"I actually think if we deal with global warming in a way which raises people's energy bills, we will have blown it," Pope said. Pope's comment represents a larger awakening among environmentalists to the realities of energy and global warming politics.
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Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, said on a "Politics of Green" panel discussion this week in Denver that climate policy aimed at increasing energy bills is critically flawed:
"I actually think if we deal with global warming in a way which raises people's energy bills, we will have blown it."
You can watch it here:
Continue reading "Carl Pope Breaks With Traditional Climate Agenda" »
Four years ago we argued in "The Death of Environmentalism" that greens didn't need to win the debate over the relative seriousness of global warming in order to enact policies capable of dealing with it. At the time, that claim was viewed as paradoxical and even heretical.
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Breakthrough founders Michael Shellenberger & Ted Nordhaus have been engaged in a discussion at Cato Unbound on what to do about climate change. The lead essay, written by conservative libertarian Jim Manzi, argues that global warming, while real, is a problem of limited magnitude, deserving a proportional response, not overreaction. Coverage of the debate here.
by Michael Shellenberger & Ted Nordhaus
Continue reading "Invest in America" »
Despite his dual passions for technology and the environment, Gore has been slow to embrace investment in technology as a solution to the climate challenge.
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Al Gore has been a leader both technology development and the struggle to raise consciousness about global warming. His visionary support for the Internet paved the way for its commercialization; his award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, raised national consciousness about global warming to a new level.
And yet despite his dual passions, Gore has been slow to embrace investment in technology as a solution to the climate challenge. In the past, he's been heavy on the doomsday rhetoric, emphasizing "sacrifice" as a solution to global warming. But Gore's thinking on the issue may be evolving -- in a landmark speech in the summer of 2008, he called for large public investments in clean energy. Who will win out -- Google Gore or Gaia Gore?
Breakthrough's coverage of the many sides of Al Gore:
Continue reading "News Roundup: The Many Sides of Al Gore" »
Those guys at Climate Progress seem to want things both ways -- the analysis in our article is both "debunked" and an authority. Maybe Joe Romm should set the record straight?
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by Roger Pielke, Jr.
cross-posted from Prometheus
I haven't engaged much with Joe Romm of late, but I can't let this one pass. When Tom Wigley, Chris Green and I published our analysis of the spontaneous emissions reductions built into all IPCC scenarios (PDF), Joe Romm put up a post titled: "Why did Nature run Pielke's pointless, misleading, embarrassing nonsense?"
Continue reading "Arguing Both Sides at Climate Progress" »
It's not just about framing--"new energy jobs" are the best and only shot at bringing down the political impasse between America and the energy policy it needs.
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By Keith Brower Brown, Breakthrough Generation
The effort to pass a sensible climate and energy policy is not working. I don't just mean we're not getting the right content in legislation--whether it's trading or taxing or new investment. I want to face facts: right now there isn't serious political support, or even interest, for an "energy bill" with climate change solutions at its heart. Not from most Democrats in Congress, and not from the vast majority of Americans, whose support is desperately needed by us climate and clean energy advocates.
This can be our crucial moment--a point of deep popular unrest over energy hikes and economic decline. In the self-righteous furor of "drill here, now" and in the sparring over loafers and houses, we see a political establishment desperate to connect with a distrustful electorate. At this sudden crossroads, both we and the defenders of the fossil economy have an incredible opportunity to define the way ahead. So now, we can't spend one more day still trying to convince 41% of America to come to our 10% side. We have to go to them, and meet them where they're at.
Continue reading "Go To Them: New Energy Jobs and the Populism We Need" »
Energy is the number one issue of the 2008 presidential election and it is taking center stage at both parties' conventions this week and next. Republicans have been able to effectively capture this issue and run with it, bringing the American people with them and leaving Democrats in the dust. It is not, however, game over for Democrats. The American public is all ears for what the Democrats will say at their convention this week, and if they find the right message they will garner significant voter support.
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By Alisha Fowler, Breakthrough Generation
Breaking news! Energy is still the number one issue of the 2008 presidential election and it is taking center stage at both parties' conventions this week and next. So far this election season, Republicans have been able to effectively capture this issue and run with it, bringing the American people with them and leaving Democrats in the dust.
The Republicans are winning an energy debate set entirely on their terms. They have been enjoying the strong voter support that accompanies an "all of the above" energy strategy, even if their message is only full of empty promises. Democrats, conversely, have been entirely left behind as they have struggled to find their voice in the debate and been hammered for being unable to restrain energy prices.
Continue reading "Both Parties' Conventions Put the Spotlight on Energy" »
With Americans focused on energy prices as never before, a game-changing shift is occurring in the American political climate. The time has come for climate and clean energy advocates to adopt a new strategy and policy agenda. Next year will see the inauguration of a new president, a new Congress, and a new international agreement on global warming. The moment is far too urgent to fall on our swords for a cap-and-trade agenda developed in an entirely different political environment.
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There's one thing at the top of Americans' minds these days: energy prices. Prices at the pump have been hitting Americans hard for months now, and an overwhelming majority (87%) do not foresee things getting any better before the end of the year. As of June, concern for energy prices eclipsed the Iraq War as #2 on the Gallup monthly poll
of top American concerns (just behind concerns over the ailing
economy). And as Republicans and Democrats enter their conventions still sparring over oil drilling, energy is now the #1 election issue.
All of this paints a very clear picture of where Americans are at: they
are focused on their pocketbooks, grimacing every time they head to the
gas station to fill 'er up.
This new focus on energy prices is a game changer for the world of energy and climate policy.
Continue reading "A Pivotal Moment" »
More than 2,000 times the entire annual energy consumption of the U.S. is available deep underground. Google's $10 million investment in advanced geothermal technology will help tap this potential resource and pipe it into our electricity mix.
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By Alisha Fowler, Breakthrough Generation
I can't really think of a better headline for this article than one I came across earlier today: "Looking for energy, Google goes to hell." Except, maybe: "Google goes to hell (in search of energy)."
Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, is in fact sinking $10 million into the advancement of technology that harnesses energy coursing deep below the Earth's surface.
While this technology, advanced geothermal technology (AGT), has not received as much attention as solar or wind, its potential is simply enormous. According to MIT, by investing $1 billion in AGT over the next 40 years, the U.S. could develop 100 gigawatts of electricity that emits zero air pollution and provides even more reliable power than coal-fired power plants.
Scientific American reports that more than 2,000 times the entire annual energy consumption of the U.S. is available deep underground.
Continue reading "Google Invests in Underground Energy Sources" »
Taken in context, Pickens' call to drill was actually an indictment of the false promise of drilling.
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T. Boone Pickens advocates a massive investment in wind power as a way to get off foreign oil, but in a new video segment he says we should "drill, drill, drill." Progressives and environmentalists were tentatively accepting the oil-man turned wind-champion as an ally in the quest for more renewable energy, but his latest ad is likely to scare some of them off.
It shouldn't.
Continue reading "Why I'm Sticking with Pickens - even after "Drill, Drill, Drill"" »
In a debate at the Cato Institute, Shellenberger and Nordhaus argue that liberals and conservatives don't need to agree about the seriousness of global warming. We can all embrace investment in energy infrastructure, technology, and education for reasons that have nothing to do with climate change.
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For 20 years, liberals and conservatives have been locked in a debate about the relative seriousness of climate change. Conservatives have either denied that it was happening or played down its significance, while liberals and environmentalists have tended to see it as ecological apocalypse meriting either extreme personal sacrifice or a supposed cost-free regulatory fix.
That debate is now undergoing a major shift. Conservatives like Jim Manzi, Newt Gingrich and others recognize that humans are affecting the climate and that something should be done about it. Liberals and environmentalists, like Joe Romm and most recently Al Gore, are beginning to recognize the political futility of peddling sacrifice, and have started emphasizing the need to make clean energy cheap. To be sure, both camps are still far apart in their view of global warming, with Romm seeing it as a future hell on earth and Manzi viewing it as little more than a rounding error. But if we fixate on these radically divergent views of the problem we risk missing some signs of agreement over what should be done about it.
Continue reading "Why We Can Disagree to Agree" »
"As the nation searches for new sources of energy, tribes are at a crossroads," Climate Wire reported today. "They hold 30 percent of the nation's coal reserves and have an abundant supply of oil and natural gas, but also face a growing climate change movement determined to stop development of fossil fuels and spur renewable energy."
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"As the nation searches for new sources of energy, tribes are at a crossroads," Climate Wire reported today. "They hold 30 percent of the nation's coal reserves and have an abundant supply of oil and natural gas, but also face a growing climate change movement determined to stop development of fossil fuels and spur renewable energy."
Last week, the Crow Nation announced plans to build a coal-to-liquids plant in Montana that may provide fuel for the Air Force. That followed news of a potential coal-fired power plant on Navajo Nation land in New Mexico.
Continue reading "Tribes Building New Coal Plants" »
Odd bedfellows sometimes make for difficult coalitions, and I have no doubt there will be many bumps in the road to a sustainable energy system. But the Pickens plan tells me that the coalition we need could extend very far beyond the usual suspects. This could be quite a ride.
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By Frank Laird, Breakthrough Senior Fellow
I kept wanting to title this blog "Hell freezes over . . ." Seeing T. Boone Pickens on TV promoting wind energy and implicitly criticizing the current administration was more than a little disorienting, not to mention quite a bit of fun. But it also has important implications for promoting a clean energy system.
The Pickens plan proposes using wind to help reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. At first glance, this seems unlikely to work, since wind produces electricity and the United States uses very little oil to produce electricity. The Pickens plan squares this circle by calling for another change: promoting cars that use natural gas instead of gasoline. The rapid expansion of wind power could displace natural gas electricity generation, which then frees up natural gas to use in transportation, which reduces the need for oil and so dependence on imported oil.
The obvious problem with this plan is finding ways to put large number of natural-gas powered cars on the road and create the accompanying fueling infrastructure. Whether or not the Pickens plan will work, we shouldn't miss the larger point: Pickens's announcement shows how large the potential political coalition is for an innovation policy focused on making clean energy cheap.
For those of us who have watched the energy scene for many years, it's hard to overstate how shocking it is to see T. Boone Pickens promoting wind power. And his promotion of wind is concrete; he's putting the largest windfarm in the world near Sweetwater, Texas. Pickens is the classic conservative, hard-nosed, Texas oil man, right out of central casting. He has been an outspoken opponent of almost anything associated with liberal politics or environmentalism. He was a funder of the infamous Swiftboat ads in the 2004 presidential campaign. If people like him can get excited about clean energy, the potential coalition for clean energy is much bigger than I had imagined.
Michael and Ted have been promoting an innovation-based energy policy precisely because it could break the old political stalemates and mobilize a new coalition that could put in place a vastly larger, long-term set of policies to make clean energy a reality. I thought they were right and had already seen people like the hip Silicon Valley venture capitalists, and even some folks from the fossil fuel industry, getting interested in renewable energy. But I never thought I'd see the like of T. Boone Pickens putting up a website that extolled the virtues of renewables. Odd bedfellows sometimes make for difficult coalitions, and I have no doubt there will be many bumps in the road to a sustainable energy system. But the Pickens plan tells me that the coalition we need could extend very far beyond the usual suspects. This could be quite a ride.
For the past two weeks, Democrats have been losing the energy debate -- badly. But a " New Energy Reform Act" proposal from the "Gang of 10" is starting to gain serious traction and could upset the debate.
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For the past two weeks, Democrats have been losing the energy debate -- badly. Poll after poll showed Democrats losing major ground in the fight over new oil drilling, and some declared that energy could be a turning point in the run-up to November. At the Breakthrough Institute, we ran a series of responses: here, here, here, and here.
But a "New Energy Reform Act" proposal from the "Gang of 10" -- a group of five Democrats and five Republicans in the Senate -- is starting to gain serious traction and could upset the debate.
