California Governor may already be looking ahead

While it might seem presumptuous for a governor of just one state to attempt to influence the talks, Schwarzenegger is a unique character. He has successfully branded himself as a modern environmental activist by repeating the same message: Cut emissions and invest in green technologies such as solar and wind power.

That image has held even though implementation of Schwarzenegger's signature policy -- the 2006 law seeking to cut emissions roughly a third by 2020 -- is so complex that it won't be completed until after he leaves office.

"When I think about what we're doing to address climate change and address a global issue, I think it's only fitting that Governor Schwarzenegger should be the lead," said Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich during the Beverly Hills conference. "After all, he was a seven-time Mr. Olympia and two-time Mr. Universe, and when it comes to climate change, you, Arnold, are Mr. World."

The global warming crowd's on thin ice in this economic climate - NJVoices: Paul Mulshine

Maybe I can't predict the weather, but I can predict the climate inside the Beltway. And I predict that now that the Democrats control both the presidency and Congress, they'll cool down their rhetoric on global warming.

Otherwise they'll end up going downhill faster than I ever could.

Memex 1.1 » Blog Archive » Writing by candlelight

We had a power cut today. Our house — and indeed the entire village — was without electricity from before noon until late afternoon. Sobering experience. And a salutary reminder of how much our lives depend on stable electricity supplies. Basically, nothing in our house worked: no lighting; no heating; no cooking; no hot water; no TV; no broadband; no chargers for mobile phones. I lit a blazing log fire, so we wouldn’t have frozen, and we could always have gone out to restaurant if there had been no power for cooking. As I say, sobering. And also a reminder of why, global warming or not, no democratic government is going to allow electricity supplies to falter. So we’ll have nukes, or whatever else it takes to keep the lights on.