Thursday, 16 Nov 2006

Taking It From All Sides

Bush faces climate criticism from greens, U.S. mayors, entire world

You know how, when you're making a bad choice, your friends try to tell you, but you can't see it? Listen up, Bush administration. In a speech yesterday, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan cited a "frightening lack of leadership" on climate change. He later said he wasn't pointing at the U.S., but you wouldn't know it from the response of Paula Dobriansky, undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs. "We think the United States has been leading in its groundbreaking initiatives," she said, before asking that all mirrors be removed from the site so she wouldn't have to face herself. On the home front, greens sued the White House for failing to issue a climate report due in 2004; mayors gathered in Utah to report on their efforts to meet Kyoto Protocol goals; and Washington, D.C., considered a bill that would make it the first major U.S. city to require developers to use energy-saving measures in new buildings. We do it out of love, George. We're just worried about you.


Earlier this month, British economist Nicholas Stern issued a report on the economics of climate change that got the world talking. Could ignoring climate change really cost 5 percent of global GDP a year? Could fighting it cost less? Stern stood by his figures, the latest in a long line of economic predictions. But where do such numbers come from? And who the heck is right? Kate Galbraith breaks it down today.

The Case of the Mislabeled Case

Wal-Mart accused of incorrectly labeling organic products

Ah, Wal-Mart -- always reliable for some good old-fashioned eco-drama. This week, the Cornucopia Institute, an activist group representing small farmers, filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture that accuses Wal-Mart of incorrectly labeling or otherwise misrepresenting various products as organic in some stores. Visiting a dozen stores in four Midwestern states, the group found several troubling misrepresentations. In one case, "all-natural" yogurt was labeled organic; in several stores, non-organic products were residing in an organic-designated cooler. "We live and die by the reputation of the organic label," says Cornucopia cofounder and organic farmer Mark Kastel. "If Wal-Mart cheapens it, we all lose." Wal-Mart pooh-poohed the accusations and defended its organic offerings. Nevertheless, the USDA has opened an investigation into the retailer's organic-labeling practices; violations of labeling standards can carry a fine of $10,000 per instance.

A Bee in His Bonnet

London mayor proposes steep congestion charge for gas-guzzlers

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced plans to make the city's weekday congestion tax much steeper for drivers of polluting vehicles. Under the proposal, owners of SUVs and other gas-guzzlers would shell out the equivalent of about $47 a day to motor into London between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. (the current tax is $15). While central London residents currently receive a 90 percent discount on the congestion tax, Livingstone proposes abolishing that for SUV drivers, whom he once called "idiots." Electric vehicles and hybrids would be exempt from charges altogether. Conservatives and the automotive industry were quick to object to the plan, but Livingstone shrugged off their concerns: "Those who buy [SUVs] can afford to choose from pretty much the whole of the mainstream car market but have chosen to buy one of the most polluting vehicles," he said. The extra charge is unlikely to come into force until 2009 or 2010, giving drivers a few years to give their gas-guzzlers the boot.

Pits of Despair

Coal industry fends off concerns, keeps working on comeback

Some of the tap water in West Virginia's Mingo County is flowing in funny colors: red, brown, and black. Alarmed residents asked the state if the discoloration, caused by high levels of heavy metals including arsenic and lead, could be related to Big Coal's practice of injecting its waste underground. Regulators say there's no connection; instead, the cause could be an abandoned mine. "We're not saying the water isn't contaminated, it is. But in this case, it's not linked to the injection process," said state hydrologist George Jenkins v-e-r-y carefully. Residents have asked for a moratorium on slurry injection and sued a local coal company; both actions are pending. Meanwhile, Big Coal is making a Big Comeback as a "freedom fuel" across the nation, luring young, union-averse workers who haven't faced the labor and health issues familiar to veteran miners. "I was able to buy me a new truck and I got my wife a new car," said a 22-year-old miner in Illinois. And who can argue with that?