FIRST LOOK

Join the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health for a webinar on racial trauma and climate change. Tomorrow, August 13, at 3:00 pm ET.

Deaths From June PNW Heatwave Likely Triple Official Tally, Lower 48 About To Bake: About 600 more people died during the June heatwave in Oregon and Washington than would have typically died during that time, the New York Times reports. That number is triple the official death toll of the heatwave that would have been virtually impossible without climate change caused by humans' extraction and combustion of fossil fuels. Experts said the Times' analysis was consistent with extant evidence of the mortal danger posed by extreme heat, in part because extreme heat exacerbates other conditions like cardiovascular and respiratory disease and can thus cause deaths without being reflected in official data. The Times' reporting comes as two concurrent heatwaves are set to roast much of the continental U.S. with almost 200 million people under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings. The heat will likely further worsen fires in the West, as well as disproportionately harm low income communities and communities of color. (PNW death toll: New York Times $; Coming heatwaves: (Washington Post $, Axios, New York Times $, Bloomberg $; Climate Signals background: 2021 PNW heatwave; 2021 Western wildfire season)

Wildfires In Algeria, Siberia Kill, Choke With Smoke: Wildfires in Algeria have killed at least 65 people and incinerated homes, olive tree orchards, and livestock and formed pyrocumulonimbus clouds visible from space in the Berber region of Kabyle, east of Algiers. Extreme heat has made containing the fires more difficult, with temperatures forecast to hit 116°F (47°C) on Thursday. Both extreme heat, and the fires it helps fuel are signals of climate change caused by human extraction and combustion of fossil fuels. France, which colonized and occupied Algeria until the 1960s, has pledged aid and relief. The Algerian fires are the latest in a drumbeat of fires and extreme heat in the Mediterannean region, including fires in Turkey, Greece, and Italy, as well as extreme heat in southern Europe [see coverage below —Ed.]. Warming and fires are not limited to typically warm regions either, wildfires across Siberia are burning a greater area than the rest of the world's fires combined, choking a thousand villages with hazardous smoke. (Algeria: AP, Reuters, CNN, France24, The Hill; Siberia: Washington Post $, AP; Extreme heat and heatwaves, Wildfires)

Solar Could Keep Texas Lights On During Heatwave: The Texas power grid is expected to see its highest power demand of 2021this week with extreme heat expected there and across the country. The intense power demands raise concerns over the grid's ability to keep the lights on after thousands were plunged into deadly blackouts in February following the failure of the gas system. Solar installations in Texas have doubled since last year, Daniel Cohan, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, told Earther, solar installations could provide "a buffer on hot afternoons." Still, experts are unimpressed with steps taken by ERCOT and Gov. Greg Abbott to address the power grid's shortcomings. “The governor’s been caught with his pants down, and is desperately praying we get through the summer and the next winter and through the primary season,” Ed Hirs, a professor of energy economics at the University of Houston, told Earther. "It’s a real serious problem. Texans have paid billions of dollars, and we’re going to see billions of dollars for these mistakes.” (Earther)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Shareholder advocacy group goes after 'environmental racism' (Reuters)

IPCC REPORT: Why politicians should read the grim climate report (Politico), 3 things to know about what scientists say about our future climate (NPR), IPCC Climate Report: grim picture painted for Bangladesh (The Daily Star), what the new climate change report means for El Paso and the Southwest (El Paso Matters), a NASA scientist explains why the weather is becoming more extreme (The Verge), all hands on deck (Atmos), climate report co-author: 'the pile of evidence is now enormous' (NPR), IPCC climate change report gives a less extreme but more sobering outlook (Wall Street Journal $), 10 innovative ways people around the world are tackling climate change (Thomson Reuters Foundation), what does extreme weather tell us about climate change? (PolitiFact)

• METHANE: Scientists say this invisible gas could seal our fate on climate change (CNN)

EUROPEAN HEAT: Italy swelters as Spain, Portugal brace for coming heat wave (AP), heat will be additional rival during ‘summer edition’ of Vuelta a España (VeloNews), Sicily soars to 120 degrees, potentially setting Europe all-time heat record (Washington Post $, Axios, The Guardian)

SILENT BUT DEADLY SERIOUS: Frackers, shippers eye natural-gas leaks as climate change concerns mount (Wall Street Journal $)

