QUICK NEWS, May 6: Climate Crisis Now A Priority For Voters; State Renewables Mandates Bring Benefits

Climate Crisis Now A Priority For Voters Polls say: Everything’s coming up green

Molly Enking, May 1, 2019 (Grist)

“For the first time, climate change is ranked as the No. 1 issue among Democratic voters in a new national CNN poll…82 percent of voting Democrats (including left-leaning Independents) listed climate change as a ‘top priority’ that they’d like to see presidential candidates focus on. The next-highest issue was universal health care, at 75 percent, followed by gun reform, at 65 percent…

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[Y]oung people, in particular, feel climate change is a major priority…[V]oters between 18 and 29 said they’d favor action on the climate crisis even if it hurts economic growth…[and] a high percentage of young people plan to vote…Although not everyone believes global warming has already begun, most Americans report worrying about climate change ‘a great deal’ or a ‘fair amount,’ according to a recent Gallup poll…” click here for more

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State Renewables Mandates Bring Benefits What That Flashy Renewable Energy Paper Got Wrong

Amanda Levin, April 25, 2019 (Natural Resources Defense Council)

“…The price of onshore wind fell 22%, solar prices fell 33% after 2015, and now] renewable energy is so inexpensive, utilities have found that they can save customers money by closing coal plants early and replacing them with wind and solar power…[But a new paper concludes renewables mandates, called renewable portfolio standards (RPS)] programs are costly and ineffective at addressing climate change…

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The Energy Department’s national labs have done their own large-scale studies each year and found that these polices drive significant renewable energy development at low costs for customers—about 2 percent of an U.S. household’s average monthly bill (or a little more than $2 a month).,,[And the benefits] could top $1 trillion…[The paper] only includes data through 2015. That means it has missed out on the recent declines in renewable energy prices…It is precisely because of these falling costs that many states have decided to strengthen their standards in the last three years…The research ignores other factors and inappropriately blames renewables for other cost increases…” click here for more

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