Climate Change

Interview with a Yale “JD”

The climate is changing rapidly, but not as fast as some people’s views have U-turned.

Climate denial on the GOP ticket: “I’m skeptical of the idea that climate change is caused purely by man. The climate’s been changing, as others have pointed out, for millennia.”

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Did Democrats Follow Through?

 The 2020 Democratic Platform made some big promises. Four years later, where do things stand?

Many of the climate promises in the 2020 Democratic platform were kept, and large down-payments were made toward fulfilling others. The glass is definitely more than half full.

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The D.C. Circuit and the Biden Power Plant Rule

Regulating inside the fenceline

The court’s denial of a stay is very good news for EPA

The D.C. Circuit frequently denies stays, but this ruling was notable for three reasons: It allows an important climate change regulation to go into effect; it clarified an important legal doctrine; and it has a good chance of being upheld on appeal.

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(Energy) Independence Day

A post in which I surprise readers — and myself — with strong praise for George W. Bush.

The only way to achieve energy independence is to achieve independence from fossil fuels. That’s not something we can achieve overnight, but the closer we come, the better — for our health, our national security, and the world.

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The 2023 NEPA Rewrite and the Supreme Court’s New Climate Case

NEPA isn’t a common law subject. What the statute says matters more than pre-2023 judicial opinions.

When it amended NEPA in 2023, Congress squarely rejected language that would have constricted the definition of environmental impacts. The Supreme Court needs to give that language full effect, not obsess about the meaning of pre-2023 judicial opinions.The Supreme Court shouldn’t give advocates of narrowing NEPA a victory that they were unable to get through the legislative process.

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Universities Gear Up to Fight Climate Change

Here are some recent developments at leading universities.

Universities across the country are making moves to better address climate change: creating new Schools of Sustainability and Climate, establishing research institutes, and appointing Vice Provosts for Climate Change to oversee their work.

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Hillary Clinton, Climate Change, and the ‘Sliding Doors’ of History

Here’s what could have happened instead of Trump’s crusade against climate action, if Clinton had squeaked out a victory in 2016.

If Hillary Clinton had won, we would be much further along today in the battle to cut carbon emissions and control climate change. Instead, Trump was a climate disaster. The bottom line: Elections do matter. Not just for politicians but for all of us.

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Why are the Dodgers Sullying Their Brand With Big Oil?

Photo of the Dodgers Stadium scoreboard showing the 76 ball advertised prominently

As fossil fuel advertising increasingly comes under fire, it’s time for the ball club to call ‘strike three’ on 76.

On a recent trip to the Ravine, a friend and I couldn’t help but be struck by the prominence of advertisements for 76, a gas station company owned by the Big Oil conglomerate Phillips 66.  A couple of giant 76 signs sit atop the two main Dodgers scoreboards; their placement is such that they dominate …

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How are California’s New Climate Adaptation and Resilience Grant Programs Performing?

CLEE reports analyze state’s highly in-demand adaptation and resilience grants for crucial local climate action

California is rapidly experiencing the impacts of a changing climate, from devastating wildfires and persistent droughts to rising sea levels, extreme heat, and erratic precipitation patterns. Climate adaptation is crucial for building resilience to these and other risks, thereby protecting California’s communities, economy, environment, and public health. However, effective adaptation requires significant investment, particularly in …

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Trump’s War on Environmental Protection: A Chronology

Yes, there were over 100 environmental rollbacks. Here are the biggest.

From when he took office to the day he left, Trump lead a steady drumbeat of environmental rollback after environmental rollback. His goals: eliminate limits on pollution from fossil fuels and end protection of public lands.

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