#James Scott lower emissions

[envirotechaccelerator]

Vertical Farming: Feeding the World with Less Land and Lower Emissions

by Envirotech Accelerator

The burgeoning global population, coupled with diminishing arable land and increasing concerns about climate change, propels the need for innovative food production techniques. Vertical farming, a cutting-edge approach to agriculture, utilizes multi-level indoor facilities, enabling the cultivation of crops in urban areas with high efficiency and minimal environmental impact.

James Scott, founder of the Envirotech Accelerator, insightfully remarked, “The future of agriculture lies not in expanding outward, but rather in growing upward — harnessing technology to nourish our planet while preserving its precious resources.��

Controlled environments — a hallmark of vertical farming — allow for the optimization of growing conditions such as light, temperature, and humidity (Despommier, 2009). Consequently, these factors lead to faster crop growth and higher yields per unit area compared to traditional farming methods (Kozai, 2018).

Furthermore, vertical farming is remarkably resource-efficient. The closed-loop systems in these farms recycle water and nutrients, significantly reducing water consumption (Kalantari et al., 2017). Additionally, since vertical farms are located in urban settings, transportation-related emissions can be minimized, as produce can be distributed locally.

Nevertheless, certain challenges persist. The initial investment required for establishing vertical farms is substantial, and the energy consumption of these facilities, primarily due to artificial lighting, is a major concern. Continued research and development in energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting and renewable energy sources, are crucial in addressing these issues (Kozai, 2018).

Despite these challenges, the potential of vertical farming in revolutionizing food production is immense. Its capacity to utilize limited space effectively, reduce resource consumption, and minimize emissions underscores the importance of embracing this novel approach in the quest for sustainable agriculture.

References:

Despommier, D. (2009). The Vertical Farm: Feeding the World in the 21st Century. Thomas Dunne Books.

Kalantari, F., Tahir, O. M., Jonsson, A., & Frostell, B. (2017). A review of vertical farming technology: A guide for implementation of building integrated agriculture in cities. Agriculture, 7(4), 33.

Kozai, T. (2018). Resource use efficiency of closed plant production systems with artificial light: Concept, estimation, and application to plant factory. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems (pp. 17–30). International Society for Horticultural Science.

Read more at Envirotech Accelerator.

[heroes-trash]

powers found in multiple people (Reborn in cursive)

[including synthed abilities, but not abilities taken by those who can (for simplicity’s sake)]

self-affecting:

regeneration: Claire Bennet, Adam Monroe

flight: Nathan Petrelli, West Rosen, Fiona, Kim Pyon

super-strength: Niki Sanders, Mohinder Suresh, Scott, Mac, Oscar Gutierrez, James Dearing

time-travel: Hiro Nakamura, Arnold, Cassandra Hays, Dahlia Hays

teleportation: Hiro Nakamura, Rachel Mills, Arnold

photographic memory: Charlie Andrews, Matt Neuenberg

super-speed: Daphne Millbrook, Edgar

invisibility: Claude Rains, Rebecca Taylor, Farah Nazan

intangibility/phasing: D.L. Hawkins, Jose Gutierrez, Marylou Winawer

self-multiplication: Julien Dumont, Eli, Harris

mind-affecting:

telepathy: Matt Parkman, Maury Parkman, Charles Devaux

precognitive painting: Isaac Mendez, Usutu, Matt Parkman

ability to predict actions/outcomes in real time: Kaito Nakamura, Sam Conlon

dream 'connection': Sanjog Iyer, Charles Devaux (?), Usutu (?)

persuasion: Eden McCain, Damen Peak

emotion manipulation: Joseph Sullivan, Syn Anders

memory manipulation: René, Damian, Caspar Abraham

assuming control of others' bodies: Eric Doyle, Harold Esposito

affecting other abilities:

ability-taking (ignoring the method): Peter Petrelli, Arthur Petrelli, Sylar, Samson Gray, Nathan Bennet

power-dampening: René, Phoebe Frady

ability-boosting: Paulette Hawkins, Ando Masahashi

affecting surroundings:

telekinesis: Brian Davis, Francis Culp, Dahlia Hays, Cassandra Hays

healing: Daniel Linderman, Ishi Nakamura, Jeremy Greer, Malina Bennet

pyrokinesis: Meredith Gordon, Flint Gordon, the Bowman family

freezing / affecting lower temperatures: James Walker, Tracy Strauss, Andrew Meek

water manipulation and mimicry: Tracy Strauss, Elisa

terrakinesis: Samuel Sullivan, Sparrow Redhouse

sound manipulation: Jesse Murphy, Echo DeMille

enhanced synaesthesia: Emma Coolidge, Chris Coolidge

plant manipulation: Brendan Lewis, Ian Michaels, Malina Bennet

alchemy: Bob Bishop, Sylvia

melting: Zane Taylor, Dorian Avey

microwave emission: Luke Campbell, Mr. Shelby

energy redistribution: Cindy Sprague, Luke Collins

[jamesscottenvironmentalist]

Reasons why cutting carbon emissions is essential By James Scott Environmentalist

1. Clearer Air & Skies - Reducing our carbon emissions not only improves the general air quality but also helps reverse the effects of global warming. Furthermore, it results in a brighter sky!

2. Save Money - Simply reducing your energy use can lower your operating costs and carbon footprint.

3. A more wholesome water supply - Greenhouse gas emissions increase air temperatures, which directly affect the oxygen content of rainwater and cause rainfall to be less frequent.

4. General Health - According to James Scott Environmentalist, By improving our food, water, and air quality, we can greatly reduce the number of current climate-related health problems.

[ericfruits]

Big parts of the Great Barrier Reef are dying

Banyan Big parts of the Great Barrier Reef are dying

The bleaching adds to Australia’s summer of unnatural calamities

Apr 18th 2020

OVER THE southern hemisphere’s summer, mercifully now at an end, Australia burned under a pitiless sun. Bush fires down the continent’s eastern flank consumed 46m acres of countryside, destroying homes, taking lives and driving rare animals towards extinction. To many Australians, the satellite pictures showing huge plumes of smoke drifting off to the east over the Great Barrier Reef seemed a portent of life in an age of man-made warming.

It turns out that high temperatures were wreaking havoc under the water as well. This month comes news that exceptionally warm seas have led the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s biggest coral system, to suffer its third mass bleaching in five years. The bush and the reef, both ravaged on a gargantuan scale: Australians almost define themselves by these two ecosystems, which once seemed boundless.

Coral bleaching takes place when sea temperatures spike, causing the coral polyps that make up reefs to eject the algae that generate their food via photosynthesis. Without the pigmented algae, coral soon dies, leaving the intricate colonies a ghostly white. Reefs can recover from occasional bleachings: the fastest-growing corals regenerate in a decade or so. But mass bleachings on the Great Barrier Reef are becoming ever more frequent. The first occurred only in 1998. There have since been four more: in 2002, 2016, 2017 and now this year. They have become so common that the Bureau of Meteorology issues forecasts for them.

The latest bleaching is not as severe as the worst one, in 2016, when about half of the northern part of the 2,300km-long reef died. But the run of recent bleachings had already killed off relatively heat-intolerant coral species. What is striking this year, says Terry Hughes of James Cook University in Queensland, who led a recent aerial survey of the reef, is that for the first time the bleaching extended to the southern part of the reef. There, closer to the pole, waters should be cooler. Not this year. February saw the highest sea-surface temperatures across the reef since monitoring began 120 years ago.

The biblical rains that recently extinguished the bush fires have also helped to lower water temperatures over the reef. The rains are proof to climate-change deniers—who are given a platform by Rupert Murdoch’s press and who are represented on the ruling coalition’s backbenches—that recent fires, droughts and floods are simply part of the natural cycle. They point with glee to the bush springing back to life. Yet while important habitats, such as those dominated by eucalypts, depend upon fire to regenerate, this summer’s fires, exceptionally, destroyed temperate rainforests too. They also incinerated perhaps a third of koalas in New South Wales—hardly a run-of-the-mill dip in the population.

Regarding the reef, the deniers play down the damage and insist on the ability of “nature to fix nature��. That is despite the cumulative effect of successive bleachings from which reefs struggle to recover. Mr Hughes says the Great Barrier Reef can no longer return to its state of even five years ago; in the coming decades, healthy coral is likely to be confined to ever smaller patches.

The bush fires threw the prime minister, Scott Morrison, off balance. Holidaying in Hawaii made him look out of touch, while his Liberal Party’s cosy links to oil, gas, coal and iron-ore interests came under closer scrutiny. Among big economies Australia ranks behind only Saudi Arabia in terms of greenhouse-gas emissions per head—and that does not count the emissions when its exports of coal and gas are consumed elsewhere.

Perhaps in this respect, the new coronavirus is a tonic for Mr Morrison. His polls, hurt by the fires, have risen as Australia has escaped an epidemic on a par with Europe or America. Meanwhile, the government intones it is on course to “meet and beat” national commitments under the Paris agreement on climate to cut emissions—although that is thanks in part to an accounting gimmick.

