FIRST LOOK:

Be sure to read the first-person account of pioneering climate scientist and communicator Ben Santer on his decades-long career at — and recent retirement from — Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as tributes from several preeminent climate scientists. 

Supposedly Pro-Climate Companies 'Missing The Moment' To Support Action — Report: None of America's largest "climate positive" corporations are fully supporting the country's biggest and best legislative opportunity in over a decade to address the climate crisis and move toward alignment with the Paris Agreement, a new report shows. The report, a collaboration of ClimateVoice and InfluenceMap found none of the top 20 "climate positive" companies have endorsed the climate policies of the Build Back Better Act, supported its revenue raising provisions, and opposed lobbying against the bill by trade associations; 12 met none of those requirements. Those companies — 3M, Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola, Google, HP, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Nike, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Qualcomm, and Tesla — are "missing the moment," the report said. “This is our shot at national policy," ClimateVoice founder Bill Weihl told Grist. If these companies don't step up, "they are going to be held to account for years to come." (Grist)

Coffins — Still — Strewn Across SE Louisiana Town: More than six weeks after Hurricane Ida made landfall on Southeast Louisiana, coffins are still strewn across the community of Ironton. Hurricane Ida's storm surge left the multiple-ton vaults strewn around the town, "like they were cardboard boxes," Rev. Haywood Johnson Jr. told the AP. The lingering coffins are a visceral illustration of the trauma and abandonment of small communities like Ironton after the massive storm. “Once you bury a relative, you expect that to be the permanent resting place,” Rev. Johnson lamented. (AP; Climate Signals background: 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Storm surge increase)

Storms Flood Greek Island After Fires Burned Forests: Months after the Greek island of Evia was ravaged by wildfires, torrential rain and flooding are tearing up the country’s second-biggest island in what has become a series of compound climate-related disasters. This past summer, 300,000 acres burned during Greece’s worst heat wave in over 30 years, leaving barren land exposed. Now, raging storms have submerged areas that would’ve been protected by forests before the fires erased them. "Dozens of homes have flooded … this is a sign of a very tough winter to come," deputy central Greece governor for Evia George Kelaiditis told state broadcaster ERT. Climate change caused by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels is directly linked to the increase in global temperatures and extreme weather events. More than 20 countries have sent firefighters and other aid to the island, and the Greek government is setting up a preliminary €20 million ($23 million) support program for the people affected. (Evia floods: AP, Daily Sabah; Greek aid: AP; Climate Signals background: Wildfires, Extreme precipitation increase, Extreme heat and heatwaves)

Fossil Fuel Price, Supply Volatility Cause Tension Ahead Of COP26: Volatile energy prices in China and India pose challenges to international negotiations in Glasgow later this month, underscoring the balancing act each nation faces as pressure rises to deliver on the Paris climate goals. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said short-term emissions targets would be contingent on an in-depth assessment, and oil, methane gas and coal would remain essential, Bloomberg reported. President Xi Jinping said environmental goals must be both “ambitious” and “pragmatic,” while he announced construction of a giant renewable project in the western deserts, bigger than all the wind and solar power in India, as part of its 2060 net-zero goal. Extreme weather is to blame for some of China's coal shortage, Axios noted, following heavy rains and flooding in the coal-producing Shanxi region. India, which relies on coal for 70% of its electricity production, had less than 8 days of supplies left at 80% of its 135 coal-powered plants, according to government data. Meanwhile, the U.K. climate envoy called on China, India and other countries to set new and more ambitious emission targets in line with Paris goals. Energy volatility is also threatening European nations, where clean energy opponents seek to blame the push for renewable energy despite the historic volatility of fossil fuel prices and availability. In the U.S., methane gas prices have more than doubled over the past year while production remains flat, as the industry pushes to export domestic LNG overseas and risks sending prices even higher. (China: Axios, Bloomberg $, Reuters; The Guardian, FT $; Renewable projects: Bloomberg $; Coal region flooding: BBC, Washington Post $; India: CNBC, The Guardian; UK: Wall Street Journal $; U.S. LNG: Natural Gas Intel; Global price volatility: The Guardian; Climate Signals background: Extreme precipitation increase)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: 'Blind spots': Climate research focuses on rich countries (E&E $), seven years after Flint water crisis, another Michigan community faces water issues (Newsweek), the environmental justice fight to block the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles (Grist), Benton Harbor, Michigan faces water crisis amid unsafe lead levels (NBC)

