FIRST LOOK:

New polling from Nexus Polling, Yale, and George Mason University shows strong support for economic stimulus legislation that prioritizes investments in clean energy infrastructure and technologies as part of the economic recovery effort.

Biden To Unveil American Jobs Plan: Today in Pittsburgh, President Biden will outline his American Jobs Plan, proposals for major infrastructure investments in clean energy, water system updates, and other economy-growing initiatives designed to create millions of jobs, address aging infrastructure and lessen racial and other inequities throughout the economy. Biden's $2 trillion plan to fight climate change and revitalize the American economy includes calls for Congressional funding to the tune of: $16 billion to employ union oil and gas workers to cap orphaned oil and gas wells and clean up mines, $35 billion in clean tech R&D to address the climate crisis, $85 billion to modernize public transit systems, $174 billion to promote electric vehicles through consumer incentives, supply chain support, charging network build outs, school bus electrification, and electrifying the federal fleet, $100 billion for power grid modernization and resilience, and $213 billion to build, modernize, and weatherize affordable housing. Biden's plan also calls for investing $111 billion to improve the country's drinking water systems, including eliminating all lead water pipes and service lines in the country. Labor and environmental groups called for even greater ambition and spending to "build a more just, equitable, clean and more prosperous American economy” in a letter to Biden and Democratic Congressional leaders. Funding will pay for itself over 15 years, the administration says, by a combination of eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, raising corporate taxes, ending offshore-tax havens and strengthening corporate tax enforcement. The plan also calls for passage of a bill aimed at significantly strengthening workers’ rights to organize. The $2 trillion plan push is just the first of the administration's massive two-part infrastructure investment agenda as Biden is expected to release part two, the "American Families Plan" in two weeks. (Washington Post $, Politico Pro $, New York Times $, Politico, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette $, Vox; Labor and green groups: Bloomberg $; Pay-fors and taxes: Washington Post $, Politico, New York Times $)

Survey of Economists Shows Climate Crisis Demands ‘Immediate and Drastic Action’ to Avoid $30 Trillion In Annual Climate Costs: A new survey released yesterday by the Institute for Policy Integrity at the New York University School of Law found two-thirds of the over 700 economists polled recognize that climate action is cheaper than inaction. Of those surveyed, 74% agree “immediate and drastic action is necessary” to address the climate crisis, and 70% think climate change will worsen economic inequality. The economists embraced net-zero goals, and estimated that failure to act on the climate crisis will cost $1.7 trillion, annually by the mid-2020s, rising to about $30 trillion a year by 2075. “There is a clear consensus among these experts that the status quo seems far more costly than a major energy transition,” which is why “economists overwhelmingly support rapid emissions reductions,” Derek Sylvan of NYU School of Law, who led the survey, said. (CNN, The Independent, Thomson Reuters Foundation, E&E $, Reuters, Axios)

Renewables 'The Complete Package of Blessings' At State And Local Level: As President Biden unveils his federal infrastructure and climate agenda, clean energy and its politics continue at the state and local levels. In Indiana, the wind industry is working with state Republicans to reduce barriers to expanding energy deployment, Inside Climate News reports. Meanwhile, in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, two local nonprofits are teaming up to stage "solar barn raisings" — a tribute to the region's Mennonite and Amish heritage — and install solar panels on homes built by Habitat for Humanity, so that residents can save money on their power bills. “To have our own space is very special,” Broadway homeowner Amber Cox told the Energy News Network. “I’m impressed and thankful they’re connecting solar. This is the complete package of blessings.” (Full summary: Nexus Media News; Indiana: Inside Climate News; Virginia: Energy News Network)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Fracking brings pollution, not wealth to Navajo land (Capital and Main), 'kenneled, strip searched, shackled and held': the Biden administration remains silent while Indigenous women continue to battle Line 3 with their bodies (Heated), what to know about Derek Chauvin’s murder trial (Bloomberg City Lab $)

DENIAL: Georgia science teacher helps students recognize misinformation about the climate (Yale Climate Connections)

BUILD BACK BETTER ROLLOUT: Biden visit highlights Pittsburgh's water contamination woes (E&E $), Biden’s infrastructure and climate plan emerges as congressional wrangling begins (Washington Post $)

MESS IN TEXAS: Texas lawmakers are using the Blackout to make fossil fuel dreams come true (Earther, Texas Tribune, S&P Global, Bloomberg $, Houston Chronicle, Earther)

AGENCIES: How Biden's DOJ could hold oil firms accountable on climate (E&E $)

WHITE HOUSE: 'Go full force': high hopes for environmental justice panel (E&E $), White House [environmental justice] meeting highlights spending initiative (E&E $)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Buttigieg says no gas or mileage tax in Biden's infrastructure plan (CNN)

THE HILL: Democrats wrestle over tax hikes for infrastructure (The Hill), progressive caucus chair says Senate must eliminate the filibuster or override parliamentarian (CNN), White House briefs lawmakers on $2 trillion infrastructure plan (Wall Street Journal $)

