FIRST LOOK

Join the National Academies for a report briefing on how the U.S. Global Change Research Program can best meet its mandate in light of current and projected climate change impacts. TOMORROW at 2:00 p.m. EDT

Colorado, Wyoming Hit By Record Snow: A massive storm dropped feet of snow across Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska over the weekend, knocking out power for tens of thousands of customers and grinding air and ground transportation to a halt. Cheyenne, Wyo., saw nearly 26 inches by noon Sunday, breaking its record for two-day snowfall, and Denver saw its fourth-most snow since 1881 — more than 27 inches at Denver International Airport, and approximately two corgis in Lincoln Park. In Aspen Park, nearly 20 inches of snow fell in just four hours. Human-caused climate change increases air and sea surface temperatures, creating more favorable conditions for extreme precipitations events. Unlike the massive blackouts in Texas last month which caused catastrophic failures across the grid and gas system, the outages caused by the wet, heavy snow are primarily caused by downed transmission lines and power is expected to be restored much more quickly. The storm will not be sufficient to alleviate the drought affecting nearly all of the state. (Denver Post, Washington Post $, New York Times $; Drought: Denver Post; Climate Signals background: Extreme precipitation increase)

BIPOC-Led Pipeline Opposition Mounts: Attention and opposition to controversial oil pipelines in Minnesota and Tennessee are growing. The dangers posed by, and the opposition to, the Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota and the proposed Byhalia Connection pipeline in Memphis, Tenn., are felt and led by Native American tribes and Black residents, respectively. “We are here to preserve our water, we are here to preserve our land, we are here to save our communities and we are here to honor our forefathers,” Linda Hayes, a resident of the historically Black Boxtown community in Memphis, said at a rally against the pipeline which would cross through predominantly Black communities in South Memphis. Former Vice President Al Gore, who represented Tennessee in both the House and Senate, also called the proposed pipeline “a reckless, racist rip-off.” In Minnesota, opposition is also mounting to the replacement of Enbridge's Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline, and more than 130 people have been arrested in the last few months. "They seem to think that it's going to deter us from protecting the land. They are fundamentally missing the point of what water protectors are doing, which is willing to put ourselves our freedom, our bodies, our personal comfort on the line for something greater than ourselves," tribal attorney Tara Kouska told CNN. (Byhalia Connection: Commercial Appeal; Line 3: CNN)

Racism, Water Crises Continue In Jackson, Miss: Most of Jackson, Mississippi, still lacks safe water, a month after the severe winter storm in mid-February ravaged the city's water system and left much of the population without any running water at all for three weeks. Even now, city officials cannot show the water is potable, forcing those residents for whom service has been restored to boil water to drink, brush their teeth, and attempt to clean themselves. That Jackson's water infrastructure needed improvement did not come as a surprise, and for residents of the 80% Black city, the racism is clear. "We have to recognize the role that [racism] plays, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told NPR. "We have to realize that issues of race are as American as apple pie." (Clarion Ledger, Mississippi Today, Clarion Ledger, NPR, New York Times $, NBC, AP, CNN, Slate; Commentary: CNN, Keri Leigh Merritt op-ed; Climate Signals background: February 2021 polar vortex breakdown and central US winter storms) 

ENVIRONMENTAL (IN)JUSTICE: Environmental justice plays a key role in Biden’s COVID-19 stimulus package (InsideClimate News), Malala Yousafzai says educate girls to fight climate change (Thomson Reuters Foundation), one of the most polluted counties in America is getting 40,000 more oil wells (Grist), ‘inequalities will become even more entrenched’: why climate change is a feminist issue (The Independent)

COP 26: Unequal vaccine rollout threatens inclusivity of COP26, climate diplomats warn (Climate Home), young negotiators inject 'new blood' into climate decision-making (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

DENIAL: Nurses fight conspiracy theories along with coronavirus (AP)

MEMES: The secret history and uncertain future of Big Oil’s unfunniest meme website (Earther)

AGENCIES: Environmental groups urge feds to reject gas drilling project in North Bay wetland (KQED), Regan rallies [EPA] staff: 'We will rebuild stronger than before' (E&E $)

CAFE: Auto industry urges emissions deal weaker than Obama’s (AP)

THE HILL: Pelosi pledges swift work on major infrastructure package (AP, The Hill), [Senate ENR] hearing shows split on grid needs, response to Texas mess (E&E $), Democrats debate fast-track for infrastructure package (The Hill), House Oversight Committee demands release of $6B USPS vehicle contract (The Hill), lawmakers face 'brutal math of climate change' (E&E $), witnesses outline challenges to farm climate plan (E&E $)

ACCOUNTABILITY: Energy groups keep boycott of lawmakers who fought Biden win (E&E $)