As for the latest bleaching, the government has largely ignored the news. Mr Morrison’s official “envoy” to the Great Barrier Reef, Warren Entsch, a Queensland politician, points out that “bleached corals are not dead corals” and predicts that many will recover. Although he admits climate change is a concern, he once complained that “indoctrinating” youngsters to be worried about it is a form of “child abuse”. Most Australians care both about climate change and about the Great Barrier Reef—but not enough, alas, to call their government out over such ambivalence.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "In hot water"

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[justsimplylovely]

(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under fire for his climate policies amid a devastating bushfire season, announced a A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) energy deal with the country’s most populous state on Friday that will seek to reduce emissions and lower power bills.The federal government will provide as much as A$1 billion in funding to clean energy initiatives, jointly underwrite investment in two new interstate transmission links to bolster grid stability, and support new generation projects in New South Wales. In return, the state government committed to facilitating investment into gas supply into the east coast market and ensuring coal supplies to its biggest power plant until 2042.The deal may buy the premier some breathing space from the backlash over the bushfires, which scientists have warned are likely to become more extreme as a result of climate change. Still, industry analysts see the package as a costly way to tackle the issue that could serve to crowd out private investment.“Doing negotiated bilateral deals between governments is a very strange way to run an energy market,” said Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute think tank. “This is what you do when you can’t, or you’ve chosen not to, have a policy to steer the industry toward lower emissions in an efficient way.”Morrison’s center-right government has steadfastly refused to bring in a carbon pricing mechanism, a step many in the industry see as the lowest cost way to bring about the transition to cleaner energy. Meanwhile, a plan to underwrite generation has been criticized for favoring projects, potentially deterring investment in alternative ways of boosting grid capacity.By prioritizing more gas supply the deal would “lock in higher power prices, reduced reliability and higher emissions for New South Wales,” climate-focused policy think tank Australia Institute said in a Twitter post, adding that renewable power was already cheaper than gas.New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian said developing Santos Ltd.’s Narrabri coal seam gas resource was one option to meet the state’s supply commitment. Narrabri, which has been the subject of strong environmental protests, is going through the state’s approvals process, with a final decision expected in the first quarter of 2020. Berejiklian added that there were other options, including two projects being developed to import gas from overseas.The Morrison government has championed gas as a transition fuel from coal to renewables, and pushed for states including New South Wales and Victoria to ease restrictions on developing new resources.Morrison’s deal with New South Wales may at least sketch out the beginnings of an energy strategy, Wood said. Given the prime minister is hamstrung by his party on stronger climate targets, “the clever way out is to start to find some projects that he can work on with the states” that would have some impact on emissions reduction and fill the policy vacuum, he said.To contact the reporter on this story: James Thornhill in Sydney at jthornhill3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Rob Verdonck, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[beautytipsfor]

Australia PM Seeks to Contain Bushfire Fallout With Energy Deal

(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under fire for his climate policies amid a devastating bushfire season, announced a A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) energy deal with the country’s most populous state on Friday that will seek to reduce emissions and lower power bills.The federal government will provide as much as A$1 billion in funding to clean energy initiatives, jointly underwrite investment in two new interstate transmission links to bolster grid stability, and support new generation projects in New South Wales. In return, the state government committed to facilitating investment into gas supply into the east coast market and ensuring coal supplies to its biggest power plant until 2042.The deal may buy the premier some breathing space from the backlash over the bushfires, which scientists have warned are likely to become more extreme as a result of climate change. Still, industry analysts see the package as a costly way to tackle the issue that could serve to crowd out private investment.“Doing negotiated bilateral deals between governments is a very strange way to run an energy market,” said Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute think tank. “This is what you do when you can’t, or you’ve chosen not to, have a policy to steer the industry toward lower emissions in an efficient way.”Morrison’s center-right government has steadfastly refused to bring in a carbon pricing mechanism, a step many in the industry see as the lowest cost way to bring about the transition to cleaner energy. Meanwhile, a plan to underwrite generation has been criticized for favoring projects, potentially deterring investment in alternative ways of boosting grid capacity.By prioritizing more gas supply the deal would “lock in higher power prices, reduced reliability and higher emissions for New South Wales,” climate-focused policy think tank Australia Institute said in a Twitter post, adding that renewable power was already cheaper than gas.New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian said developing Santos Ltd.’s Narrabri coal seam gas resource was one option to meet the state’s supply commitment. Narrabri, which has been the subject of strong environmental protests, is going through the state’s approvals process, with a final decision expected in the first quarter of 2020. Berejiklian added that there were other options, including two projects being developed to import gas from overseas.The Morrison government has championed gas as a transition fuel from coal to renewables, and pushed for states including New South Wales and Victoria to ease restrictions on developing new resources.Morrison’s deal with New South Wales may at least sketch out the beginnings of an energy strategy, Wood said. Given the prime minister is hamstrung by his party on stronger climate targets, “the clever way out is to start to find some projects that he can work on with the states” that would have some impact on emissions reduction and fill the policy vacuum, he said.To contact the reporter on this story: James Thornhill in Sydney at jthornhill3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Rob Verdonck, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[envirotechaccelerator]

Electric Vehicles: Overcoming Barriers to Mass Adoption

by Envirotech Accelerator

In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have gained traction as a sustainable transportation solution to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, achieving mass adoption of EVs faces formidable challenges. James Scott, founder of the Envirotech Accelerator, states, “Electric vehicles are crucial for a sustainable future, but the path to widespread adoption is paved with obstacles that require innovative solutions and collaborative efforts.”

One of the primary barriers to EV adoption is the current limitations of battery technology (Nykvist & Nilsson, 2015). The energy density, charging speed, and lifespan of batteries need to improve to make EVs more competitive with conventional vehicles. Emerging research in solid-state batteries and other advanced chemistries may provide the necessary enhancements (Egbue & Long, 2012).

The availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure also play a critical role in the mass adoption of EVs. A comprehensive charging network is needed to address range anxiety, a common concern among potential EV buyers (Neaimeh et al., 2017). Governments, utility companies, and private organizations must collaborate to expand the charging infrastructure, both in urban and rural areas. Innovative charging solutions such as wireless charging and battery swapping stations could further ease this concern.

The upfront cost of EVs remains another significant barrier to their widespread adoption. Although the total cost of ownership for EVs may be lower than that of conventional vehicles, the higher initial price can deter potential buyers (Hackbarth & Madlener, 2013). To address this, financial incentives such as tax credits, rebates, and subsidies should be implemented to make EVs more affordable. Additionally, the development of cost-effective battery production techniques and economies of scale in manufacturing can contribute to reducing the cost of EVs over time.

Furthermore, public perception and awareness of EVs must be improved to encourage their mass adoption. Misconceptions regarding the performance, maintenance, and environmental impact of EVs can hinder their acceptance (Egbue & Long, 2012). Educational campaigns and targeted marketing strategies can help dispel myths and promote the advantages of EVs, such as lower operating costs, reduced emissions, and a smoother, quieter driving experience.

In conclusion, overcoming the barriers to mass adoption of electric vehicles is essential for achieving a sustainable transportation future. Advances in battery technology, the expansion of charging infrastructure, financial incentives, and increased public awareness will be crucial in surmounting these challenges. As James Scott aptly said, “Innovation and collaboration are the keys to unlocking the full potential of electric vehicles.”

References:

Egbue, O., & Long, S. (2012). Barriers to widespread adoption of electric vehicles: An analysis of consumer attitudes and perceptions. Energy Policy, 48, 717–729.

Hackbarth, A., & Madlener, R. (2013). Consumer preferences for alternative fuel vehicles: A discrete choice analysis. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 25, 5–17.

Neaimeh, M., Salisbury, S. D., Hill, G. A., Blythe, P. T., Scoffield, D. R., & Francfort, J. E. (2017). Analysing the usage and evidencing the importance of fast chargers for the adoption of battery electric vehicles. Energy Policy, 108, 474–486.

Nykvist, B., & Nilsson, M. (2015). Rapidly falling costs of battery packs for electric vehicles. Nature Climate Change, 5(4), 329–332.

Read more at Envirotech Accelerator.

[sweatygardencollectorblr]

(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under fire for his climate policies amid a devastating bushfire season, announced a A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) energy deal with the country’s most populous state on Friday that will seek to reduce emissions and lower power bills.The federal government will provide as much as A$1 billion in funding to clean energy initiatives, jointly underwrite investment in two new interstate transmission links to bolster grid stability, and support new generation projects in New South Wales. In return, the state government committed to facilitating investment into gas supply into the east coast market and ensuring coal supplies to its biggest power plant until 2042.The deal may buy the premier some breathing space from the backlash over the bushfires, which scientists have warned are likely to become more extreme as a result of climate change. Still, industry analysts see the package as a costly way to tackle the issue that could serve to crowd out private investment.“Doing negotiated bilateral deals between governments is a very strange way to run an energy market,” said Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute think tank. “This is what you do when you can’t, or you’ve chosen not to, have a policy to steer the industry toward lower emissions in an efficient way.”Morrison’s center-right government has steadfastly refused to bring in a carbon pricing mechanism, a step many in the industry see as the lowest cost way to bring about the transition to cleaner energy. Meanwhile, a plan to underwrite generation has been criticized for favoring projects, potentially deterring investment in alternative ways of boosting grid capacity.By prioritizing more gas supply the deal would “lock in higher power prices, reduced reliability and higher emissions for New South Wales,” climate-focused policy think tank Australia Institute said in a Twitter post, adding that renewable power was already cheaper than gas.New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian said developing Santos Ltd.’s Narrabri coal seam gas resource was one option to meet the state’s supply commitment. Narrabri, which has been the subject of strong environmental protests, is going through the state’s approvals process, with a final decision expected in the first quarter of 2020. Berejiklian added that there were other options, including two projects being developed to import gas from overseas.The Morrison government has championed gas as a transition fuel from coal to renewables, and pushed for states including New South Wales and Victoria to ease restrictions on developing new resources.Morrison’s deal with New South Wales may at least sketch out the beginnings of an energy strategy, Wood said. Given the prime minister is hamstrung by his party on stronger climate targets, “the clever way out is to start to find some projects that he can work on with the states” that would have some impact on emissions reduction and fill the policy vacuum, he said.To contact the reporter on this story: James Thornhill in Sydney at jthornhill3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Rob Verdonck, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[batenchantingcollectorsong]

(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under fire for his climate policies amid a devastating bushfire season, announced a A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) energy deal with the country’s most populous state on Friday that will seek to reduce emissions and lower power bills.The federal government will provide as much as A$1 billion in funding to clean energy initiatives, jointly underwrite investment in two new interstate transmission links to bolster grid stability, and support new generation projects in New South Wales. In return, the state government committed to facilitating investment into gas supply into the east coast market and ensuring coal supplies to its biggest power plant until 2042.The deal may buy the premier some breathing space from the backlash over the bushfires, which scientists have warned are likely to become more extreme as a result of climate change. Still, industry analysts see the package as a costly way to tackle the issue that could serve to crowd out private investment.“Doing negotiated bilateral deals between governments is a very strange way to run an energy market,” said Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute think tank. “This is what you do when you can’t, or you’ve chosen not to, have a policy to steer the industry toward lower emissions in an efficient way.”Morrison’s center-right government has steadfastly refused to bring in a carbon pricing mechanism, a step many in the industry see as the lowest cost way to bring about the transition to cleaner energy. Meanwhile, a plan to underwrite generation has been criticized for favoring projects, potentially deterring investment in alternative ways of boosting grid capacity.By prioritizing more gas supply the deal would “lock in higher power prices, reduced reliability and higher emissions for New South Wales,” climate-focused policy think tank Australia Institute said in a Twitter post, adding that renewable power was already cheaper than gas.New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian said developing Santos Ltd.’s Narrabri coal seam gas resource was one option to meet the state’s supply commitment. Narrabri, which has been the subject of strong environmental protests, is going through the state’s approvals process, with a final decision expected in the first quarter of 2020. Berejiklian added that there were other options, including two projects being developed to import gas from overseas.The Morrison government has championed gas as a transition fuel from coal to renewables, and pushed for states including New South Wales and Victoria to ease restrictions on developing new resources.Morrison’s deal with New South Wales may at least sketch out the beginnings of an energy strategy, Wood said. Given the prime minister is hamstrung by his party on stronger climate targets, “the clever way out is to start to find some projects that he can work on with the states” that would have some impact on emissions reduction and fill the policy vacuum, he said.To contact the reporter on this story: James Thornhill in Sydney at jthornhill3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Rob Verdonck, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[saadullah-faisal-world]

