The Climate Minute

Protests and pipeline taxes- The Climate Minute Podcast

Pipeline protests gain strength even as the State Legislature considers a new Omnibus Energy bill. A key provision denies the utilities a ‘pipeline tax’ to fund the construction. A match to the Statehouse this weekend will send a clear message- see below for the route and timing.
Here is some background and advice on what to do, even if you can’t get to the statehouse this weekend. Both the House and Senate have heard that you want a bolder clean energy vision, please thank your senator for their leadership and ask them to support a few key amendments.
The current bill includes these clean energy pieces:
- A commitment to offshore wind of 2000 megawatts
- An annual increase from one to two percent in the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard
- A mandate for a home energy audit to be made available when homes are listed for sale.
- Incentives for energy storage
BUT, the Senate bill could include key provisions: 
- Ban the pipeline tax 
- Protect low-income solar
- Accelerate gas leak repairs.
Without an outright ban on the pipeline tax, the Baker administration and the utility companies could still find for ratepayers to bear the cost of building massive fracked gas pipelines.
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Racism as a climate issue- The Climate Minute Podcast

The recent shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota are troubling. There are many American citizens dedicated to the work of eliminating racial bias.  Those activists face similar challenges as Climate Hawks, from institutionally powerful adversaries to unthinking ideological opposition. Indeed, in the area of environmental justice, the goals and challenges overlap. Climate Hawks and activists such as the “Black Lives Matter” movement are natural allies, and can support each other in many ways. The easiest way is to recognize each other’s efforts, since both racism and climate change are often difficult topics to inject into the public discussion. The open discussion of either systemic racism or global warming (with it’s systemic abusive pollution) can advance both topics. Listen in as we discuss this important topic.
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Brexit-You can leave the European Union, but you can’t leave planet earth! The Climate Minute Podcast

What are the implications for climate progress of the UK’s decision to leave the EU? As with any profound historical event, there are already contradictory ideas. We discuss.

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

MA Senate rolls out a shiny new Omnibus: The Climate Minute Podcast

The Massachusetts Senate passed an Omnibus Energy bill that mandates 2GW of wind power, increases the use of renewables by 2% a year and bans the ‘pipeline tax.’ This is good news!  Next comes joint work between the House and Senate to reconcile the two different versions of the bill passed by each body.  Climate Hawks should urge their legislators to put the Senate’s vision into the final bill.

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

The Global Security and Sustainability Guide: a conversation with Michael Sales

Both security and sustainability can be defined many ways and there are many organizations that address each. How can these groups make the connections between the underlying common issues they face? In this show we explore the concept of a Global Security and Sustainability Guide with Michael Sales, one of the leaders of the project. He says:
We believe that mapping the system will change it by demonstrating how vast the effort is to address two of the key drivers of the world meta-system: sustainability issues are creating conflicts of all sorts and the need for security so that people have the mental bandwidth to make strategic sustainability choices.  Seeing the whole system more clearly will empower actors who care about it to take more creative, informed and high-leverage initiatives and to lend support to one another.  We have already identified 1,400 organizations active in these increasingly overlapping domains, and anticipate that we will discover many hundreds more as we continue digging.  
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

A watery future for downtown Boston? The Climate Minute Podcast

A new report says that Boston is at greater risk of sea level rise than previously thought, with the possibility that places like Faneuil Hall could go below sea level.  Even with that looming possibility, Exxon is contesting the subpoena issued by the MA Attorney General. Locally, there were new arrests at the West Roxbury pipeline site, and our Senators sent a letter to FERC.  On top of all that, you can RSVP to the MCAN’s really cool tour of the Deer Island renewable energy installations at the link below. Listen in!

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

The world’s cities coming to Boston in 2017 : The Climate Minute Podcast

There will be a summit of the globe’s big cities to discuss climate change, slated for next year in Boston. Perhaps they will discuss the progress on India’s climate progress.  Listen in.
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Magical Methane Mystery: The Climate Minute Podcast

This week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed what they called an Omnibus Energy Bill. At best it is a half-loaf, where many useful amendments were quietly withdrawn. The bill now goes to the Senate. A recent report shows that many methane leaks in MA we dropped from the utility tracking list. How can that be? Finally we discuss the latest #OilBomb train. Listen in!
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Is time running out for climate deniers? The Climate Minute Podcast

 Boston’s Mayor Walsh heads off to China to discuss climate, the AGs of many states tell the bullying Texas Representative Lamar Smith to take a proverbial hike, and maybe the hockey stick wars will be won by the youngsters! Listen in.
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Carbon Pricing to the rescue! The Climate Minute Podcast

Our state government is now required to reduce carbon emissions, and the DEP is working on rules. While fixing gas leaks and improved efficiency are good steps, the idea of a statewide carbon tax is very appealing. We discuss.
Listen in!
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre