CarbonQuest’s Post

Read the article at Canary Media, “California voters pass $10B bond to help protect people from climate change,” by Jeff St. John—November 6, 2024. “California voters appear set to approve a $10 billion bond package to fund key state climate and environmental priorities — a bright spot in what has been a dark election for U.S. climate efforts. Proposition 4 was passing with nearly 58 percent voter approval... That’s a strong result that matches broader polling on U.S. voters’ support for government spending on clean water, clean air, and expanding wind and solar power. ‘These investments are a long time coming — and it’s very encouraging that it had such strong support from the public throughout the process,’ said Ryan Schleeter, communications director at The Climate Center… Passage of the ballot measure also serves as a reminder of the power that states have to take action in the face of federal inaction, said Laura Deehan, state director of nonprofit group Environment California… California’s Proposition 4 is the largest of 12 state and local climate and conservation ballot initiatives passed around the country on Tuesday… Proposition 4 will help build out the clean energy infrastructure needed to reduce carbon emissions causing climate change. It includes $475 million for infrastructure to support offshore wind development at California ports, $325 million for transmission grid projects and deployment of grid-enhancing technologies, and $50 million to fund long-duration energy storage projects…” See the full story below and at this link. https://lnkd.in/eZPmb6A6 #offshorewind #floatingwind #cleanenergy #renewables #climate #offshorewindca #pacificoffshorewindsummit

At Newsweek, I discuss why we are better off because of climate leadership by President Biden and Vice President Harris. President Joe Biden has done more than any president in history to address the #climatecrisis and support the growth of safe renewable energy: From renewed participation in world climate talks and commitments, to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's investments in EV infrastructure, cleanups of dirty oil and gas wells, and R&D, to the #IRA's historic, largest-ever investment in the fight against the climate crisis, to the Climate Corps, to the protection of more public land and the crackdown on methane emissions - and much, much more. And Trump has made it crystal clear that he will do his utmost to undo all the climate and environmental progress we've made. We cannot afford to go back. #climate #PresidentBiden #InflationReductionAct https://lnkd.in/g5UEhpvH

Massachusetts has adopted ambitious #ClimateGoals, but we need to make progress every session in order to meet them. As an organization that's been working to catalyze climate action since 2011, we know the importance of passing ambitious legislation that moves us toward our shared climate goals and advances our #CleanEnergyEconomy. That’s why Greentown Labs is one of 28 institutions and businesses calling on the Massachusetts Legislature to pass the 2024 Omnibus Climate Bill before July 31. This crucial legislation will build a responsibly-sited grid, deploy #RenewableEnergy, improve community engagement, electrify our transportation, and #decarbonize our homes and businesses. #MAPoli

Climate policies and regulations will not magically benefit environmental justice communities. Policymakers need to intentionally and meaningfully examine and alter the systems and policies that result in disproportionate burdens, disparities, and injustice in these communities. While the CLCPA is a major step forward, environmental justice stakeholders are concerned that a cap-trade-and-invest program with little to no protections will reinforce existing patterns of pollution and sickness in communities of color and low-income communities. We can’t take any more chances on the quality of life and health of New Yorkers. Guardrails for cap-trade-and-invest are essential to ensuring all communities see the benefits of reduced emissions and pollution and do not come at the expense of some. Thanks to Marie French for her coverage on our research: https://lnkd.in/eF22R7BW

Curious about how different policy designs can impact emissions reductions in New York State? Without guardrails, cap-trade-and-invest programs might lead to pollution "hotspots" in disadvantaged communities. Discover how NY can do better in our special report with Resources for the Future on how to distribute emissions reductions more fairly. It's time for climate policies that prioritize equity 🌎🛠️ https://lnkd.in/ee-t3ExY

If we get the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) right we can demonstrate they work and feed a virtuous cycle of climate legislation. But the clock is ticking, as I noted to Erin Douglas of the @Boston Globe.

Conservation and ratepayer advocacy groups opposed to a pair of Governor Mark Gordon's energy initiatives found they had odd bedfellows when far-right lawmakers also mounted opposition, albeit with differing motives: climate change denial. The governor's office successfully defended the initiatives, however, noting that it doesn't matter where lawmakers stand on addressing climate change because markets are demanding lower-carbon energy. "It's probably conceptually cheaper to do nothing," Gov. Gordon's energy policy advisor Randall Luthi told members of the House Minerals Committee. "But I can also say, and it is my opinion, to do nothing will have a tremendous cost for Wyoming." Story by Dustin Bleizeffer 📰 #wyoming #politics #wyominglegislature #journalism #republicans #democrats #legislature #localgovernment #budgetsession #energy #climatechange #climate #fossilfuels #carbonemissions #renewableenergy

Last Friday was a huge day of climate progress in Washington state. Two major laws passed the Senate and are on the path to soon become law. HB 1589 requires the state’s largest gas utility (Puget Sound Energy) to plan for the clean energy transition and create electrification programs to transition customers off of its gas system. SB 6058 is the first of many steps in linking Washington’s landmark Climate Commitment Act (cap-and-invest) program with the California-Québec program, setting a strong standard for the entire country (and world) to pursue ambitious climate policies and prioritize benefits in historically overburdened communities. Let's keep going here in Washington in turning the vision of reducing carbon pollution, creating great jobs, and addressing environmental justice that are at the center of all of the laws that have passed and the investments made into concrete progress on the ground that improves the lives of people and communities across the entire state.

🇺🇸 Wondering what a change in policy might mean for the United States climate goals? The IRA, which passed under President Biden, is the largest piece of climate legislation ever. According to Jonathan Foley, “The Inflation Reduction Act is starting to do some good work,” The law may not be enough to correct the country’s climate course by itself. “Overall, however, it is likely to be helpful. Reversing it would really hurt some recent progress on scaling renewables, EVs, [and] heat pumps.” https://bit.ly/4c70OfF #climatepolicy #inflationreductionact #climatevote #climateaction #projectdrawdown

Another problem with Carbon Capture, which Michael Barnard anticipated: Wyoming Considers Relaxing Its Carbon Capture Standards for Electric Utilities, Scrambling Political Alliances on Climate Change and Energy A bill lowering the amount of CO2 a utility must capture at its power plants has drawn opposition from two groups usually diametrically opposed to each other’s priorities—environmentalists and climate change skeptics. As Wyoming nears the end of its 2024 legislative session, clean energy advocates and climate change skeptics find themselves in an uneasy situation: an alliance. Both groups oppose legislation that would weaken and delay the state’s carbon capture requirements, albeit for wildly different reasons. https://lnkd.in/gnn5EKHC