FIRST LOOK:

World Resources Institute & RMI will host a webinar on April 1 highlighting U.S. city clean energy trends based on new 2020 data from its Local Government Renewables Action Tracker. TODAY at 3:00 pm. ET.

Biden Climate And Jobs Plan Historic In Size And Scope, Not Ambitious Enough Some Argue: President Joe Biden made the case in Pittsburgh on Wednesday for his 'once-in-a-generation' investment plan to address the climate crisis, alleviate societal and racial inequities, and remake American capitalism. Spurred on by the overwhelming scientific consensus and unprecedented political demand for taking action to stem the tide of climate change, Biden outlined the more-than-$2 trillion American Jobs Plan, which includes major investments to expand EV adoption, electrify and weatherize buildings, employ fossil fuel workers to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells and abandoned mines, improve the resiliency of the nation's grid and infrastructure to climate change-fueled disasters, and establish a national energy efficiency and clean energy standard. Biden's proposal faces a difficult road to fruition, with Republicans, the fossil fuel industry, and those groups' allies already attacking the proposal over its cost and the rollback of Trump's corporate tax cuts to pay for it. [See the Denier Roundup below for more. — Ed.] Biden will also seek to assuage the concerns of many, especially those in organized labor, over the wellbeing of workers currently employed by the fossil fuel industry. Despite the historic scope and ambition of Biden's plan, many progressives, unions, and climate advocates are calling for more to meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis. "This is not nearly enough. The important context here is that it’s $2.25T spread out over 10 years," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter. "For context, the COVID package was $1.9T for this year *alone,* with some provisions lasting 2 years." Advocates pointed to the recently-introduced THRIVE Act, which would invest $1 trillion per year for ten years. "The truth," Sunrise Movement spokesperson Ellen Sciales told BuzzFeed, "is [Biden's Plan] does not meet the scale and the scope of what we need to meet the true scale and urgency of the climate crisis.” (American Jobs Plan and rollout: Washington Post $, New York Times $, AP, Politico, The Hill, CNN, Reuters, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal $, Grist, CNN, The Guardian, Washington Post $; Historic scope and ambition: New York Times $; Political challenges: AP, Washington Post $, Bloomberg $, Reuters, Washington Post $, New York Times $, Politico Pro $, The Hill, Reuters; Environmental (in)justice: E&E $, CNBC; Well and mine cleanup: AP, CNN, E&E $; Not big enough: (Politico, Buzzfeed, Earther, Mother Jones; Commentary: Reuters, Howard Schneider analysis)

EPA Dismisses Trump-Appointed Science Board Members: The EPA announced on Wednesday it will remove more than 40 members of scientific advisory panels appointed under the previous administration in an effort to reduce the heavy influence of regulated industries over the regulatory process. The Trump administration barred — illegally, according to critics — experts who received EPA grants from sitting on the agency's Science Advisory Board (SAB) and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), in effect elevating industry-backed voices and freezing out independent scientific experts. Trump's EPA refused to strengthen standards on ozone, which disproportionately harms low-income communities and communities of color, on the advice of Trump-picked members of the CASAC. The CASAC also split on strengthening limits on industrial soot (also known as PM2.5) pollution despite mounting evidence it increased the risk of dying from COVID-19. An EPA spokesperson said the dismissed Trump-appointed board members were eligible to reapply if they chose to do so. (Washington Post $, E&E $, The Hill, Earther, Washington Examiner, E&E $; Regan interview: AP)

Deforestation Accelerated In 2020 — Report: Tropical forest destruction increased in 2020, with the felling of old-growth forests that play a critical role in carbon storage and biodiversity up 12% from 2019, according to a new report from the World Resources Institute. An area of forests approximately the size of Switzerland was cut down in 2020, releasing more than 2.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere — roughly double the carbon pollution caused by cars in the United States. In many cases, developing countries with high debt levels can be driven to unsustainably exploit their forest resources. (New York Times $, The Guardian, Washington Post $, Thomson Reuters Foundation, AFP, Grist, Mashable)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: In former Klan country, one Black woman decides she’s had enough (Washington Post $)

