Author Archives: NYPIRG

As the brutal election season wraps up, the nation – and the world – received another dire warning of the growing dangers of global warming.  While the issue has been almost non-existent in the nation’s political debates, there is no doubt that it is the most important issue facing the world.

The experts convened by the United Nations –known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – argued in their most recent report that failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could threaten society with food shortages, refugee crises, the flooding of major cities and entire island nations, mass extinction of plants and animals, and a climate so drastically altered it might become dangerous for people to work or play outside during the hottest times of the year.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a scientific body appointed by the world’s governments to advise them on global warming and potential solutions. The panel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its reports on the climate crisis.

The new report, “Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report” was released on November 1.  It’s 175-pages long and provides a synopsis of reports that the panel has issued over the past year.  It completes a five-year effort by the panel to analyze and report on the most recent scientific climate research.

It is the fifth report from the panel since 1990, each one stating with greater certainty that the climate is warming and that human activities are the primary cause. (more…)

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 is Election Day.  On this year’s ballot, in addition to the candidates who are running for office, New Yorkers have the opportunity to vote on two proposed changes to the New York State Constitution and a bond act.

Here is a look at those three questions with arguments in support of and in opposition to the changes (you can see the full text of the questions at the New York State Board of Elections, http://www.elections.ny.gov/ProposedConsAmendments2.html):

Proposal One:  Revising State’s Redistricting Procedure

This question has been the most controversial of the three.  Under the current redistricting process, the legislature is responsible for drawing the lines and legislators constitute the majority of the commission that drafts new district lines.

Under the proposed amendment to the State Constitution a necommission is created.  The amendment would prohibit certain individuals from serving on the commission, including: elected officials and their spouses, legislative staff, lobbyists, other public officials, and political party chairs. The plans developed by this new commission will be subject to approval by the legislature.  However,if the legislature twice rejects the Commission’s proposal,the legislature drafts its own lines.

Proponents of the amendment argue that this will create a fairer redistricting process that bans political gerrymandering, has a clear timeline, creates new opportunities for public participation and that the legislature does not have a ‘free hand’ in amending the commission’s plans. Proponents further argue that composition of the proposed commission is a significant improvement because it prohibits those with conflicts of interest, including legislators, from serving on the commission.

Opponents of the amendment object to the fact that eight of the ten commissioners are appointed by legislative leaders, and are critical of the legislature’s power to amend the plans if they fail to achieve legislative approval after two votes. They argue that this is the equivalent of the legislature drawing its own lines since the Commission’s plans are ultimately approved by the legislature.   In addition, opponents object to the proposal’s requirement that future mapmakers must consider the core of existing districts when drafting new ones. (more…)