The White-Knuckle Worries about Japan and Nuclear Problems

As a terrified and grief-stricken Japan begins to rebuild, questions about what can be learned from this terrible tragedy are beginning to be assessed in our own country. The matter of nuclear power plant safety in America is slowly becoming a talking point of many U.S. politicians worried about issues similar to those Japan is facing after the quake.

Democratic Representative Ed Markey of Massachusetts has recently called into question the practicality of building a nuclear power plant in states prone to earthquakes. "We just have to call a time-out and examine whether or not those safety features necessary in the future are built into new nuclear power plants in our country," said Markey, who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The question of nuclear power safety even reaches farther than just earthquake-prone territories, according to politicians like Senator John Kerry. “We clearly need to have a new generation of safer, more fail-safe plants if any are going to be built,” said the former presidential candidate in comments quoted on Politico. “Obviously this is going to go through a much greater scrutiny. It ought to. There’ll be a much tougher standard. There ought to be. Whether there’s any at all,” he added.

So as the fallout from Japan continues to be assessed and U.S. leaders begin to make plant safety an issue, people are asking: Is nuclear power worth it? With more than 70 percent of carbon-free energy in the United States estimated to be coming from nuclear power, we’ve clearly made nuclear energy a staple of alternative energy in America. But are we doing enough to protect ourselves, and should we continue down our current path of nuclear investment?

On April 8, the Commonwealth Club's Climate One series will hold a program on the viability of nuclear energy in California. "Nuclear Power: More, Less or the Status Quo" will examine if nuclear power is worth it for California and discuss viable options to improving it if it is.

Also join us for a discussion on green energy solutions other than nuclear power on April 5. Duke of Energy and Energy Policy: What's Next? will give a closer look at what’s next in the green sector. Learn what is possible and get an insider's look at what the future might hold for America’s energy needs.

–By James Dohnert

Eric Schmidt Steps Aside as Google's CEO

Google's Eric Schmidt announced today that he was stepping aside as CEO of the online giant and assuming the role as executive chairman.

Schmidt reported that:

Larry [Page] will now lead product development and technology strategy, his greatest strengths, and starting from April 4 he will take charge of our day-to-day operations as Google’s Chief Executive Officer. In this new role I know he will merge Google’s technology and business vision brilliantly. I am enormously proud of my last decade as CEO, and I am certain that the next 10 years under Larry will be even better! Larry, in my clear opinion, is ready to lead.

Sergey [Brin] has decided to devote his time and energy to strategic projects, in particular working on new products. His title will be Co-Founder. He’s an innovator and entrepreneur to the core, and this role suits him perfectly.

As Executive Chairman, I will focus wherever I can add the greatest value: externally, on the deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership that are increasingly important given Google’s global reach; and internally as an advisor to Larry and Sergey.

You can watch the video below of Schmidt's popular appearance at The Commonwealth Club's Climate One program on October 1, 2008, where he discussed "Where Would Google Drill?" – a look at innovative energy investments by the company.

Hillary Clinton's Commonwealth Club Remarks Continue to Spur Debate

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (right) discusses U.S. environmental and foreign policy with Commonwealth Club Vice President and Climate One Director Greg Dalton. Photo by Sonya Abrams.

When U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared before a giant crowd at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco in October, she discussed a wide range of issues. Mexico's drug war, technology, expansion of diplomacy, Afghanistan, a crude oil pipeline.

It is that last item, the pipeline, that is causing lasting controversy. As Politico.com – a Washington, D.C.-based political web site – reports today, critics such as Republican Sen. Mike Johanns (Neb.) have gone after the secretary for saying the Obama administration was inclined to approve a pipeline that would bring crude oil from Alberto into the United States.

Politico reports:

“The State Department and the Obama administration are in a real jam,” Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) told Politico. “They want to look very environmental, and I just think they’re just struggling on what to do with this thing.”

Johanns and other critics of the pipeline lambasted Clinton for comments she made in October suggesting the department was “inclined” to greenlight the pipeline even as thousands of comments were still being reviewed as part of an ongoing environmental assessment.

