Climate Change
China, Energy and the Economy
The New York Times reported — with seeming alarm — this weekend that China is now leading the world in the manufacture of wind turbines and solar panels. Yet shouldn’t we view this news as good for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Action by the U.S. to reduce emissions, while absolutely necessary for geopolitical …
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CONTINUE READINGThe Corporate Side of Climate Change
I was surprised a few years ago when one of the speakers at a conference on climate change turned out to be a lead partner at a Wall Street law firm who counseled corporations about disclosure of climate risks. He may have been just a few years ahead of the curve. According to E&E News, …
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CONTINUE READINGPriming the Political Pump for Climate Legislation
Dan, Rick, and Jonathan have all discussed the implications of the political events of the last week for climate change policy. Certainly, it seems clear that both from a vote-counting perspective and from a political momentum perspective, the special election last week made passage of a climate change bill through the Senate generally harder. And …
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CONTINUE READINGMassachusetts’ Special Election & the Prognosis for U.S. Climate Change Legislation
Colleague Jonathan Zasloff recently opined on this site that Scott Brown’s election to the open U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts could actually be good news when it comes to prospects for passage of federal climate change legislation. Let me file a congenial dissent to Jonathan’s prediction, though one that–like his–contains some seeds of optimism. I …
CONTINUE READINGCarbon Tweets
Do you twitter? If so, you might be interested in this feature at the Washington Post, which aggregates tweets relating to climate issues.
CONTINUE READINGCampaign to Suspend AB 32 Unlikely to Go Anywhere
Last Monday, the Wall Street Journal editorialized in favor of both a bill and a newly filed ballot initiative to suspend the implementation of California’s landmark greenhouse gas emissions legislation, AB 32, until the state’s unemployment rate falls from it’s current 12+ % to under 5.5% for four consecutive quarters. On the same day the …
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CONTINUE READINGIndian Federalism and Climate Change
Federalism is a hot topic (so to speak) for scholars working on climate change, but we have so far remained resolutely at home, focusing solely on American federalism. It’s now time to start thinking about how federalism might impact India, which has maintained a federal system for more than 60 years, and has decentralized greatly in …
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CONTINUE READINGWhere Do We Go After Copenhagen?
Berkeley will be holding an interdisciplinary conference of climate change experts on January 28 to sort out the aftermath of Copenhagen. The participants will include faculty in law, political science, economics, public policy, and engineering. For more details about the conference or to RSVP, click here.
CONTINUE READINGThe Indian Style of Climate Policy
If India ever does something about its growing carbon emissions, this is the book that tells you how it will happen. Rob Jenkins’ Democratic Politics and Economic Reform in India is the best source I have seen so far that really gets into the guts of how the country’s political economy works. And that’s what …
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CONTINUE READINGThe Top 10 Environmental Developments of 2009
10. Cass Sunstein becomes regulatory czar. Sunstein is a true believer in cost-benefit analysis, the bête noire of many an environmentalist. Obama’s appointment of Sunstein to oversee health and environmental regulations may put the brakes on regulatory initiatves. 9. California passes AB 758. The first mandate for energy efficiency standards for existing buildings. 8. Water …
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