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Union Advocates Protest Outside BlackRock: Coal miners and union advocates picketed outside BlackRock’s New York headquarters this week, in support of more than 1,100 Alabama miners who have been striking for almost five months against Warrior Met Coal. BlackRock, the world’s largest hedge fund, is Warrior Met Coal’s largest investor. Demanding better wages and working conditions, the workers argue that BlackRock has allowed the coal company to exploit them. The United Mine Workers Association rejected a contract in April where the company offered workers a $1.50 pay increase over five years. “All we want is a fair contract,” said Chris Brubaker, who traveled from Jasper, Alabama for the rally. (Bloomberg $, The Guardian, Fox Business, Al.com, Seeking Alpha)

Greenland Suffers Rapid Ice Melt: Ice sheets in Greenland are melting so rapidly due to high temperatures in the Arctic that the amount of ice melt from Tuesday was enough to cover all of Florida in two inches of water, according to the researchers at Polar Portal. Greenland has lost 18.4 billion tons of surface mass since last Sunday. While not as bad as 2019, this is the third instance of extreme melting in the past decade and the scientists say the area of land melting is larger this time. "In the past decade, we've already seen that surface melting in Greenland has become both more severe and more erratic," Thomas Slater, a glaciologist at the University of Leeds told CNN. "As the atmosphere continues to warm over Greenland, events such as yesterday's extreme melting will become more frequent." (CNN, The Hill)

Flooding Devastates Afghanistan: Flash floods late Wednesday killed at least 80 people and left a hundred more missing in Nuristan, a Taliban-stronghold in Afghanistan. About 300 homes in one village alone were completely destroyed, catching villagers off guard because they were sleeping. Officials worry the death toll could surpass 200 people, with aid agencies finding it difficult to gain access to the region. Afghanistan is warming faster than the world average, and flooding now routinely harms lives every summer especially due to the poor infrastructure. The floods are adding to the suffering in Afghanistan, where fighting between government and Taliban forces has intensified since international troops began withdrawing in May. (Washington Post $, New York Times $)

The “Mortality Cost of Carbon” Provides Grim Outlook: Nearly 83 million people could be killed by the end of the century if carbon emissions continue unchecked, according to a new study by Columbia University’s Earth Institute published in Nature Communications. The research builds on the “social cost of carbon” metric to account for excess heat deaths: the “mortality cost of carbon.” The emissions from a single coal-fired power plant over one year are likely to result in more than 900 deaths, while lifetime emissions from 3.5 average Americans would kill one person. In contrast, lifetime per-capita emissions of 146.2 Nigerians would kill one person. The new research could change how economies calculate the cost of carbon, which impacts policymaking. Earlier this year the Biden administration set the cost at $51 a ton, but this new research suggests it should be set at around $258 per ton to reduce deaths from higher temperatures. Researcher Daniel Besser noted that the metric does not account for other climate-related deaths such as flooding, crop failure, and civil unrest, but said this metric is the best estimate based on current literature. (New York Times $, Bloomberg $, The Guardian, Axios, USA Today)

BANKS: Climate-conscious banks stick with distressed polluters (Wall Street Journal $)

ASSET MANAGERS: Pension funds talk green while holding billions in polluter stocks (Bloomberg $) Fidelity International threatens tough stance on climate and gender (Financial Times $)

FOSSILS: Big oil shows confidence the era of large profits is back (Bloomberg $), Arch, Peabody pursue royalty reductions despite strong Q2 performance (Casper Star-Tribune)

COVID RELIEF: Pandemic aid programs spur a record drop in poverty (New York Times $)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: ‘It's like we don't matter': Green energy loophole has devastating impact (CNN)

POVERTY: Another 291 million people won’t have enough to eat this year (Bloomberg $)

DENIAL: North Sea oil chief claimed climate emergency is ‘fake’ in deleted tweets (Independent)

