Record Summer Heat 'Virtually Impossible' Without Fossil-Fueled Global Warming: This summer's deadly heatwaves in the Southwestern US and Europe would have been "virtually impossible" in the absence of fossil-fueled climate change, and the record heat in China was made 50 times more likely by it, according to an analysis based on peer-reviewed methods by World Weather Attribution. The researchers found "the burning of fossil fuels is the main reason the heatwaves are so severe." According to one of the researchers, Dr. Friederike Otto, "The role of climate change is absolutely overwhelming… Such heatwaves are no longer rare and the most important thing is, these extremes kill people, particularly destroying the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable. Politicians often claim that they care about normal people and poor people. If we did value people, it’s pretty obvious what we need to do. I don’t think stronger evidence has ever been presented for a scientific question.” (Inside Climate News, The Guardian, Reuters, Politico EU, Bloomberg $, CNN, NPR, Axios, CBS, NPR, Washington Post $, Deutsche Welle, Scientific American, Carbon Brief, The Independent, Daily Beast)

Greta Thunberg Fined For Climate Protest, Immediately Went Back To Protesting: Climate activist Greta Thunberg was fined 2,500 kronor (about $250) by a Swedish court Monday for disobeying police and refusing an order to disperse after blocking road access to an oil facility. Soon after the verdict, she and activists from Reclaim the Future returned to protest at the oil terminal, where she and five others were carried away by police officers. “Why is it us — who are taking action in line with the science to stop the fossil industry — who face legal consequences, when the fossil industry continues to destroy the chance for people to live safe and worthy lives?” Greta said to reporters outside the court. Within the United States too, there has been an alarming crackdown on climate protests, most notably the killing of Manuel Esteban Paez Terán for protesting “Cop City” in Atlanta. Nineteen other protestors were also charged under the state domestic terrorism statute. Protestors, including senior citizens, across the US have also been arrested for raising awareness, protesting private jet use, and asking banks to end fossil fuel investment. In recent years, a total of 20 states have enacted laws restricting rights to peaceful protest. (CBS News, Associated Press, New York Times, The Guardian, Reuters, BBC, Politico) 

One Dollar (Sort of) Buys A Lot of Solar Panels: A new study in Nature Energy reports dramatic improvements in referrals for a low-income solar home program after a simple $1 "thank you" is provided, with even greater gains when a postmarked referral slip was also included. California's Disadvantaged Communities – Single Family Solar Homes program, which provides solar panels for low-income households, tested strategies to increase referrals. The control group received a postcard reminder that there was a $200 referral reward, whereas others got the $1 as a "thank you" for participating in the program, and a third group got $1 as thanks and a referral slip. Those who received $1 were twice as likely to refer new customers, which doubled the number of solar contracts. And five times as many people who got the postmarked referral slip made referrals, as it allowed customers to skip calling the program or going online for the referral process. Lead author Kim Wolske with the University of Chicago explained that "the intent of the dollar was to invoke a sense of reciprocity." Liza Nobel, of Grid Alternatives, which administers the program, pointed out that these communities have been "burned" by energy companies before, and are "sometimes treated like an afterthought for companies' expansion plans. They get technology, like solar, later on in the cycle. There's a certain level of distrust in companies if they're not centered in communities." (E&E News $)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Race is key in spending pollution dollars, researchers say (E&E $), Biden administration announces $120 million for tribes dealing with the impacts of climate change (Native News Online)

THE FUTURE IS NOW: ‘It’s not off in the future. It’s here’: How climate change is driving record-breaking extreme heat (MSNBC), Can AI help or hinder the fight against climate change? (The Week), There’s a hot new climate change accessory: "facekinis" that cover your entire head (futurism)

AND NOT ALL BAD: Climate change may be ending the 9 to 5 grind (Rapid City Journal), Your old, traditional light bulb is going dark (Politico Pro $), Dome homes could be climate change savior (Axios)

