FIRST LOOK:

Sino-American Climate Talks To Resume: The U.S. and China agreed to resume bilateral climate discussions after President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke at the G20 on Monday. China broke off negotiations on a variety of issues in August after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. The news from Bali, of the resumption of talks between the two biggest annual greenhouse gas polluters, reenergized negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh where major issues, including loss and damage, remain unsettled. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Tuesday he will meet with China's top climate official Xie Zhenhua later in the week. (AP, E&E News, Washington Post $, Gizmodo, New York Times $, Democracy Now, Climate Home, Axios, The Hill; Energized negotiations: Reuters; Kerry-Xie meeting at COP: AP)

Countries Announce $20 Billion Indonesia JETP: Indonesia will receive $20 billion from wealthy nations through a variety of funding mechanisms to lessen its reliance on coal and expand its renewable energy generation. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) for Indonesia between the world's third-largest coal extractor and the U.S., EU,  Japan, Canada, and five European nations — supplemented by additional support pledged by major financial institutions — was announced Tuesday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. For its part, Indonesia pledged to ensure its power sector emissions will peak by 2030 and would achieve zero power sector emissions by 2050. The Indonesia JTEP is the second such agreement (the first being with South Africa at COP26), and agreements like it are widely viewed as being essential to helping developing countries transition and expand their economies to and with renewable energy, and similar deals are already being discussed with Vietnam, Senegal, and India. “Right now, with regard to climate activists, there is increasing criminalization, intimidation and threats," Grita Anindarini of the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law said in a statement. "Civil society organizations are calling for the 'just' aspects of the Just Transition, including transparency, human rights, and economic justice. We can say that the deal will be credible if these aspects are included.” The countries party to the agreement will provide about half of the funding in the form of concessionary loans, grants, and equity while private entities have promised to arrange the rest. (AP, FT $, Washington Post $, Reuters, Quartz, New York Times $, BBC, Semafor, Washington Post $)

Freeport LNG Says It Will Remain Shuttered For Longer: Just days after Freeport LNG denied a tweet suggesting the export terminal would resume operations in the near future after an explosion in June, the major methane gas reporter, again, pushed back its timeline for reopening. The facility told buyers it would likely cancel shipments scheduled for November and December. U.S. methane gas futures had already fallen in response to the tweet about cracked pipes at the terminal, and the extended outage of the terminal that had accounted for 15% of U.S. exports aggravates concerns over European energy supplies this winter. Freeport LNG has still not even submitted a restart plan to PHMSA regulators, a required step for resuming operations. (Bloomberg $, Reuters, OilPrice, Natural Gas Intel, Seeking Alpha)

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS?: Kerry says ‘a few’ countries want to retreat from 1.5 degree climate goal (The Hill), Limit of 1.5°C global heating is at risk, Alok Sharma warns at COP27 (The Guardian), How close are we to passing 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming? (Context explainer)

PROTESTS: These climate activists protested during Biden’s speech and got kicked out of the COP27 summit (CNN),  “no climate justice without human rights”: groups protest inaction, repression at UN summit in Egypt (Democracy Now), Climate activists rally at COP27 for climate justice (Democracy Now), Without Greta, activists make waves at climate summit (BBC), Experts say COP27’s ‘plastic waste pyramid’ is focusing on the wrong solution (Grist), UN climate summit leads to a rarity in Egypt: open protest (New York Times $)

HER NAME IS VANESSA NAKATE: Climate activist blasts leaders holding onto fossil projects (AP)

GLOBAL SHIELD: Insurance fund for climate impacts announced at UN talks (AP)(Context), G7 launches climate 'Shield' fund, some countries wary (Reuters), ‘Global Shield’: A climate fix or a distraction? (E&E News), Facing a call for climate reparations, wealthy nations propose an insurance scheme (Grist)

LOSS & DAMAGE: UN climate summit releases draft of long-sought ‘loss and damage’ agreement (The Hill), African nations call for fair loss and damage schemes (Bloomberg $), COP27 deal looks distant as loss and damage slows process (Bloomberg $), In final week of COP27 climate talks, success hinges on 'loss and damage' (Reuters), Will COP27 see progress on 'loss and damage' from climate change? (Context, explainer), Loss and damage funding tests global climate solidarity at COP27 (Context)

CLIMATE FINANCE: 4 signs of progress at the UN climate change summit (The Conversation), Climate-focused reform of World Bank could be done in a year, says Al Gore (The Guardian), Talks on carbon market rules off to slow start (Reuters), This is how tourism must shift to actually address climate change (Bloomberg $)

CARBON CREDIT RATINGS: African nations demand more money for removing emissions (AP)

DEFORESTATION: Brazil, Indonesia and Congo sign rainforest protection pact (New York Times $)