Continue reading "Gang of Ten Could Upset Energy Debate" »
All the polling points demonstrates the fact that Americans are ready to start drilling, seeing it as a tangible way to help bring down prices at the pump. Whether or not this notion is true, Republicans continue to score political points hammering the Democrats for standing in the way of a solution that voting citizens support. And, if Democrats want to not only help Americans, but come out as the political winners, it is imperative that Democrats accept drilling, but accept it on their terms, not on Republican terms.
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by Jesse Jenkins and Adam Solomon Zemel, Breakthrough Generation
Democratic candidates from Obama on down have said they would be willing to compromise on offshore drilling--if presented with the right compromise. Many see this as a harbinger of energy-related political retreats to come ("if he's ready to open up the OCS, who's to say that Obama won't withdraw support for a cap-and-trade policy when he gets in office"). However, far from simple political posturing, a real compromise on off-shore drilling could pave the way to clean, affordable energy sources for the future, provide long term relief for consumers (i.e. American citizens), and make promises that politicians and the government can actually keep.
All the polling points demonstrates the fact that Americans are ready to start drilling, seeing it as a tangible way to help bring down prices at the pump. Whether or not this notion is true, Republicans continue to score political points hammering the Democrats for standing in the way of a solution that voting citizens support. And, if Democrats want to not only help Americans, but come out as the political winners, it is imperative that Democrats accept drilling, but accept it on their terms, not on Republican terms.
Continue reading "Drilling on America's Land, Drilling on America's Terms" »
Climate change, economic revival, energy abundance: these are big challenges. But we need a more sophisticated plan than "take everything we can get!"
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by Helen Aki, Breakthrough Generation Fellow
There's a simple relationship between energy and civilization: more
energy means more activity, growth, and prosperity. The defining
challenge of our era is to think responsibly about how we use energy,
as we strive to meet the demands of developing nations, struggle with a
failing economy, and mitigate climate change.
Part of the problem is that we've taken energy for granted. Energy
fuels everything we do. But we've outgrown our youthful years of
abundant oil, as a nation and as a planet. Richard Smalley estimated in 2004
that if the world population were to stabilize at 10 billion people,
they would demand 60 terawatts of energy in order to live prosperous,
secure lives--more than four times what we currently use. At the same
time, the oil that drove America's progress is becoming less and less
viable as an energy source. It is becoming increasingly clear that
the most sophisticated and effective option is not to simply throw more
energy, any energy, at the problem(s). So what now?
Continue reading "Now, to Refine the Energy Solution." »
Democrats are getting trounced on the biggest election issue and quickly losing the most important political battle of the new century: energy. So why are they losing and what will it take to win the energy battle?
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No, it's not the 2008 election. It's the fight over the future of American energy policy. And Democrats are getting trounced by a disciplined Republican offensive on oil drilling.
According to a statewide survey released on July 30th, a slim majority of Californians now supports expanded oil drilling off our state's treasured coastline. Support for offshore drilling is even up six percent among the state's Democrats. In a land where offshore drilling has been a third-rail of politics for decades, this new surge in support for drilling is as sure a sign that Democrats are quickly losing ground to the vigorous GOP offensive to Drill! Drill! Drill! for more oil.
Continue reading "Democrats Are Losing the Battle of the Century" »
Breakthrough Institute President Michael Shellenberger points to why the environmental argument against drilling -- "that prices won't come down for a long time" -- doesn't work.
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By Michael Shellenberger, co-founder and president of the Breakthrough Institute.
I have been confused as to why Americans still support oil drilling even after we progressives and greens have repeatedly explained to the American people (as I did on Hannity and Fox) that gas prices won't come down for many years -- perhaps as many as 10 years -- and even then by only a few cents.
In a phrase: supply and demand. It's a powerful mental short-cut. If gas prices are too high, we need more oil. Who cares if it doesn't give us relief right now? And who cares if it doesn't lower gas prices by much? Given the way poll numbers are changing, Americans have decided they'd rather have a little price relief than continued environmental protection.
