The Climate Minute

A recent article by Carolyn Kormann in the New Yorker reviews the issues around the costs of climate change. We discuss the observations, plus more. A recent article by Carolyn Kormann in the New Yorker reviews the issues around the costs of climate change. We discuss the observations, plus more.

A document, saying in part “That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that it is the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal..” will be placed before Congress. The document outlines more detail of what a Green New Deal actually entails. Listen in as we discuss what all this means!

In this episode, we discuss the content of MCAN’s scorecard of the state’s municipal utilities. Oriana Reilly, the Muni Program Coordinator at MCAN gives us some insight into the findings and what to do next.

Municipal light plants are power utilities owned by the local town. They represent a significant fraction of the electricity used in the Massachusetts. MCAN has provided a scorecard to help guide these electricity suppliers to more climate friendly practices. Listen in to the first of two episodes as we discuss this groundbreaking new study with Oriana Reilly, the Muni Program Coordinator at MCAN.

The third annual women’s march inspires us to connect the dots between women’s issues and climate change. Woman are disproportionately affected by climate change globally, and often feel the burden of climate problems most acutely. Also, tune in as we discuss why doctors and economists are joining the clarion call for climate action.

Governor Baker recently approved an important permit for a natural gas compressor in Weymouth. We discuss why this bit of fossil fuel infrastructure is a mistake.

Given what we know, how should we address climate change? Is it a Green New Deal or a New Apollo project? Are those different things? Bill McKibben, Naomi Oreskes, and Daniel Schrag chatted with Boston’s own Christopher Lydon about the Green New Deal. We do our best to keep up, analyze their conversation and break some ground of our own.

Does a ‘short term’ view of time represent a threat? Should we use the ‘discount rate’ or ethical principles to assess our impact on the far future? Listen in as we discuss a recent article from the BBC: The perils of “short-termism"

The policy details of the Green New Deal are still in the early, unformed phase. One interesting question is the wisdom of implementing a carbon tax. Should climate hawks spend political capital on a great idea that may new be realized, or focus on other more achievable steps like massive investments in clean energy. Where does the money come from? Should the House constrain itself with a “PayGo” policy? Listen in.

The long running Sunday morning talk show “Meet the Press” dedicated a full hour to a bona-fide discussion of climate change. Where does this fit into the critique of the media as complicit in suppressing honest communication? Also, is there reason in the dark time for ‘conditional hope’ that we can get ahead of the climate problem? Listen in.