Rep. Carlos Curbelo, a Florida Republican, has wrangled 39 House Republicans into saying they want action on climate change. But he's facing one of the tightest elections in the country as Democrats seek to take back Congress in the fall. Climatewire reporter Kelsey Brugger describes her interview with Curbelo, and Climatewire talks with Susan MacManus, a political analyst in South Florida, about the role of climate change in the race.
May 24, 2018•7 min
The Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council released tens of thousands of pages of emails from U.S. EPA officials obtained through the Freedom of Information Act last week. Three Climatewire reporters -- Niina Heikkinen, Scott Waldman and Zack Colman -- talk through how they combing combed the emails to find nuggets worthy of news, including a meeting with a Cardinal about the red team climate change debate, collaboration with groups who question mainstream climate science and Scot...
May 15, 2018•10 min
Researchers are forecasting a higher-than-usual season for hurricanes this summer because of lingering El Nina conditions. Climatewire science reporter Chelsea Harvey goes over the forecasts for extreme weather. Adam Sobel, an atmospheric scientist at Columbia University, explains how difficult it is to attribute any storm or any active season to climate change. And Greenwire climate reporter Arianna Skibell describes a lab in South Carolina where scientists douse homes in fire, wind, rain and h...
May 08, 2018•10 min
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has outlined a proposal to increase transparency in the science used to write rules on air, water and chemicals; but scientists say it's really an attempt to exclude public health research and potentially make way for industry-funded studies instead. Climatewire reporter Scott Waldman walks through the potential changes with input from two special guests. "How Pruitt's science plans might help industry fight rules" (Climatewire, 05/01/2018), by Scott Waldman: https...
May 02, 2018•8 min
There's a place in Texas where people are as concerned about climate change as those in liberal New York or D.C.: the fields of South Texas. Rising temperatures is making it even harder on farm workers who already toil under extreme heat. Climatewire science and politics reporter Scott Waldman gives a special preview of the story from his trip. And talks to someone who tries to keep workers hydrated.
Apr 20, 2018•7 min
Increased scrutiny of EPA administrator Scott Pruitt has put the spotlight back on a trip he took to Morocco in December to promote liquefied natural gas (LNG). The company that stands to benefit the most from more exports of American LNG is Cheniere Energy, which is controlled by Carl Icahn, an investor close to Trump who helped Pruitt land his job. E&E reporters and editors Evan Lehmann, Robin Bravender, Jean Chemnick and Joel Kirkland unpack the ties. "Pruitt's overseas travel pulls Icahn...
Apr 12, 2018•6 min
U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has had a week of bad headlines following reporting about possible ethics violations. Will Trump fire him? Climatewire editor Evan Lehmann and deputy editor Robin Bravender talk to an environmentalist who wants Pruitt to go and a friend of Pruitt who thinks the scandal is overblown. Greenwire reporter Kevin Bogardus fills us in on the details, and Climatewire White House reporter Zack Colman describes a groundswell of frustration among Trump aides towards Prui...
Apr 04, 2018•8 min
The U.S. EPA will announce this week it wants to relax Obama-era targets on vehicle pollution, setting in motion a potential war with California. Meanwhile, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation keep rising, overtaking all other sectors in the country. Climatewire reporter Camille von Kaenel explains what to expect. Margo Oge, the former EPA official who negotiated the Obama targets, and Robbie Diamond, the CEO of Securing America's Future Energy, also chime in. "Trump to allow more car p...
Mar 27, 2018•9 min
California has mostly cleaned up its smokestacks but air regulators say it won’t meet its ambitious climate goals without tackling its car culture. But in the San Francisco Bay Area right now, more people are driving and they’re driving farther. In this special episode, Climatewire reporter Camille von Kaenel talks to a “super-commuter” who lives hours from work because she can’t afford to live closer.
Mar 21, 2018•4 min
The Washington state senate failed to pass a carbon tax proposal championed by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) last week. Climatewire's energy reporter Benjamin Storrow unpacks what happened. Washington State Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D), the sponsor of the carbon tax bill, talks next steps. And a conservative who likes carbon taxes games out the national implications. "Carbon tax, defeated in the Legislature, to be on the ballot" (Climatewire, 03/06/2018), by Benjamin Storrow: www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories...
