
The unabridged version of this morning's newsletter is available here.
FIRST LOOK:
The National Academies is hosting a Climate Crossroads Summit to engage experts, stakeholders, and decisionmakers on building equitable pathways to respond to the climate crisis. Join day two virtually or in-person in Washington, D.C., by registering HERE.
Amazon Delivery Workers Strike For Heat Protections: Amazon delivery drivers in Southern California are on indefinite strike over the massive corporation's refusal to ensure safe working conditions in extreme heat. The 84 drivers, employed by a third-party delivery contractor, joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on April 24 and have been on strike since June 24. “Sometimes it reaches 135 degrees in the rear of the truck and there’s no cooling system,” Raj Singh, one of the drivers, told Grist. “It feels like an oven when you step back there. You instantly start feeling woozy, and it’s gotten to the point where I’ve actually seen stars.” Mail delivery personnel are especially vulnerable to extreme heat, and Amazon's use of third-party delivery contractors it can fire with virtually no warning or explanation make unionizing and improving working conditions especially difficult. “Amazon sets these ridiculous paces. Some people even have to miss their guaranteed 15-minute breaks, because if we break the pace, they contact us to try and find out why we’re behind," Singh said. “We’re here so we can have fair pay and safe jobs … not just for us but for every delivery driver that works for Amazon.” (Grist, Climate Signals background: Extreme heat and heatwaves)
EPA Finalizes New HFCs Rule: The EPA on Tuesday finalized a rule to reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) pollution by 40% in the next five years. The U.S. is one of 150 countries that have ratified the Kigali Amendment, under which HFC production and consumption must be reduced by 85% by 2036. HFCs are extremely potent heat-trapping greenhouse gasses commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners, and implementation of the Kigali Amendment could prevent as much as half a degree celsius of global warming. (AP, E&E $, Reuters, Bloomberg Law, The Hill)
MVP Construction Temporarily Blocked By 4th Cir.: A federal appeals court issued a stay on Monday blocking construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline until it can fully rule on the impact of the proposed methane gas pipeline on soil, water, and wildlife in the Jefferson National Forest. Congress sought to clear the way for the already-delayed and over-budget pipeline when it raised the debt ceiling in late May, but environmentalists argue it overstepped its Constitutional authority when it ordered agencies to ignore federal regulations and approve the beleaguered pipeline project, which has suffered numerous defeats before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. “Congress cannot mandate that federal regulators throw caution to the wind — environmental laws are more than just mere suggestions, and must be adhered to,” Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous said in a statement. (AP, Roanoke Times, E&E $, West Virginia Public Radio, Politico Pro $, Wall Street Journal $, Construction Dive, Politico Pro $, The Hill, Reuters, Bloomberg Law, Politico, Politico Pro $)
Climate News
(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: A racist past and hotter future are testing Western water like never before (NPR)
FLOODING: ‘Heaviest rain ever’ causes deadly floods and landslides in Japan (The Guardian, New York Times $, CNN, Reuters), Heavy floods in northern India take hydropower plants offline (Bloomberg $)
NORTHEAST US: Five key factors that spurred the historic floods in Vermont, New York (Washington Post $) [ ... ]
GETTING EMISSIONS OFF BIG OIL'S BOOKS: America’s newest oil baron can thank climate activism (Wall Street Journal $)
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CLIMATE LITIGATION: ‘Tipping point’: Asbestos, opioid lawyers enter climate fray (E&E News)
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DOE: The $400 billion fund that US firms could tap for public transport (Bloomberg $) [ ... ]
POLITICS: How Marjorie Taylor Greene’s district became Biden’s climate poster child (Politico and E&E News) [ ... ]
CITIES AND STATES: [ ... ]
SINKING FEELING: Climate change is warping the ground our cities are built on, study says (USA Today, Washington Post $) [ ... ]
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HEAT: Nearly 90 million people under heat alerts as 'dangerous' event worsens (Axios), Across the US Southwest, residents in desert cities like Phoenix are experiencing extreme heat wave (AP) [ ...]
INSURANCE: [ ... ] Farmers to end home, auto coverage in Florida, pull back in California over natural disaster costs (The Hill, CBS, AP)
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The full roundup of this morning's climate and energy news is available here.
Analysis & Opinion
Putin is vulnerable—stop buying Russian fossil fuels and he’ll be powerless (Common Dreams, Svitlana Romanko)
‘Historic and catastrophic’ flooding in Vermont is somber reminder of climate change (Bangor Daily News, Bangor Daily News Editorial Board)
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The full roundup of this morning's climate and Energy A&O is available here.
DENIER ROUNDUP
Meet The Disinfluencers: Bernie Spofforth, The Swimsuit Inventor Turned Climate And COVID Liar
Welcome to the latest edition of Meet the Disinfluencers, the series in which we shed light on the climate disinfluencers persuading people to believe false claims on social media.
If you’ve been on Twitter in the last few years, you might have encountered unhinged assertions about COVID and climate change from someone named Bernie Spofforth. [ ... ]
Read the full Denier Roundup for more on the circular Venn diagram of COVID and climate denial.
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