FIRST LOOK(S):

The Uproot Project leads a lunchtime panel with Darryl Fears, Paola Rosa-Aquino, and Alejandra Borunda on how they wound up on the environmental beat. TODAY at 1pm ET.

Information on the 100+ events this week can be found HERE.

People Of Color Breathing Dirtiest Air, ALA Report Says: More than four in 10 people in the U.S., about 135 million people, live in counties where pollution levels frequently make the air too dangerous to breathe, the American Lung Association says. The group released its 22nd annual "State of the Air" report Wednesday, focused on ozone and short-term and year-round particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. People of color were 61% more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one of those, and three times more likely to live in a county that failed all three. "This report shines a spotlight on the urgent need to curb climate change, clean up air pollution and advance environmental justice," said ALA head Harold Wimmer. Climate change exacerbates the air pollution caused by the initial combustion of fossil fuels, as ozone is created when tailpipe and power plant emissions are heated by sunlight. So in addition to supercharging wildfires that created dangerous levels of particulate matter pollution, particularly in California, the heated climate leads to more frequent dangerous ozone levels across the country. (The Guardian, CNN, USA Today,  MarketWatch; Arizona: KOLD; 

California: KFSN; Georgia: GPB; Maine: WGME, Maine Public; Montana: Montana Public Radio; Nevada: KLAS; New Mexico: New Mexico Political Report; New York: WGRZ, Spectrum News 1, WSHU; Pennsylvania: KDKA, WLVR, Fox43; Utah: Fox13; Washington: KGMI, Tri-City Herald; West Virginia: WV MetroNews, WOWK; Wisconsin: WHBL)

US Pledges To Cut Emissions In Half By 2030: The Biden administration said today it will commit to slash climate pollution by 50-52% below 2005 emissions levels by 2030. The updated "Nationally Determined Contribution" under the Paris agreement essentially doubles the Obama administration’s pledge of 26-28% emissions reduction by 2025, but is still less ambitious than pledges made by the UK and EU, despite the fact that the U.S. is by far the largest historic emitter and has the highest per-capita emissions to date. The Biden administration has not yet released a detailed roadmap for achieving the target, but White House officials said in a briefing call that meeting this target will require steep and rapid reductions in oil, gas, and coal use by nearly every sector of the economy. According to Climate Action Tracker, the new NDC is not sufficient to meet the cuts needed to hold global warming below 2.7°F (1.5°C), but is "well on the way." The administration — through diplomatic efforts, executive actions, and its push for climate-friendly infrastructure legislation — has sought to reestablish American credibility in the international climate arena, hosting a (virtual) summit of 40 world leaders this week to press forward on climate action. "Those are the things that I would say to other world leaders if they come back and say, ‘Well, why should we think that this time is different?’” Nate Hultman, who worked on Obama's climate pledge and now directs the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland, told Politico. “The answer is it is actually different.” (Politico, Washington Post $, Bloomberg $, CNN, HuffPost, New York Times $, NPR, USA Today $, Reuters, CBS, NBC; New York Times Interactive; Climate Nexus Backgrounder)

Biden To Restore California Vehicle Emissions Authority: The Biden administration will move as soon as Friday to restore California's authority to set its own, stronger, vehicle emissions standards, according to reports. The transportation sector is the country's largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, and as the nation's largest car market California's vehicle emissions regulations set a de-facto national standard. The Trump administration attempted to revoke California's ability to set its own vehicle emissions standards, prompting legal challenges brought by 22 states and the District of Columbia. The Biden administration is expected to abandon the defense of the Trump administration's revocation. (Wall Street Journal $, Politico Pro $)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: 14 groups launch solar, environmental justice coalition (E&E $), what is environmental racism? 10 facts about how it works (TeenVogue), Black mental health needs to be acknowledged in Chauvin guilty aftermath (The Grio), Black people don’t need reminders that Chauvin’s guilty verdict doesn’t mean the fight is over. It’s ok to celebrate small victories (The Root), DOJ to launch federal investigation into Minneapolis police department after Derek Chauvin verdict (Blavity), is the Chauvin verdict a sign of change, or the policing system saving itself? (The Real News)

(SCIENTIFIC) SEXISM: Men dominate climate science. [Corinne Le Quéré] made it to the top - her way (Reuters)