FOSSIL FUELS: Increasing demand for oil and fuel threatens African nations’ economies, analysis finds (The Guardian), Western thirst for African gas raises alarm at COP27 (AFP), Fossil fuel producers flex their muscle at UN climate summit (FT $)

CHINA: Rich nations stick to coal phase-out plans as China builds new projects (Reuters)

EGYPT: Egypt calls reports of surveillance at COP27 ‘ludicrous’ (AP), Egypt's COP27 envoy dismisses warning of spying on delegates as 'ludicrous' (Reuters), Greenpeace: as Egypt hosts COP27, country’s agricultural sector ravaged by impact of climate crisis (Democracy Now)

EUROPE: Europe’s energy crisis complicates COP for key climate player (Bloomberg $)

INDIA: EU, UK join India’s COP27 push for tough pledge on fossil fuels (Bloomberg $), India calls for phase down of all fossil fuels, not just coal (SPGlobal), India publishes long term emissions strategy to reach net zero in 2070 (Reuters)

AUSTRALIA: Australia still trails most developed countries in climate performance ranking (The Guardian), Australian climate minister to target World Bank’s response to crisis in COP27 speech (The Guardian)

CUBA: Cuban FM calls for an end to measures that block climate action (Prensa Latina)

MEXICO: Mexico vows to double renewable energy capacity by 2030 (Reuters)

UGANDA: Uganda’s President Museveni slams ‘Western double standards’ over coal mine plans (CNN)

FOOD SECURITY: Vilsack defends meat consumption in climate goals (E&E $)

TRANSPORTATION: 72-year-old bikes from Sweden to Egypt for climate conference as others arrive on private jets (Gizmodo)

ENERGY TRANSITION: How the energy crisis is pressuring countries at the UN climate summit – while some race to renewables, others see natural gas wealth, but it may be short-lived (The Conversation)

ALAA ABD EL-FATTAH: Family of Egyptian political prisoner Alaa Abd El-Fattah receives “proof of life” letter (Democracy Now), UK will keep working to secure consular access for hunger striker - Cleverly (Reuters)

IF YOU'RE THERE: What to watch on Tuesday at COP27 (Reuters)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Buffalo shooting survivors talk trauma and healing six months later (Black Wall Street Times)

WEATHER & CLIMATE COMMUNICATIONS: WFLA’s Jeff Berardelli named top local TV meteorologist in America (WFLA), National Weather Service revises Spanish terms for severe storms (Yale Climate Connections)

FOSSIL FUELED ENERGY CRISIS: European gas prices jump as cold snap forecast to boost demand (Bloomberg $), As Europe quits Russian gas, half of France’s nuclear plants are off-line (New York Times $)

G20: Russia’s war, climate among vexing issues at G-20 (AP, explainer), UN chief urges G20 nations to work together on climate (Reuters)

EAST AFRICA: Climate change worsens Somalia hunger crisis (CBS), Hunger crisis in Kenya growing more severe (NBC)

8 BILLION: Global population will reach 8 billion tuesday in historic milestone for humanity, UN projects (USA Today, Axios), Earth now has 8 billion people—and counting. Where do we go from here? (National Geographic), Earth at 8 billion: Consumption not crowd is key to climate (AP)

(CLIMATE) DIPLOMACY: Saudi Arabia says US ties are solid as it defends oil policy (Bloomberg $), World Bank chief calls for expanding lender’s mission to include climate (Bloomberg $)

INFLATION REDUCTION ACT: Big utilities see Inflation Reduction Act helping reduce customers’ energy bills (Bloomberg $)

AGENCIES: FEMA building code dispute over solar nears resolution (E&E $), How the 'government's landlord' could target plastics (E&E $)

EPA: EPA civil rights claims escalate, activists see a turning point. (E&E $), How EPA’s draft methane rule targets ‘super-emitters’ (E&E News), Methane proposal curbs hazardous, smog-forming emissions (E&E $), Mexico's Pemex to work with EPA to bring down methane emissions (Reuters)

• SOCIAL COST OF GREENHOUSE GASSES: EPA floats higher climate damage values in draft carbon ‘cost’ update (Inside EPA $)

DOE: DOE launches long-duration energy storage push with $350M for demo projects (Politico Pro $), DOE taps energy lawyer, former FERC adviser for grid office (E&E $)

DOI: Watchdog alerts Interior to money management challenges (E&E $)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Meet the Pentagon’s climate team (E&E News)

THE HILL: What to expect in the lame-duck session (E&E News), Parties prepare for leadership races as Dems retain Senate (E&E News), Schumer's political prescription: More Pelosi, more bipartisan deals (Politico Pro $)

SENATE: Republican Sen. Josh Hawley suggests GOP won’t treat Herschel Walker like ‘full’ senator if he wins (NewsOne), Senators representing Appalachia call out delay of new mining safety standard (The Hill)

