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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Jumping ship from the USS Fossil
Climate action advocates need a simple, compelling message on costs |
David Roberts |
03 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| As this lamentable New York Times piece demonstrates, advocates for action on climate change have lost the framing battle. If they don't want to lose the war for America's future, they need to step back, coalesce around a simple message, and get it out to voters in a disciplined way. The corporatist wing of the Republican party has a simple, compelling populist message: capping emissions will hurt American families. It will raise the price of energy -- gasoline, he ... |
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| Topics: climate, energy, fossil fuels, greenhouse-gas emissions, legislation, messaging (all these topics) |
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Fear of the day
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David Roberts |
03 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| What if the anticipation of carbon legislation has driven more investment away from coal than actual carbon legislation will? |
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| Topics: carbon tax, carbon trading, climate, coal, energy, greenhouse-gas emissions, legislation (all these topics) |
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Leafy laws
Climate bills would save world's forests |
Glenn Hurowitz |
03 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| More money for forests and wildlife conservation than has ever been available in history The regrowth of many of the world's forests Massive quantities of greenhouse gases sucked out of the air Those are a few of the benefits of the newest versions of the climate legislation now being considered in the House and Senate. Both the Boxer-Lieberman-Warner bill [PDF] and Rep. Ed Markey's latest proposal [PDF] include massive financing for forest and land conservatio ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, climate, deforestation, legislation, politics (all these topics) |
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Rallying for the Climate Security Act
Boxer and friends rally in park for climate bill |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) hosted a press conference in a park outside the Capitol this afternoon to rally support for the Climate Security Act. Standing on a podium alongside other senators as well as reps from several green groups, religious organizations, labor unions, and businesses, Boxer called the bill 'long overdue.' Lieberman noted that climate change is 'another one of those challenges where the people are way a ... |
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| Topics: Barbara Boxer, climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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It's nukes to me
Climate-bill sponsors talk about nukes and wooing McCain |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Before this evening's cloture vote on the motion to proceed, the sponsors of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act held a press conference, mostly repeating things we've already heard from them. Two interesting topics came up, though: McCain and nukes. And, of course, McCain on nukes. John Warner (R-Va.) took the opportunity to tout nuclear power and the amendment he and Lieberman have put together that would insert explicit support for the industry into the bi ... |
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| Topics: climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Gore at the right time
America's climate guru issues statement of support for America's Climate Security Act |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is pretty jazzed about this statement of support for the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act that Al Gore released today: I want to commend Senator Boxer for her leadership of the Environment and Public Works Committee. Thanks to her vision and dedication, we have the first global warming bill in history that is comprehensive, bipartisan and that enjoys support across the country -- from labor and agriculture to the business and the e ... |
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| Topics: Al Gore, Barbara Boxer, climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Breaking: Cloture vote on Climate Security Act
Senate decides to advance to debate on climate legislation |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The Senate just held a cloture vote on whether to proceed with debate on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. It needed 60 votes to proceed. And the Senate says ... Agreed to move forward, 74-14! Climate change will now be open for debate on the Senate floor. UPDATE: Now they're debating about when to start debate, and how much time to allot for debate. Republicans want 30 hours before amendments can even be introduced. And, of course, as John Kerry (D-M ... |
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| Topics: climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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The strange case of Bob Corker
Conservative senator offers two progressive amendments to climate bill |
David Roberts |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| One of the more ambitious and progressive proposals in the climate debate is Peter Barnes' 'cap-and-dividend,' which would take the revenue from carbon permit auctions and distribute it evenly to every U.S. citizen on a monthly basis. Another common progressive/enviro position on climate legislation is that it should minimize the use of offsets, particularly international offsets that originate in programs like the Clean Development Mechanism with a questionable reco ... |
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| Topics: cap-and-dividend, climate, legislation, politics (all these topics) |
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Ten industry arguments against action on global warming ... and why they are wrong
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Joseph Romm |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| For the debate on Boxer-Lieberman-Warner, Daniel J. Weiss, Director of Climate Strategy at the Center for American Progress, has written a debunking of standard attack lines on climate action. Here are the myths he takes on: Binding emissions reductions before 2020 are too swift, and should not be imposed until the technology to remove carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants is commercially available. Global warming reductions will drive oil and gasoline prices ... |
