Politics
California’s Big Land Use And Transportation Initiatives To Watch Today
Measures in both San Francisco and Los Angeles could have a big impact on the future of the state
Yes, there’s a lot happening today in the national election. Lost in the shuffle though are three big initiatives before some California voters that could have a big impact on the state’s transit and development future. Measure RR to restore BART: this is an unusual transit measure because it’s one of the first I’ve seen …
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CONTINUE READINGHanging in the Balance: The Future of Environmental Law
10 huge questions that will be answered today.
By tomorrow morning, we should know a lot more about the future of environmental law — maybe, whether it has any future. We’ll certainly learn whether the U.S. will give up the fight against global warming. Whichever way you vote matters! Here are ten key questions we will be able to answer 24 hours from now: …
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CONTINUE READINGAt the Tipping Point
Tomorrow’s vote is a tipping point for climate policy, with large, irreversible consequences.
We’re now at a tipping point for climate policy. Tomorrow’s election will send us down one of two very different paths for years to come. The political system lends itself to such tipping points in policy. Linear systems don’t have tipping points: small changes have small effects that can be reversed. Tipping points are a …
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CONTINUE READINGStill Undecided? Here’s What You Need to Know
Trump says climate change is a hoax & favors more coal and oil. Clinton wants climate action.
The positions of the two candidates on climate change are polar opposites. Trump wants to undo all of Obama’s effort to fight climate change and increase renewable energy. He views climate change as a hoax. In fact, just this past Tuesday, he vowed to abolish all U.S. climate programs. Clinton views climate change as a …
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CONTINUE READINGLet’s Get America Moving Again
Make infrastructure a top priority for the new Congress
There’s actually one policy that Clinton and Trump agree on: the need for a massive investment in infrastructure. However the election comes out, that should be a top legislative priority, combining economic, safety, and environmental benefits – and political benefits for the next President because of its popularity. It would help get the country moving …
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CONTINUE READINGMy Environmental Law Wish List For A California Legislative Super-Majority
Tuesday could give Democrats enough seats to make a major impact on environmental policies
The presidential election next week is making most of the news these days, but while the rest of the country flirts with electing Donald Trump as the next president, California is going its own progressive way. The Republican Party has been all but completely marginalized in this state, for a variety of demographic reasons and …
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CONTINUE READINGBattle for the Governor’s Mansion in the Granite State
Determining the Future of State Environmental Policy
Governors’ races don’t get as much publicity as the national contests. But we live in a federalist system, and states help shape environmental and energy policy. They can cooperate with and even go beyond federal policy, or they can drag their feet and litigate every federal initiative. This time around, there are three races that …
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CONTINUE READINGObama’s Remarkable Environmental Achievements
When you look at the whole of his legacy, it’s a stunning record.
When he leaves office in January, President Obama will have compiled a remarkable record of environmental achievements. The record spans everything from climate change to endangered species and ocean protection. We can only hope that next Tuesday’s election doesn’t undo many of these gains. Here is a list, in no particular order, of twenty of …
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CONTINUE READINGBattle for the Governorship: North Carolina
A tight race between a deregulatory incumbent and a pro-environmental challenger.
Governors’ races don’t get as much publicity as the national contests. But we live in a federalist system, and states help shape environmental and energy policy. They can cooperate with and even go beyond federal policy, or they can drag their feet and litigate against every federal initiative. This time around, there are three races that are …
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CONTINUE READINGConfronting the “Emissions Gap”
Long-term thinking and short-term deficiencies in climate change mitigation
With the Paris Agreement now ratified by 86 countries, and entering into force this Friday, countries have defined their first targets—the first round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The United States has pledged to reduce GHG emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. This initial round of NDCs is significant, but represents only a short timeframe and …
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