Federal officials sue chemical company in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’: The Biden administration is compelling Denka Performance Elastomer to address the cancer risk posed by the toxic emissions it’s facility releases in the heart of a Black community, a half mile from a 300 student elementary school. Denka operates the only U.S. facility that makes neoprene, a synthetic rubber used for hoses, mousepads, and other products. Producing neoprene releases chloroprene, a cancer causing chemical also linked to nervous, immune, and respiratory diseases. Neoprene was invested at chemical giant Dupont, who owns the complex where Denka operates and is named by the federal attorneys as a party also responsible for reducing the plant’s pollution. Around 20 percent of the people living within two-and-a-half miles of Denka are under the age of 18, and children have bigger cancer risks from breathing chloroprene compared to adults. EPA Administrator Regan visited the Louisiana parish where Denka operates in 2021 but said in a statement yesterday, "The company has not moved far enough or fast enough to reduce emissions or ensure the safety of the surrounding community.” (AP, Axios, Grist, E&E $)

Congress Attempts To Sink ESG, Prompting Biden’s First Veto: Both the U.S. House and Senate voted this week to rescind a Department of Labor (DOL) rule that allows retirement fund managers to consider climate change and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when choosing where to invest. Democrats Joe Manchin and Jon Tester joined Senate Republicans to pass the measure 50 to 46 on Wednesday, following House passage on Tuesday. “This isn’t about ideological preference, it’s about looking at the biggest picture possible for investments to minimize risk and maximize returns,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday, adding it’s a narrow rule “literally allowing the free market to do its work.” More than $18 trillion is held in investment funds that follow ESG principles, which have been routine on Wall Street for years, adopted by major global corporations, and popular across all types of investors. President Biden has pledged to veto any bill that would overturn the DOL rule. (CNN, Reuters, The Hill, MarketWatch, New York Times $, Wall Street Journal $, Bloomberg $, ESG Explainer: AP)

New research finds top brands responsible for shipping pollution: The Ship It Zero coalition released analysis that finds container ships filled with goods imported by 18 major consumer brands generated 3.5 million metric tons of climate pollution, the equivalent of what roughly 750,000 gas-powered cars generate in a year. Walmart, Target and Home Depot accounted for most of this pollution while Nike was the worst offender among fashion companies. Roughly 90 percent of the world trade is transported by sea, and the global shipping industry accounts for 3% of global climate pollution - more than air travel. Container ship pollution also contributes to elevated rates of cancer and respiratory problems in port communities that are often communities of color. Report authors are calling for U.S. brands to demand their freight partners decarbonize by 2030, as a mix of zero-emissions container ships in development are scheduled to hit the high seas by 2025. (Grist, Canary Media, American Journal of Transportation, EcoWatch)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Study: extreme heat is driving deaths in US prisons (Grist), Climate change threatens Pueblo people’s traditional practices (Yale Climate Connections)

EPA: EPA to award $250 million in IRA funds to reduce climate pollution (The Hill), EPA coal ash settlement raises hopes for cleanup along Lake Michigan and beyond (Energy News Network)

DOJ: Garland pressed on DOJ role in climate lawsuits (E&E $)

USPS: USPS to purchase 9,000 electric vehicles, install 14,000 charging stations  (The Hill), U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs and thousands of charging stations (CBS News)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: U.S. directs $315 mln to boost clean energy access in rural, tribal communities (Reuters)

THE HILL: House panels approve 16 Republican energy bills (E&E $), Democrats scoff at Republican permitting plan (E&E $), As emissions from agriculture rise and climate change batters American farms, Congress tackles the farm bill (Inside Climate News)

BIG GREENS: NRDC staff moves to unionize (E&E $)

CITIES AND STATES: Idaho joins Texas lawsuit over new federal clean-water rules (AP), ‘Enough pollution’ in low-income NJ area with 1 power plant (AP)

IMPACTS: The "triple-dip" La Niña may give way to an El Niño (Axios), Is climate change accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans? (PBS News Hour)

