Fred Krupp's call to action for US Presidential canidates

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This is the same point I tried to make yesterday about the on coming battle over climate change. Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund, reaffirms this argument in a recent interview on CNet news.

We've had a national stalemate over climate-change policy seemingly forever. Do you think that might change soon?

There's a 90 percent chance that within the next 18 to 24 months, we will get a strong cap and trade bill. It will be here because all three presidential candidates have come out in favor of the idea.

But why has Washington dodged the question on how to deal with greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels for so long?

The science is overwhelming. Why haven't politicians moved more quickly? There are entrenched interests which want to keep the status quo...We've made this our main priority by far but we're up against big, vested interests. Also, the issue's been polarized and become part of the political divide in this country. It's been identified with liberal Democrats and there's been an almost religious conviction among almost half the population that this can't be true. They hear their opinion leaders like the president and (Sen. James) Inhofe saying it can't be true. Getting past that divide has been really, really hard. But I think we're past that.

Supreme court weighs in on Exxon Valdez case

This should be an interesting case to watch. Justice Samuel Alito, who owns Exxon stock, is not taking part in the case. A 4-4 split on that or any issue would leave the appeals court ruling in place. If punitive damages are not harsh, this will send a signal to oil companies around the world that they can lower their standards for environmental safety. If Exxon is hurt in the wallet, then oil companies will exercise due diligence in their practices. Corporations are accountable to their shareholders and the only thing that influences their behavior is the bottom line. I'm sure that the neocons that have been trying to stack the courts are hoping their judges deliver along in accordance to the ideology that permeates the Bush administration.