policy

UN Climate Change Panel to Adopt New Procedures, Quality Guidelines

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Members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) meeting this past week in Abu Dhabi for their annual conference have announced the adoption of new procedures to address questions of conflicts of interest, data analysis errors and other policy procedures.

The member report comes in the wake of the 2009 pseudo-scandal at the UK-based University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit, and more recently, in response to recommendations submitted by the InterAcademy Council, an international group of representatives from top science academies.

Politics in the U.S. — the Referees Have Left the Building, Obama is Constantly Looking for Them

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I normally don’t do this, but this is a stellar post on politics in the U.S. from David Roberts of Grist, and you need to read the full thing, so I’m reposting it in whole. This is the story today. This is where we are and why we are so screwed. There are solutions. They are clear and what we promote here regularly, but they are not what Obama and Democratic leadership are pursuing.

Where and How? New Carbon Footprint Study Shows Location, Lifestyle Matter

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UC Berkeley Researchers Jones and Kammen, working at the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) have conducted a landmark GHG emission analysis of U.S. households, and which also provides a tool for more effective consumer and governmental policy decision-making. The “tool” here is the “carbon calculator” made available for free on the Cool Climate Network website.

Global Warming and Environmental Politics News of the Week

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Here’s some of the biggest global warming and environmental politics news and commentary from the last week or so, along with some fun cartoons. Rocket Fuel in Our Water? The inspiration for the cartoon above, among other things: information that there is rocket fuel (or a component of it) in water supplies across the U.S.

The Future of Energy & How to Achieve It

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If you ask environmentally-minded people or typical liberals/progressives about what sort of energy we should be using and what energy technologies our governments should be promoting, you are sure to see a lot of support for renewable energy like solar and wind, as well as the components that make those options more viable, like large

Investing in Bicycling Creates Jobs, Improves Economy

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One good way to create jobs, as Obama and his secretary of transportation Ray LaHood know, is to invest in efficient, green transportation, like bicycles. One recent study in Wisconsin showed that bicycling adds $1.5 billion/year to its economy. Now, another study by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, “Estimating the

Pass Important Legislation to Protect Struggling Wildlife NOW

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With an anti-conservation majority taking over in the House next Congress, this is our last chance for the foreseeable future to pass important bills — many of which have been waiting for years to pass — to help sea otters, lions, migratory birds and other wildlife. Take action now. Urge your senators and representative to

River Ruin – 80% of World's People Face Water Insecurity

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In a first-ever “world-wide synthesis”, an international team of scientists has analyzed data on 23 “drivers of environmental stress” that impact the health and quality of the world’s major rivers. The findings: 65% of the world’s riverine ecosystems are “moderately to highly threatened”. The team’s assessment is the first to “jointly consider human and biodiversity

180 Groups Push Obama to Protect America's Great Outdoors

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A diverse range of historic, cultural, scientific, conservation and environmental groups united today to push President Obama to “create a bold, tangible legacy of conservation, preservation, recreation and restoration through the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative.” While Obama has been more engaged in this topic than his predecessor, there are still some big goals many

'Devastating Climate Shock' Needed to Spur Climate Change Policy

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In his alarm-ringing NY Times op-ed on Climate Change, professor Homer-Dixon* draws a comparison with the 2008 financial “meltdown” which finally led to new financial regulations, even though warnings of a housing bubble (and an emerging recession) were being made prior to the crisis. He advocates societies designing a contingency plan (‘Plan Z’ ) to deal with the immediate after-effects of one or more climate change disasters.

Mexico City Bans Plastic Bags

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Mexico City joins the growing number of cities worldwide who are banning plastic bags. I recently wrote about the largest state in India banning plastic bags, and about bag monsters in California pushing for a California-wide plastic bag ban, and I just mentioned that the richest Hindu temple in the world has completely banned plastic

The Return of the Bicycle

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Following up on the bike naked, bike classy, bike-sharing, and other bike articles I’ve written lately, here is a great recent piece by Lester R. Brown on the return of the bike (subheadings added). Enjoy. Lester R. Brown The bicycle has many attractions as a form of personal transportation. It alleviates congestion, lowers air pollution,

An Ocean of Effort

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Ocean trash is one of the problems photographed by Christopher Swain on his 1,000-mile ocean advocacy and education journey. [social_buttons] As the Obama Administration’s Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force moves into its sixth public meeting on an interim report in Cleveland this week, one determined ocean advocate is continuing to make his way from Massachusetts

Addressing Water: Obama Walks on Top

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Water is the New Terrorism It was often highlighted after the infamous tragedies of September 11th that terrorism was hardly discussed or barely even mentioned during the campaigning that led up to the 2000 election (Al vs. W). Searching for a way the horrible acts could have been avoided led to a lot of finger pointing and

New California Law Protects Farms Against Genetic Engineering Threats

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This is a guest post by Meg Hamill, a freelance writer who also works at LandPaths in partnership with the Open Space District of Sonoma County, California. California passes its first law protecting farmers who have not been able to prevent GE contamination of their non GE crops. We’ve all heard the horror stories:  A

Human Rights Acting as Climate Change Policy Compass

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This is another of those studies that, though perfectly necessary, pretty much just get categorized in to the “Well… duh!” category of my reporting. Sadly, just because something can be so categorized, doesn’t mean it was unnecessary. Too often humanity will overlook the blatantly obvious until it is thrust directly in front of their faces.

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