Biden Brings US Back to Paris
Shortly after arriving at the Oval Office, President Joe Biden signed a number of executive orders. The third of these restored the United States to the Paris Agreement. This recommitment to global climate action leadership is historic, necessary, and a great benefit to the US and the world. The climate crisis is complex, operates across … Continue reading Biden Brings US Back to Paris
The Poetry of Public Service
President Biden lays out the stakes & calls for a grieving, divided nation to work together, saying “My whole soul is in this.” After four years of chaos, corruption, lies, and ultimately an armed insurrection, people across the United States and around the world have been counting down the hours and minutes until the powers … Continue reading The Poetry of Public Service
Coup attempt at US Capitol must be punished with all force of law
What happened today at the US Capitol was an armed, paramilitary attack on the United States Congress. It was not a protest; it was not a riot. Armed militants used weapons to overwhelm Capitol security and carried out actions well described by federal law as part of a seditious conspiracy. Their intention, openly stated during … Continue reading Coup attempt at US Capitol must be punished with all force of law
Winter Branches
Moving between years is oceanic, shuffling of consequences from reef to reef, building a math without numbers, a hope for survival that feels like certainty. While winter branches split the weather into ribbons of past and future, our presence becomes like prayer. We ask eternity to show itself without breaking what we know; we furnish … Continue reading Winter Branches
Defiant
As the sun rises, we adjust to the idea that our election is now a season and not a day. It does not end at an hour or on a day, but exactly as it should: when every voice is heard. This year, the fabric of our social contract has been frayed by loss, confusion, … Continue reading Defiant
Food System Economics Commission—Why now?
Dear Friends, I recently took on the role of Interim Commission Director for the Food System Economics Commission—an independent, interdisciplinary academic commission working to deliver a state-of-the-art scientific assessment on the economics of the transition to healthy, inclusive and sustainable food systems. The interim directorship runs through November 30, but circumstances demand we move quickly … Continue reading Food System Economics Commission—Why now?
George Floyd should be alive today
George Floyd should be alive today. George Floyd was murdered. The four men who killed him could have chosen not to kill him at any time. Now former police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes. For six of those minutes, George Floyd begged for his life. For three … Continue reading George Floyd should be alive today
Honor their Memory by Serving & Protecting Others
On Memorial Day 2020, we are experiencing a deep national trauma, about which too little has been spoken. Nearly 100,000 people in the United States have lost their lives to COVID-19. Our national conversation has focused at nearly all times—as it should—on response measures intended to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, but we are … Continue reading Honor their Memory by Serving & Protecting Others
Energy must be Adaptive, Accessible & Pollution-free
The future of energy is being shaped by many converging forces, among them: Fast-moving multifaceted innovation; The geophysical and human health need for clean energy; Sustained and expanding growth-potential for low-carbon investments; Urban planning, energy-efficient building, and utility reform; Financial innovation, including integration of Earth science insights; The COVID-19 pandemic disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic emergency … Continue reading Energy must be Adaptive, Accessible & Pollution-free
Integrative Geopolitics—Earth Day talk at Lehigh University
An Earth Day talk, delivered to Lehigh University by Joseph Robertson, on the 50th annual Earth Day—April 22, 2020. Integrative Geopolitics: Climate Resilience in a Post-COVID World This online event is the keynote for Lehigh’s Earth Week 2020 Celebration, with support from the Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Environmental Initiative, Environmental Studies Program, … Continue reading Integrative Geopolitics—Earth Day talk at Lehigh University
The Poet Economist 