DENIAL: As extreme weather increases, climate misinformation adapts (AP), Republicans test lines of attack on White House jobs, infrastructure plan (Utility Dive), House Republicans introduce climate initiative as Dems continue Green New Deal push (Fox News)

POLLUTION VALUATIONS: The social cost of methane is much higher in the U.S. than current government estimates (Earther), what’s the cost of carbon? There’s no consensus (Politico)

AGENCIES: DOT appoints chief science officer for first time in 40 years (The Hill), about-face: Army Corps to consult with tribes on WOTUS (E&E $), Interior extends pause on oil and gas leasing (Politico Pro $), Interior official grilled on climate, offshore wind (E&E $), support grows for scrapping Trump methane rollback (E&E $), Regan looks to sell lawmakers on big spending hike (E&E $)

THE HILL: Collins joins Democrats in bid to undo Trump methane emissions rollback (The Hill), Dems rally around jobs message ahead of climate summit (E&E $), how the Green New Deal fits Democrats' climate plans (E&E $), Republicans may trim infrastructure counteroffer (E&E $), Senate Democrats reject Republican infrastructure bid (Politico Pro $), lawmakers back $100 billion science push to compete with China (Reuters), vote set on bipartisan carbon markets bill (E&E $), Wyden unveils bill streamlining clean energy incentives (Politico Pro $), Manchin rules out loftier progressive asks in infrastructure push (Politico Pro $)

WHITE HOUSE: Judge to decide fate of Trump NEPA overhaul (E&E $), greens, Biden tussle over near-term fate of Trump NEPA rule (Politico Pro $)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: After half a century in public life, Kerry gets one more shot (Washington Post $),Gina McCarthy, Obama’s EPA chief, is back and ready to rebuild a legacy dismantled during Trump. (New York Times $), Biden pushes for momentum as US returns to climate fight (AP), Biden’s climate credibility may hinge on whether he makes good on U.S. financial commitments to developing nations (InsideClimate News), why the federal government is buying into the promise of 24/7 clean power (Grist), Yellen touts 'whole-of-economy' plan to fight climate change (The Hill, Reuters)

POLITICS: So you're serious about climate change: vote in your local elections (WBUR)

CLIMATE SUMMIT: What’s on the agenda for Biden’s climate summit, and who’s attending? (New York Times $, Axios), in Biden climate show, watch for cajoling, conflict, pathos (AP), a guide to Biden's climate summit (E&E $), what Biden’s earth day summit needs to accomplish (Atmos), countries representing 60% of global economy raising climate targets at Biden summit, Kerry says (Washington Examiner), who's attending Biden's climate summit? (Reuters)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: The US has a long way to go to make up for its part in the climate crisis (The Verge), climate summit ‘last chance’ for Brazil to show leadership on global warming (InsideClimate News), Biden drops Trump-era suit against California-Quebec emissions market (Politico Pro $), the climate change bargaining game (Washington Post $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY, CHINA: Xi to attend Biden's climate change summit in first meeting of two leaders (Reuters, Axios, The Hill), on climate, U.S. and China pledge cooperation, but competition will also be prominent (NPR), does the U.S.-China climate statement mean real cooperation ahead? (Washington Post $)

CITIES AND STATES: Battle brewing over New York offshore wind transmission upgrades (Politico Pro $), Michigan agency to include climate in tunnel permit review (AP)

TRIBES: Tribal leaders: Bears Ears can't wait for legislative fix (E&E $)

INTERNATIONAL: Poll finds broad, deep public support for climate action across the world (Axios), Australia to promise $436.5 million for low emission technology (Reuters), Bolsonaro’s sudden pledge to protect the Amazon met with skepticism (New York Times $), Brazil’s climate overture to Biden: pay us not to raze Amazon (Wall Street Journal $), China’s green-power funding is blowing in the wind (Wall Street Journal $), Germany’s Merkel greets EU climate law (Reuters), Putin calls for Russian greenhouse gas emissions to be lower than EU’s (Reuters), Singapore port authority launches $90 million decarbonisation fund (Reuters), the perils of air pollution in North Macedonia (Al Jazeera), Trudeau was a global climate hero. now Canada risks falling behind. (New York Times $), wealthy governments still subsidising fossil fuels in developing nations (Energy Monitor), Japan raises emissions cut target to 46% by 2030 (AP)