HEAT: Extreme heat creating health crisis, scientists say (E&E $)

HOT LIGHTNING: Global warming could lead to increase in 'hot lightning' strikes causing more wildfires (Phys.org)

DROUGHT: Italy, France confront 2nd year of western Europe drought (AP)

1.5C: U.S. off track for meeting Obama's Paris pledge (E&E $), Carbon dioxide emissions reached a record high in 2022 (AP)

RENEWABLES: Here’s the good and bad news on the US clean energy transition (Canary Media), How T-Mobile, Verizon and others are fighting the climate crisis (CNET), Clean energy record: More than 40% of US electricity now comes from carbon-free sources (USA Today), With its energy grid under fire, some in Ukraine turn to small-scale renewables (NBC News)

BUILDINGS: Blocpower raises funding to expand green building retrofits (Bloomberg $), BlocPower raises $155M to speed up its all-electric building retrofits (Canary Media)

TRANSMISSION: How a $6B transmission project made it in New York (E&E $)

SHIPPING: Shipping companies paying almost $97M to settle oil spill off Southern California coast  (The Hill), Shipping companies reach $97M California oil spill agreement (AP)

METHANE: SRP issues 500 MW all-source RFP as potential replacement for new gas resources (Utility Dive)

OIL & GAS: Officials offer climate activists possible deal on Alaska oil project (Washington Post $), Enbridge to buy US Gulf Coast gas storage facility for $335 million (Reuters)

NUKES: California regulators find Diablo Canyon nuclear plant needed through 2030 to support grid reliability (Utility Dive), Western US cities vote to move ahead with novel nuclear power plant (Reuters)

SOLAR: Solar for all? U.S. cities take green power to low-income homes (Reuters)

DISINFO: There's a bit of truth to some climate conspiracy theories. But that doesn't make them right (TIME), Fossil fuel companies donated $700m to US universities over 10 years (The Guardian)

COAL: China permitted more coal power plants last year than any time in the last 7 years (NPR), Conservation group calls out Colorado’s coal consumption (The Hill), China’s coal use is rising, but emissions might not follow (Wall Street Journal $), China’s coal use is rising, but emissions might not follow (Wall Street Journal $)

ETHANOL: Biden sets in motion gasoline policy shift to boost ethanol (Bloomberg $), EPA proposal expected to expand sales of high-ethanol gasoline in Midwest states (The Hill), Midwest could add more ethanol to gasoline under EPA plan (AP), This ‘climate-friendly’ fuel comes with an astronomical  cancer risk (The Guardian)

GRID: DTE Energy, Consumers Energy face power-outage challenges (AP), In a mild winter, high natural gas prices plunge, but the cost of electricity could fall more slowly (Utility Dive)

FINANCE: IMF warns against ‘protectionism’ in rich world’s green subsidies (Climate Home), Finance is failing the world’s best defense against climate change (Bloomberg $)

ACTIVISM: How women around the world fight climate change (Oxfam), Cool it, George Soros (not literally) (Gizmodo), Ayisha Siddiqa Is making the world think differently about climate action (Time)

LITHIUM: 9th Circuit denies emergency bid to halt Nevada lithium mine (AP), Federal appeals court declines to block Nev. lithium mine (E&E $)

MOVIES: 10 of the best climate change documentaries to see in 2023 (Yale Climate Connections)

MUSK: Musk’s ‘master plan’ for Tesla built around sustainable energy world (Bloomberg $)

PFAS: Study: Toilet paper adds to ‘forever chemicals’ in wastewater (The Hill), EPA's 'forever chemicals' approach faces fire (E&E $)

AVIATION: America’s airports aren’t ready for climate change (Brookings)

HEAT PUMPS: Do heat pumps work in cold places? Here’s what you need to know. (Yale Climate Connections)

TREES: What trees to plant to survive the next 100 years (Axios), Power of trees and soil to absorb carbon may be waning, experts warn (Bloomberg $)

GEOTHERMAL: Can geothermal energy finally take a bite out of climate change? (Grid)