... Johanns has contended that Clinton’s remarks will inevitably lead to lawsuits citing that the department had come to a premature conclusion if it grants the pipeline. “For her to come out and say we’re inclined to grant it when the public comments had not been fully reviewed certainly is going to lay the groundwork for someone to claim that the process was arbitrary and capricious,” he said.

... Clinton has since emphasized — as recently as in a letter last week to Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) — that the department has not finished its review of the plan to build a 1,700-mile pipeline through five states — entering Montana, through South Dakota and Nebraska before meeting up with an existing pipeline in Kansas. It then continues in Oklahoma and into Texas.

“In order for the State Department to make a sound decision, it is important that we conduct our review in a thorough and transparent manner, taking into consideration all relevant factors, including both environmental and economic impacts,” Clinton wrote.

The Politico article does not quote Clinton's original comments at length. However, here is the original comment the secretary of state made in her on-stage conversation with Climate One Director and Commonwealth Club Vice President Greg Dalton:

DALTON: Another international issue that you signed in on last year was the Alberta Clipper, a pipeline from Alberta that brings tar sands, oil sands directly into Wisconsin to the U.S. Midwest. This is some of the dirtiest fuel in the world. How can the U.S. be saying climate change is a priority when we're mainlining some of the dirtiest fuel that exists?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, there hasn't been a final decision made. It is –

DALTON: Are you willing to reconsider it?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Probably not. And we — but we haven't finished all of the analysis. So as I say, we've not yet signed off on it. But we are inclined to do so and we are for several reasons — going back to one of your original questions — we're either going to be dependent on dirty oil from the Gulf or dirty oil from Canada. And until we can get our act together as a country and figure out that clean, renewable energy is in both our economic interests and the interests of our planet — I mean, I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone how deeply disappointed the president and I are about our inability to get the kind of legislation through the Senate that the United States was seeking.

Now, that hasn't stopped what we're doing. We have moved a lot on the regulatory front through the EPA here at home and we have been working with a number of countries on adaptation and mitigation measures. But obviously, it was one of the highest priorities of the administration for us to enshrine in legislation President Obama's commitment to reducing our emissions. So we do have a lot that still must be done. And it is a hard balancing act. It's a very hard balancing act. But it is also, for me, energy security requires that I look at all of the factors that we have to consider while we try to expedite as much as we can America's move toward clean, renewable energy. And the double disappointment is that despite China's resistance to transparency and how difficult it was for President Obama and I to drive even the Copenhagen Agreement that we finally got by crashing a meeting of China and India and Brazil and South Africa, which –

DALTON: I would have liked to have seen that one.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Yeah, that was — [audience applause] — well, so we got the Copenhagen Agreement and China did sign up for it. But at the same time, they're making enormous investments in clean energy technology. And if we permit that to happen, shame on us. And it is something that United States should be the leader in. It is one of the ways to stimulate and grow our economy and create good jobs. So that's just a small window into the dilemma that we're confronted with.

You can read an excerpt of her entire program in the digital edition of the current issue of The Commonwealth magazine.

States Step out in Cancun

Greg Dalton, Club vice president and director of its Climate One program, is in Cancun this week for the climate conference taking place there. He blogs:

With international negotiations stuck in the sand and the political climate in Washington DC hostile to the reality of "global weirding," much of the discussion at the Cancun climate conference is about what states and cities can do to keep moving forward. Seen in that light, the United States looks firm around the edges and is starting to appear flabby in the middle.

California has been a bright spot at these conferences for the past several years and it's aura is shining even stronger these days following the results of this fall's election. Lauren Faber, Assistant Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, crowed that more people (nearly 6 million) cast ballots to sustain the state's core clean energy policy (AB 32) than voted for or against any other candidate or issue around the United States.

