Climate & responsibility – July 16

July 16, 2009

Click on the headline (link) for the full text.
Many more articles are available through the Energy Bulletin homepage


Introducing The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Policy

Ben Wessel, It’s Getting Hot in Here
…“The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Policy” sets out to help engaged citizens join the climate policy debate without having to wade through the wonky policy talk of Washington. As advocates and activists across the country examine the Waxman-Markey climate bill that passed through the House of Representatives last month, the guide helps flesh out the crucial policy elements that were sticking points for swing votes: allowance allocation, carbon offsets, emissions reductions targets , and more. By explaining the major elements of this monumental bill and putting forth reasons to support or reject them, we hope we can help expand the climate movement’s power in Washington. Most importantly, we hope the guide inspires you to action. We know that by familiarizing ourselves with the legislation in Washington and by having earnest discussions with our elected officials, we can help secure the safe climate future we need.

As Bill McKibben says in his forward to the guide, “This booklet is a scorecard. But not for passively sitting by and watching the game. It’s an invitation to get in the game, to become passionately involved while there’s still some hope of affecting the outcome.”
(10 July 2009)


The Bill
(video)
Ecofilm.de via Germanwatch
One of the three winners of the Germanwatch screenplay competition about Climate Justice. In this four-minute movie produced by Peter Wedel the CO2 intensive lifestyle of an urban dweller (played by Benno Fürmann) is put in contrast to the people in developing countries which are affected most by Climate Change.
(23 June 2009)


Big Oil/Lundberg Survey Scare Tactics Against Climate Legislation

Jan Lundberg, PUB
Lundberg Survey is regularly quoted across the U.S. on gasoline prices and related oil industry developments, even though the firm has dwindled from the 1970s and ’80s when called “the Bible of the oil industry.” It changed from an independent family business to a 100% tool for Big Oil, decrying “burdensome environmental regulations” while the corporation’s head says global warming is “political hot air.” So how can Lundberg Survey’s new study on climate legislation be accepted as credible?

…In an editorial, the report tries to give credence to climate-change denial: “the trend is to cooling, not warming.” This from the oft quoted source on oil information at CNN, Associated Press, and National Public Radio as well as countless local AP outlets. The report even suggests that if a cooling trend is discovered, “tax subsidies for coal and petroleum based energy would be required so global cooling would be prevented.” The author is not aware, apparently, of the massive subsidies in place. To write these rabid sentiments shows that peak oil has not yet been examined objectively by Lundberg Survey.
(11 July 2009)


Tags: Culture & Behavior, Energy Policy, Fossil Fuels, Industry, Media & Communications, Oil