AGENCIES: Haaland, Native American leaders press for Indigenous land protections (The Hill)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: President Biden to meet with 7 governors Friday to discuss devastating wildfires (CNN), White House wants U.S automakers to back at least 40% electric vehicle target by 2030 -sources (Reuters)

INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL: “This is not a climate bill”: Leah Stokes on why bipartisan infrastructure deal doesn’t go far enough (Democracy Now), Top Democrat: 'A lot of spin' coming from White House on infrastructure (The Hill), Energy guru is ‘beyond’ disappointed with dwindling U.S. infrastructure plan (Bloomberg $), Environmentalists slam ‘pathetic’ climate spending in infrastructure deal (The Independent), Infrastructure plan text remains elusive as second vote nears (E&E $), What the infrastructure deal means for energy (E&E News $)

PROVISION: Greens blast ‘get out of jail free card’ for fed hydro giant (E&E News $)

EXCELLENT GRAPHIC: The infrastructure plan: what’s in and what’s out (New York Times $)

ALL IN: Pelosi, Schumer vow climate action: 'It is an imperative' (The Hill)

POLITICS: Republicans threaten to block two Biden nominations over Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline (Wall Street Journal $), Conservatives may be willing to take on climate change — if you call it something else (Grist)

CITIES AND STATES: N.J. takes steps to double its solar power (NJ.com, The Hill), Adding climate impacts to Minnesota's environmental review may be delayed (MPR), Here are Louisiana's seven strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions (Times-Picayune), Climate activists target a retrofitted ‘peaker plant’ in Queens, decrying new fossil fuel infrastructure (InsideClimate News)

CALIFORNIA: California wine country rebuilds as threats persist (New York Times $), California NIMBYs threaten Biden’s clean energy goals (Bloomberg $), California's electric-car goal comes with potential environmental risks (CBS)

UNIONS: Why Texas fossil fuel unions signed onto a climate plan (Grist)

IMPACTS: For FEMA head, trip to wildfire regions reaffirms drive to address climate change (Axios), Amid extreme weather, China avoids mention of climate change (Economist)

HEAT: U.S. heat warnings and advisories cover 80 million people across 20 states. (New York Times $)

WEST: Beetles, drought, and fires are a ticking time bomb in the West (Vox), The West's historic drought in 3 maps (CNN), Dead zones, a ‘horseman’ of climate change, could suffocate crabs in the West, scientists say (Washington Post $)

DROUGHT: Scorching drought exacerbates Line 3 water concerns in northern Minnesota (Star Tribune $), Water shortages and drought are California’s biggest environmental concern, new poll shows (Mercury News)

WILDFIRES: Portland bans homeless camps in forest areas amid wildfires (AP), Why wildfire smoke can be worse than other air pollutants (The Verge), Death toll in wildfires that hit southern Turkey rises to 4 (AP), ‘It’s a miracle that we are still alive’: inside Sardinia’s terrifying firestorm (Gizmodo)

RENEWABLES: Interior Department to review proposal for first wind power project off North Carolina coast (The Hill)

OIL & GAS: Despite climate concerns, demand for dirty fuels is surging (Economist), Forgotten oil and gas wells linger, leaking toxic chemicals (AP), Big Oil is vulnerable to climate change. Literally. (Wall Street Journal $)

PIPELINES: Pipeline giant targets Canada military site for battery project (Bloomberg $)

COAL: Report predicts 3 coal plants could close within 5 years (West Virginia Public Radio), Want quick progress on climate change? Clean up ‘hyper-polluting’ coal plants (Rolling Stone)

MINING: Low-carbon power for steel, aluminum industries key for global decarbonization goals — report (Mining.com) 

UTILITIES: Climate crisis catches power companies unprepared (New York Times $),  CA utility PG&E to be charged in 2020 wildfire, DA says (Sacramento Bee $, AP, HuffPost)

GEOTHERMAL: A geothermal energy boom may be coming, and ex-oil workers are leading the way (InsideClimate News)

