The Climate Minute

Obama in the Arctic- The Climate Minute Podcast

The President went to Alaska to highlight the issue of climate change.  The region is warming faster than lower latitudes, and is a hint of where we are all going. In addition to being a tragedy in its own right, the warming of the Arctic opens new and dangerous space for international competition. Finally, was Obama hypocritical or pragmatic in his disconcerting support for Arctic drilling while warning of the apocalypse? We discuss.

The reading list:
•    "Polar Amplification" makes the arctic vulnerable.
•    Obama's speech in Alaska
•    International competition in a melting Arctic
•    Denali's name change, and Obama's support for Native Americans
•    WaPo says “focus on oil consumption, not production.”
o    The key to meaningful climate action is not to haphazardly reject oil projects in the vain hope that people elsewhere will decline to produce oil, too. It is to reduce demand for fossil fuels, either by mandating reductions in their use, which Obama has done, or by slapping a fee on carbon dioxide emissions, which is the economically rational way to tackle climate change,
•    McKibben says " Can't negotiate with physics!"
o    But climate change isn’t like that. Balton  —  and Obama, and almost everyone else in power  —  makes the same simple-but-deadly category mistake. They think the relevant negotiation is between the people who want to drill and the people who don’t. But actually, this negotiation is between people and physics. And therefore it’s not really a negotiation.

Who’s right on that one??
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

No more gas pipelines in Massachusetts! - The Climate Minute Podcast

Across the country, the fossil fuel industry is trying to build dangerous and unnecessary pipelines. Massachusetts is no exception- there are TWO pipelines proposed for the state.  These provide a good case study of industry methods and how to oppose them, even if you do not live  in  the Massachusetts. The proponents of the new pipelines claim to be working to provide sufficient gas for the local economy to grow.  But, like Dorothy in Oz, if you peek behind the curtain it becomes clear the industry wants to export the gas away from Massachusetts! That is just one worry- here are six more reasons to oppose these pipelines.

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

Perspectives on Katrina - The Climate Minute Podcast

Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans ten years ago this week. What perspective should Climate Hawks take on this pivotal event? What have we learned?  Katrina represents a microcosm of human and societal impact that global warming may have, and presents us with a guide about how to do things right in the future.

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

From New Orleans to the Arctic - The Climate Minute Podcast

The President will visit both the Arctic and New Orleans in the next few weeks. Both those locations have intense climate related associations, from melting glaciers to failed levees. At the same time, the administration has approved more un-needed drilling off Alaska. What is going on? Perhaps Mr. Obama should listen to the call of Islamic leaders to “Act on Climate!”
Approval given for Arctic drilling
Obama to visit the Arctic
Obama to visit New Orleans
An Islamic call for climate action

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

Presidential Climate Hawks - The Climate Minute Podcast

The President announced plans for a historic visit to the Arctic, to highlight the issue of climate change. Will he visit the Chukchi Sea oil rig? Mr Obama, along with most of the Federal Government has been sued by youngsters under the Public Trust Doctrine .

The reading list:
•    President Obama announces a trip to the Arctic
•    Is he sincere or cynical?
•    Jimmy Carter as the first Climate Hawk President
•    EPA and the Colorado spill
•    A new lawsuit under the Public Trust Doctrine
Find the 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

Shedding some light on the Governor's Solar Bill - The Climate Minute Podcast

Massachusetts’ Governor Baker released a plan to raise the solar ‘net metering’ limits. It’s a start, at least, but the details of the proposal show some real risks for the continued growth of the solar market. Climate Hawks should take some credit for demanding action, but now is the time to redouble our efforts to improve the bill. We discuss.
The reading list:
The Administration's Press Release
Does the bill "put the brakes' on solar?
Some analysis of the bill
Find the 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

Reaction (and Over-reaction) to the Clean Power Plan- The Climate Minute Podcast

The opinions and reaction to the President’s Clean Energy Plan have come quickly and loudly, from both the left and right of the political spectrum.  It is important to know what all the talking heads are saying, but as Mother Nature points out (here channeled by Julia Roberts), the planet doesn’t need us-we need the planet.  The laws of physics will be obeyed no matter what James Hansen or Mitch McConnell say. Listen in!
The reading list:
•    NYT Op-Ed
•    USA Today Op-Ed
•    350.org Press Release
•    James Hansen on MSNBC
•    Opposition to the plan
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 Clean Energy Plan - The Climate Minute Podcast

After years in the making, the Obama Administration released the final version of America’s Clean Power Plan. It’s a pretty significant achievement, the first serious effort to control carbon emissions in the US. We discuss the context in which the plan was created, and review some top-level aspects of the plan itself.
The reading list:
•    The EPA's description of the plan
•    Vox explains the plan
•    Will we have more RGGI's?
•    The Guardian's report
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

Meanwhile, on Planet Cecil - The Climate Minute Podcast

Finally, an off-shore wind project begins construction, the Obama administration releases a climate plan, and the legal concept of a Public Trust gains ground. We discuss.
The Reading list:
•    RI wind project begins construction!
•    The President's plan is about to become real.
•    The political implications of the Prez' plan
•    Jim Hansen's "Public Peer Review" paper
•    ED Schultz, Climate Hawk
•    The Public Trust Doctrine makes another step forward.
•    RIP Cecil, and the planet?
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

Be the tax - The Climate Minute Podcast

What do the activists hanging from the bridge in Portland, the ‘ten guys with a Twitter account” opposing the Boston Olympics and the Black Lives movement have in common? They spoke up to force a discussion of important issues. As Frederick Douglass once said “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” Climate Hawks made a demand at this week’s solar rally at the State House. Here in Massachusetts, we need to raise the solar energy limits to ensure a vibrant clean energy market.

The reading list.
•    Activists dangle from a bridge to block Shell's icebreaker from leaving Portland.
•    Boston's Olympic bid is withdrawn. (Note MCAN's Executive Director Carol Oldham is interviewed!)
•    Activists challenge the candidates
•    Gov. Baker proposes solar legislation on day of activist rally. A coincidence?
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

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