COP26: UK’s COP26 climate summit in doubt due to pandemic (Bloomberg $), UK not looking to postpone COP26 climate summit: government spokesperson (Reuters)

AMERICAN JOBS PLAN: To see how Biden's infrastructure plan will address climate change, look at the details (TIME), Biden’s big bet: tackling climate change will create jobs, not kill them (New York Times $), Biden calls for $10B Civilian Climate Corps (E&E $), Flint serves as model and warning for Biden infrastructure plan (Bloomberg Law), Biden infrastructure plan boosts renewables outlook, puts oil and gas on notice (S&P Global), infrastructure was a Trump punchline but is a window into Biden's soul (CNN), how Biden plans to tackle the climate crisis in his $2 trillion infrastructure plan (Vox), Biden’s latest surprise boost for oil involves lots of asphalt (Bloomberg $), tribal advocates see opportunity in ‘historic’ stimulus package (Atmos), US metals groups welcome Biden infrastructure proposal (S&P Global), White House plan calls for large expansion of federal government’s role in transportation (Washington Post $), how Biden is selling his infrastructure plan to Democrats (Axios), $5 billion for violence prevention is tucked into Biden infrastructure plan (NPR), GOP Gov. Kristi Noem’s hot take on Biden’s infrastructure bill goes down in flames (HuffPost)

TL;DR: What’s in Biden’s infrastructure plan? (New York Times $), nine ways Biden’s $2 trillion plan will tackle climate change (InsideClimate News), five takeaways on Biden's big infrastructure package (The Hill), Biden’s infrastructure plan visualized: how the $2.3 trillion would be allocated (Wall Street Journal $)

LOCAL COLOR: Two local artists create chalk art display ahead of President Biden’s visit to Pittsburgh (KDKA-CBS Pittsburgh)

HOW WE GOT HERE: The infrastructure crisis that Biden is confronting (New York Times $)

VOTER SUPPRESSION: Georgia sports teams and major companies such as Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines condemn new state voting law (Washington Post $, CNN)

CAUGHT RED SMOKESTACKED: NASA measures direct evidence humans are causing climate change (CBS)

AGENCIES: [IG] audit dings Trump on [EPA] rulemakings (E&E $), study ties formaldehyde to asthma, undercuts EPA findings (E&E $)

WHITE HOUSE: More than 100 climate groups press Kerry on Wall Street's role in global warming (The Hill, Bloomberg $)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Electric vehicles and biofuel: Pentagon poised to go greener under Biden (Politico), Janet Yellen: climate change poses ‘existential threat’ to financial markets (Politico, Wall Street Journal $)

THE HILL: Democrats promise to push Biden plan on Capitol Hill (E&E $), bills seek to promote, restrict federal energy purchases (E&E $), infrastructure push sets off feeding frenzy in Washington (Politico), Kigali Amendment moves toward Senate ratification (E&E $), lawmakers call on Biden to put $10 billion toward coastal restoration (The Hill)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: "Mother Earth, the planet, is screaming at us": U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry tells global leaders not enough is being done to fight climate change crisis (CBS), German official calls for construction ‘moratorium’ on Nord Stream 2 to repair U.S. relations (Politico Pro $)

CITIES AND STATES: Greens pressure Interior to block drilling at Florida preserve (E&E $), NJ eyes work to protect coastline, reduce carbon emissions (AP), panel advances [Connecticut] bill to join [TCI] (AP)

CALIFORNIA: The oil well next door: California’s silent health hazard (Yale Environment 360)

WORLD BANK: World Bank revises climate policy but stops short of halting fossil fuel funding (Reuters)

