Extreme Heat Exacerbates Intersecting Inequities: Native American tribes, people facing food insecurity, and people experiencing homelessness are among those hardest hit by the extreme heat — virtually impossible without climate change — across the country. The Fort Mojave Indian tribe, along the Colorado River in what is now California, Nevada and Arizona, have long lived with heat, but climate-fueled extreme heat and drought are threatening both lives, and lifeways. The Pipa Aha Macav (People of the River) depend on the river for their identity and way of life, tribal administrator Ashley Hemmers told NPR. Food insecure households are also particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, with financial constraints sometimes forcing difficult decisions between staying hydrated, fed, and cool. Centuries of ethnic cleansing of, systematic discrimination against Native Americans have contributed to disproportionate food insecurity and homelessness in Native communities. Data show nearly a quarter of all Native Americans in the US are food insecure, more double that of white Americans, and Native Americans living on tribal lands face some of the most drastic housing needs in the country, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. (Pipa Aha Macav: NPR; Food insecurity: Axios; Homelessness: CBS; Climate Signals background: Extreme heat and heatwaves)

Big Business Lobbies To Keep Workers Exposed To Extreme Heat: Big business lobbying groups, including those representing major agricultur and construction companies are lobbying hard to make sure American workers are minimally protected from extreme heat, The Guardian Reports. On Monday, more than 50 million Americans were under a heat advisory and Phoenix, Arizona, only hit 108°F (after hitting 110°F for 31 days straight) as the hottest month in the last 120,000 years came to a close. Groups such as the American Farm Bureau Federation (a group with a long history of climate science denial), Construction Industry Safety Coalition, and National Demolition Association are fighting against proposed worker heat protections at the federal level, and in state capitals nationwide. More than 436 workers died from heat exposure between 2011 and 2021, according to BLS data, and federal worker protections take notoriously long to promulgate — a 2016 OSHA rule on silica exposure took 45 years to implement. “It’s not rocket science to protect workers from heat. Many employers do it but many employers don’t. It’s not that expensive,” said Debbie Berkowitz, a top OSHA official during the Obama administration. “But it’s good to have a standard, a standard will really save lives.” (The Guardian; Phoenix: New York Times $; Heat advisories: The Guardian; July heat: AP; Climate Signals background: Extreme heat and heatwaves)

Twitter (X) Sues Anti-Hate Speech Group Over Reports On Abuse On Platform: The social media platform formerly known as Twitter threatened to sue Center for Countering Digital Hate after the group published research documenting an increase in hate speech on the platform. Hate speech, and climate denial, have proliferated on the site since emerald mining scion Elon Musk bought the company last year. It is not the first time Musk has lashed out at those whose speech he does not like. An attorney for the company appeared to admit toxicity on Twitter is integral to the companies business model, accusing CCDH of intending to "harm Twitter's business by publishing research on anti-LGBTQ+ posts, Twitter's reinstatement of banned accounts, and its failure to address toxic posts from "Twitter Blue" users. “This should be the last time anyone dares to claim Musk is a ‘free speech absolutist’," CCDH executive officer Imran Ahmed said in a statement. "He is in fact a bully who uses attack dogs to terrorize his opponents into silence.” (New York Times $, AP, Washington Post $, The Guardian, New Republic, Tech Crunch, HuffPost, The Verge, Variety, CNBC, The Hill, CNN, FT $, NBC, CNBC, Axios, BBC)

COP28: G-20 climate divide spells trouble for COP 28 (E&E $), UAE oil giant Adnoc sets tougher climate targets before COP28 (Bloomberg $, AP)

FOSSIL FUELED ENERGY CRISIS: Why one country is struggling to break away from Russian gas (New York Times $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: US quest for minerals leads to a remote nation surrounded by adversaries (E&E News)

CARCERAL FOOD WASTE: Environmental conviction (Atmos)

INFLATION REDUCTION ACT: White House to host birthday bash for climate law (E&E $)

AGENCIES: White House advances new NEPA rules. Will they stick? (E&E $), USAID tries to be 'climate smart' about development (E&E $)

EPA: Greens press EPA to act on 1,000+ water contaminants (E&E $)

DOE: Biden administration to release $450M for rooftop solar and storage in Puerto Rico (Politico Pro $), Biden to give out billions to homeowners for energy-saving renovations (HuffPost, Utility Dive)

DOI: Biden admin considers mid-Atlantic offshore wind sites (E&E $)

DOT: Biden admin to hike fuel economy standards (E&E News)

WHITE HOUSE: Biden goes west to talk about his administration’s efforts to combat climate change (AP, Reuters, The Hill), White House proposes environmental review reforms, in part to speed clean energy projects (Utility Dive), Youth activist confronts White House press secretary over Biden’s fossil fuel projects (Democracy Now)

THE HILL: US local leaders call on Congress to pass Extreme Heat Emergency Act (Democracy Now), Republicans slam Biden NEPA revamp, threaten permitting talks (E&E News)

