Building Codes Group Sides With Fossil Fuels Over Experts: The board of directors of the nonprofit group that issues model building codes used across the U.S., at the behest of fossil fuel-linked industry groups, took highly unusual, last-minute action to strip this year's codebook of numerous pro-electrification provisions, Huffpost reports. The International Code Council adopted model building codes for 2024 last fall that included key codes that would make it cheaper for homeowners to install energy efficient heat pumps and induction stoves, charge EVs, or put up solar panels. The codes were expected to save homeowners tens of thousands of dollars (and untold stress and disruption) from avoided future renovations, in addition to lowering utility bills, for a marginal up front cost increase. However, against the advice of its own experts, and after the challenges brought by gas utilities and furnace manufacturers were denied by the ICC appeals board, the ICC granted those demands and relegated the electrification provisions to an optional appendix, severely undermining their widespread adoption. This is not the first time electrification and clean energy advocates have criticized what they describe as the fossil fuel industry's undue influence over the ICC. (HuffPost)

West African Heat In February Was Hotter Because Of Climate Change: The extreme February heat wave across West Africa was 7.2°F (4°C) hotter, and an order of magnitude more likely, than it would have been without global climate change, a new analysis from World Weather Attribution finds. Worldwide, February 2024 was the hottest February on record. The WWA analysis found the heatwave would have been a less-than once-in-a-century event if not for the influence of global warming, mainly caused by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels. Farmers in the region say the extreme heat exacerbated damage to their trees from heavy rainfall in December, contributing to cocoa supply shortages and price increases. The worst heat occurred from February 11 to 15 with daily highs topping 104°F (40°C) and heat indices hitting 122°F (50°C) due to high humidity. (The Guardian, New York Times $, Bloomberg $; Climate Signals background: Extreme heat and heatwaves)

Climate Change Driving Up Food Prices: Your chocolate Easter bunnies aren't the only foods getting more expensive due to climate change. Global "weather and climate shocks" will drive up food prices by as much as 1.8 percentage points over the next ten years, increasing the expected level of overall inflation by as much as 0.9 percentage points, according to a study published Thursday in Communications, Earth & Environment. Over the next 36 years, those numbers are expected to rise even further with food prices jumping as much as 4.3 percentage points annually, boosting overall inflation by as much as 2.2 percentage points. (Inflation: AP, ABC, Forbes, CBS; Easter chocolate: AP, BBC, EcoWatch)

AI Expansion Threatens Mexico Water Supplies: Artificial Intelligence infrastructure is exacerbating climate-fueled water shortages across Latin America as the water- and energy-hungry technology proliferates there, Mongabay reports. Not only do the computer chips needed for AI operations require 10- to 15-times more energy to manufacture than standard computer chips, but AI requires increasingly enormous amounts of electricity to power its computing demands with commensurate water demands for cooling. Approximately 100 miles north-northwest of Mexico City, Querétaro is the only Mexican state completely at risk of drought, and already hosts 10 operating data centers with another 18 on the way. (Mongabay; Climate Signals background: Drought)

ENVIRONMENTAL (IN)JUSTICE: The fight to protect one of America’s last historic Black communities (Capital B News), Drinking water in US prisons may contain dangerous levels of ‘forever chemicals’: Study (The Hill), Taxpayer-funded petrochemical plants are polluting communities, report finds (NPR)

CLIMATE LITIGATION: Fossil fuel firms could be tried in US for homicide over climate-related deaths, experts say (The Guardian)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Nations are undercounting emissions, putting un goals at risk (Yale Environment 360), African dismay at decision to host loss and damage advice hub in Geneva (Climate Home)

INFLATION REDUCTION ACT: Campaign looks to connect Latinos with Climate Action Plan funds (The Hill)

EPA: EPA softens vehicle emissions standards, giving carmakers more time to ramp up EV sales (Utility Dive, Democracy Now, NPR, CBS), EPA union: Next contract in ‘serious trouble’ (E&E $), GOP finds Democratic allies against new EPA tailpipe rule (E&E $), To understand the EPA’s car rules, look to China (Heatmap $), Vehicle carbon pollution would be cut, but more slowly, under new Biden rule (Inside Climate News)

DOE: 4 takeaways from Granholm’s Capitol Hill appearance (E&E $), DOE data system increasing risk of fraud, abuse — IG (E&E $), DOE science chief steps down (E&E $), Energy Department backs $475M in green projects on mine land (Politico Pro $), Energy Department study finds financial benefits from linking offshore wind power projects (The Hill), What to know about Biden's 'stretch goal' on auto emissions (Axios), Energy agency announces $475M in funding for clean energy projects on mine land sites (AP), Sixteen states sue Biden administration over gas permit pause (New York Times $)

DOI: BOEM proposes 2nd offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico (Utility Dive)

SEC: Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee sue SEC to block climate rule, building on Republican-led backlash (Utility Dive)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Applications for the American Climate Corps open next month (WBUR)

WHITE HOUSE: Biden hits accelerator on car rule as foes plot roadblocks (E&E $), Biden's softer climate regulation shows big US bet on subsidies to decarbonize (Reuters)

THE HILL: Christian faith leaders make case for climate adaptation at Hill briefing (E&E $), Congress races to pass $1.2 trillion in spending before shutdown deadline (Washington Post $)