COP26: Pay up: UN climate summit leader says funding key to success (AP), at Glasgow, can the world move from aspiration to action? (Yale Environment 360), Insulate Britain says No 10 avoiding having protesters in prison during COP26 (The Guardian)

• METHANE: Pledge to cut methane gains traction ahead of climate talks (E&E $)
• ACCESS: UN isolation fund launched to support COP26 delegates who contract Covid-19 (Climate Home)
• CURTAIN RAISERS: Your guide to Cop26, the world’s most important climate talks (Earther), [New Zealand Climate Change Minister] James Shaw wants climate talks to deliver (AP, interview)
• GRETA: Greta Thunberg: I’m open to meeting Biden at COP26 but don’t expect much (The Guardian), Thunberg says COP26 is time for leaders to be honest (Reuters), What Greta Thunberg wants for Earth (Today Show)

G-20: Climate summit chief says lagging G-20 nations 'must deliver' (The Hill, Politico EU), COP26 president says G-20 summit is ‘make or break’ for climate (Bloomberg $), G20 pledges help for Afghan humanitarian crisis at special summit (Reuters)

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORDS: See how climate change could drown landmarks around the world (The Verge), what sea level rise will do to famous American sites, visualized (The Guardian), here's what sea level rise will do to 9 cities if we make the wrong choices (Earther), our underwater future: what sea level rise will look like around the globe (CNN)

CLIMATE LITIGATION: Brazil's Bolsonaro accused of crimes against humanity at ICC for his record on the Amazon (CNN, Thomson Reuters Foundation)

DENIAL: News Corp commentator Andrew Bolt rails against Murdoch papers' net zero climate campaign – video (The Guardian, Article: The Guardian)

SOCAL OIL SPILL: Major Calif. oil spill may have started a year ago (E&E $), California attorney general to investigate oil spill as Huntington Beach reopens (Washington Post $, E&E News), committee holding vote, hearing in response to Calif. spill (E&E News)

GOAL ACHIEVEMENT: Momentum, commitment, scale: Experts break down what it will take to hit climate goals (CNBC), [IEA] urges bigger global push to cut emissions (AP)

ALISAL FIRE: Alisal Fire in Southern California swells to 13,400 acres in one day with only 5% containment (CBS, New York Times $, CNN, NBC, NBC, AP, KSBY, Santa Barbara Independent, ABC), California wildfires destroy mobile homes; 1 man burned (AP), high winds prompt PG&E to shut power to 25,000 in California (AP), California's Alisal Fire has prompted evacuations, road and Amtrak closures. And the heavy winds are making it hard to tame (CNN), photos: Alisal fire burns in Santa Barbara County (LA Times $)

ENERGY CRUNCH: Spike in fuel prices could lead to an energy crisis this winter, expert warns (CBS)

EPA: Bill to exempt motor sports from EPA rules gains momentum (E&E News), Biden appoints Debra Shore to lead EPA Midwestern office (AP)

DOE: DOE commits $20M to create green hydrogen from nuclear power with Palo Verde project (Utility Dive)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Not a drill: Navy struggles to complete adaptation mission (E&E News)

THE HILL: Congress might blow its biggest opportunity to tackle the climate crisis (Buzzfeed), House lawmakers demand answers from LUMA Energy regarding Puerto Rico's failing electric grid (Utility Dive), House votes for short-term debt ceiling fix, averting default (Reuters)