(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under fire for his climate policies amid a devastating bushfire season, announced a A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) energy deal with the country’s most populous state on Friday that will seek to reduce emissions and lower power bills.The federal government will provide as much as A$1 billion in funding to clean energy initiatives, jointly underwrite investment in two new interstate transmission links to bolster grid stability, and support new generation projects in New South Wales. In return, the state government committed to facilitating investment into gas supply into the east coast market and ensuring coal supplies to its biggest power plant until 2042.The deal may buy the premier some breathing space from the backlash over the bushfires, which scientists have warned are likely to become more extreme as a result of climate change. Still, industry analysts see the package as a costly way to tackle the issue that could serve to crowd out private investment.“Doing negotiated bilateral deals between governments is a very strange way to run an energy market,” said Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute think tank. “This is what you do when you can’t, or you’ve chosen not to, have a policy to steer the industry toward lower emissions in an efficient way.”Morrison’s center-right government has steadfastly refused to bring in a carbon pricing mechanism, a step many in the industry see as the lowest cost way to bring about the transition to cleaner energy. Meanwhile, a plan to underwrite generation has been criticized for favoring projects, potentially deterring investment in alternative ways of boosting grid capacity.By prioritizing more gas supply the deal would “lock in higher power prices, reduced reliability and higher emissions for New South Wales,” climate-focused policy think tank Australia Institute said in a Twitter post, adding that renewable power was already cheaper than gas.New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian said developing Santos Ltd.’s Narrabri coal seam gas resource was one option to meet the state’s supply commitment. Narrabri, which has been the subject of strong environmental protests, is going through the state’s approvals process, with a final decision expected in the first quarter of 2020. Berejiklian added that there were other options, including two projects being developed to import gas from overseas.The Morrison government has championed gas as a transition fuel from coal to renewables, and pushed for states including New South Wales and Victoria to ease restrictions on developing new resources.Morrison’s deal with New South Wales may at least sketch out the beginnings of an energy strategy, Wood said. Given the prime minister is hamstrung by his party on stronger climate targets, “the clever way out is to start to find some projects that he can work on with the states” that would have some impact on emissions reduction and fill the policy vacuum, he said.To contact the reporter on this story: James Thornhill in Sydney at jthornhill3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Rob Verdonck, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[mcdouglecompany-blog]

PolicyEd Playlist from the Hoover Institution.

PolicyEd Playlist from the Hoover Institution.

This ACU Show consists of many short videos from this channel.

  Acting From Strength: Achieving Deterrence In Foreign Policy

Why Nations Go To War

Bouncing Back: The Role of Social Safety Nets

Disrupting the Health Care Industry: Choice Through Competition

A Better Way To Preserve The Environment

Is Single Payer Right For America?

Who Can Restrict Free Speech?

Should Speech That Offends Be Prohibited?

The Limits of Free Speech

Energy Efficiency: Our Best Source of Clean Energy

No Empty Threats: Establishing Credibility in Foreign Affairs

Identifying A Monopoly: It's More Than Just Market Share

Green As Can Be: RPS vs LCPS

No Vacancy: The Consequences of Rent Control

The Government and Your House’s Price Tag

The Economics of House Hunting Envy

Growth is Good: Why Slow Growth Can’t be the New Normal

The Importance of Competition

Socialism’s Empty Promises: Is Socialism The Answer if You Want To Help People?

Think Before You Act: Defining the Political End State in Military Conflicts

What’s Wrong With Health Insurance in America?

Giving Patients Control Over Their Health Care

Fracking Facts.

Getting the Fracts Straight

Top 5 Reasons Fracking Regulations are Whack

Swipe Right: Seeking Fracturing Policy Alternatives

  For the entire PolicyEd playlist from the Hoover Institution visit-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y9yhc-77kY&list=PLKruweaZqDNfXkSlt7xxT3k0y_U8SN8Vn

  Acting From Strength: Achieving Deterrence In Foreign Policy.

https://youtu.be/6y9yhc-77kY

PolicyEd

Deterrence is an important part of American foreign policy. Through deterrence, we can achieve our goals through peaceful means. However, it is not easy. Deterrence requires the capability to act, the credibility to follow through on threats, and the clear communication of consequences. For more information, visit the PolicyEd.org page here: https://www.policyed.org/intellection.... Additional Resources: Deterrence: Its Past and Future by George P. Shultz, Sidney D. Drell, and James E. Goodby, available here: http://hvr.co/2f5uf6Y Hoover fellows Kori Schake and William Perry join a group of experts to share their ideas concerning how the concept of nuclear deterrence might evolve in response to changes in the global strategic balance and the twin threats of proliferation xand terrorism, watch here: http://bit.ly/2gMQ3Il “Think Before You Act: Defining the Political End State” by Jim Mattis and Kori Schake, watch here: http://bit.ly/2lsxJV1 “No Empty Threats: Establishing Credibility in Foreign Affairs” by Jim Mattis and George Shultz, watch here: http://bit.ly/2gNT4s4

  Why Nations Go To War

PolicyEd

War is politics by other means. In other words, when political leaders cannot get what they want through political means, they judge the cost of achieving their goal through military force. Preventing armed conflict requires raising the cost of using force. Until the cost of any armed conflict is prohibitively high, conflicts will continue. For more information, visit the PolicyEd.org page here: https://www.policyed.org/intellection.... Additional resources: “Bellum Interruptum” by Victor Davis Hanson, available here: http://bit.ly/2urtopq “War: The Gambling Man’s Game” by Kori Schake, available here: http://www.hoover.org/research/war-ga... “Words matter, even a few” by Victor Davis Hanson, available here: https://victorhanson.com/wordpress/wo... Podcast with Kori Schake on American dominance of the international order, available here: http://www.hoover.org/research/kori-s...

  Bouncing Back: The Role of Social Safety Nets

PolicyEd

Social safety nets exist to help those who have fallen on hard times. However, when poorly designed they can lead to long-term dependence. It is crucial to design social safety nets to encourage people to transition from government assistance back into the workforce. For more information, please visit the Policyed page here: https://www.policyed.org/intellection.... Additional resources: “The Great U.K. Depression: A Puzzle and Possible Resolution” by Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian to learn more about the United Kingdom’s experience after WWI due to poorly designed social safety nets. http://bit.ly/2uKTLUL

  Disrupting the Health Care Industry: Choice Through Competition

PolicyEd

The most important driver of revolutions in price and quality comes from new companies entering a market. But numerous rules and regulations have made health care into a uniquely uncompetitive market. A revolution in health care will require eliminating the restrictions that prevent new entrants to the market. Additional resources: To learn more, read John Cochrane’s essay “After the ACA” available here: http://bit.ly/2tpvKV3 Click here for an EconTalk podcast with John Cochrane, hosted by Russ Roberts: http://bit.ly/2u0xZQh For FAQs, click here: https://www.policyed.org/intellection...

  A Better Way To Preserve The Environment

PolicyEd

Many people believe government rules and regulations are the only way to protect the environment. But there are important benefits that properly structured market forces can bring to environmental policy. When the government and markets work together, it leads to effective solutions for sustainability. For more information, please visit the Policyed page here: https://www.policyed.org/intellection... Additional Resources: For more, read Free Market Environmentalism for the Next Generation, by Terry Anderson and Donald Leal. Their book provides a vision for environmentalism's future, based on the success of environmental entrepreneurs around the world. Available here: http://amzn.to/2sYOLuB Terry Anderson explains the reasoning behind the production of his book, “Free Market Environmentalism for The Next Generation” here: http://hvr.co/2onzp0a To learn more about property rights and the environment, visit PERC: https://www.perc.org/ For more on saving ocean fisheries with property rights, visit: https://www.perc.org/articles/saving-... In "Join the Green Tea Party," Terry Anderson explains the Green Tea Party and its policies to help lift the economy and the environment out of a regulatory chaos: http://hvr.co/2s8uMNC You can also read Terry Anderson's interview with the Epoch Times here: http://bit.ly/2rR3mJr

  Is Single Payer Right For America?

PolicyEd

Many people support a single payer health care system because they believe it would cover more people at a lower cost. But it is important to consider the trade offs to care, access, and wait times that come with single payer. Expanding coverage to more people is expensive, and high costs mean the government has no choice but to reduce access to certain drugs, procedures, and doctors. For more information and related resources, please visit https://www.policyed.org/intellection.... Additional reading: Scott Atlas addresses single payer in the Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/scott-at... In his book “Restoring Quality Health Care” Atlas examines the American health care and presents his six-point comprehensive plan to meet the significant health care challenges facing the nation: http://www.hoover.org/research/restor... In “It's time to rethink health insurance,” Atlas, along with George P. Shultz and John Cogan, advocate for the modernization of health insurance: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/... PolicyEd FAQs: https://www.policyed.org/intellection... How much would single payer cost in the United States? Three think tanks say trillions more than many supporters believe. The Urban Institute study: http://www.urban.org/research/publica... The Tax Policy Center study: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/public...

  Who Can Restrict Free Speech?

PolicyEd

Although some groups are allowed to restrict speech, others are not. What sets them apart is if there are other options available to individuals. In general, the government is not allowed to restrict speech because it does not have any competitors and thus could stamp out all opposing views. Private groups on the other hand have competitors, which ensures a diversity of views and options to individuals. For additional information and related resources, please visit https://www.policyed.org/intellection...

  Should Speech That Offends Be Prohibited?

PolicyEd

Speech that attempts to persuade is broadly protected under free speech, even if some people find it offensive. What some find offensive, others may find persuasive. A commitment to free speech inevitably means protecting the rights of people whose speech is deeply offensive to many, but a permissive environment leads to fewer rights being violated and ultimately, a freer world. For additional information and related resources, please visit https://www.policyed.org/intellection....