HOUSE: House approves Republican fracking, drilling bills (E&E $), Panel OKs pipeline, energy efficiency, air pollution bills (E&E $)

SENATE: Elizabeth Warren urges SEC to investigate Tesla over board independence (Wall Street Journal $)

POLITICS: Inside the Republican attacks on electric vehicles (New York Times $)

ELECTIONS: Joe Biden and Donald Trump have thoughts about your next car (The Atlantic), Biden’s tailpipe rule will put voters in driver’s seat on future of EVs (Politico Pro $), Trump amps up attacks on electric vehicles, a major Biden priority (The Hill)

CITIES AND STATES: Ohio landowners say solar opposition groups threaten their property rights (Energy News Network), In final push to get climate legislation passed, [Maryland] advocates call for bold legislative actions (Inside Climate News), Maine rejects California clean car rules (E&E $), South Carolina court weighs what residents call ‘chaotic’ coastal adaptation standards (Inside Climate News)

FERC: Green group targets FERC nominee in ad campaign (E&E $)

IMPACTS: Scientist: 2023 heat may put world in 'uncharted territory' (Axios), A warmer-than-normal spring could be ahead, according to NOAA's spring outlook influenced by climate change (NBC New York), Allergy season arrived early in US. Here’s how to keep pollen from ruining your spring (AP)

WILDFIRES: Crews battle scores of wildfires in Virginia, including a blaze in Shenandoah National Park (AP, Daily News-Record, New York Times $, USA Today), Utility-caused wildfires are becoming a national problem (New York Times $)

WATER: Drought, heat and mismanagement make getting fresh water an increasingly tough task (AP)

CERAWEEK: World’s top fossil-fuel bosses deride efforts to move away from oil and gas (The Guardian)

RENEWABLES: Feds can help US solar manufacturers fend off China — report (E&E $), US must speed permits to spur renewable energy growth, execs say (Reuters), US offshore wind development costs 30% higher than Europe - RWE CEO (Reuters)

LNG: Lower LNG prices trigger surge in Asian spot market purchases (Reuters), MiQ targets LNG buyers amid oversupplied US certified gas market (S&P Global)

METHANE: Industry, academics react to recent methane emissions study (Midland Reporter-Telegram), Methane experts urge cuts to meet climate targets (Barron's)

OIL & GAS: ESG Watch: New satellites mean oil and gas companies will have no place to hide on methane emissions (Reuters), Chevron to pay over $13 million in settlement for California oil spills (Reuters, Politico Pro $), Court orders partial redo of rule on potential harm to polar bears (E&E $)

PIPELINES: Panel urged to move lawsuit to state court that seeks shutdown of part of aging pipeline in Michigan (AP)

HYDROGEN: BP America executive says hydrogen projects unlikely under draft tax credit rules (Houston Chronicle)

NUKES: Security and climate change drive a return to nuclear energy as over 30 nations sign summit pledge (AP)

UTILITIES: National Grid announces $4B plan to upgrade upstate New York power grid (Utility Dive)

GRID: Grid-enhancing ‘magic balls’ to get a major test in Minnesota (Inside Climate News), Spain's Iberdrola set to build on grid power as renewables appeal wanes (Reuters, Reuters)

TRUCKING: How to electrify trucking in the US, one step at a time (Canary Media), Reaching US climate goals requires reducing commercial trucking's impact (NPR)

BOOKS: America is on fire, says one climate writer. Should you flee? (New York Times $)

CEMENT: Developing nations' booming cement demand may drive up CO2 emissions, research group says (Reuters)

SHIPPING: Shipping sector pushes to keep emissions-tax cash for itself (Climate Home)

FINANCE: CalPERS says Exxon should drop lawsuit against climate-conscious investors (Reuters)

TRASH: There's so much electronic waste in the world it could span the equator – and it's still growing (CBS)

INTERNATIONAL: Landmark Peruvian court ruling says the Marañón River has legal rights to exist, flow and be free from pollution (Inside Climate News), The silencing of climate protesters in English and Welsh courts (The Guardian)

• Clean water is a basic human right. Yet many of us don't have it. (Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Huda Alkaff op-ed)
• Tax filers: if you’re claiming ira tax credits, then you need this free tool (Electrek, Michelle Lewis testimonial)
• Al Gore’s climate chief on Biden’s record, nuclear, and what happens if Trump wins (HuffPost, Phyllis Cuttino interview)
• Here’s why there is no nuclear option for Australia to reach net zero (The Guardian, Alan Finkel op-ed)
• Unlocking the power of green hydrogen requires a workable tax credit (Utility Dive, Andy Vesey op-ed)
• Capitalism can’t solve climate change (TIME, Brett Christophers op-ed)
• Reintroducing wild jaguars to Argentina is a love story for the planet (TIME, Kristine Tompkins op-ed)
• When we see the climate more clearly, what will we do? (New York Times, David Wallace-Wells column $)
• A forward-thinking strategy to survive and thrive through climate change (The Hill, Marcelo Suárez-Orozco and Veerabhadran Ramanathan op-ed)
• Emission impossible: The maddening, nightmare quest to decarbonize my home (The Guardian, Tik Root column)
• Foundation-backed climate lawsuits require transparency (The Hill, Curt Schroder op-ed)
• Biden’s EV mandate blows its cover (Wall Street Journal, Editorial Board $)

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