Exxon Mobil

ExxonMobil CEO and chairman Rex W. Tillerson gives a speech at the annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
President-elect Donald Trump has officially picked Texas oil executive Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state, going ahead with the Exxon Mobil CEO’s nomination despite early signs of unease over his close relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Emissions from methane (natural gas) are replacing emissions from coal, but not petroleum (source; click to enlarge).by Gaius PubliusMethane ("America's clean natural gas") is being touted and sold as the "bridge fuel" from carbon emissions from all sources, including oil. In fact, methane is turning out to be a bridge fuel away from coal only.

Is Nicolo Machiavelli about to whisper into Obama's shell-like ear? (Source; click to enlarge)by Gaius PubliusWhen we talk amongst ourselves, we leftie writers and activists, I sometimes hear it said that Obama should nominate someone very liberal to replace Antonin Scalia. I also sometimes hear that if he doesn't do that, it's because he feels pressured not to.

These are the agents of money. We call them lobbyists today, powers behind the throne. Size is a clue to relative importance (source; click to enlarge).by Gaius PubliusHillary Clinton has rejected a Greenpeace challenge to pledge not to accept campaign contributions from the coal, oil or natural gas industries.

American Petroleum Institute spokesmodel Brooke Alexander (aka Lying Pantsuit Lady) saying the one true thing she knows — "America is number one in bringing planet-destroying carbon to the world." She thinks that's a good thing, which is false.by Gaius PubliusMore excellent reporting by Neela Banerjee at the

Alan Cumming tells you why you can't have nice thingsby Gaius PubliusThe reason we won't have nice climate — until we fight for it — is money. Rich people's money. And frankly, the money of mainly old, soon-to-be-dead, rich people, like this one from Exxon, or these two from god knows where.

NASA | A Year in the Life of Earth's CO2 (source). Note first that emissions are greater in the industrialized northern hemisphere, which probably explains why the Arctic is melting first. Then note the difference between winter emissions in the north, which remain airborne, and summer emissions, which are partially withdrawn by growing vegetation. by Gaius PubliusThis is written for anyone who is climate-concerned, but specifically for our DC readers in the policy-making community.

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference starts next week, November 30 in Paris and will go through December 11.

The price of two oil benchmarks, Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI), in danger of collapse?

Which would you rather see go over the cliff, Exxon's stock price or your grandchildren's future? Sometimes you have to clear out the old to make room for the new. by Gaius PubliusShort and simple.