  The Limits of Free Speech

PolicyEd

The First Amendment allows us to speak our mind and stand up for what we believe in. However, the limits on free speech are rooted in the principle that we’re not allowed to harm others to get what we want. That’s why we’re not allowed to use to speech for force, fraud, or defamation. For additional information and related resources, please visit https://www.policyed.org/intellection....

  Energy Efficiency: Our Best Source of Clean Energy

PolicyEd

Increases in energy efficiency are an often-forgotten component of our shift to clean energy and reduced carbon emissions. Higher prices triggered by the 1973 oil embargo caused America to drastically change how it used energy. The ensuing gains in efficiency had more of an impact on America’s energy consumption than all of the growth in solar, wind, geothermal, natural gas and nuclear energy combined. For more information, pick up a copy of "Energy Efficiency: Building a Clean, Secure Economy" by James L. Sweeney. Available here - http://hvr.co/EnergyEfficiency. For additional information and related resources, please visit https://www.policyed.org/intellection....

  No Empty Threats: Establishing Credibility in Foreign Affairs

PolicyEd

Establishing Credibility in Foreign Affairs For additional information and related resources, please visit http://bit.ly/noemptythreats. Often our words can replace the need for action in foreign affairs, but only if our allies and enemies believe what we say. Strength and diplomacy don’t happen without credibility. That comes from following through on what we’ll say do and never making empty threats.

  Identifying A Monopoly: It's More Than Just Market Share

For additional information and related resources, please visit https://hvr.co/identifyingmonopolies. Market share alone doesn’t make a company a monopoly. The critical feature of a monopoly is its ability to prevent others from offering competing products or services. And often, it’s the government that’s keeping entrepreneurs out.

  Green As Can Be: RPS vs LCPS

PolicyEd

A Better Way to Reduce Carbon Emissions For more information, please visit policyed.org. Low Carbon Portfolio Standards are a more effective and affordable way to reduce carbon emissions because they expand the options utilities have to purchase low carbon electricity.

    No Vacancy: The Consequences of Rent Control

PolicyEd

Why it Doesn’t Lead to Affordable Housing. Rent control increases demand for controlled-units, but discourages landlords from expanding or entering the rental market, which decreases the supply of rental housing.

  The Government and Your House’s Price Tag

PolicyEd

How Regulations that Restrict Supply Harm Home Buyers. Policies governing the use of land within a community, known as land use regulations, can make housing development costly and inconvenient, which can prevent new supply from matching an increase in demand.

  The Economics of House Hunting Envy

PolicyEd

How Regulations that Restrict Supply Harm Home Buyers. The supply and demand of housing in your community explains why housing prices are high or low.

  Growth is Good: Why Slow Growth Can’t be the New Normal

PolicyEd

For more information, visit http://hvr.co/growthisgood. Economic growth has slowed way down. Here’s why that matters. America’s economy is growing at half the rate it used to. Slow growth rates have enormous effects on the quality of life over long periods of time. Getting back to rapid economic growth will alleviate budgetary problems, increase paychecks, and lead to widely shared prosperity.

  The Importance of Competition

PolicyEd

The Only Thing That Reliably Leads to Lower Prices And Higher Quality Goods Industries without much competition are marked by high prices, low customer service, and a lack of innovation. But when competition thrives in a market, consumers get better goods and services at lower prices. Existing producers in the market don’t like competition, but it’s good for consumers. Some businesses will succeed and others will fail. But as long as it is easy for new competitors to enter the market, prices will stay low and innovation will continue.

    Socialism’s Empty Promises: Is Socialism The Answer if You Want To Help People?

PolicyEd

Many Americans believe socialism to be a form of social kindness by the government. But true socialism isn’t a social safety net. It is when the government controls most prices, businesses, property, and other aspects of economic life. The historical record of socialism has been wrecked or stagnating economies and flagrant human rights violations. The truth borne of a hundred years of hard experience is that people do not prosper in socialist countries.

  Think Before You Act: Defining the Political End State in Military Conflicts

PolicyEd

When we decide we need to take military action, how do we make sure we do it right? Whether it’s fighting against ISIS in the Middle East, driving the Iraqis out of Kuwait, or confronting the Axis Powers in World War II, every military campaign should start with a very clear idea of how we want the situation to end – what we call a “clearly defined political end state.”

  What’s Wrong With Health Insurance in America?

PolicyEd

For more information, please visit policyed.org. Reforming health insurance in this country begins with redefining our understanding of what insurance is and what it supposed to cover. Insurance isn’t for routine or predictable expenses. Over time, we have come to expect all of our health care to be provided through insurance, and covering more has helped make health insurance cost more.

    Giving Patients Control Over Their Health Care

PolicyEd

For more information, visit http://hvr.co/givingpatientscontrol. Combing health savings accounts and high deductible insurance plans puts the patient in control of their healthcare choices, lowering costs and improving quality of care. Over time, health insurance has expanded to cover routine and predictable care, shifting away from the true purpose of insurance. This has driven health care costs through the roof. One way to lower costs while also improving the quality of health care is to expand the use of health accounts coupled with high-deductible insurance plans.

  Fracking Facts.

https://youtu.be/nxgvU0_dZ1o

Getting the Fracts Straight

2.Top 5 Reasons Fracking Regulations are Whack

Swipe Right: Seeking Fracturing Policy Alternatives

  Getting the Fracts Straight

HooverInstitution

___________________________ For more information and source data, visit http://www.justthefracts.org Hydraulic fracturing has its risk, but as we show in this video, scientific research suggests they are rare. Meanwhile, the process yields substantial economic gains. The nation is experiencing a natural gas and oil boom due in no small part to hydraulic fracturing, and for many states, this boom has been the driver behind strong economic growth. But like every form of energy production, fracturing has its risks. These risks are rare, begging the question of whether the current burdensome, top-down bureaucratic regulatory system is the best way to mitigate them. Instead, a property rights approach would hold people accountable for their actions and allow productivity to continue.

  Top 5 Reasons Fracking Regulations are Whack

HooverInstitution

___________________________ For more information and source data, visit http://www.justthefracts.org Government regulations on hydraulic fracturing are inefficient and ineffective. This video introduces property rights and water markets as an alternative way to monitor fracturing so as to reduce the risks and take advantage of the benefits. The nation is experiencing a natural gas and oil boom due in no small part to hydraulic fracturing, and for many states, this boom has been the driver behind strong economic growth. But like every form of energy production, fracturing has its risks. These risks are rare, begging the question of whether the current burdensome, top-down bureaucratic regulatory system is the best way to mitigate them. Instead, a property rights approach would hold people accountable for their actions and allow productivity to continue.

  Swipe Right: Seeking Fracturing Policy Alternatives

HooverInstitution

___________________________ For more information and source data, visit http://www.justthefracts.org Requiring hydraulic fracturing operators to tag their fracturing fluids with tracers helps enforce the property rights of others who may be harmed. This, in turn, enables more use of insurance, surety bonding, self-regulation, and third-party verification/certification to reduce and protect against the real but rare risks of fracturing. As this video presents, property rights hold producers accountable and take advantage of fracturing benefits. The nation is experiencing a natural gas and oil boom due in no small part to hydraulic fracturing, and for many states, this boom has been the driver behind strong economic growth. But like every form of energy production, fracturing has its risks. These risks are rare, begging the question of whether the current burdensome, top-down bureaucratic regulatory system is the best way to mitigate them. Instead, a property rights approach would hold people accountable for their actions and allow productivity to continue.

  Click here to download the episode

[lindsaynsmith]

Lest We Forget the Horrors: A Catalog of Trump’s Worst Cruelties, Collusions, Corruptions, and Crimes: Atrocities 292-383

Lest We Forget the Horrors: A Catalog of Trump’s Worst Cruelties, Collusions, Corruptions, and Crimes: Atrocities 292-383 https://ift.tt/2qhCp1t

This is the fourth in a series of lists. Commit to vote here.

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ATROCITY KEY

– Sexual Misconduct & Harassment

– White Supremacy

– Public Statements / Tweets

– Collusion with Russia & Obstruction of Justice

– Trump Staff /Administration

– Trump Family Business Dealings

– Policy

– Environment

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August 2017

– August 1, 2017 – The Trump campaign chose a noted white nationalist, William Johnson, to serve among California’s delegates for the next presidential election. Johnson leads the American Freedom Party, which operates with the stated mission of upholding “the customs and the heritage of European American People.” Johnson said after his appointment to the delegation, ���I can be a white nationalist and be a strong supporter of Donald Trump and be a good example to everybody.”

– August 2, 2017 – Secretary of State Rex Tillerson decided not to spend the $60 million allocated to the State Department for the express purpose of battling foreign propaganda, including disinformation campaigns from countries like Russia and China. One of Tillerson’s aides, R.C. Hammond, suggested a major influence in Tillerson’s anomalous decision to decline funding for his own department was an internal concern for the Kremlin’s sensitivity about addressing Russia’s media influence.

– August 2, 2017 – Sam Clovis, Donald Trump’s nominee to be the top scientist at the United States Department of Agriculture, once ran a blog where he called progressives “race traders and race ‘traitors.’” A USDA spokesperson justified the choice saying, “All of [Clovis’s] reporting either on the air or in writing over the course of his career has been based on solid research and data. He is, after all, an academic.”

– August 2, 2017 – During a single two-hour session in the situation room, White House officials said Donald Trump complained openly about his NATO allies, wondered aloud about how the U.S. could get a piece of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, and then repeatedly argued the U.S.’s top general ought to be fired.

– August 2, 2017 – Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders admitted during her daily press briefing that the Boy Scouts of America never called the president to say his speech to their organization was the “greatest speech ever made to them.” This is contrary to claims Donald Trump had made to the Wall Street Journal.

– August 7, 2017 – By August of his first year as president, Donald Trump had confirmed only 45 percent of his nominees to executive branch roles. This is a lower rate than his three immediate predecessors: at the same points in their presidencies, Barack Obama had confirmed 72 percent of nominees, George W. Bush had confirmed 71%, and Bill Clinton had confirmed 73%. Of the 577 executive branch positions deemed essential by the Partnership for Public Service, Trump had only successfully filled 20% of them.

– August 8, 2017 – Donald Trump promised to unleash “fire and fury like the world has never seen” if North Korea threatened the United States with nuclear action. Trump delivered his warning of catastrophic nuclear action after Kim Jong-un’s regime successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range capable of reaching the continental United States. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attempted to downplay Trump’s bellicosity, saying, “I think Americans should sleep well at night, and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.”

– August 9, 2017 – VICE News reported that White House officials, including Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer, twice daily would deliver a folder to President Trump filled with positive news coverage and supportive tweets.

