• People

New Pew Poll Shows Rising Global Concern Over Climate and Environment

• climate change
• conservation
• environment
• greenhouse gas emissions
• jobs
• pollution

In its annual survey of attitudes about climate change and environmental issues in countries around the world, the Pew Research Center concluded that across the board, half or more of the people surveyed consider climate change to be a very serious problem.

Why This Matters:  While some (Fox News, e.g.) might want you to think that protecting the environment and fighting climate change are in opposition to job creation and economic growth.

• Sustainability

US Lags in List of Most Sustainable Countries

• China
• environment
• greenhouse gas emissions
• India
• Yale

Yale just published its annual 2020 Environmental Performance Index, ranking 180 countries from most to least sustainable, on metrics based on ecosystem health and environmental factors like water and air quality and waste management.

Why this Matters: This relatively bad ranking demonstrates the US’ growing environmental issues.

• Politics

Environmental Cases in the Cross Hairs As Trump Nominates Amy Coney Barrett

• Amy Coney Barrett
• climate change
• environment
• Supreme Court

On Saturday, President Trump announced he would nominate Appeals Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and predictably her approach to environmental cases is likely to be quite conservative.

Why This Matters:  Environmental cases are likely to be heading to the Supreme Court as many statutes need to be interpreted to deal with today’s environmental challenges.

• Politics

Teddy Roosevelt’s Not Having It

• environment
• politics
• Teddy Roosevelt
• Trump

We wrote earlier this week that during a speech in the swing state of Florida where he announced an expansion of the ban on oil drilling off the coasts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, Trump touted himself as the No. 1 environmentalist.  “Number one since Teddy Roosevelt. Who would have thought, Trump is the […]

• Sustainability

Is America Foisting Its Plastic Problem On Africa?

• chemical
• environment
• fossil fuel
• health
• Kenya
• plastic waste
• pollution
• racism
• science

By Julia Fine, ODP Contributing Writer The New York Times reported this week that an industry group “representing the world’s largest chemical makers and fossil fuel companies” is attempting, as part of a trade deal being negotiated now, to get Kenya to “reverse its strict limits on plastics,” as well as to get the country […]

• Ocean

Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Challenged By Lawsuits and Bankruptcies

• conservation
• environment
• Florida
• leasing
• North Carolina
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas

One thing Democrats and Republicans in many southern states seem to agree on is that they don’t want oil and gas drilling off their coastlines.  The Hill reported that last week the State of North Carolina sued the federal government for its continuing to prepare for offshore leasing in the Atlantic just off their coast.  And in Florida, while President Trump has promised that he will not pursue oil and gas drilling there, even outgoing Republican Congressman Francis Rooney is worried about the President going back on his word if he is re-elected.

Why This Matters:  The President’s fossil fuel commitments are hard to deny, even as he promises Florida a reprieve.