Region: National
Last Week in Climate Change
Is climate action finally starting to develop momentum?
There was some good news last week for those of us who worry about the future of the planet,. Both inside and outside of Congress, Pope Francis spoke about the need to protect the environment and address climate change. Some conservative Catholics are eager to dismiss this as simply another misguided opinion by a left-learning Pope. But …
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CONTINUE READINGPope Francis Goes to Washington
What he said and didn’t say
Pope Francis arrived in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to begin a much anticipated trip to the United States. While here, the pope will visit DC, New York City, and Philadelphia. Pope Francis, a former chemist, has gained much attention for his calls for action on climate change, in addition to his focus on inequality and …
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CONTINUE READINGWhat Does Ben Carson Think About the Environment?
He hasn’t said much. Mostly he sounds like Mitch McConnell. But sometimes he sounds like Pope Francis.
Ben Carson is rapidly rising in the polls for the GOP presidential nomination. He has a number of strengths including a demeanor that is the opposite of Donald Trump’s and an arresting personal story. Apparently, for many GOP voters, part of his charm is his lack of experience in politics or government. He has taken …
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CONTINUE READINGResources on the Clean Power Plan
and EPA’s Other Rulemakings under Clean Air Act § 111
On August 3rd, EPA released its long-awaited Clean Power Plan, which implements Clean Air Act § 111(d) to set the first-ever national standards for carbon emissions from existing fossil-fuel-fired power plants. The Clean Power Plan calculates reasonably achievable performance rates for existing coal, oil, and natural gas power plants across the country, and assigns an …
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CONTINUE READINGBuilding Climate Coalitions
A New Paper in Science Illuminates the Political Dynamics
Economists are used to evaluating policy instruments based on their economic effects. No surprise there. But a recent paper in Science argues that the political effects may be just as important. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that three of the four authors are political scientists; the fourth is Eric Biber, a frequent contributor to this …
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CONTINUE READINGDisaster Law and Policy
A new textbook on the emerging field of Disaster Law.
I’m delighted to announce the publication of the third edition of Disaster Law and Policy. Although I might not normally use this blog to promote a new book, I’d like to think in this case this is more than just shameless self-promotion. That’s for two reasons: the lion’s share of the credit for the improvements …
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CONTINUE READINGAs Predicted, Premature Suit to Block Clean Power Plan Implementation Fails
Petitioners don’t meet standards for extraordinary writs
The case filed by 15 disgruntled states, led by West Virginia, seeking to block the implementation of the Clean Power Plan has been dismissed by the D. C. Circuit Court of Appeal as premature. Here’s an explanation of the legal and political basis for the lawsuit. As predicted when the states filed the lawsuit, …
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CONTINUE READINGThe Shadow Price of Carbon
Merging Cost-Benefit Analysis and Feasibility Analysis
The U.S. government has devoted a lot of time and effort to estimating the social cost of carbon. This is basically a standard exercise in cost-benefit analysis, following a familiar three-step process: 1. Impacts. Figure out the physical impacts of the emissions. This involves setting up some emissions scenarios and then running computer simulations to …
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CONTINUE READINGThe Top Ten Reasons Trump Should Endorse a Carbon Tax
A bold move, if Trump is brave enough to go there.
Not that he’s asked for my advice, but here are ten powerful reasons why Donald Trump should endorse a carbon tax: 10. It would be completely inconsistent with his past positions. 9. It would shock the GOP establishment. 8. It would shock the media. 7. He’s already endorsed a tax increase for …
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CONTINUE READINGGuess Who Benefits From Regulating Power Plants
The answer will surprise you.
What parts of the country benefit most from the series of new EPA rules addressing pollution from coal-fired power plants? The answer is not what you think. EPA does a thorough cost-benefit analysis of its regulations but the costs and benefits are aggregated at the national level. In a new paper, David Spence and David Adelman from the University …
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