Climate 411

Western Climate Initiative auction underlines upcoming opportunities to strengthen the program

By Caroline Jones / Published: February 23, 2023
California landscape

Photo Credit: Canva

This blog was co-authored by Delia Novak, Western States Climate Policy Intern, U.S. Region

Results of the latest Western Climate Initiative auction were released today, and while the solid demand for allowances indicates a stable market, there are hints of uncertainty about next steps for the cap-and-trade program. Now that the California Air Resources Board has a new Climate Change Scoping Plan in place, the state has key opportunities this year to strengthen this marquee climate program and to consider joining forces with other states.

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Also posted in California, Carbon Markets, Cities and states, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Policy / Comments are closed

Washington state is holding its first cap-and-invest auction. Here’s what to expect.

By Caroline Jones / Published: February 22, 2023
Photo of the Asgard Pass in Washington state.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Blog co-authored by Kjellen Belcher, Manager, U.S. Climate

Washington state is getting ready for an exciting development in its new nation-leading climate program, the Climate Commitment Act, which is slated to deliver healthier air, more clean energy jobs and a safer climate future for communities.

After experiencing costly and historic wildfires, heat waves and flooding — all within the past few years — Washington communities are ready for this cap-and-invest program to fast-track the transition to a stronger and more equitable, clean economy. Now, the program will take a major step forward with Washington’s first allowance auction to be held on February 28.

Here’s what you should know about the program and how the allowance auction works. Read More »

Also posted in Carbon Markets, Cities and states, Economics, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Health, News, Policy / Comments are closed

Making the most of our climate investments: 4 lessons learned from new research

By Chelcie Henry-Robertson / Published: January 31, 2023

Photo Credit: Canva

This blog was co-authored by Morgan Rote, Director, U.S. Climate.

In the last year, the U.S. secured historic investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and CHIPs and Science Act that position our country to drive transformational progress on emissions, energy security and jobs in clean energy and manufacturing. Getting those laws through Congress to President Biden’s desk was no easy feat — they’ve been decades in the making — and the next chapter may be just as challenging: implementing those clean energy and innovation investments swiftly and fairly across the nation.

To ensure these laws make the impact we need this decade, federal agencies like the Department of Energy need to design, build and evaluate programs that maximize this funding. Two reports commissioned by EDF offer valuable insights and recommendations on how to best design and evaluate clean energy and innovation programs.

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Also posted in Cities and states, Innovation, Policy / Read 1 Response

Minnesota’s 100% clean electricity bill could start a new era for climate action in the state

By Alex DeGolia / Published: January 24, 2023

Photo Credit: Getty Images

This legislative session, Minnesota state leaders wasted no time getting to work on a strong clean electricity bill that achieves 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, reduces health-harming air pollution, builds more good-paying jobs and sets the stage for economy-wide, climate action.

Pro-climate leaders have pushed for years to reclaim Minnesota’s early lead on climate action, when it passed the strongest renewable energy standard in the country back in 2007. Now, with pro-climate trifectas across the state’s Senate, House and governor’s office, as well as strong voter support for climate action, they have a major opportunity — and a mandate — to get it done.

Here’s why legislators and Governor Waltz should seize this moment to get Minnesota on the path to 100% clean electricity and leverage this policy to put in place strong limits on climate pollution capable of meeting the state’s climate goals.

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Cities and states, Health, Jobs, Policy / Comments are closed

Michigan voters want to see more climate action this legislative session

By Alex DeGolia / Published: January 18, 2023

Photo Credit: Steven Kriemadis

This November, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer won her bid for reelection and for the first time in 40 years, Democrats gained a majority in the state house and senate.

With this historic win comes historic opportunity. In the legislative session that started last week, Michigan has the chance to follow through on the climate goals set during Gov Whitmer’s first term with strong policies capable of ensuring a safer climate and healthier communities for decades to come. Recent polling commissioned by EDF Action underscores that voters are ready for state leaders to meet this moment by stepping up action on climate and clean energy.

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Cities and states, Economics, Health, Policy / Comments are closed

DOE has a big opportunity to decarbonize industry. Here’s how it can leverage a new program.

By Sonali Deshpande / Published: December 20, 2022
Factory with pollution

Photo Credit: Canva

This blog is the second of a series of analyses being developed by a coalition of NGOs engaged in decarbonization of the U.S. industrial sector. It focuses on investment priorities for $5.8 billion in funding for industrial decarbonization in the Advanced Industrial Facilities Deployment Program (AIFDP), passed by Congress as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. We and our partners will continue to update our blogs to references one another’s work. See the recent posts by ITIF, and NRDC+RMI.

The Inflation Reduction Act made a historic down payment on climate and clean energy progress across the economy, including new investments that take aim at a notoriously tough-to-decarbonize sector: industry. A key provision in this law is the $5.8 billion Advanced Industrial Facilities Deployment Program (AIFDP), which is intended to support early-stage demonstrations of technologies and processes that could cut emissions in the industrial sector. The Department of Energy now has the opportunity to design this program to maximize breakthroughs in technologies and benefit communities.

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Also posted in Innovation, Policy / Comments are closed