The Center for American Progress, led by John Podesta, has made a real mark since its founding just eight years ago in credible and authortative discussions of how (often mildly) progressive policy options (in education, agriculture, industry, etc …) represent not just viable but more cost-effective paths forward to solving problems and creating advantage — for Americans and America.
CAP has also developed a meaningful web presence, ranging from short and quick catches of items with political impact, solid original investigative reporting, and (often) top-notch analytical pieces.
Amid a period when too many in the political field seem all too ready to run from climate issues — seeing them (incorrectly, not just in my opinion) as ‘losing’ issues — CAP merits credit for putting in substantive resources for developing multiple ‘voices’ on climate and energy issues.
Yesterday, CAP’s Think Progress restructured with a new format (more on that later) that reinforces that meaningful investment in the discussion of and focus on climate and energy issues.
When it comes to climate issues, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE/RE) and PhD Physicist Joe Romm‘s Climate Progress has become a go-to place for hard-hitting and (extremely) well-documented take-downs of climate deniers’ out-right falsehoods and self-proclaimed “skeptics'” truthiness. While taking on this dangerously deceptive material easily represents more than full time work, Romm has also kept his readers abreast of the science and discussed many of key energy technologies (among other subjects). While Romm has supplmented his work with some repostings, CAP recently upped its investment with the hiring of Stephen Lacey. The new Think Progress format calls out Romm on its front page which could, potentially drive more eyeballs to his work and help foster movement of climate / environmental out of niche discussions into the center stage that they merit.
While Climate Progress has developed a (very) healthy readership, the creation of “Think Progress Green,” edited by Brad Johnson, might end providing more ‘eyeballs’ on Brad’s high-quality work. While Think Progress Green will likely be dominated by experts blogging on arenas like mountaintop removal and wind power and …, Brad has done some of the best work highlighting how the Republican Party’s elite has moved into the embrace of science denial when it comes to climate change (among other issues). Brad’s opening editorial salvo, The New Reality, highlights that we — 20 years later — in an even more perilous situation when it comes to climate change. However, we have the necessary tools to act even as there is a missing something …
The necessary elements for defending civilization in a more dangerous, rapidly changing world all exist. Insurance companies are reconfiguring their policies as seas rise and disasters increase. Hedge funds are developing new financial instruments to handle the effects of climate instability. City planners are examining the security of transit and utility systems. Military officials are drawing up new war scenarios. Scientists and entrepreneurs are inventing, refining, and deploying technologies to sustainably power civilization. Activists are putting their freedom on the line to challenge the forces of inaction. But these efforts are haphazard and uncoordinated. They are insufficient to ensure that the human rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are realized on our polluted planet.
The missing piece, often described euphemistically as “political will,” involves a complete rethinking of the threat of global warming. Most Americans see global warming as a real problem, but one that is distant in time and space: that will only affect their children or grandchildren, one that will affect far reaches of the planet first and foremost. That misunderstanding is utterly natural, since that is the presumption of the existing framework, reinforced by the rhetoric and actions of political leaders like President Barack Obama. The greatest culpability, of course, lies in the immoral acts of powerful polluters and their allies to deny the threat entirely.
In light of this, Brad lays out four basic principles for addressing the “political will” gap when it comes to meaningful action on climate change:
-
- Humanity is responsible for climate disasters.
- Climate change is not only a future threat but an active enemy to societal progress.
- All investments must take into account the reality of increasing uncertainty and risk as the climate system becomes more unstable.
- All existing infrastructures — physical, legal, economic, political, cultural — need to be re-examined for resilience in our changing world.
Four basic truths … inconvenient truths that we — as individuals and society — must address to reduce climate disruption’s extent and impact(s).
Again, CAP and Think Progress merit praise for their past investments in serious climate and energy blogging … and for ‘doubling down’ on that investment.
NOTE: While the investment merits praise and the work is high quality, several items in this new site disappoint. First of all, all of the rich comment history has disappeared. Those comments range from Romm slicing through deceit to other experts commenting on and enriching the dicussion. I’ve certainly learned through these threads, which often include some of the best climate and energy bloggers making a point or providing links to relevant work.. Certainly not his choice, Romm is struggling to get this rich history restored. Secondly, the comments used to be username & email driven, with an ability to deal with ‘spam’. Now, this is Facebook driven with a limited set of paths for signing in — paths that will turn some people off and perhaps reduce the richness and value of the comments’ section.