Climate Action Briefs
The following papers are two-page discussions of climate policy in the context of breaking news. They offer policy options to the candidates.
July 18th, 2008
Climate Change Hits Home
Record flooding in the Midwest, wildfires in the West and heat waves on both coasts this summer may be evidence that the effects of climate change are bearing down on the United States. If that's the case, then federal officials must begin modifying disaster-prevention and response programs to reflect the anticipated impacts of global warming. Read More »
June 27, 2008
Moving Upstream on Cap and Trade
The failure of the Warner-Lieberman bill makes clear that Congress is rowing upstream on the critical goal of carbon pricing. But upstream is the right place to be if we want an effective market mechanism to reduce carbon emissions. Read More »
June 18, 2008
The Spotlight Moves to the White House
Now that Congress has failed to enact a market-based mechanism to reduce America’s greenhouse gas emissions, the climate-action spotlight moves squarely onto the next president. Read More »
June 6, 2008
National Security in a Changing Environment
The rapidly shifting global landscape presents historic challenges and unique opportunities in international relations as the impacts of climate change become increasingly apparent and severe. Shrinking polar ice caps, expanding desert regions, changes in the oceans’ acidity, disease outbreaks, more severe storms and altered rainfall patterns all create the potential for conflict among peoples and governments everywhere. Read More »
May 29, 2008
The Use of Presidential Power
Among the issues the Bush Administration will leave for the next president is a continuing controversy about the use of presidential power. Read More »
May 20, 2008
Oil Importers Unite!
One of the hard realities of the world oil market is that importing nations such as the United States have placed their destiny in someone else's hands. And they aren't the friendly hands of Allstate. Even if we could eliminate all of our oil imports tomorrow, we'd still be vulnerable to embargoes, blackmail and price manipulation by producing nations. Read More »
April 25, 2008
The Moral Case for Energy Efficiency
Gasoline prices are approaching $4 a gallon and overall energy costs rose more than 8 percent during the first quarter of 2008. That has put pressure on the American economy, damaging consumer confidence, forcing airlines into bankruptcy and affecting everything from the trucking industry to small-town police departments. Read More »
April 25, 2008
Weatherization: An Economic Stimulus That Wouldn't Quit
The New York Times reports that millions of Americans are behind on their electric and gas bills and a record number of families face energy shut-offs over the next two months. Read More »
