FIRST LOOK: 

An international team of experts argue the world needs to start exploring the impacts of a “climate endgame”:  A perspective published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that the consequences of warming the planet beyond 3 degrees Celsius have been “dangerously underexplored” with few quantitative estimates of worldwide societal collapse or even eventual human extinction. “We know least about the scenarios that matter most,” lead author Dr. Luke Kemp told the Guardian. The researchers warn that unchecked global warming could trigger other catastrophes like war or pandemics, and worsen existing vulnerabilities like poverty, crop failure and lack of water. The research suggests countries may fight over geoengineering plans or the right to emit carbon as up to two billion people deal with extreme temperatures in some of the most densely populated and politically fraught areas. The researchers call on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to dedicate a future report to catastrophic climate change to incentivize future research and inform policymakers and the public. (AP, The Guardian, Inside Climate News, BBC, Phys.org)

Amazon's climate pollution jumps in 2021, fueled by pandemic shopping: Despite being the world’s biggest corporate buyer of renewable power, Amazon’s climate pollution grew 18% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to the retail giant’s latest sustainability report. Amazon generated about as much climate pollution as 180 gas-fired power plants last year, and it’s the second consecutive year Amazon's climate pollution grew double digits. In 2019, former CEO Jeff Bezos announced the company planned to achieve net-zero climate pollution by 2040, but has yet to make substantial progress as online shopping (and profits) surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amazon’s climate pollution is up about 40% since the company first disclosed their emissions using 2019 data, though the carbon intensity of each sale on Amazon fell 1.9% as the company improved efficiency and Amazon purchased 85% of its energy needs from renewable sources in 2021 - up from 65%. (The Verge, Bloomberg $, Wall Street Journal $)

Illinois congressman asks why feds have done little to regulate gas stoves: House Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat from Chicago, is asking the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) why the agency has not established safety standards or provided warnings for consumers on the health risks from the air pollution from gas stoves. There’s been no action from the CPSC on gas stoves despite the commission understanding the potential public health and climate dangers since a 1986 EPA report. Studies have shown gas stoves emit harmful levels of several pollutants linked to asthma and other health problems. Studies show homes with gas stoves from popular manufacturers have pollution levels an estimated 50% to 400% higher than homes with electric stoves. Krishnamoorthi’s letter to the CPSC also asked the agency its view on whether legislation is needed to address the health impacts. (Marketwatch)

KENTUCKY: Eastern Kentucky flooding updates: Death toll rises to 37, more rain in forecast (Courier Journal), Some suggest flood victims ‘got what they voted for.’ Kentuckians aren’t having any of that (Lexington Herald Ledger), A Kentucky man rescued 5 children and 2 of his former teachers from their flooded homes after getting a message asking for help (CNN), What the floods left behind: a devastated Kentucky views the damage (New York Times $), Kentucky's floods have been devastating. Timing is a key reason, an expert said (NBC News)

MCKINNEY:  Mckinney fire is now California's largest wildfire in 2022 (Gizmodo), Deadly McKinney fire levels homes, destroying a lifetime of memories in a flash (LA Times $)

RECONCILIATION: All eyes turn to Sinema as Democrats face a week that could transform Biden's presidency (CNN), Manchin-Schumer deal has a new hurdle: Kyrsten Sinema (Bloomberg $), Manchin touts Democrats’ climate and tax bill, which draws GOP criticism (Wall Street Journal $), Democrats’ climate hopes hinge on Sinema (E&E News),  U.S. Senate Democrats hope for green light on $430 bln climate, drug bill (Reuters)

• OIL & GAS CONCESSIONS: Manchin side-deal seeks to advance Mountain Valley Pipeline (Bloomberg $), Manchin, Democratic leadership strike deal to advance controversial natural gas pipeline in Appalachia (CNN), Democrats’ oil import tax would violate Biden pledge, conservative group says (Bloomberg $)

EUROPEAN GAS CRISIS: 3 charts show Europe’s unprecedented natural gas crisis (CNBC), “Drill, baby, drill' is back in Europe as gas crisis looms (CNN), Europe’s energy crisis threatens to slow green transition (Wall Street Journal $), Germany is firing up old coal plants, sparking fears climate goals will go up in smoke (Washington Post $), Germany has three months to save Itself from a winter gas crisis (Bloomberg $)

CLIMATE LITIGATION: U.S. cities and states are suing big oil over climate change (PBS NewsHour)

AGENCIES: FEMA program for heat waves rejected a cooling center (E&E $)

EPA: Chemical trade group sues EPA over ‘forever chemical’ advisory  (The Hill), EPA faces new lawsuit over 'forever chemicals' (E&E $)

DOI: Feds set rules for fossil hounds collecting on Interior lands (E&E $)