EVs: Top EV battery maker adds sodium to its recipe book (Wall Street Journal $), The race for EV parts leads to risky deep-ocean mining (Yale Environment 360), Climate bid faces tricky path over money for electric cars (AP)

TESLA: Tesla reports over $800M in energy business revenue in second quarter (The Hill)

AGRICULTURE: Ethiopia to shift from beef to chicken production under updated climate plan (Climate Home), Farmers feel impact on forefront of climate change (US News & World Report)

CHINA: China avoids coal projects in Belt and Road for first time, says green finance think tank (Hellenic Shipping News)

NASA: How NASA is using a robot airplane in Kansas to study climate change (Wichita Eagle)

OLYMPICS: Climate disasters are making it hard to enjoy the Olympics. and I’m not sure I want to, anyway (TIME), Heat and humidity make 'Tokyo Summer the worst in the history of Olympics' (CNN, Independent)

FINANCE: Investors overseeing $14 trln call for vote on company climate plans (Reuters)

FAITH: Asking the Clergy: What does your faith say about climate change? (Newsday)

CLIMATE TALKS: Fresh wave of climate protests to target gas ahead of COP26 summit (Reuters)

WILDLIFE: Climate crisis ‘intensifying’ conflicts between humans and wildlife (The Independent), Video shows salmon with lesions, fungus as rivers hit lethal temperatures (HuffPost), Shark sightings off New York's coast are linked to climate change, scientists say (CBS)

INTERNATIONAL: Australia’s energy market operator plans for net zero by 2050 as Morrison stalls (The Guardian), The lobbying push that killed off a fight to save the Great Barrier Reef (The Guardian), EU creates checklist for 'climate proof' infrastructure projects (Reuters)

• Senate's proposed clean energy standard is a major win for health (The Hill, Sarah Spengeman and Neelu Tummala op-ed)
• In fast-warming world, Tokyo is barometer for future Olympics (Reuters, Beh Lih Yi analysis)
• Good jobs — the unfinished work of environmental justice (The Hill, Dr. Beverly Wright op-ed)
• We need a carbon tax. We can solve the climate crisis while paying dividends (Wilmington News Journal, Cory Budischak op-ed)
• Why our broken food system is overshooting the Earth's planetary boundaries (Thomson Reuters Foundation, Jeremy Coller, Johan Rockström & Gunhild Stordalen op-ed)
• Utah’s economy could benefit from focusing on climate issues (Deseret News, Peter Reichard op-ed)
• How Modi’s Hindu nationalism impairs global fight against climate change (Chicago Sun-Times, Abhimanyu Chandra op-ed)
• U.S. coal gets boost from higher gas prices (Reuters, John Kemp column)
• Don’t even think of passing Biden’s budget bill now (Bloomberg, Michael R. Strain column $)
• A not so grand infrastructure deal (Wall Street Journal, editorial $)

‘Greens Are Coming For Your Computer,’ Worries Wash Examiner Op-Ed Intern Debunked By Own Outlet That Morning

“Climate alarmists are coming for gamers” warns an ominous headline in the Washington Examiner. Six states have, according to young conservative op-ed intern Robert Schmad, passed laws that “effectively ban the sale of some high-end gaming PCs.” 

Oh no! “If the liberals are willing to take our cars,” Schmad writes in reference to proposed state laws requiring a shift to electric vehicles by 2035, “there is nothing to suggest they won’t eventually pull out all the stops and go after our gaming rigs, too.” 

But of course liberals aren’t trying to take anyone’s cars, so much as get them to buy cleaner, electric ones. Just hours earlier a story, also in the Examiner, also on this exact issue, debunks Schmad’s alarm. 

Nihal Krishan’s story informs readers that: “In order to comply with California's and other states' energy requirements, Dell now offers a special version of those two computer models, which adhere to the new regulations, so customers can still purchase those products.”

So… Gamers can still buy their high-powered rigs, which will use less energy to meet the improved energy efficiency standards, saving gamers money on their power bills. The horror!...?

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