The 2008 US presidential election: Obama and the environment

The 2008 presidential election was remarkable for many reasons. One was the prominence given to environmental & energy issues. The environment is seldom a salient issue in national, & especially US presidential elections. In the 2000 & 2004 campaigns it was notable primarily by its absence (Bomberg 2001, Langer & Cohen 2005). Yet in 2008 energy & environmental concerns played a key role in the campaign, capturing the attention of both the public & the candidates. We examine the role environmental issues played in the election campaign & speculate on the election's implications for environmental policy & politics in the US & abroad. Adapted from the source document.