The Obama administration is struggling to follow through on promises with regard to health care and climate change because of a Republican party that seems to have no interest in constructive efforts to solve problems for the American people. But the Republicans are not the only “Party of No” that will make it difficult for Obama to deliver on his promises. Soon after he came to office, the President gave a speech to the National Academy of Sciences pledging to have an administration that supports and listens to science (something that was notably lacking during his predecessor’s term). The scientific community was very encouraged, but we also knew that many of Obama’s supporters are themselves highly selective in their support of science, and so it would take some real courage to follow through on the pledge. Nuclear power is the most prominent ”test case” underway, but there is a much less publicized ”politics vs science” test underway right now for the USDA.
The Question Before The USDA
The question is: will the USDA authorities allow a permit for Arborgen to conduct field tests including flowering for a GMO Eucalypus hybrid? These are trees that have been genetically engineered to be tolerant enough to frost to someday become a new bioenergy and pulp crop for the Southeastern US. The purpose of the test is to get real-world data on an important question: does this new crop have any potential to become an invasive species? Invasiveness is a very real phenomenon, but what we already know about these trees suggests that invasiveness is very unlikely.
This particular hybrid is widely grown in Brazil and has shown no tendency to spread outside of the plantations on which it is grown. This tree has also been modified so that it does not make pollen. The hypothesis that this tree will be a well-behaved crop is quite reasonable, but in science you test your hypothesis. That is what these field tests are intended to do – on a small scale (300 acres over 7 states) and with close monitoring. If the trees show a tendency to spread, it would not be hard to get rid of them on this scale. The USDA is not being asked to make a final determination about whether to allow this to become a commercial crop, it is just being asked for permission to do the next logical scientific step. The second public comment period on this question recently closed, so now it is up to the regulators to decide.
Speaking at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology today, U.S. President Barack Obama threw strong support behind clean energy and technology, touting America’s history of innovation and not shying away from the problems it faces.
“We have always been about innovation, we have always been about discovery. That’s in our DNA. The truth is we also face more complex challenges than generations past,” said Mr. Obama to a packed room of MIT students, faculty and other Massachusetts dignitaries. Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday the Nobel Peace Prize Committee awarded President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons… Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting.” Read the rest of this entry »
In April of 1994 CEO’s from the leading tobacco companies appeared before Congress and said, one by one and under oath, that nicotine was not addictive. That may have been the last dying gasp of organized denial of the dangers inherent in smoking.
What the tobacco industry learned from the early days of “doctor recommended” cigarettes through to that hearing in ‘94, was that all it took to sell the idea that smoking was good for you – or at least not that bad – was a dose of misinformation combined with a perception of scientific legitimacy in questioning established research. By tossing out a reasonable sounding tidbit of information you can keep uncertainty alive in the public’s mind and thwart progress.
Which leads to the obvious conclusion that if plants need CO2 to grow, then more CO2, not less, is what the world needs now.
San Francisco based power utility Pacific Gas & Electric has announced it will leave the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in protest over the organization’s “extreme” position on climate change.
Last month the Chamber of Commerce called for a “trial” on climate science as a means to thwart efforts in Congress to pass climate legislation, stymie the EPA’s endangerment finding regarding CO2 emissions, and needlessly continue to sow discord and confusion over the issue. It is an extremist position with which PG&E apparently wants no association. On a company blog post yesterday entitled Irreconcilable Differences, their position was made clear.
The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York ruled on Monday that five of the largest power utilities can be called upon to defend themselves in court against allegations that their greenhouse gas emissions create a public nuisance by contributing to global warming.
Siding with a coalition of eight states, three land trusts, and the city of New York, the court made its long awaited ruling, reinstating the lawsuit State of Connecticut v. American Electric Power Co (pdf) brought under federal common law. The suit was rejected by a lower court judge in 2004.
Utility withdraws from the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, the troubled coal industry group
Duke Energy, the North Carolina-based electric utility announced on Wednesday it would be leaving the clean coal lobbying group, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), over differences with the organization’s opposition to clean energy and climate legislation being considered by Congress.
Officials from Duke Energy said that “While some individual members of ACCCE are working to pass climate change legislation, we believe ACCCE is constrained by influential member companies who will not support passing climate change legislation in 2009 or 2010.”
Duke said that ACCCE’s position is not consistent with Duke Energy’s work to pass economy-wide and cost effective climate change legislation as soon as possible. Read the rest of this entry »
As the recession has forced municipal governments all over to tighten their belts, municipally run green initiatives have been some of the programs on the chopping block. While there are no programs that shouldn’t be looked at during these budget exercises, it is important for municipal leaders to ensure that they do not lose sight of the fact that while these programs have up front costs, many of these programs will have positive impacts on tax revenues and/or reducing municipal costs. Read the rest of this entry »
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to force the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a “trial” on climate change. Characterizing it as the “Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century,” the trial would come complete with witnesses, cross-examination, and a judge to “rule” on whether human activity is contributing to dangerous climate change.
Opponents to the idea assert the idea all but abandons the scientific method, upon which modern civilization depends, in favor of what Brenda Ekwurzel, a climate scientist for the Union of Concerned Scientists says is reminiscent of “the Salem witch trials, based on myth.”
Red, Green and Blue brings together voices from across the political and ideological spectrums to discuss and debate critical environmental issues and current events.
In April of 1994 CEO’s from the leading tobacco companies appeared before Congress and said, one by one and under oath, that 
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to force the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a 
