What Threatens Biodiversity?
Are we too worried about climate change to focus on the other problems we know about?
Yesterday, Nature published a noteworthy comment on the biodiversity crisis, written by researchers at the University of Queensland and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The piece is based on a study of 8,688 species that are classified on the IUCN's Red List either as threatened (vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered) or near-threatened. The main finding is that the most prevalent threats to these species are overexploitation (af...
CONTINUE READINGConflicting Visions of the Future of the American West
The GOP favors the Old West of ranching, logging, mining, and oil. The Democrats have a different view.
The Democratic and Republican parties have very different ideas about the 640 million acres of land owned by the federal government, mostly in the West. It’s not just that the party platforms disagree about the balance between preservation and resource exploitation. It’s also that Democrats have a much different vision of the future of the American West. These differences reflect some political realities. The GOP’s support is heavily rural and its funding base ...
CONTINUE READINGThe Miracle Elixir for Economic Growth: More Pollution!
Trump claims allowing more water and air pollution will boost the economy through the stratosphere.
Is increased pollution the key to economic growth? Can we increase economic growth by dropping restrictions on air and water pollution and ramping up climate change? Donald Trump believes that the answer is yes – indeed, if that if we just get rid of those pesky environmental regulations, we can create 500,000 new jobs every year, add $7000 to the average family’s income, and increase GDP by $500 billion per year. In fact, he says, the Obama Administration has de...
CONTINUE READINGA Darker Shade of Green
Jill Stein and her party call for a 40% cut in U.S. carbon emissions in the next four years.
Although the Green Party doesn't seem to be pulling a lot of voters at this point, it seems only fair to include them in the roundup of the parties' environmental positions. As you could infer from the name, the Green Party puts a very high priority on environmental quality. Interestingly, the current party platform is dated 2014, unlike other parties that key their platform updates to the presidential election cycle. Jill Stein, the Party's presidential candidate,...
CONTINUE READINGCalifornia Governor Jerry Brown Launches Initiative Effort to Achieve Climate Change Goals
Governor Brown Decides to Play Offense in High Stakes Political Battle Over Next Stage of State Climate Change Mitigation Efforts
One of 2016's biggest political battles in California is over whether and how the state will pursue its ambitious climate change mitigation goals past the year 2020. California's landmark Global Warming Solutions Act--better known as AB 32--committed California to roll back aggregate state greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels no later than 2020. Through the aggressive efforts of former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, current Governor Jerry Brown and the...
CONTINUE READINGRio’s Dirty Water
Everyone seems to be talking about the pollution in Guanabara Bay
With the Opening Ceremonies for the 2016 Summer Olympics set for tomorrow night, the world’s attention is turned to Brazil. For someone with a great love for the country, it is disheartening to see the series of articles in the run-up to the Olympics emphasizing the negatives—challenges due to political turmoil, security concerns, the Zika virus, and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro. Rio, of course, is not the first Olympic city to face water pollution challe...
CONTINUE READINGThe Libertarian Party and the Environment
The Libertarian Party platform leaves many open questions about environmental protection.
A number of people seem drawn to the Libertarian Party during this election cycle. As it turns out, the Party believes not only in minimal government but a minimal platform. Compared to the platforms of the major parties, the Libertarian platform is blessedly brief. (It also seems notably more purist than the Party's presidential ticket.) Here's all of what it says about the environment: "Competitive free markets and property rights stimulate the technological i...
CONTINUE READINGPets, Parks, and Presidential Politics
Some unusual topics for a presidential campaign
While preparing a comparison of the candidates’ environmental positions, I saw some interesting positions by Hillary Clinton that didn’t fit neatly into the comparison. They deal with topics that aren’t usually covered in national campaigns: city parks, animal welfare, and improved stewardship by ranchers and farmers. I’ve written previously about the importance of city parks. Clinton’s website includes an interesting discussion of parks. She Clinton pledges...
CONTINUE READINGThe New NEPA Guidance
The new guidance on climate change is a step forward, though it could have been stronger.
The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued new guidance today on considering climate change in environmental impact statements. Here are the key points: Quantification. The guidance recommends that agencies quantify projected direct and indirect emissions, using the amount of emissions as a proxy for the eventual impact on climate change. The EIS should also discuss the impacts of climate change, referring to government reports on the subje...
CONTINUE READINGThe Aviation Endangerment Finding
While we are watching the political conventions, EPA took an important step forward
Last Monday, EPA issued a formal finding that carbon emissions from commercial aviation endanger human health and welfare. Understanding the significance of the finding requires a little background. Section 231(a)(2) of the Clean Air Act directs the EPA Administrator to "issue proposed emission standards applicable to the emission of any air pollutant from any class or classes of aircraft engines which in his judgment causes, or contributes to, air pollution which...
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