schafer, a former North Dakota governor (and Republican, natch) to replace resigning Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. The mustachioed Schafer must be confirmed by the Senate. Schafer’s nomination was unexpected by Big Ag — said one farm lobbyist, “Who’s that?”

Hawaii legislature allows Superferry to resume voyages

The Hawaii legislature has approved a bill allowing resumption of voyages by the Hawaii Superferry, halted by court order in August because a state-required environmental-impact assessment had not been completed. The new legislation, backed by Gov. Linda Lingle (R), will allow the ferry to make its Oahu-to-Maui and Oahu-to-Kauai treks while the assessment is being […]

Amazing helicopter footage of Greenpeace in the Indonesian peat bogs

In the lead-up to the international Bali Climate summit, Greenpeace has launched a major direct action in Sumatra, Indonesia, to stop the nefarious PT Duta Palma corporation from destroying a pristine tropical forest (and the habitat for highly endangered Sumatran rhinos, tigers, and oh-so-cute orangutans) and replacing it with a palm oil plantation. Click on the picture to the right to watch the extraordinary video of their action, including amazing helicopter footage of both the glorious and denuded Indonesian landscape.

Torching tropical forests is bad enough, but this one lies atop a peat bog and the Duta Palma's henchmen are trying to drain it and burn it to grow the palms -- releasing thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the process. Indeed, destruction of peat bogs in Indonesia alone accounts for more than 8 percent of total global greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels.

On Gingrich’s new conservative environmentalism

A few days ago I got a review copy of Newt Gingrich’s new book, A Contract with the Earth. We’ve got somebody else reviewing it, so I don’t plan to read it. I do, however, want to make two observations, one on policy, one on politics. On policy: Gingrich’s shtick is that leftists took over […]