Climate Change

The Looming Political Battle Over AB 32 & California’s Environmental & Economic Future

Today, proponents of an initiative measure designed to “suspend” California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) are scheduled to submit signatures to state election officials designed to qualify the measure for the November 2010 ballot. Bankrolled by two Texas-based oil companies, Tesoro Corporation and Valero Energy Corporation, the initiative measure would preclude …

CONTINUE READING

Popular Support for “Cap and Dividend”

According to a poll by Public Opinion Strategies, there seems to be strong public support for cap and dividend, at least if the question is framed positively.  Here is the question along with some key results: “Some Democratic and Republican Senators have proposed an overhaul to America’s energy system. The goal is to reduce pollution, …

CONTINUE READING

The Sting of the Long Tail: Climate Change, Delayed Harm, and Backlash

In the comments to Ann’s earlier post, the question was raised as to why global temperatures haven’t declined in response to the decline in carbon dioxide emissions from Europe in the past year. I made a quick response to this question in the comments, but I wanted to elaborate on that response here.  What follow …

CONTINUE READING

Gambling on Climate Change

Paul Krugman had a great article about climate change in the NY Times magazine on Sunday.  It provides a really useful primer on the economics of climate change. In particular, Krugman emphasizes that uncertainty is a reason for action, not a reason to to allow unchecked global warming: We’re uncertain about the magnitude of climate …

CONTINUE READING

Interesting Lessons from the EU Cap and Trade Scheme

In a really interesting recent post by Sandbag, a UK-based organization that buys and retires credits from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the organization analyzed newly released 2009 data about drops in the emissions covered by the EU scheme.   On the good news front, emissions that are covered by the EU scheme have dropped 17 …

CONTINUE READING

India and Climate Change law and policy event – April 9 at UCLA

Please excuse the shameless promotion, but readers in the LA area may be interested in an all-day symposium on India and Climate Change being held at UCLA Law next Friday.  We’re excited to host cutting-edge conversations about India’s domestic climate change work and about how best to engage with India internationally, post-Copenhagen. More information on …

CONTINUE READING

Obama, Offshore Drilling, and Aikido

Concerning Obama’s new offshore drilling policv, it’s hard to disagree with the sentiment expressed by Matt Yglesias, Steve Benen, and Kevin Drum: why give a concession without getting anything in return?  House Minority Leader John Boehner responded with a typically reality- and lithium-deprived statement. saying that “the Obama Administration continues to defy the will of …

CONTINUE READING

To Save the Planet…Drill of For Oil?

In his State of the Union address this past January, President Obama found a way to equate greenhouse gas reduction and clean energy jobs with an increase in offshore drilling.  If he were to agree to more offshore leases, perhaps reticent members of Congress would support the kind of energy legislation needed to address climate …

CONTINUE READING

Giving the Coal Industry the Byrd

Senator Byrd (D-W. Va.) has long by a mainstay of the coal industry.  Actually, you could add the phrase “has long been” to almost any sentence about Byrd — he’s been around for a heck of a long time.  After all, he’s served longer than any member of Congress in history.  You might expect him …

CONTINUE READING

Big Three backs CAA regulation, cars deal

An interesting development: Yesterday, the industry group for major car manufacturers sent a letter to Congressional leaders opposing Sen. Murkowski’s legislative efforts (discussed by Holly here) to un-do EPA’s greenhouse gas endangerment finding.  The Murkowski resolution, as many have pointed out, would have the result of undoing the federally brokered cars deal set to impose Clean Air …

CONTINUE READING

TRENDING