Category Archives: Legislation

Part 2: Three Reasons Donald Trump Could Be Good News for the Climate

This entry was posted in Conservatives, International Climate Agreements, Legislation, Obama, Pure Cap-and-Dividend, Trump on June 1, 2017 by Eric Cesnik.

In my last post, I asserted that despite Donald Trump’s already atrocious environmental and climate policy, his election could ultimately turn out to bring good news for the climate. That post looked at the first of three reasons for hope: that Trump’s win forces progressives to rethink climate policy. With Trump now apparently on the verge of pulling the United States out of the Paris Agreement, let’s look at two additional reasons for hope during this trying time.

Add a comment

The New Party of No? No Thanks

This entry was posted in Bipartisanship, Conservatives, Legislation on March 18, 2017 by Eric Cesnik.

Three Reasons Democrats Need a Positive Vision In a recent NYT Magazine article, “The New Party of No,” Charles Homans describes the rise of the Trump resistance and its impact on the Democratic Party. Like the Tea Party and Occupy, the grassroots resistance movement has no formal hierarchy. As Homans describes things, however, it has […]

1 Reply

Happy Earth Day–Let’s Make Paris Count

This entry was posted in International Climate Agreements, Legislation, Pure Cap-and-Dividend on April 22, 2016 by Eric Cesnik.

Reading the Paris Agreement, one cannot help but hear the echoes of the 1992 Kyoto Protocol. The Paris Agreement, enumerating many fundamental points remaining to be worked out (again) as it is implemented (from emissions monitoring to international carbon trading to technology transfers) leaves the reader with a sense of déjà vu. Haven’t we been down this road before?

We have. But that may be a good thing.

Add a comment

An Early Delivery for Earth Day: A Modest Plan to Save the Planet

This entry was posted in Back to Basics, Legislation, Pure Cap-and-Dividend on April 17, 2016 by Eric Cesnik.

The Greenland ice sheet is melting “freakishly early” this spring. Climate change has exacerbated this year’s El Nino such that it is causing “gruesome” and “unprecedented” coral death. New studies suggest that the West Antarctic ice sheet could disintegrate within decades instead of over hundreds or even thousands of years, leading to more rapid ocean level rise. […]

Add a comment

Rep. Chris Van Hollen Introduces Cap-and-Dividend Bill

This entry was posted in Legislation, Pure Cap-and-Dividend on July 30, 2014 by Eric Cesnik.

Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland wins the first annual Cap Carbon Now Legislator of the Year Award for introducing the Healthy Climate and Family Security Act of 2014, a cap-and-dividend bill. Yes, Van Hollen introduced similar legislation in 2009 and it died in committee. But the fact that Van Hollen has reintroduced a cap-and-dividend […]

1 Reply