IMPACTS: 90% of the world breathes polluted air. Symbolic emission targets aren’t enough. (Truthout), crises collide: homeless in America when climate disaster strikes (NBC), heat is reshaping Greenland, and it's raising sea levels (E&E $), some climate tipping points may be reversible, if we act fast (Earther), the incredibly frustrating reason there’s no Lyme disease vaccine (Vox), Trump’s unfinished border wall could worsen Texas flooding (Earther), California governor declares drought emergency in 2 counties (AP), climate change could cut world economy by $23 trillion in 2050, insurance giant warns (New York Times $), Europe’s changing climate viewed from orbit shows rising danger (Bloomberg $)

WILDFIRES: Fire risk 'ringing alarm bells' across the West (E&E $)

SHIPPING: U.S. to join effort to curb climate-warming emissions from shipping (Reuters)

RENEWABLES: Blackout aftermath: An end to Texas' renewable boom? (E&E $), community solar surge strains Minnesota’s interconnection queue (Energy News Network), NextEra backs Biden's clean energy push as renewables power profit (Reuters)

IT’S ELECTRIC: Electrify everything: why we need to go big on going electric (Grist), Plans for clean electricity standard spur lobbying rush (E&E $)

OIL & GAS: Offshore accident may be deadliest since Deepwater Horizon (E&E $), energy giants ditch oil and coal projects. Smaller rivals want them. (Wall Street Journal $), high carbon prices prompt coal-to-gas fuel switching (Reuters), oil’s rebound shows the window to protect the climate is closing (Earther), as New England wind power grows, local activists try to halt natural gas projects (NHPR)

PIPELINES: Tennessee pipeline project sparks environmental justice fight (E&E $)

WATER: EPA administrator: We don't plan to return 'verbatim' to Obama-era water regulation (The Hill), Feds focus on drought plaguing parched West (E&E $), report: California’s water systems are in deep trouble (Grist), as moratoria on [water] shutoffs end, old problems return to the forefront (Circle of Blue)

GRID: FERC overstepping its authority in move to lower demand response barriers, NARUC, utilities charge (Utility Dive)

EVs: An EV start-up backed by U.S. does away with the assembly line (New York Times $), governors urge Biden to order 100% zero-emission car sales by 2035 (NPR), how the U.S. is trying to make up lost ground on electric vehicles (NBC), UCLA report recommends income caps on EV rebates (Politico Pro $)

ACTIVISM: Dalai Lama and 100 other Nobel Prize laureates call for fossil fuels to be phased out (CNN), Nobel laureates call for elimination of fossil fuels (The Hill), ‘do something’: an intimate look at the personal lives of climate activists (The Guardian), inside the Chamber of (Climate) Commerce (E&E $), on TV, spend Earth Day with David, Greta … or Cher? (New York Times $)

MOVIES: The Race to Save the World review – paying the price for climate change protest (The Guardian)

AGRICULTURE: Experts say climate change threatens America's food supply. Can farmers in the Mississippi Delta save it? (CBS)

BITCOIN: How much bitcoin comes from dirty coal? A flooded mine in China just spotlighted the issue (Fortune)

BUSINESS:Cisco commits $100 million to fight climate change (Axios), EU defends its push for rules on company 'green' reporting (Reuters), EU publishes rules to help investors decide what's 'green' and what's not (Reuters), New Belgium makes climate change beer from 'less-than-ideal ingredients' (The Hill), Tencent tops Greenpeace clean energy rankings for China Big Tech (Reuters)

ARCHITECTURE: Gensler unveils ambitious climate goals for its buildings (Houston Chronicle), Georgia Tech structure certified as ‘living building’ (AP)

FINANCE: Bank climate pledges in doubt after U.S. giants sit out global agreement (Politico), Global finance firms commit to net-zero emissions in new alliance (Politico Pro $), the finance sector links arms on climate (Axios)

GRETA: Greta Thunberg docuseries amplifies her climate change fight (AP)

HEALTH: Project aims to boost patients' resilience to climate risks (E&E $)

IN MEMORIAM: Remembering Walter Mondale: VP and climate advocate (E&E $)

