Energy, Climate and the 2020 Election
Trump’s Bubble Machine, Part 1
By William S. Becker A long time ago on the Greek island of Crete (or so the story goes), a young man named Icarus attempted to escape imprisonment by flying away on wings made of feathers and wax. His father
Trump’s Bubble Machine, Part 2
By William S. Becker If you’ve followed climate-change litigation in recent years, you are aware that the case with the most potential consequence involves 21 young Americans who sued the government for promoting and enabling the use of fossil fuels.
New Carbon-Fee Bills Unveiled in Congress
Reprinted from The Hill Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are introducing competing bills that aim to put a tax on carbon. The push to regulate greenhouse gas emissions comes as both Democrats and Republicans face pressure
See You in Court, Mr. Trump (Part 1)
By William S. Becker The rising number of Americans who want the government to do something about climate change should be thankful that there are three branches of government in the United States. That’s because the Legislative Branch has not
See You in Court, Mr. Trump (Part 2)
By William S. Becker In Part 1 of this post, I gave an overview of the growing number of climate-change lawsuits underway in the United States and worldwide. I asked whether they are making any difference in ending the long
Climate Action Must Be Just
It's often pointed out that the people most affected by climate change are those who are least able to cope. That's true in all countries including the United States. A coalition of non-government organizations has issued a "platform" to make
When the Legislative and Executive Branches Fail to Act
Editor’s Note: During the first two years in office, Donald Trump and his administration tried to undermine or reverse federal climate policies 94 times. The result was at least 129 lawsuits to defend those policies. More broadly, there were more
Petrodementia Appearing in High Places
By William S. Becker Recent statements by several public figures indicate that they are suffering from a relatively new malady known as “petrodementia”, where brain cells calcify after sustained exposure to oil industry propaganda. Symptoms include an inability to recognize
What’s New?
Candidates on Climate Change
So far, 17 of the 23 Democrats running for the presidency have released positions on climate change and most have said they support the Green New Deal. Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee is leading the pack in regard to the level of detail in his proposals. Go here for the latest on the candidate’s climate platforms. Last updated June 24
Getting to 1.5C
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a comprehensive analysis of different fiscal policies for achieving the goals of the Paris climate agreement. It assesses the possible impacts of carbon pricing in the U.S. and other nations, as well as carbon-cutting options that would not raise consumer energy prices. It is a report that presidential candidates and members of Congress would do well to read.
Natural Sinks
If the United States is to achieve a net-zero carbon economy by mid-century, the restoration and care of soils, grasslands, forests and wetlands will be critical. The consulting firm Breakthrough Strategies and Solutions has issued a comprehensive guide on what must happen to maximize the use of these natural carbon sinks. Conservation and changes in land management can provide more than a third of the cost-effective mitigation the world needs to keep global warming below 2oC, the company says. The guide is written for philanthropies, but it contains idea for government policies, too.
Seamless Mobility
More than half of the world’s population lives in cities and the urban population is growing. McKinsey & Company offers a vision of what mobility could look like in cities of the future.
Legal Paths to Decarbonization
The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) at Columbia University is about to publish more than 1,000 specific recommendations for the municipal, state and federal laws necessary for the United States to decarbonize its economy and achieve the goals of the Paris Climate accord. More than 60 experts contributed to the book, titled “Legal Pathways to Decarbonization in the United States”. The editors are Michael Gerrard, Director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at the Columbia Law School, and John C. Dernbach, Distinguished Professor of Law at the Widener University Law School. The complete book is 1,100 pages. A shorter version can be downloaded here at no cost.
The Green New Deal
The Green New Deal is a proposal to make a rapid and comprehensive transition to a decarbonized economy, principally by shifting to 100% renewable power generation. Green groups have promoted the idea for some time, but one version is contained in a proposal by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democrat Socialist from New York who was elected to Congress last November.
Options for a Carbon Tax
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has issued a new analysis of different options for creating a carbon tax. Key issues for Congress, should it take up the issue this session (which it should), include how much the tax should be and how to use its revenues. The most disturbing fact in the CRS report: “…carbon tax analyses do not generally consider the benefits that would be gained by reducing GHG emissions and avoiding climate change and its adverse impacts.” That is information — the cost of doing nothing — that Congress must consider.
12 Years and Counting
Two reports issued last fall shook up the assumption that holding global warming to no more than 2oC above pre-industrial levels would be sufficient to avert catastrophic climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that the much safer goal is 1.5oC.
Climate & Energy
New developments in climate science and the transition to clean energy.
Commentary
Latest news along with blogs by PCAP’s Bill Becker and other prominent commentators.
Kindred Groups & Resources
Other groups working on climate change and the clean energy transition, regardless of political affiliations, along with resources climate activists can use.
PCAP Archive
The most important of PCAP’s previous reports and studies.
“As we peer into society’s future, we – you and I, and our government – must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow.”
“We have, I hope, finally put to rest the false choice between the economy and the environment, for we have the strongest economy perhaps in our history, with a cleaner environment.”
“The great question of the seventies is, shall we surrender to our surroundings, or shall we make our peace with nature and begin to make reparations for the damage we have done to our air, to our land, and to our water?”
“I refuse to condemn your generation and future generations to a planet that’s beyond fixing.”
“Laws change; people die; the land remains.”