Climate Politics
All Stories
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What, Me Warring?
President Bush visits North Carolina lab, burbles about alternative fuels Tired of explaining why other countries are pulling troops out of Iraq, President Bush switchgrassed to a favorite topic yesterday: alternative energy. A photo op at a North Carolina research facility saw the Commander in Chief don a lab coat, squint thoughtfully at a jar […]
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Don’t Just Kiss Our Babies
New Hampshire climate activists take advantage of election spotlight The wee state of New Hampshire hopes to take advantage of its front-running primary election to make climate change a priority at the federal level. In March or thereabouts, at least 180 communities, constituting more than 75 percent of the state, will vote on a resolution […]
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Yearning to Breathe Free
Study finds air-quality inequality in San Francisco Bay area According to a new study, people of color and poorer residents in the San Francisco Bay area breathe more than their share of polluted air. “We have a problem with the degree of environmental inequality … even though we regard ourselves as a region that is […]
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And what you can do about it
Ask small-scale, sustainable-minded farmers where they go for tips, and invariably they’ll mention ATTRA, an information clearinghouse funded by the USDA. Just this morning, I went to attra.org to get information on how to make organic potting-soil mix for starting seeds. Like many farmers, I’ve printed out copies of ATTRA’s indispensable guides to cover crops […]
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Emissions trading: A mixed record, with plenty of failures
In arguments over carbon trading, both sides often assume that past emission trading schemes have been notably successful. But in practice, trading schemes have lowered emissions more slowly than rule-based methods, and have discouraged rather than encouraged innovation. Even in the area where emissions trading shows some success — lowering gross compliance costs to industry […]
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My presidential platform calls for clean air and no war. What about yours?
Grab hold of the political moment. Image: iStockphoto The U.S. appears headed for a bumper crop of 2008 presidential candidates, most of which know they can’t possibly win the nomination, let alone ever be hailed as the chief. So why do they toss in their hats? Many say it’s to ensure the national debate includes […]
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It Takes a Vilsack to Raise Our Hopes
Presidential candidate Tom Vilsack outlines bold energy and climate plan If Democratic presidential long-shot Tom Vilsack had his way, the U.S. would embrace a mandatory cap-and-trade system to slash greenhouse-gas emissions 75 percent by 2050, break its oil addiction, and create hundreds of thousands of clean-energy jobs. This week, the former Iowa governor became the […]
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Who Speaks for the Eggman?
U.S. green groups sue feds over polar bear, walrus protection Two green groups have sued the feds for failing to protect polar bears and walruses (walri?) from the nasty combo of oil drilling and global warming. Pacific Environment and the Center for Biological Diversity say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service didn’t consider the effects […]
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How a conservative think tank’s foray into climate policy stirred up a media hornet’s nest
A conservative think tank attempted to engage the debate over climate policy recently, only to see that attempt explode in its face. The tangled episode, with its combustible mix of sensationalist journalism, public outrage, and the threatened intervention of the federal government, is rich with lessons about the current state of climate politics — lessons […]
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Kristen Berry, president of avian political-advocacy organization BirdPAC, answers questions
Kristen Berry. With what environmental organization are you affiliated? I am the president of BirdPAC. What does your organization do? We are a fledgling political action committee dedicated to protecting the environment and species by harnessing and focusing the power of conservationists on the political process — specifically elections. We are one of only a […]
