Obama’s Remarkable Environmental Achievements
When you look at the whole of his legacy, it's a stunning record.
When he leaves office in January, President Obama will have compiled a remarkable record of environmental achievements. The record spans everything from climate change to endangered species and ocean protection. We can only hope that next Tuesday’s election doesn’t undo many of these gains. Here is a list, in no particular order, of twenty of Obama’s notable achievements: Jumpstarting the green economy. The stimulus provided $90 billion dollars for a bevy ...
CONTINUE READINGBattle for the Governorship: North Carolina
A tight race between a deregulatory incumbent and a pro-environmental challenger.
Governors’ races don’t get as much publicity as the national contests. But we live in a federalist system, and states help shape environmental and energy policy. They can cooperate with and even go beyond federal policy, or they can drag their feet and litigate against every federal initiative. This time around, there are three races that are considered very close: Indiana, North Carolina and New Hampshire. This is the second of a trio of posts covering those el...
CONTINUE READINGConfronting the “Emissions Gap”
Long-term thinking and short-term deficiencies in climate change mitigation
With the Paris Agreement now ratified by 86 countries, and entering into force this Friday, countries have defined their first targets—the first round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The United States has pledged to reduce GHG emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. This initial round of NDCs is significant, but represents only a short timeframe and a first step. Since the 2009 Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen, the UNFCCC has reaffirmed a...
CONTINUE READINGThe Environment and the Conservative Dilemma
Trump may shake up GOP's anti-environmental coalition.
However this election comes out, conservatives face a major problem. As the ascendancy of Donald Trump shows, a substantial share of the GOP base – probably a majority -- doesn’t care much about core conservative principles. Notably, Trump’s strongest allies, Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie, do not have histories as staunch conservatives. This situation leaves the Paul Ryan part of the GOP, and the conservative intelligentsia, in a quandary. Many Republican vot...
CONTINUE READINGA Century of Bipartisan Effort
Over 110 years, Presidents of both parties have worked to save national monuments.
Let’s take a break from the bitter partisan warfare and celebrate a bipartisan triumph: preserving numerous national monuments by presidents of both parties. This effort includes creation of 1.6 million square miles of marine preserves by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. It’s impressive just how many of our Presidents have been involved in this effort. According to the Congressional Research Service: “Sixteen of the 19 Presidents since 1906 created...
CONTINUE READINGThe Steadily-Dying Sierra Nevadas
Drought, Bark Beetle Infestation, Climate Change Imperil Sierra Pine Forests
Like over 600 other environmental lawyers, professors, law students and regulators, I attended the 25th annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite last weekend. As always, the Conference--sponsored by the California State Bar's Environmental Law Section--was a big success, filled with inspirational speakers and thought-provoking panels. But the major topic of conversation--during the Conference proceedings, in hallway conversations and on outdoor hikes in Y...
CONTINUE READINGGuest Bloggers Alice Kaswan and Kirsten Engel: Untapped Potential: Emissions Reduction Initiatives Beyond Clean Power Plan Are Warranted, Workable
New Report Analyzes Potential for Further Emissions Reduction from Existing Sources
Guest post by Alice Kaswan (University of San Francisco School of Law), Kirsten H. Engel (University of Arizona School of Law) It's been a month since the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments on the Clean Power Plan, and the nation is in wait-and-see mode. But our report, Untapped Potential: The Carbon Reductions Left Out of EPA's Clean Power Plan, released today by the Center for Progressive Reform, shows that, even if the Plan is upheld, continued climate initiatives t...
CONTINUE READINGEnergy & Environment in the Indiana Governor’s Race
Whither the Hoosier State?
Governors’ races don’t get as much publicity as the national contests. Most governors’ races are off-year elections, giving them even less visibility, but a minority of states do hold these elections in presidential election years. Despite their lack of national visibility, the outcomes matter. We live in a federalist system, and states have a significant ability to shape environmental and energy policy. They can cooperate with and even go beyond federal policy, o...
CONTINUE READINGBattle for the Senate: A Ten State Roundup
The stakes for environment and energy policy are high in this year's Senate elections.
Control of the Senate is important for many reasons, including the majority party’s control over the agenda and its power to launch investigations. Given that the Republicans are in such a strong position in the House, it matters even more than usual which party controls the other chamber. The parties are far apart on many issues, notably including environmental and energy policy. This is the last in a series of blog posts on the critical races. Previous posts ha...
CONTINUE READINGWhat’s The Future Of California’s High Speed Rail System?
Join My KALW Radio Conversation Tonight With Authority Chair Dan Richard At 7pm
California's high speed rail system has been moving at a low speed since voters approved a bond issue to launch it in 2008. That ballot measure authorized a bullet train from San Francisco to Los Angeles and eventually Anaheim, at speeds of 220 miles per hour and stops in Central Valley cities like Fresno and Bakersfield. The total trip time would be no more than 2 hours and 40 minutes between the two big cities, at fares less than airplane travel. The rationale for t...
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