CITIES AND STATES: Massachusetts climate bill heads to Gov. Baker’s desk after last-minute Senate, House approval (Utility Dive), Hawaii gets its last shipment of coal, ever (Gizmodo), Most but not all Texas coaches say they'll plan for climate change (Phys.org), Composting in NYC is hard. Cyclists and a pug named Rocky are helping (Washington Post $)

• CALIFORNIA: California’s High Sierra used to be perfect for hiking in August. Here’s why it’s all changed (San Francisco Chronicle)

IMPACTS: Two ultra-rare floods in a single week; a wildfire generating its own weather. Here's how it's connected (CNN), How hot and humid Singapore is trying to cool itself down (New York Times $)

HEAT: Major heat wave to swell over lower 48 after records fall in northwest (Washington Post $), Covering the heat (Atmos), How to keep teen athletes safe from heat illness as sports practice begins amid a brutally hot summer (The Conversation)

WILDFIRES: Why does the American west have so many wildfires? (New York Times $), These maps show severe fires are morphing California forests into something we won’t recognize (San Francisco Chronicle)

HURRICANES: It’s been a slow start to hurricane season — but it’s still early (Washington Post $)

FLOODING: Climate change is intensifying the water cycle, bringing more powerful storms and flooding (Salon), Hunting for water in flood-prone Bangladesh’s drought-ridden hills (The New Humanitarian), Flood maps show US vastly underestimates contamination risk at old industrial sites (The Conversation), Flash floods close roads into Death Valley National Park (AP)

RENEWABLES: US solar and wind projects stalled in Q2. What happened? (Canary Media)

ENERGY: America’s new energy crisis (Wall Street Journal $)

DAC: Going giga: the race to scale up the direct air capture industry (Energy Monitor)

OIL & GAS: Emergency oil stockpile at lowest point since 1985 following Biden sales (Washington Examiner), BP profit surges on high energy prices (Wall Street Journal $), BP earnings triple as energy firm profits from rising prices (AP)

EVS: States hit deadline for EV plans, with bumps in the road (E&E $), EVs are the fastest-selling used cars in 9 major metro areas (Utility Dive), Saying goodbye to the dangerous, alluring scent of gasoline (Grist)

HEAT PUMPS: Could the climate bill warm Americans to heat pumps? (E&E $), Heat pumps perform well in below-freezing weather, new research finds (Canary Media)

GRID: 3 issues to watch as heat strains the grid (E&E $)

LITHIUM: U.S. lithium mine makes supply deal with Toyota-Panasonic venture (E&E $)

UTILITIES: Power companies enter peak hurricane season lacking enough transformers (Wall Street Journal $), Charities laud Columbia Gas in $212 million rate hike case (Energy News Network)

SOLAR: The U.S. could create up to 10 million tons of solar panel waste by 2050 (Yale Climate Connections)

ACCOUNTABILITY: Profits over planet? Experts eye companies at crucial moment for climate change fight (Phys.org)

BIG DATA: Data centers are facing a climate crisis (Wired)

HAHA: Why fighting climate change is a laughing matter (sometimes) (Bloomberg $)

FOOTIE: Floods, fires and why football can play a big role in tackling climate change (The Athletic)

WILDLIFE: Why scientists are desperate to find a salamander that’s been missing for 71 years (Vox), As species recover, some threaten others in more dire shape (AP)

INTERNATIONAL: Spain mandates temperature highs and lows in buildings to save energy (Reuters), Fuel crisis cuts electricity in Bangladesh, sparking energy debate (Thomson Reuters Foundation), How Europeans saw climate change in July (Politico EU)

• President Biden’s offshore drilling plan will make or break climate and environmental justice promises (The Hill, John Beard Jr,)

• The climate crisis is so boring – but I also hate the idea of burning to death (The Guardian, Sofie Hagen)

• Electrify Ithaca: A public-private collaborative approach to city-wide decarbonization (GreenBiz, Luis Aguirre-Torres)

• Dems Biden’s climate and tax bill fiscally responsible (New York Times, Jim Tankersley $)

• Kyrsten Sinema has all the power right now. She should use it. (Washington Post, Henry Olsen $)

• Don’t sink this bill, Sen. Sinema (Washington Post, Editorial Board $)

• Accountability at the United Auto Workers (Wall Street Journal, The Editorial Board $)

• Inflation Reduction Act will boost EPA efforts to tackle the climate crisis (The Hill, David F. Coursen)

• The UN must resolve its internal contradictions on climate change (The Independent, Donnachadh McCarthy)

• The U.S.’s freshwater crisis could lead Washington to look northward. Is Canada ready to quench its thirst? (The Globe and Mail, Peter McKenna) 

• A permitting test for Democrats (Wall Street Journal, The Editorial Board $)

[Editor's Note: The Denier Roundup is on vacation this week. Will return on August 9th!] 

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