POLITICS: Biden got unexpectedly good election results — but also 2 years of gridlock (Politico Pro $)

ELECTIONS: Democrat Katie Hobbs projected to defeat Republican Kari Lake in critical Arizona governor’s race (The 19th* News), In Nevada, one more victory for the ‘Reid machine’ over ‘Team Mitch’ (Washington Post $), Republicans eye Manchin as top target in 2024 (The Hill), Some of the house races that remain undecided and by how much (New York Times $), White women were up in arms when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Why did they still vote red? (The Root), Why the Georgia Senate runoff still matters even after Democrats have secured a majority (NewsOne)

• THINK SHE'S GOT A SNOWBALL'S CHANCE IN HATTIESBURG?: Trump EPA official [Mandy Gunasekara] launches bid to be utility regulator (E&E $)

NOMINEES & CONFIRMATIONS: Committee sets vote on White House regulations nominee (E&E $), EPW sets hearing on chemical nominees, transportation (E&E $), Manchin schedules hearing on clean energy, grid nominees (E&E $)

TRIBES: Indigenous group plans $451 million biofuel refinery in Canada (Bloomberg $)

CITIES & STATES & COUNTIES & DISENFRANCHISED COLONIAL TERRITORIES: Multnomah County report recommends replacing gas appliances to reduce health and climate change impacts (Oregon Public Broadcasting), Puerto Rico to keep embattled company operating power grid (Politico Pro $), After slow start, Massachusetts sees more interest in incentives to mix solar with farming (Energy News Network), Texas regulators weigh $460M ‘performance credit mechanism’ to ensure electric grid reliability (Utility Dive)

IMPACTS: Middle East's Fertile Crescent dries up as rains fail (Reuters), Rivers are drying up, but it’s not too late to help. Here’s where to start (CNN), Waters again threaten Australia town flooded 2 weeks ago (AP)

HEAT: Mediterranean marine heatwaves threaten coastal livelihoods (Reuters)

WILDFIRES: How an ‘electronic nose’ could help fight wildfires (CNN), New toolkit of health guidance helps patients and care providers on the front lines of climate change prepare for wildfires (Inside Climate News)

HURRICANES: 4 questions answered: Hurricanes and the grid (E&E News), Florida county puts damage from Nicole at $481 million (AP)

WATER: Parched Calif. eyes Pacific for drinking water (E&E News)

FUTURE OF MOBILITY: The EV revolution is here. It’s happening on two wheels. (Protocol), New poll: The era of the ICE vehicle is ending. What comes next? (Protocol), 10 people driving the future of mobility (Protocol), The 5 technologies reshaping the next decade of mobility (Protocol), A net zero future doesn’t need to kill the two-car garage (Protocol)

RENEWABLES: Benin gets first francophone Africa large offgrid power project (Bloomberg $, Reuters), The ‘world’s largest floating wind farm’ produces its first power (CNBC), Schneider Electric targets joint PPA deal with cohort of nine pharma firms (Business Green), Solar farms in 3 states cited for environmental violations (AP), Top Africa renewable firm sees South Africa power woes persisting (Bloomberg $), Two Great Lakes counties reject wind development (E&E $), Who will win the race to generate electricity from ocean tides? (New York Times $)

BUILDINGS: US renewables, storage sectors set to avoid tougher building standards that industry said could kill projects (Utility Dive)

STORAGE: UK group plans first large-scale liquid air energy storage plant (FT $)

LNG: Shell, GE partner on hydrogen innovations to decarbonize natural gas exports (Natural Gas Intel)

METHANE: Methane emissions from 15 meat and dairy companies rival those of the EU (The Guardian), How the meat industry undermines effective climate policy (New Republic)

OIL & GAS: OPEC cuts oil demand outlook as it starts to curb production (Bloomberg $), The shale ‘fracklog’ is back as US oil drillers hoard wells (Bloomberg $)

NUKES: NRC's Crowell: 'Irresponsible' to pursue nuclear as a climate solution without fixing waste problem (Politico Pro $)

COAL: Asia's coal phase-out must be gradual, says Mitsubishi Heavy head (Reuters)

HYDROGEN: South Africa sets sights on $250 billion in hydrogen investment (Bloomberg $)

GRID: ‘A sobering assessment’: Large parts of US at risk of outages during extreme weather this winter: NERC (Utility Dive)

EVs: Buildings are banning e-bikes amid deadly battery fires (Axios), Electric truck stops will need as much power as a small town (Bloomberg $), Electric vehicle sales rise as registrations jump 57% through September (Utility Dive), EV buyer education campaign launches in Colorado (Utility Dive), How Elon Musk scored a $55 billion pay package that’s now under fire (Bloomberg $), Next up for EV batteries: The 10-minute recharge (E&E $), Startups draw on data-driven insights to slash the costs of EV ownership (Canary Media)

