2008 Year In Review

 
 

Looking Ahead to the Obama Administration

President-elect Obama has made it clear that he's ready to deliver the action needed to protect our climate, our economy, and our national security. He is assembling a team with a keen interest in addressing climate change, and the talent and skills to get the job done.

Visit our Obama Transition page to view Pew Center resources and statements about the new administration. Eileen Claussen voices her support for Obama's "Green Team" on Change.gov.

 
International

UNFCCC COP 14 in Poznan

The Pew Center summarizes the Poznan conference: Leaders agree to move into "full negotiating mode" in 2009. Read the summary and key related items on our COP 14 page. 

EU Emissions Trading System in Perspective

In May, the Pew Center released "The European Union's Emissions Trading System in Perspective". The report addresses common misperceptions of the EU-ETS and identifies key lessons learned.

More 2008 International News & Analysis
Congressional

Congressional Policy Brief Series
 
Capitol-HillThe Congressional Policy Brief Series walks policymakers through important cap-and-trade design elements and various complementary policy approaches.


Cap & Trade Bill Chart

Comparisons and summaries of economy-wide cap-and-trade proposals in the 110th Congress. Features an illustrated graph of proposed emission reduction targets over time.
 
 
U.S. Federal

Judicial Analyses

Featuring Clean Air Act rulings and other summaries and analyses of climate-related cases.

Cap & Trade 101

This new brief explains how a cap-and-trade program sets a clear limit on greenhouse gas emissions and minimizes the cost of achieving this target.


More 2008 Federal News and Analysis
 
Pew Perspectives

Obama's Green Team
Eileen Claussen discusses President-Elect Obama's selections for his "green team" on NPR's Morning Edition (December 16, 2008)


Progress at Poznan

Elliot Diringer discusses progress at the  Poznan talks and previews the road to Copenhagen on E&E TV's On Point. (December 16, 2008)
 

See more of Pew in the media
 
 
Events

Workshop Features Obama Nominees

Pew's State and Federal policy workshop involved many key players in the incoming Obama administration and new Congress, including EPA Administrator nominee Lisa Jackson, Commerce Secretary nominee Bill Richardson, incoming Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, and many other influential voices on climate policy.


Carbon Market Insights 2008 The Pew Center and Point Carbon organized Carbon Market Insights Americas 2008. The event provided participants with a fresh analysis on climate policy and carbon markets.
 
Pew Milestones


Pew Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary

2008 marks ten years of providing credible information, straight answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address global climate change.

Read John Fialka's ClimateWire profile of the Pew Center.


Pew Launches New Website
This spring, the Pew Center launched a redesigned website with the same reliable and timely information and analysis that you have trusted for years but with a fresh new look.   

 
Technology

Coal Initiative Seriescoal plant

Three 2008 papers from Pew's Coal Initiative Series explore strategies for addressing CO2 emissions from using coal to provide electricity.

Natural Gas Paper

This new paper provides an overview of the different point-of-regulation options for covering greenhouse gas emissions
from natural gas under a cap-and-trade program.

 
State News

Regional Initiatives Work to Implement Cap-and-Trade Programs

This year, two U.S. climate action initiatives made major strides in implementing regional greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade programs.

In September, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) conducted the first-ever U.S. auction of emissions allowances under a mandatory cap-and-trade system, and the Western Climate Initiative released design recommendations for a mandatory cap-and-trade system.
 
Renewable Energy Rules Advance in Midwest

Ohio and Michigan passed laws requiring greater use of cleaner energy sources, such as wind and solar power. Our Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards map identifies other states with similar standards.
 

More 2008 State and Regional News
 
Science & Impacts
HurricaneCauses of Global Climate Change Examined
 
This Science Brief features key graphs and facts reflecting the most recent data related to global warming. 
 
Climate Change Risks & Scientific Uncertainty
 
In The Aspen Institute's book The Global Politics of Energy, Pew Center Senior Scientist Jay Gulledge outlines "Climate Change Risks in the Context of Scientific Uncertainty".  
 
 
Make an Impact

Pew Partners on Unique Initiative


In what is believed to be a first for corporate America, the Pew Center and the Alcoa Foundation partnered to launch a unique program to help Alcoa employees, their families and people in surrounding communities understand and manage their personal energy use.  

Visit the Make an Impact website to learn more.
 
Markets & Business

BELC Adopts New Principles

In 2008, the Pew Center's Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC) adopted new principles supporting mandatory climate policy. Now with 44 member companies, the BELC is the largest US-based association of corporations focused on addressing the challenges of climate change.

Offset Quality Initiative This coalition of six non-profit groups released a paper with recommendations for integrating GHG offsets into emerging regulatory systems.


More 2008 Markets & Business News 
 
Economics
 
Insights Not Absolutes: White Paper Examines Economic Models

This paper addresses the importance of understanding the limitations of models and the insights that can be gleaned from their results.

Lieberman-Warner Economic Insights

This Pew Center brief examines six models used to assess the economic impacts of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act and puts them in context for consumers of this modeling information.
 
 
Donating to the Pew Center

For ten years, the Pew Center's mission has been to provide credible information, straight answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address global climate change. Today, climate change sits atop the list of global issues facing world leaders.

We are at a critical juncture in the climate change debate. While it is clear that it will take decades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to acceptable levels, it is equally clear that we must begin now. Your financial support will help us as we continue our work toward environmentally effective and economically viable solutions to this challenge.
 
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