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| Topics: climate, climate change mitigation, legislation, politics (all these topics) |
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Lame duck quacking
White House says it will veto Lieberman-Warner climate bill |
David Roberts |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I received the following release from the White House this morning: ----- STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY S. 3036 - Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (Sen. Boxer (D) CA) The Administration believes that climate change is an important issue and is taking significant domestic and international actions to address it. As Congress debates this important issue, it must recognize that bad legislation would raise fuel prices and raise taxes on Ameri ... |
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| Topics: climate, legislation, politics, White House (all these topics) |
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Making radio waves
Boxer gives Democratic radio address to rally support for Climate Security Act |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Sen. Babara Boxer, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the floor manager of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, gave the Democratic radio address on Saturday. In it, she talked up the need for action on climate change now and why senators should support the bill. You can listen to the full address here. An excerpt: Senators have come together across party lines to write a law that will not only enable us to avoid the ravages of unchecked ... |
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| Topics: Barbara Boxer, climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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The fruits of labor
Climate Security Act gets support from labor unions |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act has picked up a decent amount of support from labor groups. So far: The Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, which includes: International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers Internation ... |
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| Topics: climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Don't say we didn't Warner you
National Association of Manufacturers releases anti-climate legislation video |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| If you want a sense of the kind of opposition the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act is up against from industry groups, you'll find a crystalline example in a video just put out by the National Association of Manufacturers. It's an attempt to stoke fear and anger about the legislation, primarily through the artful deployment of clauses that begin with the word 'could.' 'In the end, this cap-and-trade bill could well cap our economy and trade our jobs overseas,' ... |
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| Topics: climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Just around the Warner
Lieberman-Warner climate bill hitting the Senate floor |
Kate Sheppard |
02 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| After months of hearings, haggling, and revision, a climate change bill will reach the floor of the Senate this week. The showdown over the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (CSA) marks the first time the full chamber has focused on a dedicated piece of global warming legislation since 2005, when the McCain-Lieberman climate bill was voted down for a second time. Sen. John McCain played a starring role in that episode. But it seems if he can't be the star, he ... |
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| Topics: Barbara Boxer, climate, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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White paper trail
Dingell issues another glimpse at where he stands on climate legislation |
Kate Sheppard |
01 Jun 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The world is still waiting with bated breath for climate legislation from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee chair Rick Boucher (D-Va.) are supposedly collaborating on bill. In the meantime, the committee has been issuing a series of 'white papers' on climate legislation. Last week they released their fourth installment [PDF], 'Getting the Most Greenhouse Gas Reductions for Our Money,' ... |
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| Topics: climate, John Dingell, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, US House of Representatives (all these topics) |
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FOE pas
Friends of the Earth not all that jazzed about Lieberman-Warner |
Kate Sheppard |
31 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Friends of the Earth has been running a campaign for months to convince senators to oppose the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act if it's not significantly improved. 'The Lieberman-Warner bill comes nowhere close to doing what scientists say we must to have a shot at avoiding catastrophic outcomes,' said FOE President Brent Blackwelder in a statement last week. 'It is a wholly inadequate response to the greatest environmental crisis of our time.' The group i ... |
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| Topics: climate, Friends of the Earth, legislation, Muckraker, politics (all these topics) |
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Lieberman-Warner gets corporate support
Industry & green groups join up to back climate bill |
Kate Sheppard |
31 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| A coalition of corporations, green groups, and unions issued a joint statement to senators yesterday declaring their support for the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, which will hit the Senate floor on Monday. Among the endorsers is General Electric, one of the five largest companies in the world -- definitely a big pick-up for the legislation. 'This is a very important vote on a bipartisan plan to address climate change,' reads the statement. '[T]he bill prot ... |
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| Topics: climate, environmental movement, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics (all these topics) |
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Florida faces unfavorable tide
New report calls for climate action, but not everyone's listening |
Miles Grant |