Continue reading "Why the "prices won't come down for a long time" argument doesn't work" »
The National Center for Atmospheric Research will shut down its program focused on strengthening poor countries' ability to deal with droughts, floods and other climate-related hazards. Breakthrough Fellow Roger Pielke, Jr. reflects on the damaging politics that often take place among disciplines in academia and the dangerous truth that the consequences of ceasing this program extend far beyond the academic walls.
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By Breakthrough Senior Fellow Roger Pielke, Jr. Roger is a professor of Environmental Studies at U.C. Denver, serves as a Fellow at CIRES, and worked with the National Center for Atmospheric Research from 1993-2001. Roger has done pioneering work on proper role of scientists and experts in society. He is a guest contributer to the Breakthrough blog and also maintains his own science policy blog, Prometheus.
In 2003 Dan Sarewitz and I wrote an article titled "Wanted: Scientific Leadership on Climate" (PDF). In that article we made the following brash assertion:
What happens when the scientific community's responsibility to society conflicts with its professional self interest? In the case of research related to climate change the answer is clear: Self interest trumps responsibility.
Our argument was that the scientific community sought to take care of its own interests first while "the needs and capabilities of decisionmakers who must deal with climate change have played little part in guiding research priorities."
If you need any evidence that little has changed in the five years since we wrote that article, have a look at this story by Andy Revkin in today's New York Times. The article discusses the termination of the Center for Capacity Building at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the nation's largest government-supported atmospheric (and related) sciences research lab.
Continue reading "You Have to Protect Your Core" »
Dark horse presidential candidate Paris Hilton reveals her energy plan for America as she makes a move for the White House this November. Breakthrough Generation Fellow Adam Zemel examines whether the "Hilton Solution" has what it takes to provide lasting solutions to our mounting energy crisis.
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By Adam Solomon Zemel, Breakthrough Generation
Dark horse third party presidential candidate Paris Hilton released an online campaign ad taking on allegations about her connections to other 2008 candidates, and formally announcing her energy policy. Hilton's announcement is an effort to put an end to speculation about how she would lead our country to energy independence. Like many others, I'm not surprised to see Hilton proposing a plan that will garner support for both sides of the political spectrum (and one can only assume it is part of a larger strategy to carry the votes of centrists from both parties):
"We can do limited offshore drilling--with strict environmental oversight--while creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars. That way the offshore drilling carries us until the new technologies kick in which will then create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved!"
Continue reading ""Like, Totally Ready to Lead"" »
Greg Nemet, Breakthrough colleague and University of Wisconsin energy expert, sheds some light on what missing its aggressive renewables targets will mean for California, and the signal failure will send to policy makers, investors, and consumers across the country.
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By Greg Nemet, Breakthrough colleague and University of Wisconsin energy expert.
As has become increasingly clear over the past couple of years, California appears unlikely to meet its Renewables Portfolio Standard targets for 2010. See this report in the Chronicle and the California Public Utility Commissions quarterly RPS report to the legislature.
Missing the renewables obligation is important -- not just because of the non-renewable electricity we will be using as a result -- but because of the signal it will send to policy makers, investors, and consumers on California and elsewhere. How the state manages missing the targets could have big impact on future policies and the incentives they create for businesses and consumers to change the way we use and produce energy.
Continue reading "Why California's Energy Mandate Failure Matters" »
MIT's news has certainly garnered the attention of the media, but is it really the transformational discovery it claims to be?
Peter Teague, environmental policy expert, Michael Shellenberger, President of the Breakthrough Institute, Greg Nemet, University of Wisconsin energy expert, and Frank Laird, professor of technology and public policy at the University of Denver, get to the bottom of MIT's announcement.
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MIT's "major breakthrough" has certainly garnered the attention of the media this week and last, but is it really the transformational discovery it claims to be? Peter Teague, environment policy expert, Michael Shellenberger, President of the Breakthrough Institute, Greg Nemet, University of Wisconsin energy expert, and Frank Laird, professor of technology and public policy at the University of Denver, get to the bottom of MIT's announcement.
Peter Teague: MIT has announced a "major discovery" that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source. MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.
What do you think - is this really a breakthrough?
