Climate 411

California lawmakers must act now to extend the state’s cap-and-trade program, as uncertainty reduces funding for investment in communities

Results were released today for the third auction of the year in the California-Quebec cap-and-trade market. This auction delivered slightly stronger results over the May auction, with all current allowances sold and settlement prices rising above the price floor. This bump in market demand potentially suggests renewed market confidence, though this confidence could be temporary if the Legislature doesn’t act urgently to reauthorize the program.

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Growing body of research reveals high stakes for California leaders to get the details right in Senate Bill 540

This blog was supported by Julia Young, an Andlinger fellow from Princeton University. This is the third in a blog series on the opportunities presented by the Pathways Initiative, focused on California.  

California’s legislature is winding down to the last days of its session. A top priority should be finding ways to save families money on their utility bills without compromising the state’s clean electricity goals. A well-designed western electricity market does just that, according to a new analysis supported by EDF.

The difference between lawmakers getting the details right or wrong in Senate Bill 540 is significant.  Getting it wrong jeopardizes the future of a unified western electricity market, costing Californians $350 million dollars a year. This affirms prior research about the need to get the details right since that would enable Californians to save more than a billion dollars each year in energy costs by developing a unified western market.

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Unlocking affordable, clean power: Colorado’s big move to build transmission lines

Transmission lines at sunset

Image credit: Pexels

Colorado’s electric grid is under pressure. Extreme weather events, like last month’s heat wave, are causing more blackouts. At the same time, power demand is surging with data centers, buildings and vehicles all plugging into the grid.

Colorado needs to modernize its grid – fast. And it must do it in ways that don’t worsen climate change and air pollution, issues that are already bearing down on Coloradans. Building more electric transmission – long-range power lines that carry clean power from areas where it is plentiful to the areas that need it – will be a key part of the solution.

That’s why it’s welcome news that last month the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority (CETA), an independent agency tasked with facilitating expansion of critical electric transmission infrastructure, announced six transmission concepts to prioritize for development. Building these transmission projects will bring reliable, affordable, clean power to more Coloradans.

Now, CETA must move these projects forward quickly, so that they can help Colorado continue its clean energy progress and meet the state’s climate goals.

Here’s why electric transmission in Colorado matters and what’s next for those projects.

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Forests first: highlights from London on the way to COP30

Last month, London hosted London Climate Action Week (LCAW), a key moment in the international climate agenda as the world looks ahead to COP30 in Belém. Forests had a strong presence throughout the week, which included more than 700 events and brought together around 45,000 participants from different regions and sectors. 

Here are three major highlights that show how forests took the spotlight, each one pointing to important areas of progress and focus: 

Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)

Led by Brazil and supported by BRICS and global partners, the initiative aims to mobilize up to US $125 billion to provide performance-based payments to tropical forest countries, ensuring long-term finance and inclusion of Indigenous communities. TFFF is designed to complement, not substitute, current forest finance approaches such as REDD+ and carbon markets. Building on these tools, it expands the chances for tropical forest nations to gain recognition and compensation for preserving forests, reducing emissions, and safeguarding biodiversity and water systems 

In London, TFFF gained strong momentum. Countries such as the UK, Norway, Colombia, Indonesia, DRC, and Ghana expressed support, along with leaders from the private sector, Indigenous organizations, and major NGOs. During one of these events, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, confirmed the TFFF’s commitment to allocate at least 20% of its funding to Indigenous and traditional communities, an unprecedented allocation at this scale. 

REDD+ and Jurisdictional REDD+ (JREDD)

Several high-level events focused on REDD+ and JREDD. Government officials from Brazil, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam, and Ethiopia shared updates on their progress and investment readiness. At the same time, investors called for clearer frameworks and trustworthy transactions. The message was clear: supply and demand are growing, but there is an urgent need to move from planning to action with fair and reliable deals in place before COP30. 

Still, challenges remain. One major concern is the gap between carbon credit prices and the actual costs of implementing REDD+ programs. Jurisdictions are responsible for complex and often expensive processes, including legal requirements, safeguards, and reporting systems, just to access payments. Delays in issuing carbon credits, caused by technical barriers and underestimating real costs of implementing REDD+, have also created frustration for many stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and public agencies. These delays often extend beyond political cycles, putting at risk the support and momentum needed on the ground. 

To move forward, it is crucial to build proof-of-concept cases in countries where credits are already being issued. These examples can help others learn, stay motivated, and see the value, both economic and social, of REDD+ and JREDD implementation. 

Wildfires and forest resilience

Extreme Wildfires are both a cause and result of climate change. They threaten ecosystems, carbon storage, and human lives. Responding to them means improving forest governance, providing more funding, and recognizing the role of traditional fire knowledge. Supporting cultural fire practices and local strategies in combination with the right technology can reduce fire risks and strengthen the connection between climate, biodiversity, and land management. 

During LCAW 2025, wildfires were a discussion topic. One key event, hosted by the Global Wildfire Collective with academic and government partners, looked at the impacts of extreme fires from environmental to public health threats. Speakers including scientists, policymakers, NGOs, exchanged ideas on how to build resilience. They stressed the importance of blending science with local knowledge and called for stronger global coordination. Strengthening forest resilience is essential, not only to reduce the damage from extreme wildfires, but also to preserve natural wildfire regimes. 

Looking ahead: from London to New York

As LCAW came to a close, a few urgent messages stood out: The urgency for more flexible and directly accessible climate finance to kickstart and scale local initiatives was a recurring call throughout the week, and the importance of putting communities, especially Indigenous Peoples at the heart of climate action. Another emerging theme was the growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) in the climate agenda. AI is being used for prediction, monitoring, and planning, but also brings new challenges, especially in how it is applied fairly and effectively across different contexts. 

All of these conversations help set the stage for the next big moment on the climate calendar: New York Climate Week 2025, where the global community will gather again to share progress, shape priorities, and get ready for COP30 in Belém. 

 

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States in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative take an important step forward — and there’s room to go further

On July 1, the ten states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) concluded their Third Program Review and announced updates that strengthen the regional cap on climate pollution, beginning in 2027. These changes also introduce new measures to protect energy affordability and reaffirm the program’s commitment to cutting pollution, promoting clean energy and supporting local communities. 

As Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) analysis shows, the case for program improvements is well supported — delivering clean electricity and critical climate and health benefits while ensuring consumer affordability. And there’s still room to do even more.

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The Science Is Clear on the Dangers of Planet-Heating Pollution

This post was co-authored by EDF Climate Scientist Fiona Lo and was updated on Aug. 7, 2025.

The Trump EPA is trying to reverse the Endangerment Finding – the science-based determination that climate pollution harms public health and welfare. That’s in spite of mountains of scientific evidence confirming that climate pollution is driving extreme weather events and putting people at risk.

The scientific evidence was clear that climate pollution endangers public health and welfare when EPA issued the Endangerment Finding in 2009 – but it is even clearer now:

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Also posted in Basic Science of Global Warming, Clean Air Act, Extreme Weather, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Policy, Science, Setting the Facts Straight / Authors: / Comments are closed