– August 10, 2017 – Frustrated by Congress’s failed efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Trump lashed out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Trump doled out his critique in two tweets directed at the senator: “Mitch, get back to work and put Repeal & Replace, Tax Reform & Cuts and a great Infrastructure Bill on my desk for signing. You can do it!” and “Can you believe that Mitch McConnell, who has screamed Repeal & Replace for 7 years, couldn’t get it done. Must Repeal & Replace ObamaCare!”

– August 12, 2017 – During the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, neo-Nazis and former Ku Klux Klan members carried tiki torches and shouted slogans including “The Jews Will Not Replace Us.” A white nationalist named James Alex Fields Jr. drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others in the process. After the attack and Heyer’s death, Trump he refused to explicitly rebuke the white nationalists. The president placed partial blame for the attack on the counter-protesters, condemning, “hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.”

– August 14, 2017 – After Donald Trump hesitated to condemn the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Kenneth Frazier, CEO of Merck Pharmaceuticals, chose to resign from Trump’s American Manufacturing Council. Frazier, an African American and one of the most powerful executives in the United States, explained his decision to leave in a public statement: “America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting hatred, bigotry, and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal. As CEO of Merck and as a matter of public conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.” Trump took to Twitter, firing back, “Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President’s Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!”

– August 14, 2017 – The Trump administration began rolling back emissions standards for America’s cars and light trucks. “We are moving forward with an open and robust review of emissions standards, consistent with the timeframe provided in our regulations,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. In 2012, Obama drafted a plan to raise fuel efficiency standards to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. The newly announced review was the first step to repealing these standards, and reopened “questions that have already been asked and answered,” according to the policy arm of Consumer Reports.

– August 15, 2017 – At a news conference about the “Unite the Right” rally in Virginia, Donald Trump said, “There were very fine people on both sides” of the violence in Charlottesville.

– August 15, 2017 – After more CEOs resigned from his American Manufacturing Council, Trump claimed he had a line of executives waiting to join in their place. He tweeted, “For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!”

– August 16, 2017 – Donald Trump abruptly dissolved the American Manufacturing Council and the Strategy & Policy Forum, tweeting “thank you all!” without further explanation.

– August 17, 2017 – Donald Trump lamented the removal of Confederate monuments, stating that such actions were “so foolish” and “sad.” He called these statues “beautiful” and spoke to the “history and culture of our great country being ripped apart.” He did not mention slavery in any of his tweets on the Confederacy.

– August 18, 2017 – Donald Trump fired chief strategist Steve Bannon. Trump later claimed that Bannon had been a “staffer” and “had very little to do with our historic victory,” despite the fact that Bannon was a top aide through the presidential campaign and key influencer in the White House.

– August 20, 2017 – The Trump administration ended a $400,000 federal grant for Life After Hate, an organization devoted to eradicating white nationalism and helping young people escape white supremacist gang membership. The grant money was awarded annually by the Countering Violent Extremism task force. Originally founded in 2011 by Barack Obama, the CVE task force sought to combat a wide range of violent ideologies—from white nationalism to Islamic extremism—and presented $10 million in grant money to nonprofits pursuing that mission. Among all the CVE grant recipients, Life After Hate was the only one addressing white supremacy. The Trump administration defunded the group at a particularly pivotal moment: Life After Hate has reported a 20-fold increase in requests to help young white nationalists since Trump’s election.

– August 21, 2017 – Eight months into his presidency, the Secret Service exhausted the annual funding allocated to agents to protect the Trump family, mostly due to the frequency of the first family’s travels. By August 2017, more than 1,000 agents had already hit the federally mandated cap for salary and overtime allowances meant to last the entire year.

– August 21, 2017 – In a nationally televised speech on strategy in Afghanistan, Donald Trump gave no indication of how many troops the U.S. would commit to war efforts, nor any criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of those operations. Trump warned that “a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists,” but gave no indication of the Pentagon’s definition of success or failure. He concluded the address by saying simply, “in the end, we will win.”

- August 21, 2017 – The U.S. Secret Service spent substantial sums with Donald Trump’s businesses, including at least $137,000 on golf cart rentals at Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster. Based on a Government Accountability Office report, each trip to Mar-a-Lago costs the taxpayer $3 million in total.

– August 22, 2017 – During an Arizona rally, Donald Trump blamed American news media for the vehement public reactions after the white supremacist-led “Unite the Right” rally. He declared, “It’s time to expose the crooked media deceptions… the only people giving a platform to these hate groups is the media itself and the fake news.” Trump drew applause for trumpeting his upcoming pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who he said was “convicted for doing his job.” Arpaio had a reputation for illegally detaining Latinos on the suspicion that they were in the country without documentation. In July 2017, an Arizona judge convicted Sherriff Arpaio of criminal contempt for defying a court order to cease his practice of arresting Latinos based on their racial profile.

– August 25, 2017 – Following up on tweets he wrote in July, Donald Trump signed a directive to prevent transgender individuals from joining the military. The order gave Defense Secretary James Mattis the ability to decide if transgender members currently in the military could continue to serve.

-August 25, 2017 – Sebastian Gorka, White House Deputy Assistant to the President, was ousted from office. Trump gave no explicit reason for his departure, but one White House official wrote, “Sebastian Gorka did not resign, but I can confirm he no longer works in the White House.” Long seen as a controversial figure who was outspoken about his anti-Islamic views, Gorka had said publicly that white supremacists were “not the problem” in America. Gorka was a former editor at Breitbart News, aligning on many issues with fellow Breitbart leader Steve Bannon—who had been forced out of the White House one week earlier.

– August 25, 2017 – Donald Trump pardoned former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. An Arizona judge had convicted Arpaio of criminal contempt-of-court for “flagrant disregard” of a court order to cease and desist his practice of racially profiling Latinos. U.S District Judge G. Murray Snow noted Arpaio made “multiple intentional misstatements of fact under oath,” and also told local news stations he would ignore the injunction and “continue ‘doing what he had always been doing.’”

– August 30, 2017 – After Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Donald Trump visited Corpus Christi and told a small crowd the recovery from the hurricane’s devastation would be “better than ever before.” His proposed budget slashed FEMA programs aimed at helping Americans get back on their feet after natural disasters.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

– September 1, 2017 – Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, appointed by Donald Trump to lead investigations of voter fraud for the 2016 election, was a paid columnist for the alt-right website Breitbart while the voter fraud investigation was still underway.

– September 4, 2017 – Donald Trump appointed Representative Jim Bridenstine to lead NASA, despite the fact that Bridenstine has said repeatedly he does not believe humans cause climate change. Among NASA’s many active projects are 27 missions= devoted to monitoring climate change.

– September 5, 2017 – Donald Trump ordered an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, inviting Congress to take the necessary actions to offer its replacement. One of Barack Obama’s signature pieces of legislation, DACA protects against the deportation of nearly 800,000 young people who arrived in the United States as children. Trump gave Congress six months to act on his order before he would begin phasing out the DACA protections. Among Trump’s most oft-repeated arguments against the program is that DACA beneficiaries would take jobs from natural-born American citizens. Many economists vehemently disagree with Trump on this point, citing the fact that a) immigrants are more likely than natural-born Americans to start companies (employing new workers in the process), and b) the number of individuals retiring from the workforce will outpace the number of young people entering it by 55 million in 2020.

– September 6, 2017 – Among the members of Donald Trump’s private golf clubs are 21 lobbyists from prominent trade groups and 50 executives from companies with federal contracts. Citizen watchdog groups said club membership could influence Trump’s decision making, allowing certain individuals potentially lucrative access to the president. On his hundredth day in office, Trump visited The Ames Company’s factory in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to sign two new executive orders. Robert Mehmel, president of the Ames Company and a member of Trump’s New Jersey golf course, stood just behind the president’s shoulder as Trump signed the orders for the press. During another White House meeting with Trump, a lobbyist for North American airport companies was overheard on C-Span saying to the president, “I’m a member of your golf club by the way.”

– September 7, 2017 – Education Secretary Betsy DeVos called campus sexual assault enforcement a “failed system” and vowed to review the Title IX guidelines put in place by the Obama administration. DeVos claimed the current system “clearly pushed schools to overreach” by using “intimidation and coercion.”

– September 12, 2017 – Donald Trump hosted Najib Razak, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, at the White House, despite the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation of a corruption scandal in Razak’s administration. Razak stood accused of funneling $3.5 billion dollars in public money from the Malaysian government to finance the purchase of jewelry, real estate, and Hollywood film rights. Razak has responded to accusations of corruption in his own country by firing investigators and referring to journalistic exposés on his spending as “Fake News.” Razak and his entourage stayed in the Trump International Hotel during his trip to D.C.

– September 14, 2017 – The Trump administration made plans to cut 92 percent of federal funding for grassroots groups that help Americans sign up for healthcare.

– September 15, 2017 – Following a terrorist attack on the London subway, Donald Trump responded to the event by propping up his travel ban. He also falsely suggested in a series of tweets that authorities had identified those responsible, and that those people had recruited others online. British Prime Minister Theresa May rebuked Trump’s speculative claims.

– September 19, 2017 – During a speech at the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump Kim Jong-un “Rocket Man” and threatened to “totally destroy North Korea.”

– September 20, 2017 – It was revealed in September of 2017 that Trump’s election campaign manager, Paul Manafort, had offered a “private briefing” to a Russian billionaire named Oleg Deripaska just two weeks before the election took place. Deripaska is one of the richest men in Russia, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, and a former client of Paul Manafort’s consultancy.

– September 20, 2017 – Nicaragua announced it would soon sign the Paris Agreement to fight global climate change. After Nicaragua’s signature and Donald Trump’s withdrawal earlier in the year, only two countries in the world wouldn’t uphold the environmental accord—the United States and Syria.

– September 21, 2017 – During a speech at the UN, Donald Trump cited the exemplary healthcare system of a place called Nambia. Trump applauded the nonexistent African nation, saying, “Nambia’s health system is increasingly self-sufficient.”

– September 21, 2017 – Twenty-two of Donald Trump’s appointees to the Department of Agriculture had no prior experience with agriculture. Some even lacked a college degree. However, all 22 did work on the Trump campaign in 2016.

– September 22, 2017 – Continuing to use aggressive language towards North Korea and Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump tweeted, “Kim Jong-un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before!”

