US Opinion and Commentary

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Trump’s Environmental Impact Statement

Posted December 22nd, 2016 at 4:42 pm (UTC-4)
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Three days before Christmas and Santa Claus may be shedding that heavy red overcoat while preparing his yearly trek from the North Pole. Why? It’s said to be just around freezing — some 30 degrees (Celsius) warmer than normal.

The reason? A freakish blast of warmer air, thanks to a powerful El Nino and the impact of man-made greenhouse gases. Scientists warn that unless climate change can be slowed, rare events like this will happen more often.

President-elect Donald Trump’s position on climate change has evolved. In 2012, he tweeted that climate change was “created by and for the Chinese.” Since then, he has been on both sides of the issue. After the election, he admitted there is “some connectivity” between human activity and climate change.

But the resumes of several of Trump’s selections for important administration posts signals the issues of climate change and energy policy may be subjected to the political winds.

Inaction on Climate Dims Space Future

Posted April 7th, 2016 at 3:16 pm (UTC-4)
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In contrast to NASA, Florida Gov. Rick Scott still seems to be closing his eyes to climate change. Last year several former state Department of Environmental Protection employees said they had been told not to even use the term. While Scott disputed those claims, he has failed to do anything to suggest he takes climate change seriously. […]

Obama’s Clean Energy Plan Doesn’t Go Far Enough

Posted August 4th, 2015 at 1:07 pm (UTC-4)
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The courts already have ruled that greenhouse gases are pollutants that must be regulated by the EPA, and to win global cooperation in the climate battle, the United States must go into the Paris climate talks in October prepared to help lead the way. In this fight for survival, timid measures will not work.

Climate Change Plan Invites Praise, Criticism

Posted August 3rd, 2015 at 12:34 pm (UTC-4)
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The Obama administration has unveiled its Clean Power Plan, a set of mandates that will require states to sharply reduce their carbon emissions by 2022. Not surprisingly, there is strong opposition, most especially politicians and businesses from coal-producing states. But environmentalists are praising the “bold” new rules, which are expected to spark a series of lawsuits.