WHITE HOUSE: White House launches climate initiatives to arm communities against floods, extreme weather (Washington Post $), White House launches new public climate science effort (E&E $)

INFRASTRUCTURE BILL(S): Pelosi: Democrats face 'difficult' choices in cutting cost of Biden's agenda (The Hill), Progressives in U.S. Congress open to cutting cost, not scope, of Biden bill (Reuters)

CITIES AND STATES: Dems look to capitalize on Virginia Republican's climate comments (E&E $), ‘we're being dragged along’: extreme weather puts governors to the test (Politico Pro $), Arizona lawmaker takes aim at policy barring campaign contributions by utilities (Energy News Network), lawmaker takes aim at Corp Comm policy on campaign contributions by utilities (Arizona Mirror), Texas to natural gas industry: 'Take all necessary measures' (E&E $) 

CALIFORNIA: Newsom vetoes bill to buy houses threatened by rising seas (E&E $), California set to become first state to ban gasoline-powered lawn equipment (Washington Post $)

FERC: Have truck, will haggle. Unlikely pipeline foe takes on FERC (E&E News), Transmission for renewables? Here’s a FERC road map (E&E News)

IMPACTS' IMPACTS: Facing floods and fires, undocumented immigrants have nowhere to turn for help (Grist)

FLOODING: Raging flood waters driven by climate change threaten the trans-Alaska pipeline (InsideClimate News, The Conversation), flood-threat assessment finds danger goes far beyond US homes (Bloomberg $), nearly 1 in 4 U.S. roads vulnerable to flooding — report (E&E News)

HEAT: How hot is it inside Southern California’s warehouses? Ask the workers at Rite Aid (LA Times $), how Georgia farmers are protecting their cattle from extreme heat (Yale Climate Connections)

DROUGHT: Great Salt Lake’s demise spurs water emergency for Utah (E&E News), panel to review Colorado River drought, discuss solutions (E&E $)

WILDFIRES: Why is arson falsely blamed for the US west’s wildfire emergency? ‘It provides a villain’ (The Guardian)

HURRICANES: Hurricane Pamela forecast to intensify before striking Mexico on Wednesday (Washington Post $, Yale Climate Connections, AP), this 1846 hurricane would be a nightmare scenario for today’s crowded East Coast (Washington Post $)

DEFORESTATION: No end in sight for deforestation, as national goals and funding fall short (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

RENEWABLES: Energy trader Mercuria eyes 2GW of renewables projects with CWP (Bloomberg $), report: offshore wind supply chain worth $109B over 10 years (AP), Scottish offshore wind consortium studies Orkney renewable hydrogen project (S&P Global $)

LNG: Why US LNG is going to Asia instead of Europe (OilPrice), Cove Point Liquefaction starts back up following three weeks of maintenance (S&P Global), rise of the ‘carbon neutral’ hydrocarbons (FT $)

OIL & GAS: Private equity funds, sensing profit in tumult, are propping up oil (New York Times $), report: oil execs split on decarbonization plans (Axios), fossil-fuel use could peak in just a few years. Still, major challenges loom. (New York Times $)

PIPELINES: EDF asks Supreme Court to deny Missouri pipeline request for emergency stay (Politico Pro $)

COAL: West Virginia regulators OK continued operation of 3 power plants (AP)

HYDROGEN: Australian state offers $2 billion to lure hydrogen projects (Reuters), groups express concern about hydrogen hub push (New Mexico Political Report)

(ALLEGED) UTILITY CORRUPTION: FirstEnergy, DeWine’s office and others still far from full disclosure on HB 6 (Energy News Network)

GRID: Can customers’ batteries, thermostats and EV chargers keep California’s grid up and running? (Canary Media), PJM reviews offshore wind transmission offers from PSEG, Anbaric, LS Power, others (Utility Dive)

