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The Climate Minute examines current news on global warming, climate change, renewable energy and the prospects for progress on international negotiations, carbon taxes and clean energy policy.
Episodes
Sunday Nov 19, 2017
Sunday Nov 19, 2017
This week, we discuss two significant sleeper issues that will influence climate policy for a long time to come, and a few local initiatives for Massachusetts residents. Charlie Pierce highlighted the first understated, but very important, issue in a report for Esquire. A right-wing movement is pushing state legislatures to approve the idea of holding a new constitutional convention to rewrite the constitution. The convention would be open and would focus on the balanced budget amendment. Twenty-eight states have signed on to this campaign; thirty-four are needed to pass an amendment to the constitution. There is a possibility that if the movement can gain those last six states, it could create stringent regulations that limit the government’s ability to act on climate change.
Another issue of concern is that Mitch McConnell is intent on loading the federal bench with right-wing conservatives who are light on experience but heavy on ideology. These are very young lawyers who will be in these lifetime appointments for decades. Having a federal bench replete with judges that are subservient to right-wing philosophies will make it very difficult for environmental laws to succeed.
Massachusetts listeners, please be on high alert and make calls to your state representative about the following critical local issues. There is a bill before the MA legislature that would eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to assist cities and towns in making regulations to protect air and water quality. Additionally, the Baker Administration released a statement indicating that he feels no political risk by opposing a carbon tax. MA climate hawks can help the movement away from fossil fuels by reminding him that natural and fracked gas should not be part of our energy portfolio.
Friday Feb 03, 2017
Earth v. Gorsuch: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Feb 03, 2017
Friday Feb 03, 2017
Neil Gorsuch’s nomination debate will be full of terms like the “Chevron Deference” and the “Originalist Interpretation.” Those are not show titles from “The Big Bang Theory” but describe legal ideas. “Chevron” is the court case that declared government agencies like the EPA know more about global warming than does the SCOTUS, and so should be respected by the Court. This would help the Obama Clean Power Plan prevail, but Gorsuch disputes the concept. An “Originalist” like Gorsuch believes that the words of the Constitution need to be defined as did the Founding Fathers. That is all fine, but new technologies were inconceivable to them. Should every individual state regulate the internet? What about pollution from ‘downwind’ states like Ohio blowing into “upwind’ states like MA? Neil Gorsuch’s legal views are a threat to the “general welfare,” his nomination is tainted by the illegitimacy of the Trump Presidency and the established Senatorial procedures demand that Merrick Garland by given a hearing first. Gorsuch must be stopped.
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
Monday May 23, 2016
Raising Kain about clean energy: The Climate Minute Podcast
Monday May 23, 2016
Monday May 23, 2016
The Supreme Judicial Court’s sweeping ‘Kain ruling” which
“requires the department [of Environmental Protection] to promulgate regulations that address … sources of greenhouse gas emissions, impose a limit on emissions that may be released, limit the aggregate emissions …, set emission limits for each year, and set limits that decline on an annual basis” is destined to have a dramatic long-term impact on how Massachusetts builds a clean energy economy. On top of that, the court hearing on the President’s Clean Power Plan was delayed until September- but maybe that is a good thing. 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
Friday Mar 18, 2016
The Clean Power Plan and a Garland SCOTUS: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Mar 18, 2016
Friday Mar 18, 2016
The Constitution says the President “shall” appoint justices to the Supreme Court, and so he did. This week Mr. Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland. Of course, inquiring Climate Hawks want to know: what does this mean for the fight against global warming? The big issue is the legal basis of the President’s Clean Power Plan, which will inevitably be decided by the Supreme Court. Listen in as 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
Friday Feb 19, 2016
The Clean Power Plan and the next SCOTUS pick: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Feb 19, 2016
Friday Feb 19, 2016
The President’s Clean Power Plan is on a steady path to the Supreme Court. By June of 2017, the constitutionality of the Plan will be determined. The court making that determination may have only eight members, or it might have a new ninth member who will have a big impact on the final ruling. We discuss the climate implications of who that ninth justice might be, and how it all might play out. (Emphasis on the word might.) Listen in!
(REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR THE UPCOMING ANNUAL CONFERENCE! )
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
Monday Feb 15, 2016
Is God a Climate Hawk? The Climate Minute Podcast
Monday Feb 15, 2016
Monday Feb 15, 2016
Boom. The passing of Justice Scalia quickly went from a sad event for his family to a political street fight. The transition happened really quickly - like in about 60 minutes. By last Saturday evening, the Senate leadership warned your President from exercising his Constitutional responsibility and forbade him from even making a nomination. Wow. So much for ‘reverence for the Constitution.’
There are many important questions before the Court- from abortion to immigration to affirmative action- that will be impacted for good or ill by the decisions made over the next year. From a Climate Hawk’s perspective the crucial question is the fate of the President’s Clean Power Plan. For background on the Court’s damaging recent decision to issue a “stay” of the CPP, listen to our podcast from last Friday. In today’s show we discuss the implications of Scalia’s passing on the likelihood that the President’s plan will survive.
(REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR THE UPCOMING ANNUAL CONFERENCE! )
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
Friday Feb 12, 2016
Friday Feb 12, 2016
In a surprise move, the Supreme Court granted a ‘stay’ thus halting the implementation of the President’s Clean Power Plan. The request came from the AG’s from 27 states who oppose the new clean energy regulations. The Court intervened in the normal legal process for cases like this, perhaps signaling a desire to rebuke the President’s exercise of executive power. What does this all mean? What can Climate Hawks do to keep the clean energy revolution on track? We discuss. (REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR THE UPCOMING ANNUAL CONFERENCE! )
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
Friday Jan 29, 2016
Courts rule in favor of the planet: The Climate Minute Podcast
Friday Jan 29, 2016
Friday Jan 29, 2016
The scales of the US legal system tilted in favor of Climate Hawks this week. In a ruling on an arcane aspect of the electricity market, the Supreme Court has made it possible for homes and businesses to be paid to reduce their power usage- especially during peak demand hours. In the long term, this will shape electricity markets for the better. In another piece of good news, an appeals court in Washington allowed the President’s Clean Power Plan to proceed. Specifically, it refused to issue an ‘injunction’ that would have halted the program immediately. Instead, the CPP will continue to be developed during the long period (probably a year or more) before the case makes its way to the SCOTUS. That is good for the CPP! Finally, the Obama administration issued new rules that would prevent, on Federal lands, the practice of simply burning the methane that leaks from wells. The iconic image of the ‘flaring’ well-head will be gone from public land. Listen in for this and more!
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
Friday Jun 26, 2015
News from a court in Holland and from one in DC- The Climate Minute
Friday Jun 26, 2015
Friday Jun 26, 2015
This week a Dutch court set a landmark, the TPP fight moved to a new phase and the SCOTUS made a decision that could be important for the President’s clean energy plans. We discuss. Listen in!
The reading list:
• Urgenda's information on the Dutch Court case.
• The Guardian on the Dutch case
• EPA on our climate future
• Why the TPP fight is not over!
• The Clean Energy Plan's parallel to the ACA
• The Comet Lander wakes up!
• What an owl's wings can do for a wind turbine.
Check out live links at our blog, https://massclimateaction.wordpress.com
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
Tuesday Feb 10, 2015
Why the EPA's Clean Energy Plan will stand up in court- Climate Hawk's Companion
Tuesday Feb 10, 2015
Tuesday Feb 10, 2015
Last summer, the President announced his Clean Power Plan to reduce emissions from coal powered electricity plants. The Plan consists of regulations that are sure to be challenged in court. Dave Roberts at Grist recently posted an explanation of the legal basis for the CPP. We take a moment to discuss the issues with our own legal expert.
Check out live links at our blog, https://massclimateaction.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/why-the-epas-clean-energy-plan-will-stand-up-in-court-climate-hawks-companion/
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