Month: February 2010
IPhone App to Counter Climate Skeptics
Jonathan and I have had a somewhat spirited debate about what to do about Climategate (see here and here). I just found one perhaps small but very smart answer: an IPhone app that lists top arguments from climate skeptics and succinct rebuttals. The arguments are divided into three categories: “it’s not happening,” “it’s not us” …
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CONTINUE READINGDOE Bets on Central Station Solar — Is It the Right Horse?
Congratulations to Oakland’s BrightSource Energy Inc. for winning the largest federal loan guarantee for a renewable energy project thus far — $1.37 billion for the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, to be constructed in the Mojave Desert. For an observer like me – one who is most definitely not a financial markets expert – the …
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CONTINUE READINGAB 32 Opposition and Truth in Advertising
While some politicians have called publicly for the suspension of AB 32 until the economy recovers (see here and here for details), a more behind-the-scenes effort to undercut the implementation of California’s global warming bill is also taking place. The AB 32 Implementation Group (“IG”) says it “represents large and small business that are vital to …
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CONTINUE READINGNew Approaches to Analyzing Uncertainty
New analytic methods are emerging for dealing with tough problems that are not amenable to conventional risk analysis. These techniques also shed light on the precautionary principle.
CONTINUE READINGKeeping Up With EPA’s Rulemaking Efforts
A new Web-based “dashboard” is now available on EPA’s Web site. Created by the Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation, this site provides a transparent way to keep track of the agency’s priority rulemakings. It provides users with earlier and more targeted information as well as special filters that allow users to find rules and …
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CONTINUE READINGLining up for endangerment litigation
February 16 marked the deadline to challenge EPA’s finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare in federal court. According to BNA’s Environment Reporter, 16 such challenges were filed. The earliest seems to have come from an entity called the “Coalition for Responsible Regulation,” joined by mining and livestock interests (hat tip to …
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CONTINUE READINGTracking U.S. Climate Change Litigation
The most famous case about climate change is Massachusetts v. EPA, which led to a key decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. But there have been dozens of other lawsuits, and more are coming all the time. Fortunately, there’s a handy on-line resource for tracking all these cases. It’s worth taking a look at.
CONTINUE READINGWhite House Draft Guidance on Climate Change and Environmental Impact Statements
The Council on Environmental Quality has issued a draft guidance to agencies on treatment of greenhouse gases. The key point is that emissions exceeding 25,000 tons per year of CO2 will be considered a “significant environmental impact” and require preparation of an environmental impact statement. Overall, of course, this is a huge step forward. One …
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CONTINUE READINGYvo gives up, quits UNFCCC
In one more sign that making climate progress on the international front has become a difficult slog of late, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer announced his surprise resignation today. NYT has the story here, and the UN statement is here. Speculation is that he was beaten down by the failure to reach a legally …
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CONTINUE READINGThe Delta: pumps, politics, and (fish) populations
Cross-posted at CPRBlog The past couple of weeks have been crazier than usual on the Bay-Delta. The pumps were first ramped up and then ramped down. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) pandered to the irrigation crowd (or at least a part of it) by proposing to ease endangered species protections in the Delta. And the fall-run …
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