POLITICS: Pressure builds ahead of Biden recovery push (E&E $), hard-hitting video explains the origins of climate change 'polarization' (Yale Climate Connections)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Green Climate Fund whistleblowers urge US to take its money elsewhere – until ‘toxic’ workplace is fixed (Climate Home), Biden vowed to make climate ‘essential’ to foreign policy. The reality is harder. (New York Times $), Australia's Cormann to lead OECD, climate activists dismayed (Reuters), Biden readying new sanctions on Russia over Nord Stream 2 pipeline (Politico)

BORDER TAXES: Border carbon taxes loom, but not without pricing CO2 (E&E $), John Kerry says EU carbon border tax adjustment should be a 'last resort" (Axios)

TRANSITION, PERSONNEL: Activists want to sink [Mark Gallogly] pick for Kerry's climate team (E&E $), Army Corps pick hailed as 'game changer' for tribes (E&E $)

CITIES AND STATES: Questions abound after Colorado utilities pose massive costs for natural gas during February’s cold snap (Colorado Public Radio), Maryland Senate passes measure to fight climate change (AP), Maryland thought deregulating utilities would lower rates. It’s cost the state’s residents hundreds of millions of dollars. (InsideClimate News), Washington climate activists disagree about how to cut carbon (Crosscut)

TEXAS: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick focuses scorn on Public Utility Commission after winter storm, testing Gov. Greg Abbott (Texas Tribune), natural gas was a big reason for the blackout, so why do lawmakers want to rely even more on the fuel? (Dallas Morning News), new group calls for reform of Railroad Commission (Midland Reporter-Telegram), PUC business continues with lone board member (Houston Chronicle), regulators knew of freeze risk to Texas' natural gas system. It still crippled power generation. (Houston Chronicle), Texas grid operator discussed financing with Goldman as energy buyers balk at $3 billion payment shortfall (Wall Street Journal $), Texas power retailer Griddy heads toward bankruptcy filing (Wall Street Journal $), Texas PUC doubles down on refusal to reprice $16B market 'error' under pressure from leg, governor (Utility Dive)

SCOTUS: Supreme Court packs April calendar with enviro cases (E&E $)

IMPACTS: Tiny town, big decision: what are we willing to pay to fight the rising sea? (New York Times $), drought conditions worsen in North Dakota (AP), everybody is going to end up paying for Texas' climate crisis (Bloomberg $), the megadrought parching 77 percent of the Western US, explained (Vox), without changes to mitigate global warming, summer could last nearly six months, study finds (Washington Post $)

EMISSIONS: Shocking findings show the Amazon may already be a greenhouse gas emitter (Earther)

TRANSPORTATION: Transit got $30 billion in stimulus aid. What does that mean for riders? (New York Times $), a by-the-mile tax on driving gains steam as a way to fund US roads (Bloomberg $)

RENEWABLES: Biden admin advances large solar project on tribal land (E&E $), how the oil industry is shifting to offshore wind (E&E $), how wind power is leading America’s energy transition (CNBC), London’s River Thames set to trial new tidal energy technologies (CNBC)

BATTERIES: Investors see ‘gold rush on steroids’ for green battery metals (FT $), LG to invest $4.5bn to meet growing US electric vehicle demand (FT $, AP), the battle of Thacker Pass (Grist)

OIL & GAS:  Frackalachia and the great fracking jobs myth (Drilled), Gas flaring at U.S. oil refineries highest on record — report (E&E $), The future of Big Oil flaring in the Permian Basin and the climate challenge (CNBC)

ORPHANED WELLS: Energy companies have left Colorado with billions of dollars in oil and gas cleanup (High Country News)

PIPELINES: Whitmer offers plan to supply propane after pipeline closes (AP)

COAL: New Mexico coal plant to limit operations starting in 2023 (AP), Six coal miners killed in blast in Pakistan's southwest (Reuters), UK government intervenes in deep coal mine plan (Reuters)

HYDROGEN: German steel powerhouse turns to ‘green’ hydrogen produced using huge wind turbines (CNBC)

UTILITIES: 'Default effect' sees massive green energy switch (BBC)

NUKES: Report shows financial troubles of 16 U.S. nuclear plants (E&E $), Will there be a second act for the US nuclear power industry? (Energy Monitor)

GRID: Dominion, Berkshire Hathaway push better transmission siting as Biden turns focus to infrastructure (Utility Dive)

EVs: GM signs deal with MIT-spinout to reduce electric vehicle battery costs by 60% (CNBC), House bill aims to supercharge electric-vehicle adoption in Texas (Texas Climate News)

CARBON STORAGE: DOE study: CCS permitting could thwart clean energy goals (E&E $)

FINANCE: Kerry to Wall Street: put your money behind your climate PR (Politico), New index shows climate tech companies are outperforming the Nasdaq (Axios)