POLITICS: Four Great Lakes governors call on White House to aid in water infrastructure upgrades (The Hill)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Kerry headed to India, UAE for climate talks (Wall Street Journal $), Biden's big, global climate power play (Axios)

CITIES AND STATES: California to add nearly 1,400 firefighters amid dry weather (AP), GOP lawmakers take aim at Arizona renewable energy standards (AP)

FERC: All eyes on Weymouth as FERC signals interest in environmental justice (Drilled)

IMPACTS: After the deluge: [New South Wales]'s flood disaster victims begin cleanup – in pictures (The Guardian), panel urges federal help for Americans displaced by climate (E&E $)

WILDFIRES: Crews battling Black Hills wildfires gaining control (AP)

ELECTRIFICATION: Massachusetts climate act advances movement to restrict natural gas use in buildings (S&P Global $)

TRANSPORTATION: Want to create 5 million green jobs? Invest in public transport in cities (Thomson Reuters Foundation), Biden administration gives NYC green light to study congestion pricing (The Hill, Politico), Google Maps to start directing drivers to 'eco-friendly' routes (Reuters, CBS)

RENEWABLES: Oil trader Gunvor eyes $500 million in renewables deals (Bloomberg $, FT $), Joe Biden's offshore wind plan is radically ambitious and wholly achievable (Earther)

BATTERIES: BMW, Volvo and Google vow to exclude use of ocean-mined metals (FT $, AP)

STORAGE: 7 companies launch energy storage coalition (E&E $)

EFFICIENCY: The secret ingredient in Paris’ green public housing (Grist)

OIL & GAS: Big Oil is a big loser (of money, but also life) (Earther), gas production growth, pipeline constraints leave Appalachian cash basis lagging (S&P Global $), robots could replace hundreds of thousands of oil and gas jobs by 2030 (Houston Chronicle, E&E $)

PLASTICS: Plastic is creating an environmental justice crisis (Earther)

PIPELINES: [Ontario] mayor: Canada's Line 5 pleas go ignored by Michigan (Politico Pro $), feds warn of safety risks at pipeline behind huge North Carolina spill (E&E $)

COAL: Wyoming lawmakers move ahead with proposed coal lawsuit fund (AP)

UTILITIES: New Yorkers are being crushed under water debt (Jacobin)

GRID: Lawyers clash over $1B hydropower transmission corridor (AP)

EVs: Volkswagen of America lied about rebranding to ‘Voltswagen’ (The Verge, AP, NPR, CNBC, Axios, Wall Street Journal $), Mercedes-Benz to start electric van production in U.S. in 2023 (Bloomberg $), Musk’s warming up to gas evident once more at Texas gigafactory (Bloomberg $)

RELIGION: Pope, using Shakespeare, makes climate change appeal (Reuters)

AVIATION: Major U.S. airlines commit to carbon neutrality by 2050, trade body says (Reuters, Politico Pro $)

BUSINESS: Netflix lays out plans to slash its greenhouse gas emissions (The Verge, FT $), U.S. companies resist activist investor’s climate campaign (Wall Street Journal $), when companies go green, the planet doesn’t always win (Politico)

CARBON CAPTURE: Kinder Morgan seeks to expand CO2 business in clean energy push (Bloomberg $)

FINANCE: Biden’s new playbook for greening the financial system (The Atlantic), BlackRock names ex-Obama climate aide Paul Bodnar as sustainable investing head (Axios), Majority Action issues proxy guide on companies’ climate-change actions (Pensions & Investments)

GRETA: Greta Thunberg: Timmermans not doing enough to green EU farm policy (Politico EU)

DEFORESTATION: Tropical forest destruction accelerated in 2020 (New York Times $, Washington Post $)

METHANE: Study: EPA far underestimates methane emissions (E&E $), methane pollution soars in US as shale drilling resumes (FT $)

INTERNATIONAL: 'Delay is as dangerous as denial': scientists urge Australia to reach net zero emissions faster (The Guardian), under fire over aid cuts, UK hosts summit to help vulnerable nations fund climate action (Climate Home, Thomson Reuters Foundation), China ramps up push to make world’s biggest steel industry green (Bloomberg $), Colombia’s Ecopetrol seeks to reduce dependence on oil (FT $), Southeast Asia weighs benchmarks for $3 trillion green financing (Bloomberg $), UK criticised for ignoring Paris climate goals in infrastructure decisions (The Guardian)

