World Resources Institute / George Mason University
Andrew Light is a distinguished senior fellow at the World Resources Institute and a professor director of the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at George Mason University.
A former senior adviser to the US Special Envoy on Climate Change, he is one of the architects of the Paris Agreement.
US watching from sidelines of global climate conference In Bonn, Germany, negotiators are trying to sharpen the fine points of the Paris Climate Accord, and US diplomats are in attendance. But they have limitations, given that President Trump has pledged to withdraw from the Accord. The US can't officially pull out until the year 2020. So what are US negotiators up to at this week's meetings ? We ask Andrew Light, an architect of the Paris Accord for the Obama Administration. Now a distinguished senior fellow at the World Resources Institute, Light considers the roles of the US, China and California Governor Jerry Brown.
Trump likely to pull US out of Paris Climate Agreement Syria and Nicaragua are the only nations that have refused to be part of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The only other holdout — Uzbekistan -- got on board last month. But just last month, President Trump called it too costly for America. "It's estimated that full compliance with the agreement could ultimate shrink America's GDP by $2.5 trillion over a ten-year period that means factories and plants closing – here we go again. Not with me folks!" Trump has reportedly decided to make good on that promise, after completing a round of meetings with his divided cabinet. We hear what that could mean for international relations, America's leadership role in the world — and the effort to put the brakes on climate change. What's in store for America's economy and the creation of jobs? Photo: The Eiffel tower is illuminated in green with the words "Paris Agreement is Done," to celebrate the Paris UN COP21 Climate Change agreement in Paris, France, November 4, 2016. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
Trump tackles Obama's legacy on global warming The EPA and other agencies can now ignore rising seas, ocean acidification, heat waves and drought — which most scientists attribute to climate change. President Trump doesn't accept it, and he's revoking Obama Administration limits on the oil and coal industries in the interests of "energy independence." Several states plan to fight him every step of the way, and economics now favor energy from natural gas, the sun and the wind. We hear what's next for the Clean Power Plan , the Paris Agreements and the strengths and limits of presidential power.
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?