pollution regulation

Why Pollution Regulations Aren’t Taxes

Opponents of environmental regulations love to call them hidden taxes. But constant repetition doesn’t make this idea true.

If you’ve seen a statement that regulations are hidden taxes, that’s not too surprising. Googling “regulation hidden taxes” produces over three million hits. But in fact, pollution regulations and taxes are completely different. The reason is simple. A tax removes value from the private sector. Environmental regulations simultaneously remove value from one part of …

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Reasonably Libertarian: Gary Johnson’s Environmental Views

Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson isn’t exactly a household name, but it looks like he’s going to be on the ballot in nearly all states. That made me curious about his environmental positions. I have to admit that Johnson’s views were better than I expected. You can’t really call Johnson an environmentalist, but he looks quite …

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Reflections on “Yes they can control the weather.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene is wildly wrong about government scientists controlling hurricanes. There is a rich history of weather modification experiments that make that false claim more dangerous.

Why You Should Read CA’s ExxonMobil Plastic Lawsuit

California’s lawsuit against ExxonMobil for lying about plastic recycling is the latest example of the state using old-fashioned legal tools to address more modern harms.

The Election, Vehicle Emissions, and State Climate Plans

If the California car waiver survives a possible Trump presidency, we may have the overruling of Chevron to thank.

How to Make Trees Worth More Standing Than Cut Down

The Katoomba Group is celebrating 25 years of pioneering new approaches to realizing value in nature. Here’s what we’ve learned.

Climate, Energy, and Environment on the Ballot

Ballot measures in Washington and California are especially important but others are worth noting.

Model Uncertainty in Politics and Climate Policy

The polls could be systematically off, not just due to random error. That’s a worry with climate models as well.

Still Crazy After All These Years

There’s been an alarming growth of conspiracy theories, often antisemitic ones, to explain extreme weather events.

We Need a Circular Economy for EV Batteries

California got close to making suppliers ensure EV batteries are managed responsibly at end of life. Here’s why 2025 should be the year California creates a circular economy for EV batteries.

The Dangerous Embrace of Convenient Narratives Over Inconvenient Truths

As it turns out, Nature doesn’t care what stories you post on social media or spin on TV.

New Environmental Laws Focus on Public Health

Many of the environmental-focused bills that the governor signed this year involve ways to alleviate the health disparities faced by frontline communities.