Can simple government programs effectively promote voluntary initiatives to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions? This paper by Matthew J. Kotchen provides an evaluation of how the Connecticut Clean Energy Communities program affects household decisions to voluntarily purchase “green” electricity, which is electricity generated from renewable sources of energy. The results suggest that, within participating communities, subsidizing municipal...
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Three United States senators – Sens. Lindsay Graham, Orrin Hatch and James Inhofe – last week demonstrated continued confusion about the scientific support for climate change. Senator Graham, R-SC: “The science about global warming has changed. I think they’ve oversold this stuff, quite frankly. I think they’ve been alarmist and the science is in question.” Senator Hatch, R-Utah:...
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Evo Morales, President of Bolivia Text of Speech before United Nations I have come here to share the conclusions of the First World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, held last April 20th to 22nd in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I convened this Conference because in Copenhagen the voice of the...
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Climate Change and the Integrity of Science We are deeply disturbed by the recent escalation of political assaults on scientists in general and on climate scientists in particular. All citizens should understand some basic scientific facts. There is always some uncertainty associated with scientific conclusions; science never absolutely proves anything. When someone says that...
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In 2009, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the United States saw their largest absolute and percentage decline (405 million metric tons or 7.0 percent) since 1949, when records began to be collected annually. While emissions have declined in three out of the last four years, 2009 was exceptional. Emissions developments in 2009 reflect a...
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Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) has produced draft legislation that would prevent the president, federal agencies, and state and local governments from taking any action to control GHG emissions that is independent of the actions mandated in federal climate legislation. The proposal goes farther than previous initiatives to preempt GHG regulation in that it would...
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Combined heat-and-power (CHP) facilities using renewable fuels to produce heat — and electric power – for industrial processes in large factories have become a central component of the UK’s low-carbon strategy.
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The 2010 Climate Competitiveness Index, which tracks national progress to create green jobs and economic growth through low-carbon economic growth, shows that in spite of uncertainty surrounding international climate negotiations, countries have pushed ahead with low-carbon growth strategies during the first quarter of 2010. The annual Climate Competitiveness Index (CCI), produced by the independent...
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