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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009

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|NEXT STORY »

JEFFREY SACHS

Coal Harms the Planet —and Owns the Senate

Blame industry as well as ideology if US shirks Copenhagen

By Jason Farago| Posted Oct 21, 09 8:32 AM CDT|

(Newser) – As the world turns to Copenhagen this December, the US, which never ratified the Kyoto Protocol, may once again fail to sign up to save the world from serious climate change. Ideology plays a part, Jeffrey Sachs notes, as many Republican senators are "intent on derailing any Obama initiative." But the bigger problem is economic: No fewer than 25 states produce coal, and the odds of winning even Democratic senators' votes from those states are daunting.

President Obama is negotiating with coal-state senators, and he has the power to order the EPA to impose limits on coal plants and automakers. But the near-impossibility of scoring 67 votes in the Senate raises the real prospect of the US "irresponsibly" shirking environmental progress when even China and India are coming around. "Even coal-state senators should be ashamed," Sachs writes.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Farmer Dave Eckhardt inspecting an onion crop on his farm near La Salle, Colo. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

Greenpeace protesters occupy the lower balcony of the right chimney of the Patnow power plant near Konin, central Poland, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

It is the world's largest and most powerful country, and the one most responsible for climate change to this point; it has behaved without any sense of duty—to its own citizens, to the world and to future generations. - Jeffrey Sachs

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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33 comments

VIEWING:

DJM420
Oct 21, 09 8:41 AM CDT

surprise! Reply

| 0 minutes ago

George_Taylor
Oct 21, 09 8:47 AM CDT

There are people dumb enough to buy electric cars in coal-powered cities. I'm unsure how big of a difference in emissions it is, but it's not much better. Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

tomodachi
Oct 21, 09 9:16 AM CDT

Not true... Electric is tremendously better than gas powered. 1. It's much cleaner because there are fewer emissions even if sourced by coal (google: electric car versus ICE coal). 2. Electric can be supplied from renewable sources: solar, wind, hydro.. etc., which makes it even greener. 3. Electric supply creates US jobs (as opposed to buying middle east oil) and shipping our money to foreign countries. 4. Electric cars help eliminate the need for middle east oil... not only does the US become more self sufficient, but we won't have to rely on people who hate us for our energy needs. I could go on and on. Electric cars are much better than ICE cars.

IN RESPONSE:

George_Taylor
Oct 21, 09 9:22 AM CDT

Thanks for the tip. I would love to have electric cars (or air or hydrogen) but I figure we ought to cut back as much as we can for the fight now. I'll bike until my city switches (it's gonna be a long wait).

IN RESPONSE:

George_Taylor
Oct 21, 09 9:23 AM CDT

[my computer is running on 3500 potatoes]

IN RESPONSE:

onebadc20
Oct 21, 09 9:50 AM CDT

@tomo$$. yes the impact electric cars have on the environment while running is better than others. But they don't last as long as the current oil burners do. Most importantly is contamination the batteries will leave. Whether it be from an accident or sitting in the yard for to many hot days, when these batteries spill, its three times as worse than oil burners.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Oct 21, 09 10:22 AM CDT

Well researching why the government forced switch, to CFL bulbs and the mercury pollution they would make. found a number of coal electrical plants estimate allot less mercury is generated from the coal being burned by the lower electric usage, then the bulbs would ultimately produce.No word though on states that don't use coal and the impact with those bulbs, anyways we know the resistance on those bulbs. But we all know it's about money and jobs.

IN RESPONSE:

tomodachi
Oct 21, 09 11:17 AM CDT

@onebadc20: Not true with today's car batteries... For example, Tesla Motors uses "lithium metal oxides with zero lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBBs or PBDEs. In fact, there's no heavy metals, nor any toxic materials. Tesla says that, by law, its battery cells could actually be safely land-filled, though that's not what they do... (they recycle them into new batteries)." They can even re-use them for non-vehicle electric storage devices BEFORE they recycle them. And remember, in an electric car, there's no gas or engine oil, or radiator fluid, and no exhaust... There's plenty of toxic material in an ICE that an electric car doesn't use.

| 0 minutes ago

hybrid
Oct 21, 09 8:55 AM CDT

If obama can just order the epa to impose emisson caps then why doesnt he tell the epa to allow more Nuclear plants to be built. As much as he wants a change he blocks it. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Pragmaticrealism
Oct 21, 09 11:55 AM CDT

Um cause each plant is approx 20-30 billion.

-2

IN RESPONSE:

hybrid
Oct 21, 09 12:07 PM CDT

um divide 1 trillion by 20 billion and wow thats half the coal plants gone.....your a douche pragmaticrealism

IN RESPONSE:

hybrid
Oct 21, 09 12:09 PM CDT

one trillion is the cost for health reform , tarp, and the stimulus,

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Oct 21, 09 12:32 PM CDT

What are you going to do with all the new waste from these plants?