ISLANDS: Dream vacation spot [the Maldives] has two major problems: Debt and climate crisis (CNN), island nations react to devastating U.N. climate change report: 'we are on the edge of extinction' (CBS)

COP26: IPCC report prompts calls to tackle methane emissions at COP26 (Climate Home)

DENIAL: ‘There’s nothing we can do’: Public schools without mask mandates put parents in a scary situation (The 19th* News)

THE OTHER EVs: Electric cargo bikes will deliver your next package—if US cities embrace them (Quartz)

GAS EXPLOSIONS: NTSB: Construction crew blamed for massive 3-alarm Richmond district natural gas line explosion in 2019 (KPIX)

DOE: Biden officials push to hike lightbulb efficiency after Trump reversal (The Hill), Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on the infrastructure bill and climate change (PBS NewsHour)

DOI: BLM considers banning mining in sensitive sage grouse areas (E&E $, The Hill)

DOT: NTSB aims to curb injuries as warming may worsen turbulence (E&E $)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: How the Biden admin plans to use buildings to temper heat (E&E $)

LAWSUITS: Plan to replace aging postal truck fleet delayed by lawsuit (AP), Republicans ask court to compel Biden administration to sell drilling leases (The Hill)

THE HILL: As Senate passes infrastructure bill, Democrats eye opportunity for more energy spending (Utility Dive), Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget framework exposes party tensions (Wall Street Journal $)

HOUSE: Coal executive to fight Biden agenda from House perch (E&E $), House Dems urge extending clean energy tax credits (E&E $), House moderates call for immediate vote on bipartisan infrastructure bill (The Hill), nearly 200 House Democrats call for focus on clean energy tax credits in reconciliation (The Hill)

SENATE: Dire UN report on warming planet leaves GOP senators cold (Politico), Key Democrats say the price tag on the $3.5 trillion budget blueprint is too high. (New York Times $, The Hill), Republican senators weigh in on carbon border adjustment (E&E $)

WHITE HOUSE: [Gina] McCarthy: reconciliation not the only way to advance climate (E&E $), Secy. Kerry: We can limit climate change 'to less than the worst consequences' (MSNBC), WH: Getting vaccinated 'most important' step in hurricane preparedness (Axios), 

• GASOLINE PRICES: Biden: $1 trillion infrastructure bill ‘will transform America’ (NBC), White House calls on OPEC+ to increase oil production as gas prices rise (Axios, Reuters, Wall Street Journal $, E&E $, Washington Examiner), White House call for more OPEC oil draws fire from left and right (Politico Pro $), White House calls for probe of 'divergences' between oil price and gasoline costs (The Hill), Biden White House jammed on gas prices (Axios)

INFRASTRUCTURE BILL(S): Senate Democrats adopt sweeping $3.5 trillion budget that opens the door to health, education and tax reforms (Washington Post $), Biden aims for sweeping climate action as infrastructure, budget bills advance (Washington Post $), Could the infrastructure bill make wildfires worse? (E&E $), Democratic divisions emerge on Senate's $3.5 trillion spending plan (Reuters), Permian Basin gets vote of confidence with infrastructure plan (Bloomberg $), Democrats ready a tricky legislative two-step. It's been done before. (New York Times $)

POLITICS: Oil lobby boosts carbon pricing as it addresses fallout from Exxon lobbyist sting video (Washington Examiner)

NOMINEES & CONFIRMATIONS: Biden picks Elizabeth Prelogar to be solicitor general (E&E $), Senate clears nominees after sparring on Nord Stream pipeline (E&E $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Senior US climate official says Australia’s climate targets are ‘not sufficient’ (The Guardian)

CITIES AND STATES: ‘Hallelujah moment’: how this city overcame its lead crisis (New York Times $), Colorado's innovative Clean Heat Standard will force gas utilities to clean up their act (Canary Media), Cuomo resignation may shift NY energy, climate policy (E&E $)

CALIFORNIA: California panel backs solar mandate for new buildings (New York Times $, Canary Media, Axios), California utilities, clean energy groups urge CPUC to move quickly following Newsom's emergency call (Utility Dive), tensions flare between Los Angeles air regulators, environmentalists (Politico Pro $)

