Federal Climate Policy
(Energy) Independence Day
A post in which I surprise readers — and myself — with strong praise for George W. Bush.
The only way to achieve energy independence is to achieve independence from fossil fuels. That’s not something we can achieve overnight, but the closer we come, the better — for our health, our national security, and the world.
CONTINUE READINGThe Biden-Trump Debate’s Climate Question
“You’ve vowed to end your opponent’s climate initiatives,” Trump was asked. “But will you take any action as President to slow the climate crisis?”
The first—and possibly last—debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump was never going to be about the existential climate crisis. But the CNN moderators did press the issue in one question. The meandering answer that followed was a microcosm of the whole excruciating affair. I wrote here about 22 possible climate-related questions that CNN’s …
Continue reading “The Biden-Trump Debate’s Climate Question”
CONTINUE READINGThe Ten Most Important U.S. Environmental Laws
Some of the choices may surprise you.
What are America’s most important environmental laws? Some are familiar, such as the federal air and water pollution laws, and the Endangered Species Act. But there are other people rarely hear about — even in environmental law courses — but have done a lot to protect the environment.
CONTINUE READINGThe 2023 NEPA Rewrite and the Supreme Court’s New Climate Case
NEPA isn’t a common law subject. What the statute says matters more than pre-2023 judicial opinions.
When it amended NEPA in 2023, Congress squarely rejected language that would have constricted the definition of environmental impacts. The Supreme Court needs to give that language full effect, not obsess about the meaning of pre-2023 judicial opinions.The Supreme Court shouldn’t give advocates of narrowing NEPA a victory that they were unable to get through the legislative process.
CONTINUE READINGLuminosity
The story behind today’s energy efficient lighting and a forgotten episode in the culture wars.
The conservative fight to save an obsolete lighting technology – the incandescent bulb — has something to tell us about current environmental disputes and the nature of culture wars.
CONTINUE READINGHillary 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 …
Continue reading “Can the IRA Trump-Proof Itself?”
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 READINGTrump’s War on Environmental Protection: A Chronology
Yes, there were over 100 environmental rollbacks. Here are the biggest.
From when he took office to the day he left, Trump lead a steady drumbeat of environmental rollback after environmental rollback. His goals: eliminate limits on pollution from fossil fuels and end protection of public lands.
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