Energy
With 4 Weeks Left, the Election – and the Future of Climate Policy – Hang in the Balance
The White House and control of the House remain toss-ups.
Yhe outcome of the 2024 election will be pivotal for climate and energy policy. With a month to go, things are still incredibly close. Harris has a tiny edge in the electoral college and the Republicans have similar edges in the House and Senate.So hang onto your hats for the final stretch of this rollercoaster ride. A last-minute “October surprise” is still possible, and it’s also possible that polls will turn out wrong.
CONTINUE READINGThe Two Races Most Likely to Determine Control of the Senate
The outcomes will shape environmental policy in the new Congress.
To keep control of the Senate, Democrats must hold on to the White House and two Senate seats in red states. If Republicans win in Ohio or Montana, they are virtually guaranteed to flip the Senate, with important consequences for environmental policy.
CONTINUE READINGA Good Day to Drop Big Oil
Major league sports teams like to talk about sustainability measures on Green Sports Day, which is Oct. 6. They should do something about their fossil fuel sponsors.
On Sunday, October 6, sports teams throughout the U.S. will participate in something called Green Sports Day, an annual event to promote sustainability in sports. Often, it’s a chance for a franchise to promote the recycling or energy conservation that goes on at its stadium. One thing these teams almost certainly will not be talking …
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CONTINUE READINGSB 1221 is Law. Time for Targeted Neighborhood Electrification.
This new California law will help build pilot programs for up to 30 neighborhood decarbonization zones to transition off gas.
Governor Newsom recently signed a bill (SB 1221) that lays the groundwork for a vital shift in California’s clean energy transition. The bill– by Senator Dave Min, with support from key decarbonization advocates–will create a pilot program at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to designate up to 30 “neighborhood decarbonization zone” projects. In these …
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CONTINUE READINGClimate Politics and Policy in Nebraska
In a divided nation, could the Cornhusker State turn out to hold the balance of power?
In what has turned out to be an interesting Senate race, Republican incumbent Deb Fischer is facing Independent Dan Osborn (I). Fischer has a lifetime score of 8% from the League of Conservation voters and hates EVs. Osborn seem pro-renewables. The outcome could determine control of the U.S. Senate.
CONTINUE READINGEvolving Energy Positions, 2016-2024
The national debate over climate and energy has shifted since Trump’s first run in 2016.
Coal, once a political flash point, has almost disappeared as an issue, with oil and gas production in unchallenged first place for Republicans. Clean energy subsidies, a side-issue in 2016,, have now taken center stage, while EPA regulations get much less attention. The one thing that remains unchanged is the gulf between the parties.
CONTINUE READINGThe Contract with America
Or, as some critics called it, “the Contract ON America.”
The Contract with America was the brainchild of Newt Gingrich. It was a turning point in American politics: moving the GOP from compromise to confrontation, nationalizing what had previously been locally oriented House races, and shifting the GOP far to the right. There’s a reason they call Gingrich the man who broke Congress.
CONTINUE READINGNew Law Reaffirms Local Authority to Ban Oil Drilling
AB 3233, part of a trio of bills that the governor just signed, paves a clear path for local phase-out efforts.
This morning, Governor Newsom signed a trio of bills—AB 3233 (Addis), AB 1866 (Hart), and AB 2716 (Bryan)—that will protect communities in Los Angeles and across the state from the harms of oil and gas production, the impacts of which are disproportionately experienced in low-income communities of color across the state. He signed the package …
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CONTINUE READINGThe Battle for Congress: Key U.S. House Races in California
These elections could prove critically important to how much the next President can reshape energy and environmental policy.
These are key races for control of the House: if they did all flip and Democrats held their remaining seats, Hakeem Jeffries would be the next Speaker. The battle for control of the U.S. House is going to be very tight. Democrats need to pick up only four seats to flip control – something that will be especially important for them if Trump wins and Republicans win the Senate as expected. Especially in that scenario, control of the House will have a big impact on climate and energy policy, one way or the other. It doesn’t look like climate or energy are major issues in the key U.S. House races in California. Only one candidate (Dave Min) devotes significant attention to them. To avoid unintentionally distorting anyone’s views, these descriptions are taken straight from their campaign websites.
CONTINUE READINGUnderstanding China’s National Energy Security Strategy
How should the US compete with Chinese green development?
China’s dominance in clean technologies (solar, wind, electric vehicles, batteries) has been in the news recently (see, e.g., here and here). China accounts for more than 80% of global manufacturing capacity for solar products and batteries. Chinese companies produce 65% of EVs globally. The US has responded to this both with measures to improve US …
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