The wide-ranging climate legislation that would have put a price on carbon and establish an emissions cap-and-trade system came to an inglorious end today as Senate Democrats conceded that they simply don’t have enough votes to pass such a bill. This is a big loss for President Barack Obama, who campaigned on the issue. The bill’s supporters were aiming for a 17 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. But these figures never gained momentum in the U.S. and failed to impress at last year’s United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen , Denmark, where they were viewed as weak and unambitious. As a result, the Democrats are putting together a watered-down version of the bill that has a greater chance of winning support. Instead of tackling greenhouse gas emissions, the new legislation would increase potential damages for oil companies following spills and would provide more incentives for the development and purchase of natural gas vehicles and energy efficiency products and services.
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Senate Democrats kill climate bill with division, indecision
It’s a big night for the former tech chief executives Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina. California voters gave both Republican candidates victories in the state’s primary today. Whitman, former CEO of eBay, beat state insurance commissioner Steve Poizner for the Republican nomination for California’s next governor. She will face off against Democratic victor Jerry Brown, who is current state attorney general. Whitman, a billionaire, spent about $71 million on the race, while Poizner, who had his own riches as a pioneer in GPS technology, spent $24.7 million. Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, beat out former congressman Tom Campbell and Tea Party favorite Chuck DeVore to win the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.
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California voters hand victories to former tech chiefs Whitman and Fiorina
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We are thrilled to announce investor and former California state controller Steve Westly as the newest speaker for GreenBeat 2009 , the seminal executive conference on the Smart Grid taking place Nov. 18 and 19 in San Mateo. Bringing combined expertise in politics, energy and entrepreneurship, Westly is an ideal addition to the agenda. A vocal proponent of the green economy, he heads up the Westly Group , which backs Smart Grid startup Eka Systems , as well as cleantech companies Amyris , Lunera Lighting, RecycleBank and perhaps most notably, Tesla Motors . He is on the lookout for new opportunities to accelerate the development of cleaner sources of energy and a more efficient grid
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Steve Westly joins GreenBeat’s top-tier roster
Carly Fiorina, former chief executive at Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005, is expected to announce this morning her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in California. She’ll be gunning for the Republican nomination against Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, and if successful would go up against Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer as she seeks a fourth Senate term. She goes into detail about her reasons for entering the political fray in a letter to the OC Register, stating that as a California senator, “economic recovery and fiscal accountability will be my priorities.” The pioneering female executive, first at AT&T and later at HP, has also been a book author and breast cancer survivor. In an interview with John Battelle at the recent Web 2.0 Summit (embedded below), she speaks at length about how the former experience positions her to bring business and technical knowledge into play in the political sphere, and the latter gives her unique perspective into health care reform as that issue comes to the forefront of American politics. Check out the video below, where Carly discusses her position on a number of other issues that may come into play during her upcoming Senate bid. Let us know what you think of the former CEO’s entrance into politics — whether you live in California or not, what’s your take on Fiorina’s candidacy?
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Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina to Run for U.S. Senate