Climate Change

The Scariest Movie Ever: “President Trump, Part II”

A tale that should send shivers down your back.

Given that Halloween is tomorrow, here’s a frighting story– the tale of what a Trump victory would mean for the future climate. Would a Trump victory be the end of the world? That might be an overstatement. But the result would surely be a surge in carbon emissions, dooming us to even more severe climate …

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Livestock Operations Are Responsible for Over Half of California’s Methane Emissions—Why Won’t CARB Regulate Them?

Image of an anaerobic digester on a dairy

CARB will have the authority to regulate methane from livestock operations beginning in January but has not initiated rulemaking

  At a recent California Air Resources Board (CARB) meeting, a staff member responded to a question about why CARB’s program for reducing emissions from transportation fuels incentivized the capture of methane from landfills so much less than the capture of methane from dairies: “Landfills have a different CI [carbon intensity] score because they are …

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Speaker Mike Johnson Could Be Disaster in the Making

Johnson’s selection as Speaker signals trouble ahead— but could be political good news for Democrats.  

So, the Republicans finally settled on a Speaker: Religious Right activist Mike Johnson.  Johnson is a climate denier. In 2017, he said: “The climate is changing, but the question is, is it being caused by natural cycles over the span of the Earth’s history? Or is it changing because we drive SUVs? I don’t believe …

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The New Speaker Nominee and the Environment –Whoops, Never Mind!

Who is Tom Emmer and what are his environmental views?

[First posted at 10:18, revised at 2:10] The revolving door for Republican GOP nominees continues. Tom Emmer, who was briefly the [ newly picked] Republican nominee for Speaker of the House on Tuesday, is a relative unknown despite having been part of the House Republicans’ leadership team. Emmer, who grew up in an affluent suburb of …

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Taylor Swift and Climate Change Songs

friendship bracelot

Pop culture is how many of us process what’s going on in the world. That’s why Taylor Swift’s next ‘era’ should include a climate anthem.

We don’t need Taylor Swift to “fall in love with a climate scientist,” we just wish she’d write a song about the climate crisis.  When the breathless coverage of her relationship with Travis Kelce first boosted ratings for NFL football, some suggested Swift should use her star power for good by “dating a climate scientist.” …

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California Climate Policy: A Preliminary Report Card

It’s a bit complicated, but California definitely has made substantial progress.

We all know that California’s climate policies have led the nation. But how well have these policies actually worked?  That’s not as easy to answer as you might think.  You have to do some digging to come up with the numbers, and their meaning isn’t always completely clear.  If you compare California with the country …

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Gov. Newsom Goes to China to Talk Climate

Here’s what Newsom will see, say, and do on his China trip. He should also be listening for what California can learn from China.

We’re learning more about what Gov. Gavin Newsom will see, say, and do on his trip to China. All told, Newsom is slated to visit 6 cities in 5 provinces, including Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai—where he’s signing a new climate agreement. He plans to meet with representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and the …

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Meet  Austin Scott — No, sorry, say goodby to Austin Scott

Or as Groucho put it, “hello, I must be going.”

Since I started reporting on the environmental aspects of the House Speaker race, I might as well continue. After I last wrote on Friday, following Scalise’s surprise withdrawal, another candidate  tossed his hat in the ring, Austin Scott from Georgia. As an aside, I can’t help but wonder: what is the ring, and why is …

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The Speaker Race and the Environment

An image of the U.S. Capitol Building in the evening.

No, it’s not a pretty picture. Scalise was bad. Jordan is worse.

In what felt like one of the few times I’ve actually been right about a political prediction, I told my wife that Steve Scalise would probably be the GOP’s pick to replace Kevin McCarthy.  Sadly,  I was only right for about 24 hours. Then Scalise, supposedly the more moderate candidate, dropped out. That left Jim …

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Nikki Haley & Climate Policy 

She’s a departure from the GOP’s white male establishment. But on climate issues? Not so much.

Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign has gained a following. According to the NY Times, Haley’s performance “in front of crowds and in the first two Republican debates — during which she successfully fended off interruptions and delivered pithy, memorable one-liners — has delivered buzz, attention and money.” Unlike Trump, she’s not actively hostile to the very …

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