IMPACTS: Where extreme weather is getting even worse, in one map (Vox), health crises, war, refugees, dying reefs: a look at impacts of climate change (WBUR), Hawaii battles drought, fires and mudslides with record low rainfall in many regions (WBUR), floods hit northern Turkey; 1 killed, several missing (AP), the long, slow drowning of the New Jersey shore (New York Times $)

WILDFIRES: In photos: Where wildfires are blazing around the world (Axios), how to endure Colorado’s bad air: close up the house, stay inside and filter (Denver Post), huge California fire grows; Montana blaze threatens towns (AP), when your yard can kill you (The Atlantic), why wildfires happen: debunking the myth that arson is to blame more than climate change (CNN), wildland firefighters could get $20,000 raise from infrastructure bill (CNN), British Columbia battles nearly 300 wildfires at once. Here's how. (New York Times $)

GREEK WILDFIRES: Greek island is new epicenter of Europe’s summer of calamity (New York Times $), blazes flare anew in Greece but spare ancient Olympia (Reuters), Greek wildfires a major ecological catastrophe, PM says (AP)

DIXIE FIRE: Extreme heat worsens Dixie Fire in Northern California (NBC), Dixie Fire scorches more than 500,000 acres (NBC, The Hill)

HURRICANES: Tropical Storm Fred hitting the Dominican Republic (Yale Climate Connections, Reuters, AP, AP), Tropical Storm Fred sweeps past Puerto Rico and could strike Florida this weekend (Washington Post $), Tropical Storm Linda rapidly gaining strength in eastern Pacific (AP)

AMONG OTHER THINGS: Extreme weather events put a damper on summer plans (WBUR)

REAL ESTATE: On South Carolina’s shore, some condo owners worry: Are their buildings safe? (Washington Post $)

EMISSIONS: EIA report: Carbon emissions expected to increase in 2021 (Axios), Vestas finds shelter from cost storm (Reuters), world’s largest offshore converter station in place (offshoreWIND.biz)

OIL & GAS: ‘Abolish these companies, get rid of them’: what would it take to break up big oil? (The Guardian), Citgo sued for allegedly shortchanging retirees of millions in pensions (Houston Chronicle)

OIL SPILLS: Russia: Black Sea oil spill much bigger than first thought (AP)

LNG: Study charts path to more accurate tally of LNG emissions (E&E $)

PLASTICS: You eat microplastics every day. Here's what it may be doing in your body (The Hill)

PIPELINES: Police arrest 10 people as Mountain Valley Pipeline protests top 932 days (Truthout)

HYDROGEN: BP sees potential for green hydrogen, ammonia plant in Australia (Reuters)

UTILITIES: Strange bedfellows come together on EV charging (Axios)

WATER: Military bases near Chesapeake Bay contaminated with ‘forever chemicals,’ new report warns (Washington Post $, E&E $)

GRID: California's clean grid may lean on oil, gas to avoid summer blackouts (Reuters)

EVs: As the auto industry shifts green, will its workers be left behind? (TIME), Lordstown motors sees truck production this fall, deliveries in 2022 (Wall Street Journal $)

ALUMINUM: Tomago Aluminium to go green (Australian Financial Review)

AVIATION: Gina McCarthy confirms talks ongoing with airline industry to cut emissions (Axios), EU still flying solo on tackling aviation emissions (Energy Monitor)

ARCHITECTURE: Tall buildings: good for the housing crisis, bad for the climate crisis (Grist)

BUSINESS: Microsoft to buy power from Fort Bend solar farm (Houston Chronicle)

FINANCE: Banks rush for 'green deposits.' Will it help the climate? (E&E $), has Fannie Mae’s $95 billion in green bonds made anything greener? (Grist)

INTERNATIONAL: Are Bolsonaro’s attacks on the Amazon and Indigenous tribes international crimes? A third court plea says they are (InsideClimate News), Swiss government rejects call to ban fossil fuels from 2050 (Reuters), to hit climate goals, Indonesia urged to ban new palm oil plantations forever (Thomson Reuters Foundation), Boris Johnson’s climate problem (Politico EU)