-2

IN RESPONSE:

hybrid
Oct 21, 09 12:44 PM CDT

what are you doing with waste from coal plants fondue...pick your poison. You should love nuc power the french have 100% of it, There is new tech for the waste issue and the fact of the matter is its the cleanest and most eff form of energy on the planet right now.

IN RESPONSE:

hybrid
Oct 21, 09 12:48 PM CDT

also fondue others are working on ways to convert nuclear waste into less-harmful materials using a process called transmutation. But that technology, which would attempt to accelerate particles into the atoms of radioactive material.http://abcnews.go.com/Technology

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Oct 21, 09 2:55 PM CDT

So no answer of what would be done with the new waste. But that technology what? You've given me a fragment. Less harmful = still harmful.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

hybrid
Oct 22, 09 3:26 PM CDT

never mind the but plus i gave you the damn link i hate completing thoughts

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Yourself
Oct 22, 09 4:18 PM CDT

"I hate completing thoughts" that's cause you don't have the capacity to do so.

| 0 minutes ago

Aelius28
Oct 21, 09 9:09 AM CDT

Uhh, the article failed to mention one other fundamental problem for U.S. energy policy. So many Americans are such anti-science dumb fucks that a significant enough portion of these evangelical muppets influence legislation with their denial of global warming. We simply don't see this in any other developed nation; and it shows... the U.S. is the only country not to ratify Kyoto. According to Gallup poll - a very prestigious polling organisation who have been doing this for over half a century - more than half of Americans polled say the economy should get priority over the environment. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

tomodachi
Oct 21, 09 9:22 AM CDT

It's because in the US, most "religious" people are taught to despise anything science.

IN RESPONSE:

Pragmaticrealism
Oct 21, 09 11:56 AM CDT

...taught by corporations.

IN RESPONSE:

Yourself
Oct 22, 09 4:20 PM CDT

sadly, if we put the environment at an even keel to that our economy, people might just realize that the biggest producer of new jobs would be environmentally related ones. Yet again, proof that those who are against facts and science are only shooting themselves in the foot. It's a sad sad world we live in these days.

| 0 minutes ago

Janniel
Oct 21, 09 9:23 AM CDT

Face it, right now the money ( the money of the fat cat industrial interests) owns the Senate. We're just the sheep. We need to find our voice and get some Lions on our side. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

WiteOut
Oct 21, 09 11:58 AM CDT

I agree, but it is more likely a unicorn will come around and make corn flakes as valuable as gold.

IN RESPONSE:

d3wd
Oct 21, 09 2:04 PM CDT

Agreed. Like Ron Paul, for instance.

| 0 minutes ago

WiteOut
Oct 21, 09 11:34 AM CDT

Why can't the Dems do anything - don't the own a filibusterer proof government? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Pragmaticrealism
Oct 21, 09 11:58 AM CDT

As the article states, many Dems protect the interests of their coal-burning states. And don't really give 2 shits about the planet if they can be reelected.

| 0 minutes ago

Timinator2K
Oct 21, 09 11:42 AM CDT

Coal Harms Global Warming Liars...Dems own the Senate and still can't get any sh*t done! Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Pragmaticrealism
Oct 21, 09 12:01 PM CDT

How do you laugh and find pleasure in the fact that our planet is being trashed by huge corporations, none of which care about the quality of life of our children. Wake up, grow up, and up yours, you clueless sheep.

| 0 minutes ago

JoeQ
Oct 21, 09 1:55 PM CDT

I've been wondering for a while now how come coal gets all the special treatment compared to natural gas. Coal produces more than twice the greenhouse gases per unit energy compared to coal. Natural gas is incredibly cheap and bountiful in the US and is the perfect fuel to complement renewable sources of electrical energy. It can even be made into kerosene for jet fuel. The fed ignores it like it doesn't exist. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

JoeQ
Oct 21, 09 1:56 PM CDT

I meant "compared to natural gas".

IN RESPONSE:

Yourself
Oct 22, 09 4:26 PM CDT

cause the coal industry has much, much more money to spend to keep themselves in the front running over natural gas. As usual, you just have to follow the money for an answer.

| 0 minutes ago

Face-Of-RNC
Oct 21, 09 1:57 PM CDT

The super rich don't care about trashing the planet if it means they stay super rich. When the rest of us are up to our armpits in saltwater, they will be able to live anywhere they want. Reply

-3

| 0 minutes ago

View all 33 comments »

climate change • Barack Obama • environment • coal • Kyoto Protocol • coal mining • treaty • Copenhagen climate change conference • Jeffrey Sachs

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Coal Harms the Planet —and Owns the Senate