Author Archives: Rick Piltz

John Kerry and climate change: Recalling a federal lawsuit against the Bush administration

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Rick Piltz

In August 2007 a federal court ruled the Bush administration was in violation of the Global Change Research Act and ordered it to produce a years-overdue national climate assessment. Sen. John Kerry, who had called on the administration to produce … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Science Watch, Congress: Legislation and Oversight, Obama Administration | Leave a comment

“Penny-wise and pound-foolish”: Weather Service regional director fired after talking about harmful budget cuts

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Rick Piltz

Within days of National Weather Service Southern region director William Proenza going public in the Washington Post about budget cuts that he says threaten Weather Service capabilities, NWS acting head Laura Furgione moved to fire him after a lifetime of … Continue reading →

Posted in Obama Administration | 1 Comment

Recalling an exchange with Sen. John Kerry about climate change and the Bush White House

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Rick Piltz

John Kerry is for real on pushing back against climate silence and the denial machine in Washington. I had the opportunity to testify before Senator Kerry and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee at a hearing on Climate Change Research and Scientific Integrity, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Science Watch, Congress: Legislation and Oversight, Obama Administration | 2 Comments

New National Climate Assessment draft report a reminder of the first NCA and the Bush White House denial machine

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Rick Piltz

The new draft U.S. National Climate Assessment report is a threat to the global warming denial machine because it takes projected global warming seriously and focuses on the implications of climatic disruption, region by region and across socioeconomic and natural … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessments of Climate Impacts and Adaptation, Climate Science Watch, Global Warming Denial Machine | Leave a comment

What does Obama mean by "Sustainable Energy"?

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Rick Piltz

"The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult," President Obama said in his second Inaugural Address on January 21.  "But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it." What is the President thinking of when … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change Mitigation, Obama Administration | 2 Comments

Al Jazeera purchase of Current could improve U.S. TV coverage of climate and global environmental politics

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Rick Piltz

Al Jazeera's purchase of Current will give the Qatar-based 24-hour news network a greatly expanded reach into the U.S. cable and satellite TV market beyond its much more limited availability now. From my experience on Al Jazeera English discussing climate … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Science Watch, General | Leave a comment

Lisa Jackson EPA resignation a refusal to support Obama Keystone XL pipeline decision?

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Rick Piltz

Obama's EPA administrator is resigning in part over her opposition to a forthcoming decision to issue a permit to construct the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, according to two sources familiar with the situation, reports BuzzFeed Politics. After the White … Continue reading →

Posted in Obama Administration | 3 Comments

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson resignation

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Rick Piltz

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced today that she will resign her position early in 2013. Jackson has been one of the brightest lights in the Obama Administration. She has demonstrated a progressive spirit and willingness to take essential … Continue reading →

Posted in Obama Administration | Leave a comment

Misrepresentation of leaked review draft IPCC climate assessment report shows intellectual bankruptcy of global warming denialists

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Rick Piltz

“A draft of a major report on climate change, due to be published next year, has been leaked online. Climate-sceptic bloggers have seized on it, claiming that it admits that much of global warming has been caused by the sun's … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Warming Denial Machine | Leave a comment

Remembering Jerry Mahlman, 1940-2012

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Rick Piltz

Jerry Mahlman, a leading climatologist who for many years headed the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dyamics Lab, died on November 28. In the 1990s I saw him play a pioneering role in interpreting the science of global warming to policymakers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Science Communication | 7 Comments