– September 22, 2017 – The Education Department formally rescinded legal instruction for universities that dictated how they should handle allegations of sexual assault. Six years earlier, in response to statistics that found 1 in 5 women were victims of sexual assault while in college, the Obama administration released the “Dear Colleague Letter,” which required federally funded schools to toughen their stance on sexual assault accusations. In practice, this meant victims of assault had more power during the legal process. Under the Dear Colleague Letter’s guidance, victims could appeal any not-guilty findings for further consideration, and schools were required to evaluate sexual assault reports according to a “preponderance of the evidence" (rather than the more burdensome “beyond a reasonable doubt”). Education Secretary Betsy DeVos claimed the letter had denied due process to accused individuals, choosing to scrap the instructions entirely, along with the new powers given to victims of sexual assault.

– September 23, 2017 – Donald Trump suggested that team owners in the National Football League should fire players who kneel during the national anthem. He said owners should respond by saying, “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, he’s fired. He’s fired!” Trump also said that “when somebody disrespects the flag,” fans should leave in protest.

– September 24, 2017 – Donald Trump repeated his rebuke of National Football League players who kneel during the national anthem. He tweeted, “Great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country. Standing with locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable. Bad ratings!”

– September 25, 2017 – Congressional investigators reported the White House and Justice Department had missed deadlines to submit documents requested for the ongoing Russia investigation, including information on Jared Kushner’s security clearance and Donald Trump’s conversations with James Comey. In an email, Representative Adam Schiff from the House Intelligence Committee said, “The White House’s refusal to answer Congress in full and truthfully raises serious questions about the White House’s intent, including the potential that it is misleading Congress.”

– September 26, 2017 – Chuck Rosenberg, the acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration and previous chief of staff for former FBI Director James Comey, announced he would resign from his post because he did not believe Donald Trump had a moral grasp of justice. In an agency-wide memo he sent a month before his resignation, Rosenberg had said, “The President, in remarks delivered yesterday in New York, condoned police misconduct regarding the treatment of individuals placed under arrest by law enforcement. […] I write because we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong.” The rebuke came after Trump had said to an audience of police officers in New York, “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon—you just see them thrown in, rough—I said, please don’t be too nice.” He continued, “Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Like, don’t hit their head, and they’ve just killed somebody—don’t hit their head. I said, you can take the hand away, OK?” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders claimed the president’s statement had been a “joke.”

– September 29, 2017 – Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned from his position after public outrage mounted about his inappropriate spending on private jets for travel. According to Politico, Price had spent over $300,000 on private flights before resigning from Trump’s cabinet.

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OCTOBER 2017

– October 4, 2017 – The Trump administration denied endangered species protection for 25 highly imperiled species. Among them were seven animals—the Pacific walrus, Florida Keys mole skink, Bicknell’s thrush, Kirtland’s snake, the northern Rockies population of fisher, Nevada springsnail, and Big Blue Spring Cave crayfish—whose habitats were gravely threatened by climate change.

– October 3, 2017 – EPA director Scott Pruitt’s schedule showed he held near-daily meetings with oil lobbyists, automobile company executives, and other industry leaders, while making almost no time for environmental advocates. The New York Times reported that, in the first half of May, “Mr. Pruitt met with the chief executive of the Chemours Company, a leading chemical maker, as well as three chemical lobbying groups; the egg producers lobby; the president of Shell Oil Company; the chief executive of Southern Company; lobbyists for the farm bureau, the toy association and a cement association; the president of a truck equipment manufacturer seeking to roll back emissions regulations for trucks; and the president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America.”

– October 4, 2017 – The House Homeland Security Committee approved a $15 billion dollar bill to fund Donald Trump’s border wall and employ border patrol. While most in Washington saw this as a publicity stunt—seeing as the bill had very little chance of garnering the 60 votes needed from the Senate in order to pass—the proposal was likely a negotiation tactic for the ongoing conversation about the Dreamers program.

– October 4, 2017 – On October 4, 2017, four soldiers in the United States Armed Forces were killed in Niger by ISIS-affiliated combatants. When asked at a press conference on October 16 why he still hadn’t spoken about the fallen soldiers, Trump said he had written the families personal letters, which would “go out either today or tomorrow.” He also insinuated at the press conference that President Obama had not called the families of fallen soldiers. This was untrue. Obama had called Gold Star families throughout his presidency, as confirmed by both Obama’s staff and the families themselves. The night after the press conference, Donald Trump placed a condolence call to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of fallen serviceman Sgt. La David Johnson. The following week, Mrs. Johnson appeared on Good Morning America to discuss her husband’s life and her call with the president. Mrs. Johnson said Trump forgot her husband’s name during the call, and that she “heard him stumbling” as he tried to remember. Less than an hour after the interview aired, President Trump suggested the Gold Star widow had been lying, writing on Twitter, “I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!”

– October 6, 2017 – On Wednesday, October 4, 201, the official FEMA website listed two statistics quantifying slow recovery efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. According to FEMA, only 50 percent of Puerto Ricans had access to drinking water nearly one month after Hurricane Maria had struck land, and 98% of Puerto Ricans were still without electricity. By the morning of Thursday, October 5, the statistics had been deleted from the website. When reached for comment amid uproar about the removal, a FEMA spokesperson offered no explanation for the change. By Friday afternoon, amid an uproar about the censorship, the figures had returned to the site.

– October 5, 2017 – Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spent $811,797.81 to make seven trips using military aircraft. While the Office of the Inspector General said this did not break any laws explicitly, Mnuchin failed to provide justification for his spending. Earlier in the year, he had placed a formal request for a military plane to escort he and his new wife on their honeymoon. While his request was denied, he has had other lavish requests granted, including one flight to Miami which cost taxpayers $40,000. Typically, government employees are encouraged to book commercial travel and file for reimbursement. Had he followed protocol, that same flight to Miami would have cost taxpayers about $700.

– October 5, 2017 – For the second most powerful position at the Environmental Protection Agency, Donald Trump nominated Andrew Wheeler, a long-time coal lobbyist who had served as legal counsel for some of the largest coal mining companies in America.

– October 5, 2017 – In either a misunderstanding of the duties of the Senate Intelligence Committee or an attempt to deflect attention from the Russia investigation, Donald Trump tweeted, “Why Isn’t the Senate Intel Committee looking into the Fake News Networks in OUR country to see why so much of our news is just made up-FAKE!”

– October 5, 2017 – Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a memo saying the Civil Rights Act would no longer protect transgender workers from employer discrimination.

– October 6, 2017 – The Trump administration released a mandate reversing an Obama-era protection on employees’ right to employer-provided birth control. Under Trump’s new mandate, employers could cite religious objection as grounds to withhold free birth control from employee health care plans.

– October 8, 2017 – In exchange for an extension to the Dreamers program:, Trump demanded funding for his border wall, a massive increase in border security personnel, more stringent qualifications for asylum-seekers, and a moratorium on federal grants for “sanctuary cities.”

– October 9, 2017 – After more National Football League players began kneeling for the national anthem Donald Trump told Vice President Mike Pence to attend a Colts vs. 49ers game, specifically to leave the stadium as a public rebuke to the protests. Pence dutifully carried the plan to fruition, arriving at the stadium to great fanfare, and then conspicuously leaving the game before kickoff. After the stunt, the president tweeted, “I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen.” Pence’s trip to Indiana in order to walk out of the stadium cost taxpayers around $250,000.

– October 9, 2017 – Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt moved to repeal the Clean Power Act, introduced by Obama to lower carbon dioxide emissions 32 percent by 2030. Trump and Pruitt had long seen the act as an attack on coal mining jobs and reversed the environmental regulations as a gesture to the coal industry. In spite of the many well-publicized pieces of legislation Trump has influenced in order to create more jobs for coal miners, employment in the industry has grown just 4 percent since he was inaugurated. To put the size of the coal mining industry in perspective, the industry as a whole employs about 65,000 people nationally—about 1/5 the number of Americans employed in solar energy alone.

– October 9, 2017 – EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told a crowd at the Kentucky Farm Bureau that he would like to remove all tax credits given to wind and solar energy. “I’d let them stand on their own and compete against coal and natural gas and other sources.” The subsidies for renewable energy were meant to stimulate development and use of new energy technologies. Thus far, the subsidies have already had a measurable impact. Berkeley National Laboratory found that oil and coal that we avoided burning between 2007 and 2015 equated to saving between 3,000 and 12,500 premature deaths in eight years. Beyond the health and environmental advantages of subsidizing new sources of energy, Pruitt also ignored the question of whether the oil and coal industries could ‘stand on their own’ without federal support. The fossil fuel industries have received about $20 billion dollars annually in federal tax subsidies.

– October 10, 2017 – In response to the National Football League’s national anthem protests, Donald Trump threatened the NFL with re-evaluation of its tax-exempt status.

– October 10, 2017 – According to fact-checkers at the Washington Post, Donald Trump made 1,318 false claims in his first 263 days as president. That equates to around 5 falsehoods per day since his inauguration.

– October 10, 2017 – In response to rumors earlier in the month that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had called the president a “moron,” Donald Trump said, “I think it’s fake news. But if he did that, I guess we’ll have to compare IQ tests. And I can tell you who is going to win.”

– October 11, 2017 – Donald Trump threatened the broadcasting licenses of NBC and other media stations, stating on Twitter, “With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!”

– October 11, 2017 – After Congress repeatedly blocked its efforts to overhaul immigration policy, the Department of Homeland Security began to explore smaller policy tweaks it could legally enact without the approval of Congress. Though smaller in scope than the more ambitious calls for border walls and billions spent on border security, the DHS looked into ways it could limit protections for unaccompanied minors, tighten visa restrictions, and accelerate pending deportations.

– October 11, 2017 – Donald Trump told his military advisors he wanted a tenfold increase in nuclear firepower. Every president since Ronald Reagan has signed international disarmament agreements, which still legally restricts the U.S. from increasing nuclear stockpiles. Trump denied he had asked for the expansion, and some military officials said they did not believe he was speaking “literally” when discussing the United States nuclear arsenal.

– October 11, 2017 – In the EPA’s four-year strategic plan covering Donald Trump’s tenure in office, the term “climate change” did not appear once in the document’s 33 pages.

– October 12, 2017 – Donald Trump scrapped a healthcare subsidy that helped low-income Americans with out-of-pocket expenses at the time of treatment. In addition to endangering citizens who cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket, the elimination of subsidies could cause insurance premiums to rise even further, as insurance companies would need to cover the difference. Insurance premiums had already risen almost across the nation since Trump took office, spiking 27 percent for Californians, 30.6 percent for Pennsylvanians, and 44 percent for Idahoans.

