The Climate Minute

A recent report from Brown University’s Climate and Development Lab studied the legislative lobbying process on Beacon Hill in Boston. The passage of the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill is a success, but the opposition will still work to slow the additional legislation MA needs.  The researchers provide key findings that are important for every climate activist to know.  

A new methane-gas-powered electricity generating plant in Peabody is neither needed nor consistent with Massachusetts’ legal requirement to reduce carbon pollution and provide environmental justice. We have an opportunity for Municipal Light Plants to lead the way to a clean grid, using renewable ‘peaker plant’ techniques.  Listen in as we discuss the background of the #PeabodyPeaker and how you can help stop the construction of this mistake.

Who has the most influence on the creation of climate legislation in MA? Competing interests vie for leverage through the lobbying process. Researchers at Brown University analyzed hard data on who does the lobbying and how it is done on Beacon Hill. The Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill is now law, but there is a lot more climate legislation in the pipeline. It is important for climate activists to know 'who you are up against' and how to beat them. 

Years ago, activists demanded that the state of MA install an air quality monitor system in Weymouth. Thanks to their persistence, it has finally happened. Listen in to hear details from one of those activists.

Building codes matter for climate work. The future of buildings lies in complete electrification of things now done with gas, like home heating and cooking. “Good insulation” is not enough. Recently special interests like the natural (methane) gas industry have tried to prevent improved building codes that deal with electrification. Listen in for details and say farewell to an MCAN veteran. 

Arcane questions about past decisions hides the reality of a deeper uncertainty at FERC concerning the wisdom of building the Weymouth Compressor. We talk to an expert about what is really happening between FERC, Enbridge and the stalwart activists in the Fore River Basis.

Massachusetts is close to a landmark climate bill. We talk to two experts about how the provisions of the new bill align with the MCAN vision.

Covid and Climate represent challenges that “nations” fail to meet. Nations focus on ‘globalization’ of human issues like trade, travel and information while ignoring the physical limits of the planet. We discuss new ways to think about how humanity should organize itself- with the goal of preserving itself!