Environmental policy advocate Hal Harvey suggests new paths to combat climate change
The threat of climate change is dire, but Hal Harvey sees a path forward. In “Getting to Zero on Climate Change,” a stirring presentation recently at the Harvard University Center for the Environment, Harvey, the CEO of Energy Innovation Policy and Technology in San Francisco, stressed both the urgency of the problem and specific steps that could, he said, make the difference between accelerating toward destruction or innovating toward prosperity. Citing “a massive problem with horrifying dimensions,” Harvey, the co-author of “Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy,” said that today, “extremes have become the norm.” From drought and wildfires to unprecedented floods and cold snaps, he detailed the effects we have already begun to experience. More terrifying is how close we are to climate tipping points, such as the thawing of the tundra — what used to be known as “permafrost” — which would release massive amounts of methane...