Climate Change
Did California Policies Make the LA Fires Worse?
California’s environmental and climate regulations did not make the climate-fueled Palisades and Eaton fires more destructive or harder to fight. Here’s why.
We know climate change is partly to blame. Are California’s environmental policies regarding land and water management also to blame for the supercharged firestorm that has ravaged Los Angeles? It’s not just conspiracy theories on social media or misguided news stories; that’s the position of some congressional Republicans and President-elect Trump, who hold power over future …
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CONTINUE READINGJoe Biden, Hail and Farewell
His climate actions will resonate far into the future.
Joe Biden is about to vanish from the political scene, but not from the history books. The last election casts a pall on his reputation, as does his unpopularity. But history may be kinder, as it has been for Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter. Beyond all else, he has been our best president yet on climate policy. For our descendants, that will matter a lot more than a couple of years of inflation that impacted their ancestors.
CONTINUE READINGWhat policies lead to greenhouse gas emissions declines?
A recent study emphasizes the role of policy mixes in driving short-term emissions reductions
In a series of posts (beginning here, and ending here) last month, I outlined an approach to climate policy that emphasizes the role of subsidies in building political support and technological progress for climate policy. In doing so, I drew heavily on existing political science research and case studies from North America and Europe. But …
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CONTINUE READINGTrading more LNG exports for more electricity transmission?
Recent Department of Energy report indicates that the trade may be worth it
In a series of recent posts (first post, second post, third post), I examined the permitting reform bill advanced by Senators Manchin and Barrasso in the last Congress. That permitting reform bill is now dead. But the reasons for doing a deal still remain. Decarbonizing the US economy requires a massive increase in renewable energy, …
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CONTINUE READINGTest Your Knowledge of Climate Law
How much do you really know about the law relating to climate change?
How much do you really know about climate law? Expert or novice, this quiz will test your knowledge and maybe help you fill in some gaps.
CONTINUE READINGThe Environmental Gifts of the Magi
Clean air. Clean water. We receive these public goods every day without payment, as gifts from everyone to all of us.
One of the Christmas classics is the Jimmy Stewart movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. Stewart’s character is feeling suicidal, until he learns how much he has unknowingly helped others and how grateful they are. It’s heartwarming if also very corny. There’s a flip side to that story: the need to remember how much others have contributed …
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CONTINUE READINGLooking Ahead to the Second Trump Administration
Does the IRA have staying power?
This is the seventh in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. The fifth post is here. The sixth post is here. The incoming Trump Administration has, of course, called for ending efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, …
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CONTINUE READINGBroadening the Scope of Climate Policy
How to expand climate policy to new places and new sectors
This is the sixth in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. The fifth post is here. The political dynamics of decarbonization that I’ve sketched out are very specific to time, space, and economic sector. The policy approaches …
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CONTINUE READINGHow to Commit to Decarbonization
Feedback effects can lock in decarbonization policies, for better and for worse
This is the fifth in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. Decarbonization is a long-term challenge, and it requires commitments to drive the investments required for innovation and deployment of non-fossil-fuel energy sources. But long-term commitments, which …
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CONTINUE READINGOn Carbon Pricing and Mass Climate Movements
Neither carbon pricing nor a mass climate movement can drive effective climate policy on their own
This is the fourth in a series of posts. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. What lessons can we draw from this analysis for key climate policy debates? Here, I will focus on two key lessons, first for carbon pricing, and second for the use of …
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