IMPACTS: On tap in California: Another drought four years after last (AP), in hotter climate, 'zombie' urchins are winning and kelp forests are losing (NPR), scientists have observed ominous winter leaks in Greenland ice sheet lakes (Earther)

WILDFIRES: PG&E plan to reserve temporary generators for wildfire season has groups worried about diesel use (Utility Dive)

TEXAS: After the winter storm, a Texas mobile home community’s nightmare was far from over (Grist)

ELECTRIFICATION: North Carolina moves to preempt local bans on natural gas hookups (Energy News Network)

RENEWABLES: California's rooftop solar program collides with equity concerns (Politico Pro $), clean energy companies show resilience during COVID recession (Energy Monitor), northeast governors need Biden to deliver on offshore wind (Politico)

BATTERIES: Apple to build battery-based solar energy storage project in California (Reuters)

OIL & GAS: Colombia provisionally approves ExxonMobil fracking pilot project (Reuters)

ORPHANED WELLS: New Mexico spent millions plugging abandoned oil and gas wells in 2020 (Carlsbad Current Argus)

COAL: 27% of U.S. coal not needed for grid reliability — report (E&E $), what should coal communities do when power plants shut down? Ask Germany. (Vox), Alabama Power coal ash plan a ‘travesty,’ former US Attorney says (AL.com)

HYDROGEN: New raw material for clean hydrogen fuel: sewage sludge (E&E $)

WATER: New 50-year Conowingo Dam license gets federal approval (Washington Post $), we sampled tap water across the US – and found arsenic, lead and toxic chemicals (The Guardian)

EVs: Biden aims to make the U.S. an EV powerhouse. Congress may not be plugged in (LA Times $), Biden calls for $174B investment in EVs, supply chain (E&E $), Amazon makes move into EV charging (E&E $), Biden’s push for electric cars: $174 billion, 10 years and a bit of luck (New York Times $), this Boston car-sharing service puts low-income drivers in electric vehicles (Energy News Network)

VEHICLES, GENERALLY: NAS: U.S. fuel efficiency policy 'rapidly becoming outdated' (Politico Pro $)

FYI: Why the sun isn't causing today's climate change (Mashable)

AVIATION: Elite minority of frequent flyers 'cause most of aviation's climate damage' (The Guardian)

BUSINESS: Hey, big tech workers: this campaign wants you to tell your company to lobby for the climate (Fast Company)

GEOENGINEERING: Sweden rejects pioneering solar geoengineering test (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

FINANCE: What's Wall Street's role in climate? This team has an idea (E&E $)

WILDLIFE: Narwhal tusks show how climate change and pollution are reshaping the arctic (Earther)

INTERNATIONAL: Germany allows carbon tax exemptions for industry, with strings (Reuters)

• There are no borders in a climate crisis (The New Yorker, Bill McKibben column $)
• How art and design can influence the magical world of climate science (Atmos, Dr. Mika Tosca interview)
• The Guardian view on cherry blossom: lessons from fragile, fleeting beauty (The Guardian, Editorial)
• Opinion: Biden’s infrastructure plan is a big bet on big government (Washington Post, Editorial Board $)
• Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard files complaint with Massachusetts attorney general (Teen Vogue, Ilana Cohen op-ed)
• Critics will talk about the cost of infrastructure. Biden should stress its value. (Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin column $)
• Recognizing Indigenous land rights can help fight climate change and boost economies (Washington Post, Julio Berdegué op-ed $)
• Don’t fall for the carbon tax trap (New Republic, Kate Aronoff column)
• Put a plug in it: governments should set targets to reduce methane emissions (Economist, Leader)
• Tesla isn’t the biggest winner from Biden’s EV plan (Bloomberg, Liam Denning column $)
• Is it okay to waste infrastructure dollars? (The Hill, Marc Joffe op-ed)
• The best and worst of Biden’s infrastructure plan (Bloomberg, Michael Strain op-ed $)

Conservatives Mostly Distract With Bigotry Instead Of Engage With Biden’s Infrastructure Proposal, As Per Usual 

President Biden’s American Jobs Plan rollout yesterday was met with criticisms from the usual suspects of polluting industry lobby groups, former reality TV hosts now banned from social media and politicians with a history of refusing to address a crisis, who once again trotted out tired, false talking points denying the job growth and economic benefits of ambitious climate and infrastructure investments. Conservative media carried these attacks, but the response, at least as of yesterday evening, was pretty muted. 