SENATE: 4 Senate Democrats call on Garland to sue fossil fuel industry (The Hill, Truthout), Biden urged to create N.Y. monument as patience wears thin (E&E $), Senate Dems to DOE: Finalize electric transformer rule (E&E $), Senate Republicans urge EPA to withdraw climate rule for power plants (Washington Post $), Senator Duckworth took her daughters to see ‘Barbie.’ Because she uses a wheelchair, she had to wait outside. (The 19th* News)

POLITICS: Some polls indicate climate change a big issue for voters (ABC)

ELECTIONS: 2024 elections complicate climate tech startup investing (Axios), How Florida's insurance crisis is haunting Ron DeSantis' campaign (ABC)

CITIES AND STATES: Chicago to pay for electric stoves, heat pumps for lower-income homes (Energy News Network), Conn. drafts EJ map, adding state-level detail to federal efforts (E&E $), Environmental groups say they’ll sue to block Virginia from leaving greenhouse gas compact (AP, Politico Pro $)

FERC: FERC takes a big step to get more clean energy on the US grid (Canary Media)

IMPACTS: It’s not just hot. Climate anomalies are emerging around the globe. (Washington Post $), A climate warning from the cradle of civilization (New York Times $), At least 20 dead and 27 missing in floods surrounding China’s capital Beijing, thousands evacuated (AP, CBS, Washington Post $, Washington Post, PHOTOS $), Powerful Typhoon Khanun lashes southwest Japanese islands, grounding flights and closing businesses (AP), Recovering from twin southwest Virginia floods: ‘a rough, rough ride’ (Washington Post $), Scientists say July will be the planet’s hottest month on record (ABC), Severe floods hit typhoon-damaged Beijing (Washington Post $)

• HERITAGE SITES: UNESCO recommends adding Venice to list of world heritage sites in danger (Reuters, The Guardian), Unesco recommends against Great Barrier Reef ‘in danger’ listing but Australia warned more action needed (The Guardian, AP)

ICE: Antarctica has a winter sea ice shortfall four times the size of Texas (Axios), Extreme rain from atmospheric rivers and ice-heating micro-cracks are ominous new threats to the Greenland ice sheet (Inside Climate News)

HEAT: Battling extreme heat isn't just personal. Our infrastructure needs changes too (NPR), Yes, heat can affect your brain and mood. Here's why (NPR), Climate change is canceling America’s beloved outdoor concerts (Heatmap $), Even Phoenix’s cactuses can’t beat this summer's record heat (Gizmodo), Iran will close government offices, banks and schools for 2 days over high temperatures (AP), A deadly summer for hikers in the Southwest (New York Times $), Saving lives at the Grand Canyon, one salty snack at a time (New York Times $)

• …ISLANDS: The floor is lava (Reuters), These photos show how urban growth fuels extreme heat (Wall Street Journal $)

OCEANS: Alaska’s newest gold rush: seaweed (Washington Post $)

• FLORIDA: A killer ocean heatwave is decimating Florida’s corals (The Verge), A desperate push to save Florida’s coral: Get it out of the sea (New York Times $)

WILDFIRES: How beavers are helping restore wetlands and create buffers against wildfires (NPR), Sailing coaches help rescue more than 130 people stranded by Greece wildfires (The Guardian)

• YORK FIRE: Fire in California’s Mojave Desert spreads to Nevada (AP, The Guardian), Crews are battling ‘fire whirls’ in California’s Mojave Desert (AP)

HURRICANES: Khanun to rake Okinawa (Yale Climate Connections), Hawaii could see a big hurricane season, but most homes aren’t ready (AP)

DROUGHT: Indonesia to send aid to drought-hit Papua region (Reuters)

(DE)FORESTATION: Turkish forest defenders brave arrest to save land from coal mine expansion (Democracy Now)

RENEWABLES: India joins rush to renewables, but its rural solar systems fall off grid (Washington Post $), Switzerland gets six more wind turbines to boost its green power (Reuters), The US clean-energy company that hit the subsidies jackpot (Wall Street Journal $), Wyoming, long known as a top coal producing state, makes a big move into wind energy (Marketplace), Solar supply chain grows more opaque amid human rights concerns (New York Times $)

BATTERIES: Are batteries the future of the power grid? In Texas the experiment is already underway (Houston Chronicle), Exxon is 'actively exploring' the lithium market as EV demand grows (Axios)

BUILDINGS: So you want to electrify your home. Do you need a panel upgrade first? (Canary Media)

OIL & GAS: Exxon, Chevron profits fall in second quarter (E&E $), Traders pay $200,000 a day to ship gas as tankers become scarce ahead of winter (Bloomberg $), BP profits are cut in half to $2.6 billion as oil and natural gas prices fall (AP)

PLASTICS: You’re probably recycling plastic wrong. And it’s not your fault.­­ (Washington Post $)