30 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| With more coastline than any state in the lower 48 and about a tenth of its economy ($65 billion a year) based on tourism, Florida has more to lose than any other state from the threats of global warming. Rising sea levels creep closer to coastal development. Warmer tropics fuel stronger hurricanes. And higher ocean temperatures kill coral and harm fish populations, threatening the state's $4.5 billion sportfishing industry. Plenty of reasons that a report released y ... |
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| Topics: climate, climate change impacts, Florida, habitat protection, legislation, severe weather, state politics (all these topics) |
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He's no zero
Republicans for Environmental Protection explains McCain ranking (or lack thereof) |
Kate Sheppard |
30 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Republicans for Environmental Protection gave John McCain a 'no score' on its just-released 2007 congressional scorecard, as David pointed out earlier. McCain missed all 14 of the votes on which REP scored senators, but the group opted not to give him a zero. Grist called David Jenkins, government affairs director for REP, to find out why. 'We thought the best way to treat this was to not score presidential candidate absences as a negative,' said Jenkins. 'It ... |
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| Topics: John McCain, League of Conservation Voters, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics, shenanigans (all these topics) |
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The cowardly lion
McCain to skip another crucial climate vote |
David Roberts |
29 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Unbelievable. Sen. John McCain -- who just weeks ago said of the Climate Security Act, "I hope it will pass, and I hope the entire Congress will join in supporting it and the President of the United States would sign it" -- now says he won't show up to vote on it. He won't vote against it, mind you. Won't go on record. Won't take a stand. He just won't show. 'I have not been there for a number of votes. The same thing happened in the campaign of ... |
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| Topics: climate, coal, energy, jackassery, legislation, nuclear power, politics, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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Blair weighs in
U.K.'s former prime minister says symbolic vote on Boxer-Lieberman-Warner matters to the world |
Joseph Romm |
29 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| In March, British prime minister Tony Blair launched the Breaking the Climate Deadlock initiative to promote a new global agreement on climate change. Today he has an op-ed the in the Washington Post, 'Leading On Climate Change: How Action in Congress Can Move the World,' in which he argues,The climate change bill that senators are to begin debating next week is a hugely important signal of intent on behalf of U.S. legislators. Yes, negotiations could still alter t ... |
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| Topics: climate, greenhouse-gas emissions, legislation, politics, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Interview with solar champion Hermann Scheer
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David Roberts |
29 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| NewScientist has a great interview with German Social Democrat MP Hermann Scheer, who chairs the World Council for Renewable Energy and has done as much as anyone alive to spread the word on solar power. Unfortunately, it's behind a subscription wall, so you can't read it. But have no fear! I'll post a big chunk of it below the fold: What did you do about it? Ten years ago, I called for a programme to install solar panels on 100,000 roofs in Germany, so that ... |
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| Topics: energy, Germany, interview, legislation, politics, renewable energy, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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Removing mountaintop removal
North Carolina bill would ban burning of coal from mountaintop-removal mining |
Kate Sheppard |
29 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| On Tuesday, North Carolina State Rep. Pricey Harrison introduced legislation in the state House that would ban the burning of coal obtained through mountaintop-removal mining. If it passes, North Carolina would become the first state in the nation with such a law. The mining method isn't practiced in North Carolina, but 61 percent of the state's power comes from coal; North Carolina is second only to Georgia in the amount of MTR-mined coal it burns. According to ... |
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| Topics: coal, energy, legislation, mining, Muckraker, news, North Carolina, politics, state politics (all these topics) |
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On your Markey
Rep. Ed Markey unveils ambitious new climate legislation |
Kate Sheppard |
28 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Rep. Ed Markey, chair of the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, unveiled new climate legislation on Wednesday morning, which he says will take 'the innovative actions needed to ensure a greener, healthier, and more prosperous future.' The plan, which Markey will introduce formally next Tuesday, calls for an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2050, and a number of provisions to encourage technological innovatio ... |
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| Topics: climate, Congress, Ed Markey, greenhouse-gas emissions, legislation, Muckraker, news, politics (all these topics) |
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Boxer bill update
Probably no U.S. CO2 emissions cuts from new Lieberman-Warner bill until after 2025 |
Joseph Romm |
28 May 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I made a mistake about the Boxer substitute for the Lieberman-Warner bill. Every year, it allows enough offsets into the market to cover 30 percent of the total quantity of emissions allowances. I had said it was 15 percent, which was a loophole the size of the Gateway Arch. How big a loophole is 30 percent offsets? Wait and see. I had said the three offsets -- domestic, international, and international forestry -- could make up 15 percent of allowances because the ... |
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| Topics: Barbara Boxer, climate, climate science, legislation, politics (all these topics) |
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