Climate Politics
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.
CONTINUE READINGHypothetically Speaking: What if Trump Had Won in 2020?
In terms of climate policy, the short answer is “nearly total destruction.”
Trump’s end point from his first term — zeroing out federal climate action — would have been his starting point after reelection. The next steps would have been an effort to end state-level and private climate action, and a massive increase in oil & gas production and use.
CONTINUE READINGCan the IRA Trump-Proof Itself?
Building A Political Firewall Against IRA Repeal
Biden’s signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, is squarely in Donald Trump’s sights. There is certainly a risk that a GOP sweep in November would result in repeal, as I’ve written before. Yet there are increasing signs that the IRA has created a powerful political constituency deep in Republican domains. This will make repealing …
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CONTINUE READINGFinalists to be Trump’s Veep Pick
Not surprisingly, none of them augurs well for the environment, but some are worse than others.
All four candidates are strong supporters of fossil fuels. Burgham’s willingness to talk about carbon neutrality makes him the most promising on environmental issues, while Vance’s unblemished anti-environmentalism makes him the worst. It’s hard to guess at whom Trump will choose, but Vance’s anti-environmentalism could give him an edge.
CONTINUE READINGWhy a Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush — Especially When the Issue is Climate Change
Climate action is too urgent to insist on waiting for perfect solutions
It’s an ancient dispute: Should we compromise on half-measures, or hold out until we can get something a lot better? Idealists argue for holding out. Pragmatist argue that half a loaf is better than none. Rather than rehearse familiar arguments, I want to focus specifically on climate change. In my view, holding out for ideal …
CONTINUE READINGDid the COVID Response Poison the Well for Climate Action?
Sadly, the answer may be yes, at least for one conspiracy-minded segment of the population.
One meme that seems to be popping up is that the “evils” of the COVID response reveal some dark reality behind climate policy. Whatever its roots, these dark fantasies threaten the welfare of current and future generations.
CONTINUE READINGPouring Gas on a Five Alarm Fire
That’s Trump’s climate policy in a nutshell. His campaign slogan should be, “Burn, Baby, Burn.”
At a dinner for oil industry CEOs last week, Trump promised to fulfill the industry’s every dream in return for a billion dollars in donations. We urgently need now is more federal climate action, not less. Yet the reelection of Donald Trump would wipe out years of federal climate action. It’s important to understand fully …
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CONTINUE READINGMobilizing Environmental Voters
People who care about the environment may not be voters. Can that be changed?
The environment is a priority for some people who don’t vote. These groups are trying to change that.
CONTINUE READINGFilling in the Picture: The Latest From Kennedy about Climate
Here’s what Kennedy says about his campaign, its effect on the race, and climate change.
Some of RFK Jr.’s views about climate change may be what you expected. Others may surprise you, like his embrace of natural gas as a fuel and his reservations about regulating emissions.
CONTINUE READINGElection 2024: The Current Outlook
The White House and the House are still up for grabs; Republicans are favored in the Senate.
Last November, it appeared that the Democrats had a small edge in terms of electoral votes. In congressional races, however, the Republicans had the edge in the Senate and perhaps the House. Since then, the electoral vote situation has become foggier, gerrymandering in North Carolina has given the Republicans a bit more of an advantage …
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