Ruth Greenspan Bell

President Joe Biden climate change
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on his proposed budget for fiscal year 2024, Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the Finishing Trades Institute in Philadelphia. (Credit: White House Photo by Hannah Foslien)

Op-ed: Biden’s Arctic drilling go-ahead illustrates the limits of democratic problem solving

President Biden continues to deploy conventional tactics against the highly unconventional threat of climate change.

Howls of outrage met the Biden administration decision to allow Arctic oil drilling at the same time it pursues the most climate-friendly agenda of any American president. How can this conflict in priorities be explained?

Keep reading...Show less
United Nations climate change
Credit: UK Government

Op-ed: It’s time to re-think the United Nations’ COP climate negotiations

When you work on climate change, cognitive dissonance is a daily experience. I recently visited West Virginia to bask in the glorious colors of fall.

Keep reading...Show less
Ruth Greenspan Bell: Wealth and the climate dilemma
Credit: Andrew Martin from Pixabay

Ruth Greenspan Bell: Wealth and the climate dilemma

Irony abounds as we close out a summer that brought the death of the climate truthteller, scientist James Lovelock, along with news that more countries in Africa and South America have decided to exploit, aggressively, their fossil fuel production – protected areas and former promises be damned.

Keep reading...Show less
Gina McCarthy climate change

Op-ed: Gina McCarthy takes the reins on national climate action

Gina McCarthy, President Biden's Director of the Office of Domestic Climate Policy, has her work cut out for her.

Keep reading...Show less
COVID-19 vaccine

Op-ed: The tempting but false COVID-19, climate analogy

As we gradually work our way out of the pandemic with the development and distribution of vaccines, what does our evolving success tell us about the possibilities of resolving the climate change crisis?

Keep reading...Show less

Bell: Pump the breaks on climate tax talk

The oddly broad-based support for a carbon tax should make us wake up and pay attention to the important policy details.

Keep reading...Show less
Commentary: To tax or not to tax—that is the question.
Craebby Crabbson/flickr

Commentary: To tax or not to tax—that is the question.

As bad news continues to roll in regarding the accelerating impacts of greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere, there is increasing discussion about imposing a carbon tax. Economists across the political spectrum support it, from Irwin Seltzer’s camp that remains “uncertain as to whether there is a global warming phenomenon” to William Nordhaus, who unequivocally views climate change as a threat.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
lead in spices

Tracking down a poison: Getting the lead out of spices in Bangladesh and Georgia

Many low- and middle-income countries lack the resources to tackle lead poisoning. Here’s how two countries did it.

child lead exposure

Tracking down a poison: Inside the fight for global action on lead

Lead poisoning is a devastating and overlooked global health crisis. Revealing its prevalence and sources is the first step to change that.

environmental justice

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice program accepting applications

Do you find that public voices in science are lacking diversity and want to help create change? We want to hear from you.

fast food PFAS

Burgers and fries with a side of PFAS

New testing finds evidence of “forever chemicals” in fast-food packaging from popular spots like McDonald’s, Starbucks and KFC.

BADGE BPA chemical

BPA's evil cousin

An ongoing series examining BADGE — an unregulated danger in epoxy resins.

environmental justice

LISTEN: How Western media could better cover climate change in the Middle East

“The whole media of the Western countries don’t do justice to some of the works being done here.”