Energy and Environment
Investments in building efficiency retrofits can simultaneously address the challenges of economic recovery, energy insecurity, and global warming. CAP and the Energy Future Coalition released a report this week with a strong policy framework for encouraging greater investment in this area. Christian Weller also stressed continued public support for investments in energy and other areas in his economic snapshot for the month.
CAP President and CEO John Podesta and former Senator Tim Wirth suggested ways to make natural gas a "bridge fuel" for a new energy economy that relies more on efficiency, renewables, and low-carbon fossil fuels.
Locally grown food is booming, but we risk losing local farms to land development pressures. David Abromowitz explained that we can protect these farms through agricultural easements that allow farmers to stay on the land.
And an "Easy Being Green" on eco-labels revealed Walmart’s grand plan to establish a sustainability index to measure the lifecycle environmental impacts of every product it sells.
Health care
The health debate is raging during the August congressional recess. In an "Ask the Expert" video Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) spoke about why he believes we need health reform and how it will help all Americans, including doctors and patients, and the insured and the uninsured. In another "Expert" video, Peter Harbage explained how the individual market is different from employer-sponsored insurance, and how health reform would improve health care for all.
Two reports on health reform were also released. "Opening the ‘Front Door’ of a Reformed Health Care System" by Victoria Wachino and Karen Davenport outlined six lessons from Medicaid on promoting participation in health coverage. And "Achieving a Culture of Coverage" by Peter Harbage and Hilary Haycock described a plan for making individual health insurance more affordable and accessible.
National Security
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, stopped by CAP Wednesday with his interagency team to engage in their first public discussion of the United States’ “AfPak” strategy. Different members of the team outlined how U.S. policy toward the countries was changing in numerous areas, such as agricultural development and communications.
The Center previously conducted on-the-ground research in Pakistan and provided recommendations for U.S. policy there. And we’ve also crafted an effective and responsible sustainable security strategy for Afghanistan.