• Hold on to your seats. FERC just hit the fast forward button on the clean energy transition. (Utility Dive, Allison Bates Wannop and Jon Wellinghoff op-ed)
• Forget bipartisanship — it's dead! (The Hill, Bill Press op-ed)
• Biden must build back greener for a post-pandemic recovery (The Hill, Deborah Brosnan op-ed)
• Letter to the environmental justice community (Grist, Gina McCarthy and Dr. Cecilia Martinez, op-ed)
• We need US leadership on water security to combat COVID-19 globally (The Hill, John Oldfield op-ed)
• When will we know if the SEC is serious about climate change? Bloomberg, Michelle Leder op-ed $)
• In the '80s it was seatbelts, now doctors are pushing for electric cars (The Hill, Neelu Tummala op-ed)
• Huge container ships' biggest problem is emissions (Bloomberg, Peter Orszag op-ed $)
• Decarbonizing America's infrastructure could be Biden's climate moonshot (The Hill, Phelim Kine op-ed)
• Europe’s ‘green and just’ transition starts with its recovery fund (FT, Stephany Griffith Jones op-ed $)

There’s A Political Hole In Otherwise Helpful ‘Whole-of-Society’ Medical Misinfo Manual

Dr. Joan Donovan’s Technology and Social Change project on Media Manipulation released a report yesterday on mitigating medical misinformation with a “whole-of-society approach."

While it focuses on how medical misinformation is spread through media manipulation and its audience within the public health community, mentions of COVID-19 and vaccines could just as easily be swapped for climate change. The media manipulation life cycle on page 18, for example, is just as true for climate denial: campaigns are planned in secret, then fringe websites and social posts start popping up until real journalists or politicians start to notice and debunk and attempt to limit the spread of the misinformation, at which point the media manipulators adjust their approach and start over. 

And the general guidelines (page 24) are also relevant to climate and other, shall we say, myth-rich fields, highlighting the “fact-fallacy-fact” debunking strategy, and that “manipulation campaigns thrive when timely, relevant, local and redundant information is not available.” The recent Texas blackouts, for example, showed how liars were eager to blame renewables, capitalizing on the fact that they could baselessly blame renewables faster than any reliable assessments — which (surprise!) showed it was mostly gas that froze up — were available. But that initial framing was so effective that Texas Republicans are considering making renewables more expensive, essentially out of denial and spite.

And that gets to where the otherwise-great report is lacking (something that it actually acknowledges), which is the specific political element. The medical misinformation it addresses “may represent a narrow view of the larger public reckoning on misinformation, political disinformation, and Internet governance.” It’s titled as a “whole-of-society approach,” but it sidesteps the existence of a rightwing disinformation machine as something of a given, instead at times describing misinformation as if it moved of its own volition and not by people with agendas. But until the faux-media outlets and fake experts are called out for their out-sized role in propagating public health threats, then it’s always going to be a matter of forcing social companies to play clean-up instead of stopping lies at their source. 

Because that’s the bigger problem, political disinformation. It’s one thing for people to have fun wasting their time with flat Earth theories or finding phallic symbols at the alternate capital of the United States (a.k.a. The Denver Airport), but there exists a multi-million-dollar organized disinformation apparatus sitting around waiting to capitalize on the next moment of uncertainty to consolidate power. 

For example, here in the U.S., anyway, given that Democrats control the House, Senate and White House, it's unsurprising that conservative media is on the warpath. But instead of fixating on the (quite popular) clean energy policies the Biden administration is rolling out, they’ve mostly been waging one-sided culture wars. For example, after a couple months of stirring up hate with a “coordinated attack” against trans kids who dare to play sports or seek medical care or just exist, cancel- “cancel culture” warriors have moved on to clutching pearls over Lil Nas X’s Satan-themed free speech expression as the right-wing media’s preferred vehicle for manufactured outrage, as Parker Malloy of Media Matters recently explained. 

The purpose there is to keep people angry at an enemy, and therefore politically aligned with their fellow straight white Christian Q-loving Republicans. On slightly-more-serious policies, it’s all about pretending immigration is suddenly a “crisis,” and shutting down ballot access for tens of millions of voters at the local level with Jim Crow 2.0, both issues with disinformation at their racist core.

But all that capacity for hatefully misinformed media, all that influence on the mainstream news and politics is made possible by polluters. The Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro’s site for anti-Lil Nas X, transphobic, rabidly pro-Seussian racism and anti-climate content, was backed by a pair of billionaire fracking brothers (no, the other ones, the Wilks.) 

Most of those supposed “experts” that Fox News and others put on TV to cast doubt on consensus science — be it on vaccines and COVID-19 or climate change — have the luxury of doing so because they get paid a decent salary by organizations that exist to pump out disinformation in order to defend their billionaire backers. 

So if you’re going to take a truly “whole-of-society” approach, it means taking measures to preserve democracy and voting rights to make it harder for misinformation to influence the outcome of elections. It means campaign finance reform to keep polluters and disinformers from buying political influence, or setting up dark money front groups to peddle disinformation as a day job. It means media literacy and standards so that “news” is actually news, and not Koch/Wilks/Mercer money masquerading as media. 

Otherwise this is just going to keep happening. Whatever progress is to be made in protecting the public from a pandemic, or climate crisis will be constantly eroded by an industrial-grade disinformation machine built to whip up racism and bigotry to secure support for a political party and ideology with no greater goal than protecting the profits of the rich and powerful.

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