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The National Academy of Science published new reports Thursday recommending that lawmakers act now to combat climate change. The reports, which were requested by Congress, explain the data behind global warming and highlight the links between climate change and human activity. Going well beyond a simple explanation of the evidence, the Academy declares that immediate action to curb greenhouse gas......read more
According to a report from the Center for Climate Strategies and John Hopkins University, the implementation of a federal climate policy could create 2.5 million new jobs. With a stagnant economy and high unemployment rates, you have to ask: How can a new climate policy create that many new jobs? Job creation would occur in areas such as forestry and waste, energy supply, residential,......read more
As President Obama prepares to deliver Tuesday's State of the Union address, observers are keenly waiting to hear what he will proclaim on the topic of climate policy. With Congress still bitterly divided, the odds of passing a substantive bill to reduce emissions are impossibly long, so we know that Obama and his advisors will have to draw on executive power to take action. We have also......read more
Lawyers representing states and environmental groups were expected to launch a legal blitz against the Environmental Protection Agency this week for delaying on climate rules. But on Monday it was announced that they will delay legal action to see if the White House unveils a climate policy strategy. We may not have to wait long. As John Upton notes at Grist, Obama recently told donors that......read more
In a big victory for the Obama administration, a U.S. federal court on Thursday rejected a bid by 27 states to block its Clean Power Plan, the centerpiece of its strategy to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions from power plants. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a brief order denying an application seeking to stay the rule......read more
I recently met Beth Terry, the author of a great blog on plastic pollution called Fake Plastic Fish (the definitive resource on our culture’s obsession with plastics) at a very sobering event – the return from an expedition to Midway Island with photographer Chris Jordan, who traveled there with a film crew to document the “plastic graveyard.” Midway is literally “midway” from......read more
Despite the likelihood that the 193 countries at the climate summit will leave Copenhagen with an agreement to finish their work either at a June meeting or at the next annual U.N. conference slated for next November in Mexico City, time is of the essence for President Obama and his congressional leaders to pass a domestic global warming bill. The New York Times reports....read more
In Copenhagen's suburbs yesterday, police fired pepper spray and beat protestors with batons outside a climate conference meeting venue. The violence marked a low point for a climate change summit that's had plenty of low points. The demonstators, who have been active during most of the negotiations, are demanding "climate justice" which means, presumably, firm steps taken......read more
BBC News reports that key states have reached what they call "a meaningful agreement" at the Copenhagen climate summit. In the press conference, President Obama called the agreement a "historic step forward". But no one, including the leaders involved, believe it's enough to halt global warming. Obama said the US, China, Brazil, India and South Africa had "agreed to......read more
Interesting op-ed piece in the Guardian today arguing that China bears ultimate responsibility for failure of the Copenhagen talks. "Copenhagen was a disaster. That much is agreed. But the truth about what actually happened is in danger of being lost amid the spin and inevitable mutual recriminations. The truth is this: China wrecked the talks, intentionally humiliated Barack Obama, and......read more