INTERNATIONAL: India activist breaks silence on sedition arrest, says she felt 'violated' (Reuters), UK pension scheme Nest to invest up to 1.4 billion pounds in renewables (Reuters), a sandstorm in China revives memories of ‘airpocalypses’ past (New York Times $)

• Racial justice requires equitable access to reliable drinking water (Press-Enterprise, Jose Barrera op-ed)
• Yes, America, there is (some) hope for the environment (New York Times, Margaret Renkl op-ed $)
• Stop whining about big government (New York Times, Mariana Mazzucato interview $)
• For Americans uprooted by climate change, mental health is the next crisis (The Hill, Aaron Clark-ginsberg, Saskia R. Vos, and Seth J. Schwartz op-ed)
• Climate plans of big companies need substance (FT, Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson $)
• Fossil fuel pollution is killing people in the US and abroad (The Hill, Joseph Minott op-ed)
• Vehement opposition to Deb Haaland ‘motivated by something other than her record’ (USA Today, Mark Udall and Tom Udall op-ed)

Climate, NFT, Bitcoin: Center of Venn Diagrams Of Insufferable Oil, Tech, Finance and Libertarian Bros

If a full year of pandemic doesn’t yet have you and/or your partner feeling absolutely miserable, might we suggest you take up a painful new hobby: writing about how bad bitcoin and NFTs are for the climate, and well, just about everything else.

It starts, as many cursed trends do, with something as simple and innocent as a tweet about a cat you’re adopting. Then someone makes you an offer you can’t refuse: 50 online dollars for the rights to the tweet. And just like that, like Tom McKay at Gizmodo, you’ve been sucked into the dirty world of cryptocurrencies. What? How? Why? What? 

McKay does a great job of summarizing why bitcoin and the upstart economy of “non-fungible tokens” like a gif or tweet or anything that you attach a specific set of data to is, well, bad. Bitcoin is basically “networks of computers that compete to solve complex math problems in a way that generates accurate records that can’t be changed retroactively.” When a computer randomly generates the right numbers, it gets rewarded with bitcoin. 

The first and biggest problem is that it takes a lot of energy to mine bitcoins, so the computation required to verify the sale of McKay’s cat tweet meant he “essentially added an extra 50% of my electrical use on Monday.” Or as one tweeter once succinctly put it, “imagine if keeping your car idling 24/7 produced solved Sudokus you could trade for heroin.” 

But can this problem be addressed? Brian Kahn sort of thinks so, in a piece at Earther that explores in much more depth how cryptocurrency and NFT’s carbon problem could be fixed. And it’s a big problem — one of the biggest cryptocurrencies being used for million-dollar digital art sales is Ethereum, and its “annual energy use is roughly on par with all of Ireland’s” and is only growing. 

Khan’ is somewhat optimistic, but others are decidedly less so. For example, Everest Pipkin’s post, headlined: “Here is the article you can send to people when they say ‘but the environmental issues with cryptoart will be solved soon, right?’” 

It starts with Pipkin’s admission that “I am so mad I had to write this, the world’s most self-evident take” and ends with a disclaimer that “I’ve never been more bored of a topic that I’ve written 5000 words on in my entire life” so fair warning, there are a lot of reasons to be deeply skeptical, and suspicious, of all this. 

For starters, Pipkin notes that “a recent study out of the University of New Mexico estimated that in 2018 every $1 of Bitcoin value was responsible for $0.49 in health and climate damages in the U.S., costs that are borne by those who will, for the most part, never see any return from cryptocurrency mining whatsoever.” 

Pipkin’s larger point, though, is that digital currency is an exercise in artificial scarcity — the entire premise is that a coin now is worth something because there will be more people who want it in the future, “which makes the wastefulness of today a good investment.” 

For another pained take, see Australian energy expert Ketan Joshi’s post, “Bitcoin is a mouth hungry for fossil fuels” opened by acknowledging that it was “an awful idea, but I’m writing about bloody Bitcoin again.” Bitcoin sucks up massive amounts of energy, according to a Cambridge analysis Joshi cites, bitcoin mining uses 128 terawatt hours, while the entire Australian grid used 192 terawatt hours in a year.

And the fossil fuel industry is already thinking of ways to cash in, like partnerships using vented methane to generate electricity to mine bitcoin. “The fossil fuel industry loves it,” Joshi tweeted, “they get to turn waste into cash.” 

From being promoted in “a literal magazine named OIL MAN” to online advocates who also just so happen to hate government regulations,“the Venn circles of Silicon Valley tech folks, libertarians, finance bros and oil and gas bros all seem to meet centrally at whatever the hell Bitcoin is.”

“There is absolutely no other industry,” Joshi writes after being barraged by BitcoinBros online, “that consumes this much power while only giving back to society sea-lioning men on Twitter.”

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