Mar 07, 2018•9 min
Hurricane Irma devastated Barbuda. Now, a proposal to develop the island to pay for recovery could end the communal ownership of the island that has existed since the abolition of slavery. Climatewire's international reporter Jean Chemnick shares her reporting with Evan Lehmann, editor of Climatewire. They talk to a resident who saw Irma destroy her beauty parlor, restaurant and home, and now fears losing her way of life. They also ask a hurricane expert whether climate change's to blame. "Slave...
Mar 01, 2018•12 min
James Eskridge, the mayor of Tangier Island, Va., describes his home in the Chesapeake Bay and how the waves are eating away at the shoreline. He says it is due to erosion, not sea level rise. Don Boesch, an environmental science professor at the University of Maryland, says it is at least partly due to sea level rise, and it could get worse. And Chelsea Harvey, Climatewire's science reporter, explains just how much worse it could get even if we stop emissions right now, or in five years. "Water...
Feb 22, 2018•10 min
Climatewire beat reporters Niina Heikkinen and Brittany Patterson describe what it's like to cover (or, often, chase after for a quote) U.S. EPA administrator Scott Pruitt and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, respectively. They compare the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts for climate programs in EPA and Interior. And a round of trivia reveals nicknames, catchphrases and fun ties. "Zinke touts science as Trump pushes cuts to research shop" (Climatewire, 02/13/2018), by Brittany Patterson...
Feb 13, 2018•11 min
Republican love to lambaste Steve Cosson, of the theater company The Civilians, for the climate musical he wrote with a National Science Foundation grant several years ago. Climatewire editor Evan Lehmann and deputy editor Robin Bravender catch up with him to talk climate funding ahead of the release of the White House spending plan next week. Josh Kurtz, Climatewire's politics reporter, weighs in on why even Republicans won't pass the White House budget as is. Finally, Christy Goldfuss, who led...
Feb 06, 2018•11 min
It's State of the Union Day, and Climatewire editor Evan Lehmann and deputy editor Robin Bravender take you back to some of the key climate and energy mentions in past addresses. White House reporter Zack Colman walks through what he's expecting from tonight's speech (hint: not a lot of climate change mentions). And the editors share their takes on the release of a 2016 radio interview in which EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt criticizes then-candidate Donald Trump. "Trump can't drop climate from ...
Jan 30, 2018•7 min
This special episode contains an extended interview with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) He talks with Climatewire editor Evan Lehmann and deputy editor Robin Bravender from his office about inaction on climate change in Congress, the Trump administration, and his plan to counter the influence of the fossil fuel lobby. Photo by Richard Davidson.
Jan 23, 2018•11 min
E&E News reporters have been chasing details on the White House's nascent initiative to export clean coal technology. Climatewire international reporter Jean Chemnick explains how the U.S. is not even the leader in the technology in question – China is. Climatewire editor and deputy editor Evan Lehmann and Robin Bravender go over their sit-down interview with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and share some highlights. And they explain their favorite "Climojis". "Trump wants to lead on 'clean...
Jan 18, 2018•8 min
The Trump administration got handed one of its first big losses on energy policy by a Republican-leaning independent agency this week. Climatewire energy reporter Benjamin Storrow explains what happened when Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, shot down a coal and nuclear subsidy proposal by Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Energywire reporter Saqib Rahim recounts his trip to Brattleboro, Vt., which is still finding its way after its nuclear plant shut down three years ago, and what that mea...
Jan 09, 2018•11 min
Republicans who talk about climate change, like those on the House Climate Solutions Caucus, don't get any love from environmental groups, but they also haven't put forward a real conservative solution. Zack Colman, Climatewire's White House reporter, walks through the political dynamics. Climatewire's science reporter Chelsea Harvey talks about a rising field of research that pins the blame for individual natural disasters on climate change. And hosts and Climatewire editor and deputy editor Ev...
Jan 03, 2018•9 min
Climatewire's politics reporter Josh Kurtz talks about Democrats and environmentalists getting hopeful for a blue wave to hit Texas, and why Latino voters' interest in climate change won't be enough to flip the state yet. Greenwire regulations reporter Maxine Joselow highlights the best tidbits from her and Greenwire enterprise reporter Hannah Northey's interview with two authors of U.S. EPA's endangerment finding. And Climatewire editor Evan Lehmann and deputy editor Robin Bravender wrap up 201...
Dec 19, 2017•8 min
