Climate 411

The Boston Globe – “Oil spill is a sign to Congress: kick the fossil-fuel habit”

Editorial

“Beyond managing the current crisis, it is essential that the Senate pass a comprehensive energy law that steers the country in a cleaner, safer direction.”

The Economist – “The blame game: The president can’t stop oil from gushing in the gulf. But he can improve America’s energy policies”

Editorial

“The catastrophe… has provided a chance to talk about deeper problems in energy policy: to spell out to Americans the true cost of the petrol they guzzle (including all the subsidies and distortions of trade) and to push for alternatives, facilitated by a price on carbon.”

The Denver Post – “Set a standard for renewables”

Editorial

“While we don’t want to see renewable energy propped up over the long haul by government subsidies, we think the environmental disaster in the gulf needs to prompt some soul-searching into the country’s reliance on fossil fuels. Hopefully, the slate of answers will include a renewable-energy standard.”

The New York Times – “The Spill and Energy Bill”

Editorial

“Passing a comprehensive bill would be good for the economy, by creating new jobs; good for the environment, by reducing emissions; and good for national security, by reducing our dependence on unstable oil-producing countries. The president’s task now is to convert that rhetorical fervor into actual, filibuster-proof votes.”

Huffington Post – “The Gulf Spill as a Breach to Our Environmental Security”

Steven Cohen, executive director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

“NY Times columnist Tom Friedman recently wrote that this a crucial moment for President Obama to provide leadership on the movement to alternative energy and off of fossil fuels. And so it is, but we need to do much more than simply shift the energy base of our economy. We need to develop the capacity to both manage and police our use of technology.”

June 1, 2010 – The Detroit News – “Clean energy bill creates jobs”

Michael J. McCarty, president, United Steelworkers

“Our state is uniquely positioned to benefit from passing a strong, comprehensive clean energy and climate change bill. With unemployment that continues to lead the nation, we can’t afford to pass up an opportunity like the one that a clean energy economy will present us.”

On E2, President Obama shows his commitment to passing comprehensive climate and energy legislation this year. In a speech at Carnegie Mellow University on Wednesday, Obama said

“the votes may not be there right now, but I intend to find them in the coming months. I will make the case for a clean energy future wherever I can, and I will work with anyone from either party to get this done.”

Green has encouraging news on renewable energy development out west. It turns out that

“the power grid for five western states – Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming – could operate on as much as 30 percent wind and 5 percent solar without the construction of extensive new infrastructure.”