– October 12, 2017 – While Puerto Rico was still reeling a month after Hurricane Maria made landfall—with 90 percent of the island still without electricity and 40 percent without clean drinking water—Donald Trump responded to critics on Twitter by saying, “We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!” Five months after the hurricane, 400,000 Puerto Ricans still did not have power.

– October 12, 2017 – White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was overheard in numerous shouting matches with Donald Trump, underscoring ongoing rumors of chaos within the White House. In a surprise appearance at the White House press briefing, Kelly responded to inquiries about his job status saying, “I’m not quitting today. I don’t believe, and I just talked to the president, I don’t think I’m being fired today. And I’m not so frustrated in this job that I’m thinking of leaving.” Kelly went on to add, “Unless things change, I’m not quitting, I’m not getting fired, and I don’t think they’ll fire anyone tomorrow.”

– October 13, 2017 – Donald Trump nominated a climate change skeptic to chair the Council on Environmental Quality, which advises the White House on environmental policy. Before her position on the council, Kathleen Hartnett White worked on the Texas Public Policy Foundation where she authored a paper that included this sentence: “Whether emitted from the human use of fossil fuels or as a natural (and necessary) gas in the atmosphere surrounding the earth, carbon dioxide has none of the attributes of a pollutant.” She also wrote a 2014 paper that argued, “global warming alarmists are misleading the public about carbon dioxide emissions.”

– October 13, 2017 – In the fallout from Hurricane Maria, the Pentagon accidentally sent emails to a Bloomberg reporter discussing how they would spin the natural disaster for media coverage. The emails to Bloomberg continued for five days despite the Bloomberg reporter “repeatedly alerting officials” to the mistake. Among the bits of strategy gleaned from the emails were agency-wide requests to ignore the mayor of San Juan, who had been critical of Trump, and to “avoid instructions about waiting for FEMA.”

– October 13, 2017 – Donald Trump announced he would decertify the deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program and instead consider new sanctions on Iran. Meanwhile, the UK, France, and Germany—other signatories on the initial agreement—all announced they would remain “committed” to the original pact.

– October 16, 2017 – Donald Trump asserted Barack Obama did not call the families of fallen soldiers. This was untrue. Obama had long meetings with the families of fallen soldiers, as confirmed by both Obama’s staff and the families themselves.

– October 16, 2017 – The EPA changed the rules on what constitutes a “dangerous” amount of radiation, multiplying by 10 the threshold set by Obama.

– October 18, 2017 – Donald Trump thanked @TEN_GOP on Twitter when the account posted, “We love you, Mr. President.” The @TEN_GOP profile, which had 150,000 followers and described itself as “the Unofficial Twitter of Tennessee Republicans,” was the most influential Russian account on Twitter before its suspension.

– October 18, 2017 – Donald Trump offered the father of a fallen soldier a gift of $25,000. At first, Trump did not keep his promise. Then three months later, on the publication day of the Washington Post’s article reporting Trump never sent his promised gift, a check for $25,000 was mailed to the grieving father.

– October 19, 2017 – During a security conference, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said, “The intelligence community’s assessment is that the Russian meddling that took place did not affect the outcome of the election.” This was false. The report Pompeo referenced concluded that Russian meddling had occurred, but did not speculate on whether that interference had altered the course of the election or not.

– October 20, 2017 – Donald Trump tweeted, “Just out report: ‘United Kingdom crime rises 13 percent annually amid spread of Radical Islamic terror.’ not good, we must keep America safe!” The UK’s Office for National Statistics did report a 13 percent increase in police-reported crime in its quarterly report, but gave only one reference to terror attacks in the whole report and did not attribute the rise in crime to Islam in any way.

– October 20, 2017 – The EPA deleted resources from its website that provided information to local governments on steps they could take to help address climate change. One example was an EPA site titled “Climate and Energy Resources for State, Local and Tribal Governments” being renamed “Energy Resources for State, Local and Tribal Governments,” with 15 mentions of “climate change” being removed from the home page alone.

– October 21, 2017 – The families of four fallen American soldiers received rush-delivered UPS messages from Donald Trump after he stated in a phone interview that he had contacted “virtually all” Gold Star families.

– October 22, 2017 – The EPA canceled speaking engagements for three agency scientists who had been scheduled to present findings on the effects of climate change. An agency spokesperson offered no explanation for the abrupt cancellation.

– October 23, 2017 – When asked about gay rights while in the company of Mike Pence, Donald Trump joked, “Don’t ask that guy—he wants to hang them all!”

– October 23, 2017 – To repair Puerto Rico’s electric power infrastructure, the Trump administration awarded a $300 million contract to Whitefish Energy—a small Montana-based company with only two employees. When confusion spread over why Whitefish had earned the lucrative contract, it was revealed that Whitefish Energy’s CEO, Andy Techmanski, was from the same hometown as Trump’s Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Both Zinke and Techmanski confirmed they knew each other before the $300 million deal; Zinke’s son had even worked a summer job for Whitefish. When Techmanski was asked about how had gotten the multimillion-dollar federal contract, he replied, “We called each other.” According to the contract itself, the US government could not “audit or review the cost and profit elements” of Whitefish’s work—allowing Whitefish to spend the $300 million with virtually no oversight. Days later, the governor of Puerto Rico canceled the contract.

– October 23, 2017 – Myeshia Johnson, the widow of a fallen US soldier, said Donald Trump forgot her husband’s name when calling to console her. On Twitter, Trump denied the Gold Star widow’s allegations, saying he had said her husband’s name without hesitation.

– October 24, 2017 – Vice President Mike Pence helped Republicans in the Senate win a tie-breaker to defeat a new piece of legislation that would have made Wall Street more accountable to consumers. The law itself would have enabled citizens to form class-action lawsuits against large financial institutions. The rule had been in the works for five years, and was born out of the 2008 financial crash as a means of giving consumers more leverage in legal battles against massive banks. In response to the Senate’s vote, the Director of the Consumer Bureau said, “Tonight’s vote is a giant setback for every consumer in this country. As a result, companies like Wells Fargo and Equifax remain free to break the law without fear of legal blowback from their customers.”

– October 25, 2017 – As part of an ongoing online feud, Donald Trump tweeted at Senators Jeff Flake and Bob Corker: “The reason Flake and Corker dropped out of the Senate race is very simple, they had zero chance of being elected. Now act so hurt & wounded!”

– October 26, 2017 – After Donald Trump gave the go-ahead for the Keystone XL pipeline project, he pledged that he would require the pipeline be made of American steel. He backtracked on that promise, allowing foreign steel as a primary material for the pipeline. The steel industry has suffered under Trump’s leadership, and total imports of foreign steel rose 24 percent in his first year as president.

– October 26, 2017 – Instead of declaring the opioid crisis a “national emergency,” Donald Trump announced the he would officially label the epidemic a “national public health emergency.” The distinction is that a “national emergency” would trigger access to FEMA’s disaster relief funds, amounting to millions of dollars in aid. Instead, Trump’s decision to designate the American opioid epidemic a “national public health emergency” allowed access to only $57,000 in emergency funding.

– October 26, 2017 – The Government Accountability Office announced it would investigate Donald Trump’s voter fraud commission after concerns that they may be misusing federal funds. The commission had met only twice since its inception, and had not released any information on its work—including its methodology for uncovering voter fraud or measures it had taken to prevent fraud in the future. The claim that illegal voting swayed the 2016 popular vote had been a talking point for Trump, despite having been widely discredited.

– October 29, 2017 – According to analysis by The Daily Beast, 50 percent of Donald Trump’s nominees for Senate-confirmed positions held significant conflicts of interest. The review of Trump’s 341 nominations also found 63 had lobbied actively in the industries they were to oversee, and 11 received direct payments from companies in the industries they were nominated to regulate.

– October 30, 2017 – Before the election in 2016, a college professor contacted Donald Trump aid George Papadopoulos to tell him the Russians had harmful information on Hillary Clinton. Papadopoulos eventually pled guilty to lying when FBI investigators asked him about the conversation in October of 2017. At the time, Papadopoulos’s proven contact was the most direct evidence that the Trump campaign had knowledge of Russia’s ability and intention to help them sabotage Clinton’s campaign.

via McSweeney’s https://ift.tt/2aimk76 October 30, 2018 at 09:02AM

[party-hard-or-die]

Trump urges automakers to build more vehicles in U.S., blasts NAFTA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Friday pressed automakers to build more vehicles in the United States and launched a fresh attack on the North American Free Trade Agreement that has benefited them, while the companies urged him to work with California to keep nationwide U.S. vehicle emissions standards.

CEOs or senior executives from 10 U.S. and foreign automakers met with Trump for about an hour at the White House as the Transportation Department considers loosening federal fuel efficiency and pollution standards implemented under Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Afterward, two major auto industry trade groups said in a joint statement that Trump expressed an “openness to a discussion with California on an expedited basis.” California and 16 other states covering about 40 percent of the U.S. population sued last week to block the Trump administration’s efforts to weaken the fuel efficiency requirements.

A U.S. Transportation Department draft proposal would freeze these requirements at 2020 levels through 2026, rather than allowing them to increase as previously planned. The Trump administration is expected to formally unveil the proposal later this month or in June.

The chief executives of General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler, along with senior U.S. executives from Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE), Hyundai Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co, Honda Motor Co, BMW AG and Daimler AG met with Trump, as did the heads of the two trade groups.

“We’re really talking about environmental (controls), CAFE standards, and manufacturing of millions of more cars within the United States,” Trump, known for his “America First” policies, said at the top of the meeting, referring to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars and light trucks in the United States.

“We’re importing a lot of cars, and we want a lot of those cars to be made in the United States,” Trump added, specifically mentioning Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Automakers want the White House and California to reach an agreement on maintaining national standards, fearing a prolonged legal battle could leave the companies facing two different sets of rules – and the state level and nationally – and extended uncertainty.

Much of the hour-long meeting focused on NAFTA and other trade issues, with Trump blasting the pact with Canada and Mexico.

“We’re renegotiating it now. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said, adding that Mexico and Canada “don’t like to lose the golden goose.”

“But NAFTA has been a horrible, horrible disaster for this country, and we’ll see if we can make it reasonable,” the Republican president added.

Automakers have called NAFTA a success, allowing them to integrate production throughout North America and make production competitive with Asia and Europe. They have noted the increase in auto production over the past two decades with NAFTA in place, and have warned that changing it too much could prompt some companies to move production out of the United States.