COAL: One man and his drone: ‘My hope is to shut down the coal industry’ (The Guardian), Global coal CEO prepares pitch for Washington (E&E, Michelle Manook interview $)

NUKES: Vogtle 3 nuclear reactor is finally, seriously — for real — online (Canary Media, AP, Utility Dive, Washington Examiner), What Vogtle’s stumbling finish means for US nuclear energy (E&E News/Politico)

UTILITIES: Southern California Edison eyeing ‘substantial investments’ in grid resilience and reliability, CEO says (Utility Dive)

GRID: Extreme weather could cripple the US electrical grid – Nexans (Energy Monitor)

EVs: Electric trucks could reduce air pollution, improve health (Yale Climate Connections)

BOOKS: Can we produce more food with less farming? A new book has ideas. (Washington Post $)

CARBON CAPTURE: What is carbon capture and storage and will it cut emissions? (Reuters, explainer)

DIVESTMENT: Should hospitals be next to divest from fossil fuels? (Environmental Health News)

TRASH: Influencers popularized the trash jar. Now they’ve moved on. (Grist)

WILDLIFE: Risk of conflict between humans and polar bears rises as Arctic melts (Yale Climate Connections)

INTERNATIONAL: Bangladesh is undertaking the world’s largest resettlement programme – and the climate is making it harder (The Conversation), Ecuadorean votes could bar oil output in Amazon reserve, mining near Quito (Reuters), Dispute over Persian Gulf gas field poses early challenge to Saudi-Iranian rapprochement (AP)

UK: Backtrack on net zero and lose votes, Tory MPs warn Sunak (The Guardian), UK farmer donated £100k so Amazon Indigenous meeting could take place (The Guardian)

• NORTH SEA OIL: UK to grant hundreds of new oil and gas licenses, ignoring calls from environmentalists (AP, New York Times $), New North Sea oil and gas licences will send ‘wrecking ball’ through climate commitments (The Guardian)

• Methane gas from LNG production is a climate emergency (Newsweek, Aditi Sen op-ed)
• Biden’s fossil fuel hypocrisy is betraying the planet (Al Jazeera, Allie Rosenbluth op-ed)
• Wind farms off California’s coast should be the future of the state’s clean energy grid (LA Times, Michelle Solomon and Taylor McNair op-ed $)
• Parenting in what feels like end times (Boston Globe, Tanzina Vega op-ed $)
• The Guardian view on new North Sea drilling: misreading the mood (The Guardian Editorial Board)
• As the world boils, a backlash to climate action gains strength (Washington Post, Ishaan Tharoor column $)
• The death of summer (Bloomberg, Niall Ferguson op-ed $)
• Offshore wind industry is caught in a financial hurricane (Bloomberg, Liam Denning column $)
• The valley of fire is no place to be when your EV is out of power (Washington Post, Petula Dvorak column $)
• We must enter a new climate world together (Prism Reports, Ray Levy Uyeda op-ed)
• Biden is targeting fossil fuels, but people need them to get through the heat (The Hill, Brad Schaeffer op-ed)
• Enjoy your water heater while you still can (Washington Examiner, Alex Gage op-ed)
• Biden wants 100% clean energy by 2035. it won’t work (Washington Examiner, David McGarry op-ed)

Elon Musk Sues Group For Pointing Out He Let Racists And Deniers Destroy Twitter

A "strategic lawsuit against public participation," or SLAPP, is a lawsuit that seeks to censor someone by, at a minimum, punishing them by having to defend themselves from the suit. 

That's exactly what self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist" Elon Musk has chosen to do. Last week Musk's lawyers sent the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) a legally threatening letter. Yesterday, they actually filed. Why? Because the group's research has shown how the social media site has devolved into a cesspool of hate and disinformation, especially under Musk's leadership. 

It turns out major advertisers don't like paying to put their products next to neo-Nazi propaganda and climate disinfo, so in an attempt to shore up the massive advertiser losses, Musk is threatening to sue people who point out the harmful consequences of his decisions. 

As CCDH's lawyer responded, "Simply put, there is no bona fide legal grievance here. Your effort to wield that threat anyway, on a law firm’s letterhead, is a transparent attempt to silence honest criticism. Obviously, such conduct could hardly be more inconsistent with the commitment to free speech purportedly held by Twitter’s current leadership." 

Just like how "free speech" on campuses was actually only ever under attack by those claiming to protect "free speech," Musk's branding as a free speech warrior was clearly always cover for the fragile ego of someone who didn't want to be canceled by Twitter users for having to pay $250,000 to settle a sexual misconduct claim brought by an employee. 

In fact, Musk has a history of silencing people by suing them and suspending them on Twitter. 

So watch out, because if you point out that Musk’s fans used their reinstated accounts to post COVID conspiracies, election disinformation, and climate denial, Musk might just sue you! 

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