• 100% outrage and 100% optimism (Outrage + Optimism, John Kerry interview)
• Memo to the Biden administration: What not to do on climate (Thomson Reuters Foundation, Jacqueline Patterson op-ed)
• The case for American climate leadership (Tampa Bay Times, Kathy Castor op-ed)
• Protecting Our Planet: Lisa Jackson (Washington Post, Lisa Jackson interview $)
• The Path Forward: Al Gore on Climate and the Economy (Washington Post, Al Gore interview $)
• Biden promises big on climate change. Delivering will be much harder. (Washington Post, Editorial Board $)
• Governments, private sector must work together on climate (Wall Street Journal, John Kerry interview $)
• New proof we are changing the climate could also help save it (The Hill, Ryan Kramer and Brian Soden op-ed)
• Railing against the wind (Wall Street Journal, Editorial Board $)
• The urgent need to change the language we use to talk about the climate crisis (TIME, John Freeman op-ed)
• Judith Butler: creating an inhabitable world for humans means dismantling rigid forms of individuality (TIME, Judith Butler op-ed)
• No easy solutions for tackling the Central American roots of the migration crisis (The New Humanitarian, Paula Dupraz-Dobias analysis)
• New directions for US climate policy rhetoric (The Hill, Rebecca Peters and Sophie Zinser op-ed)
• ‘We can’t protect them’: Mothers on what it means to have Black children in America (The 19th* News)
• Biden's climate agenda goes big but is fuzzy on details (Washington Post, Jacqueline Alemany analysis $)
• Here's why clean energy is a civil rights issue, and how Michigan residents miss out (Lansing State Journal, Jeremy Orr op-ed)
• Americans want climate solutions. Why won’t our politicians deliver? (Washington Post, Johnathan Williams op-ed $)

Thinking Republicans Offer Anything More Than Criticism on Climate and Infrastructure Would Be A Graves Mistake 

Hip hip hooray, it’s another Earth Day! And just like you would expect, deniers have been busy with their own counter-programing to distract from the very real stuff happening in the White House. 

Since Republicans are increasingly not in denial about the popularity of climate action, particularly among those who have to survive potentially apocalyptic conditions, there are more calls than ever this year for the GOP to, in the words of former Trump-EPA appointee Samantha Dravis, “offer more than criticism on climate and infrastructure.” That’s her advice, in an op-ed in the Washington Examiner that, to be honest, she should probably read. Because four of the five paragraphs are, in fact, complaints. The first three are standard Republican complaints about President Biden’s Infrastructure plan and its spending on climate-friendly infrastructure.

The fourth paragraph is, for a change, complaints about Republicans, who should “offer viable alternatives” instead of just continuing to complain and oppose. “It is not enough to argue against government spending anymore," she says. So now, “Republicans must negotiate in good faith to try to curb some of the more extreme aspects of the bill.” 

Then finally, in the last paragraph, Dravis stops complaining and actually mentions the GOP’s “BUILDER Act,” which “offers a means to modernize permitting processes and streamline projects.” Sponsored by oily Louisiana Republican Rep. Garret Graves, and cosponsored by oily Sam Graves (R-MO), the act shows even Dravis’s plea for good faith negotiations is being offered in bad faith. Because the BUILDER Act isn’t a proposal to fund new infrastructure projects, but instead is an attempt to gut the National Environmental Policy Act to make it easier for polluters to ignore local objections from the people they’re harming. 

It’s just more of the exact sort of deregulatory agenda that makes the problem worse. Granted, it’s better than the accidental socialism or ponderings of how to make tea that we’ve seen young conservative climate activists recently, but only because adult Republicans are capable of a well-thought-out distraction instead of an off-the-cuff one. 

Not that they can execute it particularly well. As you probably didn’t notice because the adults were doing real things this week, House Republicans introduced their own “energy innovation agenda”, which is basically just a rehash of all their existing distractions, so not all that innovative. 

There is one notable new thing though, the use of “American Energy” as a distinct new euphemism for oil and gas. It’s an interesting new phrase we’ve started seeing from the sedition caucus, making an obvious play to connect (white) nationalist jingoism with energy policy, to sell the public on exporting gas. 

With proposals ranging from giving money to the timber industry to cut down trees in the name of climate to giving money to the oil industry to pollute more, to giving money to the nuclear industry to fail to build power plants with, the three-day virtual summit could more accurately be described as “a list of videos uploaded to Kevin McCarthy’s website.” 

So it’s hard to believe Republicans are open to good faith negotiations, when their idea of climate policy is giving comfort to polluters and overturning NEPA, a bedrock environmental law communities have used to protect themselves for decades.  

Trust these fossil-fuel-funded deniers to negotiate in good faith on climate policy, and you’ll be digging our Graves.

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