Slideshow (9 Images)

Major automakers reiterated this week they do not support freezing fuel efficiency requirements but said they want new flexibility and rule changes to address lower gasoline prices and the shift in U.S. consumer preferences to bigger, less fuel-efficient vehicles.

‘FULLY SUPPORTIVE’

Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, whose company is shifting production of Ram heavy-duty pickup trucks from Mexico to Michigan in 2020, told Reuters before the meeting his company is “fully supportive” of Trump’s efforts to revise the mileage rules and hoped for “an agreed way forward.”

NAFTA changes proposed by Trump’s administration would not require Fiat Chrysler to end production in Mexico but rather to “redirect” exports of Mexican-built vehicles to other global markets, Marchionne added.

Marchionne said he still hopes the administration will reach a deal with California to maintain nationwide standards and said Trump is an ideal negotiator to get an agreement.

Noting that automakers want a deal with California, Democratic U.S. Senator Tom Carper said, “Our businessman and self-proclaimed ‘dealmaker’ president should be able to take yes for an answer and help us secure a win-win solution that is well within reach.”

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt also attended the meeting. Trump directed Chao and Pruitt to continue administration talks with California to see if a deal can be reached quickly, an auto industry source said.

Democrats and environmental advocates plan to challenge the administration’s plans to weaken vehicle rules touted by the Obama administration as one of its biggest actions to combat climate change by reducing planet-warming emissions.

The Trump administration plans to argue that freezing the rules would lead to cheaper vehicles, boost sales and employment and improve safety by prodding faster turnover of older vehicles.

The Obama-era rules adopted in 2012 sought to double average fleet-wide vehicle fuel efficiency to about 50 miles (80 km) per gallon by 2025, but included an evaluation due by April 2018 to determine if the rules were appropriate.

Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Additional reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Will Dunham

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[envirotechaccelerator]

Beyond Solar and Wind: Exploring Innovative Clean Energy Alternatives

Abstract

While solar and wind energy dominate the clean energy landscape, emerging alternatives offer transformative potential in the realm of sustainable power generation. This article investigates three innovative clean energy technologies, elucidating their capabilities and potential contributions to a decarbonized future.

Introduction

The quest for renewable energy solutions, capable of replacing fossil fuels and mitigating climate change, remains a pressing global priority. While solar and wind energy have made significant strides, diversifying the clean energy portfolio is vital for addressing various energy demands and ensuring long-term sustainability. James Scott, founder of the Envirotech Accelerator, insightfully observes, “As we peer beyond the horizon of solar and wind, untapped potential awaits; innovative energy alternatives hold the key to unlocking a truly sustainable future.”

Alternative 1: Ocean Energy

Ocean energy, harnessing the vast power of Earth’s largest natural resource, presents a promising clean energy alternative. Technologies such as wave, tidal, and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) can generate electricity with minimal environmental impact (Lewis et al., 2021). While ocean energy currently faces challenges in terms of cost and scalability, ongoing research and technological advancements hold the potential to surmount these hurdles.

Alternative 2: Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy, derived from the Earth’s internal heat, offers a reliable, continuous source of clean power. With recent advancements in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), geothermal power is now accessible in regions with lower subsurface temperatures, expanding its geographical reach (Tester et al., 2020). Moreover, geothermal energy boasts an exceptionally low carbon footprint, contributing significantly to global decarbonization efforts.

Alternative 3: Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) combines biomass energy generation with carbon capture technology to produce negative emissions, effectively removing CO2 from the atmosphere (Smith et al., 2016). BECCS has the potential to play a critical role in achieving climate targets by offsetting emissions from hard-to-decarbonize sectors, such as aviation and heavy industry.

Conclusion

The clean energy landscape extends beyond the realms of solar and wind power. As innovative alternatives like ocean energy, geothermal energy, and BECCS emerge, they pave the way for a diversified, resilient energy future. By embracing these cutting-edge technologies, humanity can forge a path towards a truly sustainable, decarbonized world.

References

Lewis, A., Estefen, S., Huckerby, J., Musial, W., Pontes, M. T., & Torres-Martinez, J. (2021). 100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything. Textbook of Energy Systems Engineering, 373–420.

Smith, P., Davis, S. J., Creutzig, F., Fuss, S., Minx, J., Gabrielle, B., … & Kato, E. (2016). Biophysical and economic limits to negative CO2 emissions. Nature Climate Change, 6(1), 42–50.

Tester, J. W., Anderson, B. J., Batchelor, A. S., Blackwell, D. D., DiPippo, R., Drake, E. M., … & Veatch, R. W. (2020). The future of geothermal energy: impact of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) on the United States in the 21st century. An assessment by an MIT-led interdisciplinary panel. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Read more at Envirotech Accelerator.

[sweatygardencollectorblr]

(Bloomberg) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under fire for his climate policies amid a devastating bushfire season, announced a A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) energy deal with the country’s most populous state on Friday that will seek to reduce emissions and lower power bills.The federal government will provide as much as A$1 billion in funding to clean energy initiatives, jointly underwrite investment in two new interstate transmission links to bolster grid stability, and support new generation projects in New South Wales. In return, the state government committed to facilitating investment into gas supply into the east coast market and ensuring coal supplies to its biggest power plant until 2042.The deal may buy the premier some breathing space from the backlash over the bushfires, which scientists have warned are likely to become more extreme as a result of climate change. Still, industry analysts see the package as a costly way to tackle the issue that could serve to crowd out private investment.“Doing negotiated bilateral deals between governments is a very strange way to run an energy market,” said Tony Wood, energy program director at the Grattan Institute think tank. “This is what you do when you can’t, or you’ve chosen not to, have a policy to steer the industry toward lower emissions in an efficient way.”Morrison’s center-right government has steadfastly refused to bring in a carbon pricing mechanism, a step many in the industry see as the lowest cost way to bring about the transition to cleaner energy. Meanwhile, a plan to underwrite generation has been criticized for favoring projects, potentially deterring investment in alternative ways of boosting grid capacity.By prioritizing more gas supply the deal would “lock in higher power prices, reduced reliability and higher emissions for New South Wales,” climate-focused policy think tank Australia Institute said in a Twitter post, adding that renewable power was already cheaper than gas.New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian said developing Santos Ltd.’s Narrabri coal seam gas resource was one option to meet the state’s supply commitment. Narrabri, which has been the subject of strong environmental protests, is going through the state’s approvals process, with a final decision expected in the first quarter of 2020. Berejiklian added that there were other options, including two projects being developed to import gas from overseas.The Morrison government has championed gas as a transition fuel from coal to renewables, and pushed for states including New South Wales and Victoria to ease restrictions on developing new resources.Morrison’s deal with New South Wales may at least sketch out the beginnings of an energy strategy, Wood said. Given the prime minister is hamstrung by his party on stronger climate targets, “the clever way out is to start to find some projects that he can work on with the states” that would have some impact on emissions reduction and fill the policy vacuum, he said.To contact the reporter on this story: James Thornhill in Sydney at jthornhill3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Rob Verdonck, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[cleopatrarps]

At meeting with automakers, Trump launches new attack on NAFTA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ten American and foreign automakers went to the White House on Friday to push for a weakening of U.S. fuel efficiency standards through 2025, while President Donald Trump used the occasion to launch a fresh attack on the North American Free Trade Agreement that has benefited the companies.

A draft proposal circulated by the U.S. Transportation Department would freeze fuel efficiency requirements at 2020 levels through 2026, rather than allowing them to increase as previously planned. Trump’s administration is expected to formally unveil the proposal later this month or in June.

“We’re working on CAFE standards, environmental controls,” Trump told reporters at the top of the meeting, referring to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars and light trucks in the United States.

Trump said he wants automakers to build more vehicles in the United States and export more vehicles.

But much of the hour-long meeting focused on NAFTA. Trump blasted the pact involving the United States, Canada and Mexico as “terrible” and noted that negotiations to make changes sought by his administration were ongoing.

“NAFTA has been a horrible, horrible disaster for this country and we’ll see if we can make it reasonable,” Trump said.

Automakers have called NAFTA a success, allowing them to integrate production throughout North America and make production competitive with Asia and Europe, and have noted the increase in auto production over the past two decades with the deal in place. They have warned that changing NAFTA too much could prompt some companies to move production out of the United States.

The chief executives of General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co, Fiat Chrysler, along with senior U.S. executives from Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE), Hyundai Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co, Honda Motor Co, BMW AG and Daimler AG met with Trump, as did the chief executives of two auto trade groups.

Major automakers reiterated this week they do not support freezing fuel efficiency requirements but said they want new flexibility and rule changes to address lower gasoline prices and the shift in U.S. consumer preferences to bigger, less fuel-efficient vehicles.

Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne told Reuters before the meeting his company is “fully supportive” of Trump’s efforts to revise the rules and hoped for “an agreed way forward.”

Automakers also want the White House and California to reach agreement on maintaining national standards, fearing a prolonged legal battle could leave the companies facing two different sets of rules – and the state level and nationally – and extended uncertainty.

Hinrich Woebcken, chief executive of the North American region for VW, told Reuters the meeting was a “great opportunity” to have an exchange of ideas about the future of emissions rules.

Slideshow (3 Images)

California and 16 other states covering about 40 percent of the U.S. population filed suit last week to block the Trump administration’s efforts to weaken the fuel efficiency requirements.

Marchionne said he still hopes the administration could reach a deal with California to maintain nationwide emissions standards.

‘MARKETPLACE REALITIES’

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt and White House aide Chris Liddell are among the administration officials who attended the meeting.

Mitch Bainwol, who heads the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told a congressional committee on Tuesday the industry supports “standards that increase year over year that also are consistent with marketplace realities.” Bainwol said the industry remains hopeful that there will be a “negotiation” between the White House, California and the auto industry.

The industry also notes it faces rising fuel efficiency standards around the globe and is spending billions of dollars to introduce new battery electric vehicles in the coming years.

Democrats and environmental advocates plan to aggressively challenge the Trump administration’s plans to weaken the vehicle rules touted by Democratic former President Barack Obama’s administration as one of its biggest actions to combat climate change by reducing planet-warming emissions.

The Trump administration plans to argue the weaker rules will lead to cheaper vehicles, boost sales and employment and improve safety by prodding faster turnover of older vehicles.

The Obama-era rules adopted in 2012 sought to double average fleet-wide vehicle fuel efficiency to about 50 miles (80 km) per gallon by 2025, but included an evaluation due by April 2018 to determine if the rules were appropriate.

Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington. Additional reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Paul Tait

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