THE HILL 05/20/20 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Gregory Meeks When the heads of all the agencies at the United Nations come together and find consensus on something, their advice is worth heeding. Recently, they did just that, issuing an emergency fund appeal and urging a rapid and coordinated […]
Congressional Coauthors
Clean Energy is Not Just Good for the Environment. It Also Prevents War
NEWSWEEK 02/12/20 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Hank Johnson Take oil out of the foreign policy picture, and American presidents would have lacked motive to preemptively attack Iraq, Libya and now Iran. There were equally authoritarian leaders of other countries at the time, operating with even greater propensity toward […]
BlackRock is Smart to Prioritize the Climate – and Business Leaders Know It. So What Are They Waiting For?
NEWSWEEK 1/17/20 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke We’re starting 2020 with some scary climate signals. We’ve finished another record-breaking year—but for the wrong reasons. 2019 locked in the highest global carbon emissions on record and was the second hottest year ever. At these rates, the climate change–caused […]
California Fires, Rising Seas: Millions of Climate Refugees Will Dwarf Dust Bowl by 2100
USA TODAY 11/04/19 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke An environmental crisis in the early 1900s created ‘Dust Bowl refugees.’ Today’s climate crisis is much bigger and will last for decades, not years. “Climate refugee” is likely a new term for most Americans. Also referred to as environmental […]
The Way We’re Talking About Climate Change is All Wrong. Here’s How We Win Hearts and Minds
NEWSWEEK 08/21/19 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Lloyd Doggett While reports forecasting a climate change apocalypse and doomsday climate scenarios may get our momentary attention, they are not producing action. Even as we see the impact of climate change in devastating, intensified weather and the spread of disease, we […]
As Climate Threats to Cities Grow, the Time to Act is Now
REUTERS 07/22/19 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke As the costs and threats from climate change rise, the key is not to wait until it’s too late to take action U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke represents New York’s 9th district and serves on the House Energy and Commerce […]
Climate Change is International Security Threat
VTDIGGER 06/19/19 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Gregory Meeks Editor’s note: This commentary is by Dr. Michael Shank and Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. Shank, of Brandon, is the communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and adjunct faculty at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. Meeks is a senior […]
It’s Time for the U.N. Security Council to Take on Climate Change
REUTERS 06/07/19 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Gregory Meeks With climate threats growing fast, the U.N. Security council has the power to cap greenhouse gas emissions on every country and sanction those who fail to comply Congressman Meeks (D-NY) is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee […]
Stop the Bullying
VTDIGGER 01/15/19By Michael Shank and Former US Congressman Mike HondaEditor’s note: This commentary is by Michael Shank and former Rep. Michael Honda. Shank, of Brandon, is the communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. Honda, a Democrat, represented California’s 17th congressional district between […]
Keeping Our Planet Inhabitable
VTDIGGER 12/19/18By Michael Shank and US Congressman Alan LowenthalEditor’s note: This commentary is by Michael Shank and Rep. Alan Lowenthal. Shank, of Brandon, teaches sustainable development at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs and is the communications director at the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. Lowenthal, […]