Over the past decade, plans for 160 new coal fired power plants in the United States have been scrapped, largely due to rising costs and an inability to compete in today’s energy markets. That’s because the cost of once-“expensive” clean energy has fallen dramatically, while “cheap” fossil fuels are increasingly expensive in economic, health, and environmental terms. As a result, in many parts of the world, wind is the least-cost source of electricity.  In addition, in the sunniest parts of the United States, long-term forecasts are for incredible growth in solar energy and natural gas, but not for coal.

The international political discourse needs to catch up to this new energy reality that California and others are leading. That’s why for