Carolina on the mind as GOP presidential primaries move to the Palmetto State

With Iowa’s caucuses and New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primaries both in the rear view mirrors, GOP presidential candidates and the media now set their sights on South Carolina, which hosts the next nominating primary on January 21. Candidates and pundits can’t afford to ignore the Palmetto State: South Carolina Republicans have accurately predicted the party’s eventual [...]

2011 Setting Records in all the Wrong Places

[A recent SACE blogpost on extreme weather and climate change has been modified/updated to serve as a year-end climate action/policy recap for 2011] Setting records is typically an accomplishment we celebrate: running the fastest mile, being the first to achieve a goal or even recovering from the brink of extinction/extirpation. But in 2011, we set [...]

How many billion dollar climate and weather disasters are enough?

We set a new record in 2011, but not one that anyone would want to brag about. This year, the U.S. has been battered by 12 separate natural disasters, each sporting a $1 billion price tag. The final number could be higher still as damages from Tropical Storm Lee and a late October snowstorm in [...]

Did N.C. lead a retreat from cleaner air standards?

Recent articles in the New York Times and the Raleigh News & Observer suggested that North Carolina and its governor, Bev Perdue, may have played a key role in halting White House efforts to ratchet up the current ozone air standards. In September, the Obama Administration suddenly announced it was dropping its two-year effort to [...]

All eyes on COP17 climate talks in South Africa

Thousands of world citizens are once again converging in South Africa to take part in an international gathering observed by a global audience. Unlike attendees at last year’s soccer World Cup, it’s a safe bet that negotiators, government officials, activists and observers from 195 countries at the 17th annual climate talks in Durban, South Africa [...]

Cleaner Air (may still be) Coming to a State Near You

Earlier today, the U.S. Senate solidly rejected an effort to place the recently finalized Cross-State Air Pollution Rule on ice. By a vote of 56 to 41, Senators defeated a resolution offered by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R) that sought to block implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. Starting [...]

Choosing your climate reality

Here’s one truth: climate science is real. Here’s another: every one of us contributes to the climate crisis and every one of us has the ability to help solve it. These simple truths inspired the Climate Reality Project: today’s 24 hour, multi-media event developed by former Vice President Al Gore to draw the world’s attention [...]

Climate deniers take the stage at GOP debate

When Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) tossed his hat in the ring seeking the GOP presidential nomination he made quite a splash. During his first week on the campaign trail, Perry shared his thoughts on evolution vs. creationism, called Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernake’s financial strategy ‘treasonous‘ and made it clear he’s skeptical of climate [...]

Climate at the Crossroads

Two years ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congress’ first-ever climate legislation to reduce carbon pollution by implementing a market-based trading mechanism known as “cap and trade.” Despite the support of the President and a majority of American people, this climate policy became hopelessly stalled in the U.S. Senate and today we seem further [...]

Is Congress trying to dim our energy future?

“One cool judgment is worth a thousand hasty councils. The thing is to supply light and not heat.” – Woodrow Wilson The past couple of weeks have seen heat grip the nation’s capital both literally and in debate. Unbelievably – and despite growing economic uncertainty, a mounting debt crisis and multiple overseas military operations – [...]