Read his entire blog post

George Weyerhauser Climate Program on KGO HD this Month

For those of you in the Bay Area who might like to catch The Commonwealth Club's program with George Weyerhauser ("Climate Countdown"), it will air on KGO HD Channel 715 on Sunday, November 28, at 10:00 p.m.

Video of Secretary of State HIllary Rodham Clinton

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed Climate One at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on Friday, October 15, 2010. Here's the video:

If You Missed Hillary Clinton Tonight at The Commonwealth Club ...

Then you missed a great program. Secretary of State Clinton addressed a sold-out audience of 1,400 people in downtown San Francisco this evening, talking about everything from Mexico's drug war to environmental needs; but the underpinning of her speech and conversation with Climate One Director Greg Dalton was the need for the United States to be engaged with the world's problems and to approach challenges intelligently, using all of the tools in the country's toolkit.

Stay tuned to this blog, as well as The Commonwealth Club's radio, podcast, television and online video networks. We'll be uploading audio, video, and still photos from this event in the near future.

Photo by Sonya Abrams.

NEW: Sec. of State Hillary Clinton at Commonwealth Club October 15

The Commonwealth Club of California announced today that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will appear at The Club on Friday evening, October 15, in San Francisco.

In what will be a much-talked-about event, Secretary Clinton will address important issues of climate change and women around the world, as well as the future of American leadership. She will be speaking at a special program of The Club's Climate One division.

With a bruised economy and developing countries on the rise, can the United States still lead the world in the 21st Century? What challenges do soaring budget deficits, globalization and an unstable climate present for U.S. national interests? Can America's tradition of innovative ideas and technology keep us ahead of the world's biggest problems? How can educating and empowering women around the world help reduce carbon emissions and raise living standards? Join us for a conversation with Secretary of State Clinton at the intersection of diplomacy, innovation and the prospects for a clean and safe future.

Tickets are certain to go fast, so order today.

Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Gov. Schwarzenegger's Commonwealth Club Speech

Last night on his program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's Olbermann featured extended excerpts from Monday's speech by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the anniversary of the passage of AB32, the state's climate change law.

Speaking at The Commonwealth Club's Climate One program in Silicon Valley, Schwarzenegger took off his (rhetorical) gloves and sharply criticized the forces that have pushed a repeal or freeze of AB32. Watch the video yourself from MSNBC.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Schwarzenegger, AB32, and the Future of California's Environmental Commitment

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is coming to The Commonwealth Club September 27 to highlight the anniversary of AB32, the state's landmark climate-change legislation.

Schwarzenegger will be heading up a program of The Club's Climate One series, which focuses on bringing together people from across the political spectrum, from business to environmental movements and beyond, to address climate-change issues.

He has spoken at The Club for each of the past few years to mark AB32, but this year the discussion should be most poignant. The climate-change bill is the subject of withering criticism from conservative politicians who are arguing that the state should focus on jobs first, then the environment. But Schwarzenegger has been a vocal proponent of using climate-change initiatives to create green jobs and industries.

What does he think of his party's candidates in the fall election who are campaigning on plans to restrict climate-change legislation? Will they undo his legacy? What about Proposition 23?

This is a don't-miss program.

Some Religious Perspectives on Environmentalism

From a March 23, 2010, program at The Commonwealth Club's Climate One series of programs, panelists discuss religious attitudes and actions regarding the environment.

Is Geo-Engineering a Viable Alternative to Our Current Climate Change Initiatives?

Geo-engineering -- the idea that mankind can intentionally alter the earth's atmosphere to undo some of the effects of manmade climate change -- recently emerged from the worlds of academic papers and science fiction stories into public discourse, thanks to the broaching of the subject in the recent book SuperFreakonomics.

The Commonwealth Club's Climate One program investigated this topic in a recent program, which included Ken Caldeira, the atmospheric scientist at the heart of the SuperFreakonomics climate controversy.

Cooling the Earth? SuperFreakonomics Authors Levitt and Dubner Say, Give It a Try

In November 2009, SuperFreakonomics authors and pop-economists Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner spoke at The Commonwealth Club's Inforum division, and they were asked about some controversial cliamte change sections in their book.