BUT MOSTLY BAD: India’s food security is being choked by climate change (Bloomberg, David Fickling column $), Climate change lengthening pollen season, making allergies worse (Daily Herald), Hurricane season is getting longer because of climate change, researchers say (Louisiana Illuminator), Historic and enduring U.S. heat wave, by the numbers (Axios), This is Greece’s worst July on record for wildfires (The Times), An Arizona woman died after her power was cut over a $51 debt. That forced utilities to change (AP)

CLIMATE LITIGATION: Enviros pledge to revive lawsuit against Shell board (E&E $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Canada first in G-20 to release screen for ‘inefficient’ fossil-fuel subsidies (Politico Pro $), Analysis: EU braces for possible loss of two climate change leaders (Reuters)

DENIAL: [Iowa Meteorologist] ]Chris Gloninger left KCCI after a 'death threat.' Now, he's talking about his next chapter. (Des Moines Register $), Culture war consumes Congress as lawmakers confront spending deadline  (Politico Pro $)

BOOKS: Conservation Starter: Winnetka author takes on climate change in new preteen series (The Record), Climate change comes to Comic-Con (HEATED)

GOP vs. ESG: Texas A&M recruited a UT professor to revive its journalism program, then backtracked after “DEI hysteria” (Texas Tribune), Democrats champion free markets as Republicans target Wall Street  (Politico Pro $), BlackRock’s shifts in governance leave ESG foes hungry for more (Bloomberg Law $)

LISTEN UP: Anand Giridharadas: Persuaders in a Hot and Polarized World (ClimateOne)

GROSS: As Climate Clock Ticks, US Government Has Been Using Burning Trash to Look Green (Reveal), The government is basically burning trash to pad its climate stats (Mother Jones)

INSURANCE: How climate change could cause a home insurance meltdown (NPR), Catastrophe losses double at Travelers as insurance industry and more regions absorb severe weather (AP), Buffett’s Florida bet bodes well for troubled insurance market (Bloomberg $), Climate change is making it more difficult for Americans to get home insurance (NPR), Congressman urges FIO to probe climate change impact on insurance coverage (Insurance Business Mag)

AGENCIES: US to spend $1.55 bln for oil and gas sector to cut methane emissions (Reuters), US plots $700 million plan to reduce wells’ methane emissions (Bloomberg Law $), Permitting Plan B: Democrats lean on FERC, DOE (E&E $)

WHITE HOUSE: Biden goes all in on offshore wind (E&E News)

SENATE: Schumer turns to FERC to push transmission reform priorities (Politico Pro $, The Hill)

ELECTIONS: Ky. governor's reelection gambit: The climate 'dog whistle' (E&E $), Tory London mayor candidate backed fracking and promoted climate science denial (DeSmog), Rishi Sunak vows not to add 'unnecessary' costs to meet green targets (BBC)

CITIES AND STATES: Vermont was seen as a climate haven. This summer has complicated that image. (VT Digger), Colo. becomes latest state to crack down on methane (E&E $), Maryland takes its climate planning to the public  (E&E $)

IMPACTS: North Atlantic heatwave could be catastrophic for fish stocks, scientists warn (The Independent), Asia-Pacific needs disaster warning systems to counter rising climate change risks, report says (AP)

HEAT: UPS drivers threaten to strike. Climate change is one reason. (E&E News)

WILDFIRES: An expert explains how climate change is worsening wildfires in North America (Maine Public Radio)

WATER: It’s scorching in Iran, and there’s less and less water to help (New York Times $), City sewers can’t handle climate change’s intense rains (Scientific American)

RENEWABLES: From Moby Dick to wind farms: east coast tries to pivot centuries-old ports (Wall Street Journal $), World’s biggest wind power projects are in crisis just when world needs them most (Bloomberg $), China dominates solar. Does the U.S. stand a chance? (Wall Street Journal $)

BATTERIES: World’s largest battery energy storage site gets permit in U.K. (E&E $)

OIL & GAS: Global hunt for crude sends offshore oil stocks soaring (Wall Street Journal $), Venezuela’s oil industry is broken. Now it’s breaking the environment. (New York Times $)

GRID: The U.S. power grid withstands the heat, so far (Wall Street Journal $)

EVs: Here come the family EVs (Wall Street Journal $), Electric cars are the future, but is the UK ready? (BBC), Power companies see EVs at heart of resilient grid — report (E&E $)