EVs: EVs and hydrogen may dominate, but trucking's green movement isn't void of diesel and gas (Utility Dive), Axa joint venture jumps on China electric-car ETF bandwagon (FT $), Vanmoof plans to sell a high-speed e-bike whether cities are ready or not (Bloomberg $)

CEMENT: Cement makers across world pledge large cut in emissions by 2030 (The Guardian)

AVIATION: Business aviation industry commits to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 (Reuters)

AGRICULTURE: A recipe for fighting climate change and feeding the world (Washington Post $)

BUSINESS: ‘No single company can address the climate crisis alone’: Business leaders on why co-operation is so important (CNBC), Google will show its cloud customers their carbon footprint (Bloomberg $), how the climate crisis is transforming the meaning of ‘sustainability’ in business (The Conversation)

CARBON REMOVAL: Report outlines 'massive gap' for CCS (E&E $)

FINANCE: Biggest U.S. bank [JPMorgan Chase] changes course and joins climate alliance (E&E $), EU’s first green bond issuance raises $13.8 billion (AP), hedge fund manager Hohn steps up campaign over banks’ fossil-fuel loans (FT $), hedge funds snap up uranium in bet on green energy shift (FT $), Prince Harry, Meghan join ESG boom as ‘impact partners’ in fund (Bloomberg $), U.N.'s Carney calls for multilateral development banks to up climate ambition (Reuters)

INTERNATIONAL: ‘Adapt or die’: resilience to climate change needed, says [UK] Environment Agency (The Guardian, New York Times $, AP, Washington Post $), ‘overwhelming’ backing for strong climate action, UK study shows (The Guardian), clean energy dividend evades Moroccan citizens (FT $), Europe’s green transition has been ‘management by chaos,’ energy expert says (CNBC), Lebanon suffers 24-hour blackout, food poisoning, business closures amid fuel crisis (CNBC), Macron says France to have mini nuclear reactor, green hydrogen plants by 2030 (Reuters), more Australians than ever are worried about the climate crisis, annual survey suggests (The Guardian), China’s power problems expose a strategic weakness (New York Times $)

• When will we have the last oil spill? (The New Yorker, Bill McKibben column $)
• Pitchfork’s 25 Next Roundtable: Yaeji, Bartees Strange, Amaarae, Angel Bat Dawid, and KeiyaA on the Future of Music (Pitchfork, interview)
• Make electric vehicles lighter to maximize climate and safety benefits (Nature, Blake Shaffer , Maximilian Auffhammer & Constantine Samaras)
• Slashing methane emissions is crucial for the climate (FT, Fatih Birol op-ed $)
• Natural gas should be eliminated in WA commercial buildings (Tri-City Herald, Greg Romaniuk op-ed)
• Rich countries must bear the cost if we can ever hope to achieve a net-zero world (New York Times, Larry Fink op-ed $)
• The big hurdle to jump-starting solar, wind energy and electric cars (CNN, Jonah Bader op-ed)
• LNG exports are backfiring on the US oil and gas industryJoin Our Newsletter (Energy Monitor, Justin Gerdes analysis)
• Geoengineering: we should not play dice with the planet (The Hill, Kim Cobb and Michael Mann op-ed)
• Stop polluting the Ironbound (NJ.com, Maria Lopez-Nunez and Matt Smith op-ed)
• Electric co-ops must heed the lessons of Kodak and others in pushing to overhaul today's G&Ts (Utility Dive, Mark A. Gabriel op-ed)
• This climate change contrarian gives us an important reminder about science in general (Washington Post, Mitch Daniels column $)
• New Mexico, nation demanding climate action (Albuquerque Journal, Rep. Melanie Stansbury op-ed)
• Biden needs to do more than sound the alarm on climate (The Nation, Wenonah Hauter op-ed)
• EPA head says he'll act on climate even if Congress doesn't (Washington Post, Maxine Joselow analysis $)
• Doctor who exposed Flint’s lead levels sees similarities in Benton Harbor water crisis (Great Lakes Now, Mona Hanna-Attisha interview)
• Wait, we still want fossil fuels? (Wall Street Journal, Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. op-ed $)
• Bipartisan climate breakthrough holds lessons for purple states to follow (Energy News Network, Tyler Norris op-ed)