This is one of the largest spending proposals in history, but it was clear the opposition wasn’t exactly eager to engage. And why should it be? They’re not exactly eager to wrestle with the 2-to-1 popularity of a big proposal like Biden’s and try and change the minds of the majority of Americans who know the energy transition will create jobs (25 million new jobs by 2035), much less respond to facts like how switching to clean energy and electrifying our economy will save each household on average between $1,050 to $2,585 per year on its energy bills. 

Aside from the expected grumbling from groups like the Chamber of Commerce and conservative media, which have taken an inflexible position on any tax increases or Democratic initiatives, the reception t the plan was generally positive, with markets giving the plan a warm welcome.

Denierworld, though, was largely trying not to notice it. Regular tweeters fell silent, while the Daily Signal, the media arm of the Heritage Foundation was focused on Antifa and abortions. The Drudge Report, one time clearinghouse for all things conservative media, spent the day fixated on Gaetzgate.

The Heritage Foundation, supposedly the heaviest of hitters as far as conservative policy think tanks go, could only get its stooge on Newsmax, settling for the knock-off brand rightwing news channel. The real one, Fox News dot com, dutifully covered Trump’s belligerent and true-to-form sinophobic response, and ran a piece that speculated about tax increases for couples making over $400k a year. 

But judging by its home page, Murdoch’s monster was much more interested in Trump (still) being banned from Facebook and potentially starting a social media platform of his own. (Something he’s teased regularly for years as a part of the successful conservative strategy of harassing social media companies to receive preferential treatment.)  

Meanwhile, the namesake for political corruption in politics, Citizens United, called it the Green New Deal, despite the fact that actual GND supporters were criticizing it for not spending big enough — something Breitbart even reported!  

Speaking of the racism-launderer, Breitbart was at least creative with its headlines, calling it the “Green New $teal” and comparing the tax rate to communist China, before immediately disclosing that the proposed upper rate of 28% is still lower than the 35% it was before the Trump tax cuts dropped it 4 points below China’s 25% rate. 

But by mid-afternoon, that block of half-hearted “news” coverage had already fallen down the page, replaced by headlines about the Black people voting (a.k.a. election fraud) and desperate Brown people, many of whom were forced from their homes by climate-fueled disasters (a.k.a. immigration). Similarly, the Daily Caller ignored Biden’s speech and infrastructure proposal completely, opting instead for "border crisis" content. Fracker-backed Daily Wire was leading its front page all day with AOC’s debunking of the border “surge”, followed by Ben Shapiro’s defense of Derek Chauvin, the cop on trial for killing George Floyd. 

While there will certainly be plenty of takes, the most telling is this first reaction. When a big, important policy rolls out, one that will probably have some real material impact on the lives of their audience, denial becomes deflection. Racist, bigoted scapegoating keeps a conservative audience so immersed in an alternate universe that they can barely figure out what’s happening in the real world. 

Nevertheless, we remain confident that, any minute now, the overwhelming scientific consensus on the causes and severity of the climate crisis and bipartisan support among the voting public for climate action will mean more to elected Republicans than their fossil fuel donations. So far their talk about taking the climate crisis issue seriously has been just that, talk, but surely sending billions of dollars to their constituents will have the GOP ready to compromise any day now. 

(Happy April Fools!)

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to receive Hot News every morning!

Send updates or feedback to nkauffman@climatenexus.org
Submit events and other items for consideration for a First Look using this form
Some articles require logins or subscriptions ($)