AVIATION: Climate change to take an increasing toll on air travel, United CEO warns (NBC Nightly News), Canceled flights and ice carts: Airlines cope with warming world  (E&E $)

• What we’re forced to leave behind when it floods (New York Times, Dream Hampton Op-Doc $)
• ‘No one wants to be right about this’: climate scientists’ horror and exasperation as global predictions play out (The Guardian, various climate expert's quotes)
• Hoping fossil fuel giants will see the light on climate hasn’t worked. Change only comes with mandates and force (LA Times Editorial $)
• Tampa’s climate plan will enhance and preserve community’s quality of life (Tampa Bay Times, Mayor Jane Castor op-ed)
• How long can we keep living in hotboxes like Phoenix? (Bloomberg, Mark Gongloff column $)
• An act of vehicular NIMBYism (New York Times, Paul Krugman column $)
• Deadly heat shouldn’t be a curiosity. It’s a disaster and a tragedy (LA Times, Tony Barboza column $)
• Climate change deniers can't believe their eyes (Herald Bulletin Editorial)
• Air quality, climate change are public health issues (Bradford Today, Charles Gardner op-ed)
• Climate change is at our door. We must confront it now. (Riverhead News-Review editorial)
• In the global LNG race, America holds all the cards (Forbes, Dan Eberhart column)
• Backlash to climate policies is growing (Washington Post, Henry Olsen column $)

‘Chevron Deference’ Attacked By Pence's Koch-Funded Front Groups Supporting Fishing Lobby 

In April, we noticed fisherman Jerry Leeman was impressively adept at anti-offshore wind media relations work, and wondered if he was receiving assistance from professional disinformation operatives. Then last month, we spotted a tell suggesting Leeman was working with none other than Steve Milloy, the template for tobacco shills turned climate deniers, to launch his new fishing lobby group. Now, we’ve spotted another clue that Leeman's career change from the high seas to lobbying for the fishing industry has some big fish on the line. 

Yesterday, The Daily Signal, the Heritage Foundation's disinformation website posing as media, announced that "A conservative nonprofit launched by former Vice President Mike Pence is representing 11 conservative groups in supporting fishermen challenging the extensive power of the federal bureaucracy."

The 11 groups filing an amicus curiae brief to tell SCOTUS to deconstruct the administrative state are basically a handy list of the current crop of Koch-world front groups, including "Project 21 Black Leadership Network," the "Young America Foundation" that trains right-wing propagandists, and "Students for Life of America", whose board includes the billion-dollar donation recipient Leonard Leo. (And of course Pence's political career was revived by Koch cash and the Heritage Foundation has been funded by Koch et al.)

So what do the Koch fronts say to one another? Well, they’re scheming to try to convince the Supreme Court (which Leonard Leo packed) to overturn  Chevron Deference, a long standing judicial precedent giving federal agencies like the EPA and FDA the necessary latitude to enforce the statutes Congress writes. Last year, before the Supreme Court turned "major questions" from right-wing industry dreams into a reality, we and many others explained that SCOTUS may narrow or eliminate the Chevron deference, and severely constrain the federal government's ability to regulate. 

SCOTUS didn't go that far with "major questions" last year, but this term, it has taken a case calling for the Chevron ruling to be overturned: Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. At issue? The federal government's regulation of the fishing industry.

And who should turn up in not one but two stories last May (in Fox and the National Review, a Koch-backed disinfo outlet) as the working-class fisherman who's also able to give quotes about Loper Bright and the regulations being challenged? 

That's right — none other than Jerry Leeman! Seems even as he was writing op-eds about how he's "a trawler" who "cannot run a net off the back of my boat with wind turbines obstructing the water column," he was also trawling the murky waters of disinfo media. Yet a month later, he reportedly "stepped away" from fishing, and it would seem that's because he landed the most lucrative of all catches: a position in the Koch disinfo machine. 

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to receive Hot News every morning!

Send updates or feedback to nkauffman@climatenexus.org
Submit events and other items for consideration for a First Look using this form
Some articles require logins or subscriptions ($)