(COOK)BOOKS: Slutty Vegan CEO is making vegan sexy with new cookbook (The Root), The big idea: Stopping climate change isn’t enough – we need to reverse it (The Guardian)

ARTSY ACTIVISM: Climate activists throw liquid at Klimt painting in Vienna (AP)

BIG GREEN: Sierra Club taps former NAACP CEO as new executive director (Politico Pro $)

AGRICULTURE: Dying lands: Farmers fight to save the 'skin of the Earth' (Reuters)

MUSIC: Review: Neil Young reflects on environment on ‘World Record’ (AP)

ACTIONS & PROMISES: Mackenzie Scott donates $2 billion to charity as Bezos vows to give away his fortune (Bloomberg $), Jeff Bezos says he plans to give away most of $124B fortune during lifetime (Axios, CNN, New York Times $, Reuters), Bezos makes charity pledge as Amazon is said to plan job cuts (Bloomberg $)

TREES: Planting a trillion trees to curb climate change (CNN)

TRAVEL: Don't travel to these places if you care about the environment (Gizmodo)

WILDLIFE: Hippos, sharks up for protection at UN wildlife conference (AP), Honey bees are only living half as long as they did in the 1970s (Gizmodo)

INTERNATIONAL: Labour would create ‘anti-Opec’ alliance for renewable energy, says Miliband (The Guardian), Revealed: Secret [EU] courts that allow energy firms to sue for billions accused of ‘bias’ as governments exit (The Guardian), Xi Jinping downplays climate change, risking his own priorities (The Hill), As climate warms, a China planner advocates 'sponge cities' (AP), Hopes and costs are high for UK's nuclear energy future (AP)

• Boulder scientists warn of 'climate change catastrophism' (The Gazette, Editorial Board)
• Brazil’s new environmental future under lula: Q&A with Marina Silva (Mongabay, interview)
• India is bright spot for world oil demand (Bloomberg, Javier Blas column $)
• COP27 is full of politicians and policymakers – but the Global South doesn’t work that way (The Guardian, Ndileka Mandela op-ed)
• The climate movement has won power. Now it needs to wield it. (New York Times, Ezra Klein Show, Bill Mckibben interview $)
• How to: Fix recycling systems through behaviour change (Pioneers Post, Cecilia Sluga op-ed)
• Climate change is fueling a public health crisis. Doctors need to address this (Scientific American, Neelu Tummala op-ed)
• Pence’s slowly arriving critique of Trump is his party’s entire problem (Washington Post, Philip Bump commentary $)
• Why climate action will fail without more women at the tablethank you (Energy Monitor, Philippa Nuttall op-ed)
• ‘Just’ energy transitions need more transparency, less gas (Al Jazeera, Sisilia Nurmala Dewi op-ed)
• The Global Shield distracts us from real 'loss and damage' finance (Context, Teresa Anderson op-ed)

ESG Has Merged Climate Disinfo and General Rightwing Networks

Over the weekend, a special edition of COP, Look, Listen featured network analysis from Graphika, which showed \ the anti-ESG campaign has become a meeting ground for general rightwing Twitter posters, and the climate disinfo-specific actors. 

While their advanced network mapping of followers and content consumption showed the climate disinformation group was a distinct sub-set of conservative accounts, now "computationally speaking, climate denialists in our analysis are no longer defined as distinct from right-wing culture wars influencers" (empasis ours).

Graphika found, "Influencers in this group do the work of framing and amplifying climate topics as a culture wars issue, making it more palatable for a broader right-wing audience, beyond the usual climate denial community." 

The top-performing ESG post, out of 13,000 tweets in October mentioning the acronym, was from Consumers Research, a group funded by conservative activist Leonard A. Leo as part of his billion-dollar “anti-woke” campaign.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the financial resources at their disposal, right-leaning actors got more engagement, by far, than the International Environmental Community network. 

Despite the fact that environmentalists tweeted way more content about ESG investing, Graphika found that "engagement from ideologically driven accounts far outweighs more consistent, reliable messaging on sustainable investing. It’s not the topic, but rather the divisive framing that wins attention and engagement." 

Which means "the climate community needs to double down on support for campaigns to keep greenwashing out of ESG, as companies look for opportunities to backslide on commitments to appease critics. Because social media algorithms amplify salacious content over quality, those spreading outlandish disinformation are rewarded while those posting the (sometimes dry or technical) truth are shouted over." 

With their billion-dollar backing and an assist from Big Tech, the Infowars Investors are dominating the digital discussion of ESG issues, and in the course of doing so, have managed to fully merge climate disinfo-specific and general rightwing audiences. 

It's the epic crossover event absolutely no one wanted.

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