Having Lost Climate Science Fight, UK Deniers at GWPF Rebrand To Focus On Opposing Climate Policy as NetZero Watch

While the United States is blessed with a veritable cornucopia of interlocking disinformation and climate denial organizations, in the UK things have traditionally been a bit more centralized through the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF). It’s both a traditional “charity” think tank and an advocacy group, and in 2014 a judge ruled it engaged in too much lobbying to be a supposedly educational organization. So it spun off the Global Warming Policy Forum, and the dual GWPFs have been doing stupid self-debunking climate denier things for years now. 

But they’ve apparently finally put their collective genius into something worthwhile: finding a new name! Now, visitors to the old GWPF.com, the advocacy-focused Forum’s website, are redirected to NetZeroWatch. (GWPF.org still brings you to the “charity” Foundation’s website, while their old twitter handle brings you to this bit of fun.)   

According to a welcome post from Benny Peiser, “Net Zero Watch is here to provide serious analysis of naïve and un-costed decarbonisation policies,” using the British “s” instead of an American “z” in decarb and the otherwise obscure-but-apparently-real word “un-costed” instead of the usual American “large number we totally made up” to describe the economics of climate action. 

The first “serious analysis” they’ve offered up is a report “scoping Net Zero,” 18 entire pages about how hard it is for the United Kingdom to transition off of the fossil fuels it has relied on for centuries. As though the problem has been that people think that tackling the climate challenge is just too easy! 

But you know it’s really serious, and they really expect you to believe it is credible and trustworthy, because instead of having one of their usual (terrible) “experts” write it, they’ve instead tapped Guatam Kalghatgi. He’s “a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering [sounds good!], the Institute of Mechanical Engineers [ok…] and the Society of Automotive Engineers [hmm].” 

His bio notes he’s been a visiting professor at the illustrious Oxford University and others, and “he has 39 years of experience in combustion, fuels, engine and energy research” which may be impressive but is a little narrow for understanding climate policy. 

Oh and we almost forgot, of those 39 years doing oil science, he spent “31 years with Shell and 8 years with Saudi Aramco.” 

Instead of cleverly co-opting any of the quite legitimate concerns about net zero targets, GWPF got an oil guy to explain why not using oil would be hard. And that’s basically the level of sophistication he offers. 

For example, Kalghatgi warns that because electric vehicles are heavier than traditional ones, their tires wear more, leading to more particulate matter pollution, so more electric cars might mean more pollution! But traditional cars pollute more anyway, and of course big heavy SUVs and pick-up trucks weigh tons more than smaller cars, so if their concerns about pollution were legitimate, they might focus on reducing car use writ large instead of pretending zero emission cars are somehow dirtier than the cars with emissions. 

What’s interesting, though, is that GWPF’s been forced to focus on policy in the first place, and has chosen to go through a rebrand dedicated to that fight. Their purpose is to prevent policy, and climate denial’s purpose is to cast doubt on the science that justifies such policies. 

That’s why Richard Black told DeSmog that the fact that effort is actually being made “is encouraging” because it means “GWPF has given up on pretty much all of its other canonical arguments – climate change won’t be that bad, adapting to impacts is better than trying to cut emissions, no other nation but Britain is decarbonising – an effective admission that it has lost on all of them.”

Which is true, no one rebrands while winning! 

“Given,” Black continued, “the escalating cost of climate impacts and the tumbling cost of zero-carbon, plus the constant public support for climate solutions, GWPF will inevitably lose on this one, too: you can rebrand, but lipstick on a pig will always be obvious.”

And even that is a generous comparison, because pigs are intelligent and (at least sometimes) very cute!

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