FOODIES: Here are the supermarket staples at risk from climate change (Big Issue)

CARS: Soaring SUV sales make it harder to hit climate goals (The Verge)

VINO: Climate change forces winemakers to turn to ancient grapes (Thred)

WILDLIFE: Arctic geese migrate to far-flung new places as the planet warms (Bloomberg $), Whales, turtles, the alligator, flaco: animals in the news (New York Times $), Moose could play a big role in global warming (Phys.org)

• Environmental justice investors: It’s the demand-side, stupid! (The Hill, Joe Evans op-ed) 

Cartoonist and Sometimes Climate Denier Scott Adams Endorses Segregation, Loses Job

Cartoonist Scott Adams, famous for the, until-now, long running newspaper strip Dilbert, destroyed his reputation over the past week when he used his daily Youtube show to call America’s Black population a “hate group” and advised white people to segregate themselves. Even with Adams’ history of problematic behavior, having written a book attacking Islam, support for Donald Trump, advocating for killing your son, anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theories, and claims of being a hypnotist, some are wondering how it came to this.

To understand the Fall of the House of Dilbert, you have to go back to the 2016 presidential election. Adams was an early supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign. This marked the moment when his public persona went from semi-apolitical smarter-than-thou Reddit atheist type (a la Dilbert) to open conspiracy theorist and rightwing culture warrior (a la Dogbert's evil combined with the Boss's stupidity.) In 2016 Adams claimed he was switching his support to Hilary Clinton, as he was afraid her supporters would murder him and cover it up, playing into the extreme conspiracy theories about the Clintons killing scores of people for political purposes.

In late 2016 Adams began to play the part of a major climate denier. In December of that year he posted a challenge to Twitter to “Find a scientist -- just one -- who says the climate prediction models are credible.” He ignored, denied or shot down anyone who tried to offer evidence that climate models were reliable and trusted by scientists, and ever since he has consistently pushed false narratives minimizing or outright denying the climate realities humanity faces.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided ample opportunities for further descent in the conspiracy theorizing, and Adams got so far into that he was having Twitter fights with other anti-vaxers over whom was properly telling lies about the life saving medicine.

Over the course of 2022 and into 2023, Adams has jumped on the bandwagon of using Environmental Social and Governance investment scores Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Affirmative Action measures as targets for conspiracies and disinformation. He took special care to promote anti-ESG messages, working elements of earlier conspiracy theories he had succumbed to directly into Dilbert strips.

The final collapse of Scott Adams’ career as a newspaper cartoonist came, coincidentally enough, after a brief bit on his Youtube show on his fellow anti-ESG demagogue Vivek Ramaswamy’s announcement that he's running for president. After claiming that only Vivek could get rid of the “climate religion” and end affirmative action without being called racist, Adams switches to saying that anything bad said about Vladimir Putin is probably just propaganda. Then he ends his career.

Adams brought up a Rasmussen poll which included a question about whether or not people agree with the white supremacist-popularized phrase, “It’s ok to be white.”  Given that it's been a racist slogan for more than a decade, many people of color are aware that it’s a threatening, hateful statement, and more than 20% of the Black respondents disagreed with the statement, and another 20+% said they weren’t sure. 

Adams used this as a jumping off point to say the he no longer identifies a Black, that he was only identifying as Black because he wanted to be on the “winning team”, which could be enough to unpack alone, but he then went on to say that now, because of this poll, he views Black people as hate group and calls on white people to “get away” from Black people. 

He then says he picked the neighborhood when he lived specifically because there weren’t Black people living there. Adams says that there is nothing that can help Black people, and that white people should stop trying to help Black Americans. “It’s over, it’s not worth trying.” “Get away, just get away.”

As of March 1 Adams has begun complaining about ESG investing and DEI trainings being products of “Jewish race grifters” and claiming that the death count of the Holocaust has probably been inflated for political reasons. Still, we'll stop here, because "please stop" is more or less what Adams' editors said at the various newspapers that still ran Dilbert– until now.

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