Remove Carbon Emissions Remove Fossil Fuels Remove Politics
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Making Fossil Fuels Pay for Their Damage

Legal Planet

Production and combustion of fossil fuels imposes enormous costs on society, which the industry doesn’t pay for. One option, a tax on carbon dioxide emissions, gets the most attention but seems politically impossible. A more promising alternative might be a clean-up tax on the fossil fuel industry.

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Report from COP27: The Fossil Fuel Industry Continues to Block the Path to Climate Justice

Union of Concerned Scientists

The destruction caused by climate change is directly linked to human activity, primarily burning fossil fuels. There are multiple realistic, tangible solutions that would rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, yet policy addressing anthropogenic climate change remains slow and insufficient.

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The Supreme Court’s Latest Decision Is a Blow to Stopping Climate Change

Union of Concerned Scientists

The majority 6–3 decision sharply curtails the EPA’s authority to set standards based on a broad range of flexible options to cut carbon emissions from the power sector—options such as replacing polluting fossil fuels with cheap and widely available wind and solar power coupled with battery storage.

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Climate Policy and the Audacity of Hope

Legal Planet

New California legislation will require corporations to disclose their carbon emissions. Cheaper renewable energy attracts private investment and makes limits on fossil fuels more feasible. The resulting economic growth also helps create a stronger political base for aggressive expansion of clean energy.

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Badly Drafted and Constitutionally Suspect

Legal Planet

Texas and a number of other states have passed laws banning what they call “boycotts of fossil fuel companies.” ” More precisely, they ban state investment or contracting with firms that “boycott” fossil fuel companies. Is this as opposed to a political purpose on the part of the managers? “.

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Good News from “Down Under”

Legal Planet

Climate change wasn’t a central issue in the campaign, but resistance to climate action no longer provided a political advantage. Polling showed broad public support for more aggressive cuts in carbon emissions. Labor’s climate policy calls for a 43% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

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Navigating Net Zero Via the Law  

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last year’s UN climate talks, while criticized for certain shortcomings , brought into sharp focus the need for robust legal frameworks to transition from fossil fuels. It also encourages badly needed reforms inside and outside of government and will help create new political coalitions.