Continue reading "Is MIT's solar "breakthrough" worth the hype?" »
New polling reveals that Americans blame Congress as much as they blame oil companies for high energy prices. Jeff Navin, political consultant and former Research Director for Sen. Tom Daschle gives us the inside story on how today's debate on energy may influence tomorrow's debate on global warming.
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According to new polling from Gallup, voters are now blaming Congress for high gas prices at a level equal with price gouging by oil companies and price gouging by oil producing countries. And in a reversal of recent trends, voters now blame Congress more than they blame the Bush Administration.
As Peter Teague and I wrote last year, when gas was significantly cheaper than it is today, climate policy is inextricably intertwined with voter attitudes on energy prices. The debate over gas prices in the Congress will likely have a lasting impact on the political appetite for action on climate in the 111th Congress.
Continue reading "The Energy Debate and Global Warming Politics" »
Last week's news that California's utilities will not meet the state's law requiring that 20 percent of all electricity be produced from solar, wind and other renewable sources is further evidence that regulation alone - particularly unfunded mandates - will not carry us into a clean energy future.
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By Alisha Fowler, Breakthrough Generation
Last week's news that California's utilities will not meet the state's law requiring that 20 percent of all electricity be produced from solar, wind and other renewable sources is further evidence that regulation alone - particularly unfunded mandates - will not carry us into a clean energy future.
 If California is to achieve its goal of generating 20 percent of its electricity from clean energy by 2010, then it will need to make large investments in the infrastructure and technology to bring down the price of clean energy.
Continue reading "Is California's Renewable Energy Mandate Destined for Failure?" »
While the U.S. drags its feet, our competitors abroad are poised to wrest the upper hand in the new energy economy.
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Written by Breakthrough Generation fellow Zach Arnold
We're all used to the sense of ecological urgency that accompanies the climate debate. Green activists work with the knowledge that the time for action is limited, as rising emissions push the global climate toward irreversible changes. But there's another ticking clock out there, one that may be about to run out: while the U.S. drags its feet, our competitors abroad are poised to wrest the upper hand in the new energy economy. And as usual, no competitor looms larger than China.
Last week, I blogged about China's wind economy, which is currently expanding at a pace somewhere between mind-boggling and out of control. Yesterday, the Climate Group released some highlights from their upcoming report on China's renewable economy. To wit:
- China is already the world's largest producer of renewable energy, with 152 GW of capacity already in place in 2007 (although I imagine that may take into account some mixed-bag projects - e.g., Three Gorges)
- As a percentage of GDP, China's annual investment in renewables is second only to Germany
- China is set to become the world's largest exporter of wind turbines sometime in the next year
- China's largest solar firms have a total value of over $15 billion
- China has the world's second-largest installed solar PV capacity (820 MW)
Impressive figures, although of course, they pale in comparison to China's far larger fossil fuel numbers. 820 MW of solar power? China adds that much capacity in coal literally every few days. Nonetheless, what we're seeing now in China are the vital first stirrings of a new sort of energy. Renewable sources are finally coming into their own as substantial additions to the grid, and massive development is only going to speed the advent of clean tech, as turbines and PV panels become cheaper and faster to produce with every new factory that goes online.
I discussed several of the factors behind China's wind rush in my post last week, and most of them apply to clean tech efforts in general (although efficiency regulations, as I discussed, are an entirely different story). With China's strong, pro-renewable government incentives and breakneck pace of development, it's entirely plausible that China will become the world leader in renewables development sooner rather than later, gaining the upper hand in a lucrative and quickly growing global industry - especially considering that China's only potential major opponent is busy bickering over offshore drilling...
"We can't let little countries screw around with big companies like this -- companies that have made big investments around the world."
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"The ultimate issue here is Ecuador has mistreated a U.S. company," said one Chevron lobbyist who asked not to be identified talking about the firm's arguments to U.S. officials.
"We can't let little countries screw around with big companies like this -- companies that have made big investments around the world."
from "Chevron hires lobbyists to squeeze Ecuador in toxic-dumping case," Newsweek, Aug. 4, 2008
Continue reading "Quote of the Day" »
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