• Climate doubters lose one of their last remaining arguments (Washington Post, Editorial Board $)
• The deep ocean protects us from ourselves — for now (The Hill, Erik Cordes op-ed)
• As the planet burns, a new Cold War over critical minerals (The Hill, Jordy Lee and Morgan Bazilian op-ed)
• Biden’s opec plea is really directed at anxioUS drivers (Bloomberg, Liam Denning op-ed $)
• Every American deserves clean drinking water and working sewer systems (The Hill, Lyndon Haviland op-ed)
• There is no ‘getting back to normal’ with climate breakdown (The Guardian, Mark Blyth op-ed)
• A tight-knit island nation hopes to rebuild while preserving ‘the Barbudan way’ (National Geographic, Mikki Harris commentary)
• Democrats will ruin the climate (Wall Street Journal, Daniel Henninger op-ed $)
• The UN climate panel tries to cut through the smog (The New Yorker, Bill McKibben column $)

Biden’s EV EO Triggers Organized Denial’s Anti-EV Responses

Last week, President Biden signed an Executive Order encouraging U.S. leadership in the clean car sector with a goal of half of all new car sales in the U.S. being zero-emission by 2030. It took them a few days, but deniers seem to have assembled their response by cobbling together a mix of old lies, new misrepresentations, and bizarre logical fallacies. 

For example, a response that in any sane outlet might be praise for Biden’s plan was published in the Koch-funded RealClearEnergy as an attack: President Biden’s Electric Car Future is Union Made. Bruce Yandle, a fellow at the Koch-funded Mercatus Center at George Mason University, is upset that Biden invited three major U.S. car companies to attend the announcement because they were the largest employers of workers in the United Auto Workers union, and didn’t invite non-American companies with non-union workers to his event promoting good American jobs. 

Obviously, it’s no surprise that a Koch crony is anti-union and anti-EV, unless you confuse organized labor with organized denial. 

Speaking of organized denial, while the once-Koch-funded Daily Caller has since basically given up on regular climate denial reporting, and its IPCC story was a straightforward rip-off of the AP’s “code red” coverage (sans any Koch-network denial quote, because no-pay, no-play, we assume). The Caller still occasionally publishes guest opinion pieces and ran one from Charlotte Whelan of the (pro-Covid) Independent Women’s Forum and Steamboat Institute (which is hosting Marc Morano and a slate of other rightwing pseudostars at an upcoming festival).

Whelan is also upset the White House invited union workers to its pro-union-jobs event, and adds (with a deliberately misleading citation) the claim that “it could take more than 15 years to recoup the upfront extra costs in fuel savings. The average American certainly can’t wait that long to ‘make back’ the additional upfront cost” But the work cited (an NRDC post based on a peer-reviewed study) doesn’t even measure how long it would take to recoup the upfront cost of an EV with cheaper charging and a more efficient propulsion system. The study did, however, use 15 years as the unit of measurement for a car’s life. So the calculations show that over an average 15-year lifespan of ownership, it can be almost $15,000 cheaper to go with an electric car. 

Over at the Koch-funded Heritage foundation’s media arm, their policy analyst Katie Tubb makes a similar claim about EVs being for rich people, which we’ve addressed before as part of their propaganda campaigns, as well as the old racist dog whistle about China.  

Finally, we get to a new name to us, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, who wrote that Biden’s move was “costly and counterproductive” in the industry-funded Manhattan Institute’s City Journal. After a column defending the auto industry from 5G in January, and another in March with the phrase “nothing beats personal vehicles for social distancing.” Furchtgott-Roth makes similar points to the other professional disinformers in her most recent City Journal piece, but she also adds a particularly baffling claim that because “the United States has achieved energy security by becoming a net exporter of oil and natural gas,” then “mandating sales of electric vehicles would weaken that security.” 

But if exporting oil makes us stronger (by her logic) then wouldn’t having more of it to export because our own cars are using less of it be a good thing, that would make us stronger? 

Why would someone write something so inane and illogical, despite a byline that includes “former deputy assistant secretary for research and technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation” and “adjunct professor of economics at George Washington University?” Those are both legitimate organizations, not industry-funded disinformation operations! 

Well it turns out that the DOT appointment was made by notoriously-bad-hiring-manager Donald Trump, and prior to that, Furchtgott-Roth was an economist for the American Petroleum Institute, proving once again that when someone says something stupid about EVs, it’s probably on purpose.

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