Philip Clapp, a lifelong champion for environmental causes and an early, eloquent voice on global climate change, died in Amsterdam early this morning. He was admitted to the hospital there two weeks ago with a sudden and unexpected illness. He was 54. "This is such a shock," said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club. "We will really miss both his insights and his heart."
In 1994, Clapp -- who had worked for Sen. Tim Wirth (D-Colo.) on Capitol Hill for over 10 years as a staffer on the the House Budget Committee, where he ran the Energy and Environment Task Force -- was tapped by Josh Reichert, environmental director of Pew Charitable Trusts, to start a new group called "Environmental Strategies," which would "assist environmental organizations to conduct public education campaigns on priority national environmental issues."
Environmental Strategies became the National Environmental Trust, and Clapp helmed the group for over 14 years as it grew into one of the nation's most influential green groups (in 2007, NET merged with the Pew Charitable Trusts to form the Pew Environment Group, with Clapp as deputy managing director). "The environmental movement has really come of age in the last decade," said Rebecca Rimel, CEO of Pew, "and Phil played a critical role in that regard."
Clapp was known by colleagues not only as a committed environmentalist, but as a savvy political operative. "He was probably our best strategist," said John Passacantando, director of Greenpeace. "It was so great working with him because he loved the hunt." Fred Krupp, executive director of the Environmental Defense Fund, noted not only Clapp's "considerable political and strategic skills," but also "the intelligence and style" he brought to the environmental effort. Indeed, even his political enemies came to respect him. Said Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), "while we were often on opposing sides of the political arena I always appreciated his commitment to public policy and passion for the environment."
Though he was sometimes critical of the mainstream media and never shied away from confrontation, his relationships with reporters were unusually warm. "Phil was treasured by reporters on the climate beat, particularly during interminable treaty talks in gray humorless halls in places like The Hague and Bonn and Montreal," said Andrew Revkin, environment reporter for The New York Times. "He was always ready -- any time night or day -- with a pithy but substantive remark." Colleagues and friends returned again and again to his humor. "His best asset was his sense of humor and chuckle," said Revkin. "He was as witty as he was fierce," said Passacantando.
"He'll be missed," said Revkin, "even by those for whom he was a thorn in the side."
Thanks to Sara Barz for her help reporting this piece.
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Sept. 18 addition:
Martin S. Kaplan, managing director and trustee of the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation, said, "Phil brought a level of enthusiasm and optimism to environmental advocacy that affected all who met him. We always knew that a grant to the organization that he founded and led, first known as the Environmental Information Center, then as National Environmental Trust, and now merged with the Pew Charitable Trusts, would be strategically used and have an impact. We first met Phil in the mid-1990s, and admired the ebullience he brought to his mission. He was an effective and happy warrior for a positive approach to environmental problems." (Ed. note: VKRF is a Grist funder.)
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Comments
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sue tierney Posted 12:40 pm
17 Sep 2008
Phil Clapp
What a loss - but how he will be remembered for his good work.
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Marianne Lavelle Posted 1:49 am
18 Sep 2008
Phil's own words
There was no more articulate spokesman for climate concern than Phil Clapp. I've thought often of this since hearing the terrible news yesterday, so I thought I'd share some of his best quotes from my many interviews with him when I was energy writer at U.S. News and World Report:
On the 2007 kickoff of U.N. negotiations to replace the Kyoto treaty at Bali: "The world has one shot at getting an effective mechanism in place, and this is it. The future of millions of people and the climate hinge on this."
On the money being poured into Canadian oil sands, the efforts to exploit the oil shale of Colorado and elsewhere in the West, and the proposals for coal-to-liquid projects: "We're fundamentally scraping the bottom of the oil barrel. Every dollar we put into recovering more oil weds our economy more and more firmly to oil as an energy resource and actually makes us more dependent on the Middle East."
On the reasons behind the U.S. energy stalemate: "Energy is the most special-interest-driven field that the federal government wrestles with. The U.S. has been absolutely paralyzed on energy policy because of the power of coal, oil, auto, and utility industries on the Republican side and [unions] on the Democratic side."
And my personal favorite, from my notebook though it somehow never made it into a published story, on policymakers who say that a technology breakthrough is needed to address climate: "For every administration, not just this one, "technology" has always been another way to say, "mañana."
Marianne Lavelle, energy and climate writer, The Center for Public Integrity http://www.publicintegrity.org
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JRup Posted 6:17 am
18 Sep 2008
Philip Clapp
This news is worse than the financial markets mess - he died much too young, but I am encouraged that so many are lined up to step up all around the world. Here's to having lived well!
"Barefoot Girl Out of Ohio - A memoir of survival and overcoming" by Carole Estrup ask for it at your local library or bookstore
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paul gorman Posted 5:08 pm
18 Sep 2008
Phil Clapp
Saviest of strategists, raciest of observers, wittiest of wonks, repository of buzz, and connaisseur of the human comedy, Phil may well
have reincarnated here from some European court. From epic scheming of privy counsels, he would as easily retired to chapel and confession, since he could name his own venalities, or to evening musicales for he knew the entire chamber music oeuvre; thought late Beethoven "peevish"; was envious of Mendelsohn's innocence; and knew his own wounds well enough to keep a healthy distance from Chopin.
For all the dharmic intentions, his accumulatedmindful breaths at Zendo retreats did not outnumber his gossipy whispers in philanthropic hallways, legislative lobbies, or diplomatic corridors.
His yearnings would always dwarf his victories; his realism rescued him from resignation; his versatility made him mercurial, he suffered far more from what he hid than what he showed, he inspired and comforted his close colleagues but rarely comforted his own wounded and fractious soul.
For so durable a warrior, he was more fragile than many knew and his Achilles heal was his heart. So when he fell it was both earlier than we ever would have expected but perhaps no surprise given that he was gentle while our country is mean; pure and our culture is corrupt. In the end, he was not entirely at home here, which made his service deeper than even he appreciated.
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