During the conversation on stage with Alan Murray, deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, Levitt and Dubner talked at length about their relationship with scientist Ken Caldeira and the question of whether attempts should be made to artificially cool the earth if attempts to reduce warming aren't working. Levitt says, "What if we really were in a jam, and we wanted to really cool the earth in a hurry, and we didn't want to wait 40 or 50 years -- is there another option?"

The complete video of their program is above.

And Caldeira will have his say when he comes to The Commonwealth Club's Climate One program on March 23 in San Francisco.

Today Copenhagen, Tomorrow ...?

The Commonwealth Club has been bringing together thought leaders from around the world for more than a century -- it'll be 107 years this February -- but it has now expanded its reach. For the first time ever, The Club held an event outside of the United States this past Tuesday when it presented a high-level program in Copenhagen, Denmark, featuring California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (pictured, center), Himin Solar Founder and CEO Huang Ming (photo left), Nobel laureate and IPCC Chair Rajendra Pachauri. The event was moderated by Climate One Founder and Commonwealth Club Vice President Greg Dalton (photo right).

KQED Radio broadcast the event as a special program the following night. If you missed that broadcast, it will also be aired on KRCB FM on Dec. 17, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. Excerpts will air on KRCB TV in January. The program will also be podcast. 

For more on The Club's visit to Copenhagen, see our photo reports.

Climate One's Greg Dalton to Discuss Copenhagen on CBS5 on Dec. 20

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes issues being negotiated at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen this Sunday, December 20. Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club vice president and founder of its Climate One initiative, will appear on the CBS5 morning news with Phil Matier between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

Bay Area residents who don't get up that early on the weekends: Set your DVR!

For some visuals of the Copenhagen summit, see our report.

The Views from Copenhagen, Part III

The United Nations' climate summit in Copenhagen this month is winding up to a finish, but it is still unknown whether it will be a big finish with a binding agreement signed by the 192 nations represented there or it will end with only a face-saving agreement or less. One source who has been attending the event and observing the back-and-forth tells us that we shouldn't believe the predictions that the summit will end without an agreement; instead, our source says, we are seeing lots of grandstanding and posturing in attempts to get the most favorable deal by each of the participants.

Is that correct? We will know soon. In the meantime, we wanted to share with you these photos from Copenhagen. 

Photos top-to-bottom: 1) Huang Ming (founder and CEO, Himin Solar), Arnold Schwarzenegger (California governor), and Greg Dalton (Commonwealth Club vice president and founder of its Climate One initiative) discuss the climate summit. 2) Protestors have been pushed further back from the location of the summit's meetings, leading to a police ring around the meeting center, and the police are surrounded by a ring of protestors. 3) A protestor taunts a police officer. 4) It's going to be a white Christmas in Copenhagen, as is visible in this rooftop shot of bikes. 5) Not everyone's protesting; some, such as this mother and her child on a sled, are out enjoying the winter wonderland.

(All photos by Dr. Kerry P. Curtis.)

For more views from The Commonwealth Club's contingent in Copenhagen, see Part I and Part II.

The Views from Copenhagen, Part II

The Commonwealth Club's staff and volunteers who trekked to Copenhagen, Denmark, for the United Nations climate summit practically had front-row seats to the debates and controversies at the event.

Top photo: The "Hopenhagen" site in downtown Copenhagen. Middle photo: This group of young people held a protest of a Canadian tar sands project. Bottom photo: What would a climate summit be without at least one protester -- and American, in this case -- dressed as a polar bear?

(All photos courtesy Dr. Kerry P. Curtis.)

For more, see Part I and Part III of this report. Also see the Club's Climate One blog.

The Views from Copenhagen, Part I

As 192 nations meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, to debate and debate and debate about what to do about climate change, The Commonwealth Club is there to report what's happening, plan upcoming climate programs for Club events, and even hold a program featuring California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nobel laureate Rajendra Pachauri, and others.

