Tag Archives: climate change
My Testimony at the EPA
The EPA is holding virtual public hearings this week on its proposal to rescind the 2009 finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare. If they get away with it, this will gut most greenhouse gas regulations in the US. Here’s what I said to them. Continue reading
The EPA’s “Dagger to the Heart” of US Climate Regulation
On August 1, 2025, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced it was proposing to reconsider its 2009 endangerment finding about greenhouse gas emissions. “Reconsidering” here means rescind, revoke, roll back. In this post I look at why this action is a dagger to the heart of greenhouse gas regulation. Continue reading
Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change
There was a small glimmer of good news on climate change last week: The International Court of Justice ruled that nation states have legal obligations under climate treaties and customary international law to protect “the climate system and other parts of the environment from anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.” Continue reading
The Trees Are Speaking
The Trees Are Speaking is a wonderful book about the old-growth salmon forests of Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Island and Maine and about the people trying save them. It explores the beautiful yet surprising connection between trees and salmon that sustains these forests and may very well help sustain us too. Continue reading
Abundance
Ever since the November 2024 election, Democrats, liberals, progressives – whatever you want to call them – have been doing some deep soul searching, asking themselves, “How on Earth could we have lost to Donald Trump, again?” Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, offers an inspiring framework for finding the answers. Continue reading
The Year Without Summer
The eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815 is the largest known eruption of the last 2,000 years. It knocked weather patterns across Europe and the eastern US out of kilter. Crops failed. Unrest followed. The Year Without Summer details Tambora’s impact on people, economics, politics and climate. Continue reading
What If We Get It Right?
What If We Get It Right? is a different kind of climate book. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson interviewed twenty people – scientists, activists, journalists, policy experts, entrepreneurs, and artists – for their visions of the future. They discuss what the world might look like if we implement the climate solutions we already have. Continue reading
Trump’s Executive Orders Aim to Gut US Climate Policy
Trump signed a blizzard of executive orders (EOs) over the last week. Some are vicious and cruel (rolling back protections for transgender people), others are blatantly unconstitutional (ending birthright citizenship). In this post, I’ll take a look at the executive orders that affect US government policy on climate change. Continue reading
COP29 Wrap-Up: Calamity on the Caspian
The official COP29 press release hails a “Breakthrough in Baku,” [1] but I think “calamity on the Caspian” would be more accurate. The results of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change … Continue reading
Solving for Climate — Hannah Ritchie’s Podcast
For anyone who enjoyed Hannah Ritchie’s book Not the End of the World, she’s launched a new podcast called Solving for Climate that explores climate solutions. Full launch details on her Substack here. The first couple of episodes are out … Continue reading
Unsolicited Feedback 