- Social:
Columbia Law School
Professor at Columbia Law School, Director of its Center for Climate Change Law and Chair of the faculty of Columbia University's Earth Institute
PROFILE
Michael Gerrard
Guest
FROM Michael Gerrard
To the Point
Reality check: Climate change The promises of candidates during political campaigns are often made to be broken, but they do provide clues for voters who want to know what government might look like once the election is over. Hillary Clinton describes global warming as an "urgent threat." Donald Trump once called it "a hoax created by the Chinese." He's tried to back off a bit, but their differences are still profound, with dramatic consequences for energy policy and the environment. Clinton says she'll increase reductions in fossil fuel and build on the Obama legacy — which Trump promises to obliterate while he restores the coal industry. We hear the implications for the Paris climate accords — just approved by the European Union — and for national security.
To the Point
A Lack of Global Consensus in the Fight against Global Warming In a 5-to-4 ruling this week, the US Supreme Court ruled against the EPA's regulation of toxic emissions from coal and oil-fired power plants. For the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said the monetary cost to power-plant operators was not worth "a few dollars in health or environmental benefits." That could mean trouble for President Obama's clean air agenda . Meantime, a Dutch court says its government must increase cuts in emissions -- regardless of cost -- in the interest of health and safety. Conflicting court rulings dramatize conflicting approaches to the environment and global warming.
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To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
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?
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.