In the top photo below, you get a sense of why Copenhagen might have been chosen to host this event: bikes. Dr. Kerry Curtis, chair of The Club's Environment & Natural Resources Member-Led Forum, reports that there are many more bikes than cars around the apartment building where The Club's contingent is staying. Middle photo: The big meeting room, generally reserved for official delegates to the UN climate summit. Bottom photo: The Commonwealth Club team poses at the entrance to the conference.

(All photos courtesy Dr. Kerry P. Curtis.)

See Part II and Part III of this report.
For further reports from Copenhagen, also see the blog of Climate One, the Club's climate initiative.

Copenhagen Summit Site of Climate One Event with Gov. Schwarzenegger, Nobel Laureate Pachauri, & More

The Commonwealth Club's Climate One project will host a radio and television conversation with key players in Copenhagen during the UN Climate Change Summit on December 16th. The two-part event will feature California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband, Himin Solar founder & CEO Huang Ming, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Chair Rajendra Pachauri. Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club vice president and director of Climate One, will moderate the event that will take place on the sidelines of the UN climate summit currently going on in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Even if you couldn't make the trek to Denmark, you can follow the Club's reports from the summit -- and you can tweet your questions for the participants -- at:
http://www.facebook.com/climateone
http://twitter.com/climateone
http://climateone.blogspot.com/
The deadline to tweet your questions is Tuesday at noon -- so prepare your questions now for our expert panelists and send them in!

The two-part Climate One program, which was underwritten by The ClimateWorks Foundation, will be broadcast on KQED FM, Dec. 16, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. and on KRCB FM Dec. 17, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. Excerpts will also be broadcast on KRCB TV in January. Also, the program will be podcast, and brief video clips will be posted to the blogs of The Club and Climate One. 

California's Solar Power Leadership Role -- An Economic Strength?

Things are shaping up to look a lot brighter in the Golden State. Going against a downward national trend, clean energy leader California is on a streak to more than double installation of solar energy systems during 2009, far more than any other state in the nation.

Even during the worst phases of the economic downturn, installations in California have risen. Taking full advantage of federal stimulus money and the Solar Investment Tax Credit, California holds the majority of solar patents and has proven to be committed to clean up its act and lead the country on sustainable energy. Installations are projected to jump 120 percent this year, compared with a 27-percent global decline.

Technology research house iSuppli expects 350 megawatts worth of solar systems will be installed in California during 2009, while the rest of the country is expected to install only 132 MW in that same time. The trend is expected to continue to 2010, when California photovoltaic installations, in terms of megawatts of power generated, would increase another 68 percent, while solar panel installations around the world grow 54 percent.

In a late September visit to the Club, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed his support for solar energy and outlined key strategies that are keeping California ahead on energy issues, touting the state as a national and global leader on environmental politics. The governor’s visit marked the third anniversary of AB32, legislation that catapulted California to worldwide leadership in green economics.

"Leaders from around the world are coming to California to see all the innovation and excitement that is going on in our state," Schwarzenegger told the audience during his speech at the Fairmont hotel. "A wave of green innovation is washing over our state now."

The governor also recently signed an executive order to direct the California Air Resource Board to adopt regulations increasing California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33 percent by 2020. The order upholds the state’s leadership in environmental policies and builds on AB32 goals by ensuring California will have the ability to use renewable energy sources.

And all that clean technology could be helping to pull California out of its economic slump as well. "Fighting climate change is not just about the environment; it’s also about seizing an incredible economic opportunity," said Schwarzenegger. "Since 2005, green jobs in California have grown 10 times more than any other jobs.”

President Obama has expressed the desire to pass a climate bill that not only creates new American jobs but also continues offering incentives that spur innovation, so California can serve as an example of how such goals are implemented.

"One hundred fifty years ago, it was the industrial revolution that changed the world and ushered in a new era of prosperity," said the governor. "But now, today the green revolution will do exactly the same."

--By Heather Mack

(Photo courtesy NASA.)