The Climate Minute

TPP, Part Deux: The Climate Minute Podcast

The terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty have finally been concluded in a closed session in Atlanta. While the text is still secret, the arguments have begun. Climate Hawks are suspicious of the ‘Investor State Dispute Resolution” mechanism, which gives enormous opportunities for Big Oil to undermine future climate legislation. Here in Massachusetts, the Governor will allow utilities to charge a fee to electrical ratepayers to cover the cost of new pipelines. Is it fair to call that a tax? Still it is a pretty a sweet deal for Kinder Morgan!

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

Gore v Exxon: The Climate Minute Podcast

It turns out that Exxon knew the truth about climate change a long time ago. Are they at legal risk for hiding their findings?  We discuss the implications.
The reading list:
•    Hayes interviews Gore, Part 1
•    Hayes interviews Gore, Part 2
•    The original InsideClimateNews piece on Exxon
•    Exxon at risk?
•    Doug Craig's view
•    Growth of divestment
•    What do food execs want?
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

Just Four Cape Winds: The Climate Minute Podcast

The real possibility of a shutdown of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station creates a crisis (or perhaps an opportunity.) It means that Climate Hawks should demand clean energy to fill the gap.  It would take only four projects comparable to Cape Wind to fill that gap. There are bills in the Massachusetts Statehouse that relate to clean energy, and they are the being debated.  Further, now that KXL is in deep trouble, and Shell has withdrawn from the Chukchi Sea, what is next for Climate Hawks? Our next big push should be for a ban on the extraction of carbon based fuels from federally owned lands, whether they are in the American West or off our coastal shores.
The reading list:
•    Pilgrim Nuclear Station on the ropes
•    An energy showdown in the Statehouse?
•    Is this about electricity prices or true leadership?
•    Is offshore wind a possibility?
•    Climate Hawk focus: Fossil fuel on Federal lands
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

Your VW has a bug! The Climate Minute Podcast

Another big week, from the possible Pilgrim nuke shutdown to the VW debacle. What does it mean for Climate Hawks? We discuss.
The reading list:
•    Pilgrim Point to shut down?
•    Intermittent renewable power.
•    Distributed power generation
•    Is Canadian Hydropower an answer?
•    Is Governor Baker having a Cape Wind Moment?
•    VW's software has a bug!
•    A tough interview for an Exxon hack.
•    Come to the Statehouse September 29!
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 Pope and signs of hope- The Climate Minute Podcast

Pope Francis came to town this week and spoke openly about the need to address climate change. That was remarkable all by itself, but there were several other heartening signs- from new Senate bills to promises from China it has been a good week.
The reading list:
•    CSPAN video of the Pope in the Joint Session. His climate related remarks start at about 37 minutes.
•    InsideClimate News' Begley comments on the Pope
•    Climate Hawks and Keystone- take pride!
•    A Climte Bill in the Senate!Action from China!
•    Attend the 9/29 hearings at the Statehouse on important energy legislation
•    Attend a hearing on the Governor's Executive Order 562!
•    Sign up for an October 14 event!

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

Who's intruding on who? The Climate Minute Podcast

The political battles over clean power continue, and Climate Hawks need to stay in the game. We discuss.

The reading list:
•    Eminent Domain in West Rox
•    Baker accused of 'market intrusion'
•    Hearings on Kinder Morgan in Western MA
•    Dirty money fighting solar


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

Smoke from wildfires mixes with a metaphorical smoking gun: The Climate Minute Podcast

In an ironic moment, the California Assembly tip-toed away from aggressive climate legislation, at the behest of Big Oil, even as climate-enhanced wildfires marched with a heavy footprint through various towns outside Sacramento.  Further, the destructive behavior of the oil industry was highlighted by a report that Exxon realized even in the 1970’s that their petroleum products were creating a serious global problem. The report might be the ‘smoking gun’ equivalent to revelations in past decades about what the tobacco industry knew about cancer even as they denied the medical evidence.

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 Recognizable Feature of Hope: The Climate Minute Podcast

Near the bottom of the landing page for the Massachusetts Power Forward there is a quote from Grace Paley: “The only recognizable feature of hope is action.” That is a great turn of phrase, and the Clean Power Vision puts the idea in to action:
Massachusetts has emerged as a national leader on energy, making substantial progress in transitioning away from polluting sources of power to renewable energy and energy efficiency. But now our state is poised to invest billions of dollars to replace retiring power plants with long-lived infrastructure that will shape our future. We must ensure that our state adopts an energy policy that supports local renewable energy resources, keeps energy dollars in our communities, creates good green jobs and protects our Commonwealth from climate change and life-threatening pollution. We call on our Governor and legislature to power forward with energy solutions that are accountable to our communities, our environment and our future.

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

Climate Refugees in Europe- The Climate Minute Podcast

The European refugee crisis is an immediate human tragedy.  The reasons for the crisis go beyond barrel bombs; it is clear that a drought in Syria, probably intensified by climate change, underlies much of the political unrest. The refugees can be considered ‘climate refugees.’ This long predicted feature of a warming world is happening now, and is only likely to become worse. The world should prepare now to prevent even more human suffering from other global warming nurtured circumstances that we cannot even imagine now.

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

Political insight- The Climate Minute Podcast

Dave Roberts gives us an interesting discussion of realities underlying some of our political myths and how they apply to climate politics. The is no such thing as a moderate voter, the left and right are not mirror images, and the ‘partisans’ are just guilty of having a coherent viewpoint. We discuss!

•    $44 Trillion dollars!
•    Roberts on Tech Nerds and Politics
•    Roberts on the political economy of clean energy
•    Krugman riffs on Robert's ideas

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