What Do We Stand For? via It's Getting Hot In Here
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More bad news for biofuels? Well, that depends… via It's Getting Hot In Here
Participants at the latest meeting of the U.N. Environment Programme’s Convention on Biological Diversity expressed growing concern over the increased use of non-food crops as sources of cellulosic ethanol. According to The New York Times , scientists from organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, The International Union for Conservation of Nature, and others concerned about the use of plants such as reeds and wild grasses may clash with policymakers in the U.S. and E.U., both of which have established targets for expanding biofuel use in response to climate concerns, and are now “anxiously awaiting the commercial perfection of second generation biofuels.”
The scientists’ concern stems from the fact that many of the plant species targeted for use as... Who Pays for Retirement? via CIPE Development Blog
Who do you think is better equipped to handle your retirement needs? Governments? The private sector? Your own self?
According to HSBC’s global survey of more than 20,000 people on aging, pensions, and citizens’ confidence in governments providing comfortable retirement
three quarters of all those questioned said they did not trust their government to look after them in old age and expected to have to look elsewhere to fund their retirement.
Some interesting stats and facts in the full report, including a statement that
A larger proportion [of the global population] will be totally unprotected in retirement and these live mainly in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. They are likely to be both men and women, in poor health, with a poor source of working life...
Lieberman-Warner Bill: Dirty energy in the name of climate protection via It's Getting Hot In Here
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Massachusetts Governor Stands Up For Clean Energy Economy via It's Getting Hot In Here
Deval Patrick, the often-controversial governor of Massachusetts, has not had an easy year. Amidst a protracted legislative brawl with his Republican opponents on Beacon Hill, Patrick was the focus of a A New York Times Article depicting his tenure in office as a lot of campaign bark and no bite. Of all unlikely venues for bipartisan success, however, Patrick has succeeded in eliciting significant support in the State House for a slew of recent clean energy measures.
Today, Patrick addressed Massachusetts business leaders in an effort to gain crucial buy-in for his effort to encourage substantial growth in the state’s clean energy sector. Wracked with debt and staggering from the national economic downturn, the Bay State is looking for ways to get rich quick and climate-friendly.... The Next Big Thing- Power Vote via It's Getting Hot In Here
Youth will represent 25% of voters in the 2008 election. We have the opportunity to change the course this country is on. And we can build the power of the youth climate movement dramatically. We’ve got a plan and it’s called Power Vote. http://PowerVote.org
Over the next several months we will build a youth voting bloc that is 1 million strong to elevate and prioritize the issue of climate change in this election. Together we will hold our elected representatives accountable, and build our grassroots base to win more clean, just energy victories on the local and national level. Don’t wait. Sign the Power Vote Pledge right now and then tell all your friends to do the same.
Right now when polled youth list health, the economy, and Iraq as issues motivating their votes. We... Kenya’s Grand Coalition via CIPE Development Blog
When the Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga reached a power-sharing agreement after dramatic weeks of violence, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief. A coalition government was finally formed following protracted horse-trading to divvy up the key ministerial portfolios.
The outcome is indeed a Grand Coalition, but not necessarily in the best sense of a national unity government. While certainly this peace-securing agreement was an important step in Kenya’s recovery from the post-election turmoil, the grandest feature of the newly formed government is its very size. Kenya’s old cabinet had 17 members. The new one has… 40 – plus 50 assistant ministers. The new ministries were established or carved out of the existing ones in order to secure the...
WV Young Democrats Say “No New Mountaintop Removal Permits!” via It's Getting Hot In Here
The youth organization of the most powerful political party in West Virginia passed a multi-pronged resolution on coal & green jobs that included a call for No New Mountaintop Removal Permits. Our generation knows that Mountaintop Removal takes mining coal too far and we have safer ways to mine it as we transition to renewable energies & energy efficiency. This resolution passed in the midst of an above-the-fold article in the Washington Post, the Presidential Campaigns closing in on the May 13th WV Democratic Primary, and a record showing of grassroots involvement in the WV Democratic County Conventions. The political machine in West Virginia is getting scared of what true grassroots organizers are building here in West Virginia and we are in the year of a lifetime to build our...