Climate 411

An Executive Order is attempting to interfere with ironclad state authority to protect people from pollution

By Vickie Patton / Published: April 9, 2025

States have broad and bedrock authority to protect people from pollution – and President Trump’s Executive Order issued yesterday instructing the Attorney General of the United States to interfere with foundational state prerogatives to protect people from harm cannot change that.

The Executive Order was one of four the President signed yesterday. It is revealing that this order attacking state action came in tandem with another Executive Order that showcased his efforts, certain to fail, to force the American people to use expensive and high-polluting coal. That coal order would make President Trump squarely responsible for imposing a massive tax on the American people in the form of higher energy prices, as it is well established that coal power is costly before even factoring in its roles in contributing to deadly soot and smog and in fueling the deadly fires, heat waves, and storms caused by climate change.

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Also posted in California, Cities and states, Clean Air Act, News, Setting the Facts Straight / Authors: / Leave a comment

A Landmark Decision for Indigenous Rights: The Inter-American Court Protects Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation in Ecuador

By Guest Author / Published: March 24, 2025

 

Alicia Cahuiya, Vice President of the Waorani Nationality of Ecuador (NAWE). Daniel Cima, Wikimedia

This post was co-authored by David Cordero-Heredia, Professor of Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, and Visiting Scholar for Cornell University’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies program, and Santiago Garcia Lloré, Acting Director Forest Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund 

Indigenous Peoples living in voluntary isolation (IPLVI) are communities that have chosen to avoid contact with the outside world. They maintain their traditional ways of life deep within remote forests and inaccessible regions. Their territories are among the most pristine and ecologically significant areas on the planet; IPLVIs play a crucial role in global biodiversity conservation.

On March 13, 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) delivered a landmark ruling in the case of Indigenous Peoples Tagaeri and Taromenane v. Ecuador. The Court declared Ecuador internationally responsible for violating multiple human rights of the Tagaeri and Taromenane, Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation (IPLVI) in the western Amazon after violent attacks in 2003, 2006, and 2013, leading to deaths of IPLVI members (IACHR, 2024).

The ruling found that Ecuador violated the rights to collective property, self-determination, dignified life, health, food, cultural identity, a healthy environment, housing, life, judicial guarantees, and judicial protection of the Tagaeri and Taromenane. Additionally, the Court held the state responsible for violating the personal integrity, freedom, dignity, family protection, childhood rights, identity, movement, residence, cultural identity, health, and judicial guarantees of two Indigenous girls who were forcibly separated after a 2013 attack.

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Also posted in Forest protection, Indigenous People, International, News / Authors: / Comments are closed

Faster, affordable clean energy? This bipartisan bill delivers

By Ted Kelly / Published: March 21, 2025

clean energy on federal land

Multiple energy reports all underscore the same finding: The U.S. is going to need more affordable electric power to supply data centers, manufacturing and homes around the country. A lot more of it.

Our country’s vast supplies of wind and solar resources are ready to be tapped to support that demand – from vast windy plains in the Midwest to sun-soaked areas in the Southwest. And these clean energy sources paired with battery storage are cost-effective too. Electricity from wind and solar costs less than electricity from gas and coal. But too often, wind and solar projects get delayed by complex permitting processes that take around four to eight years to complete. Those slow timelines cannot keep pace with America’s growing electricity demands.

The Energy Co-Location Act, introduced by U.S. Senators John Curtis and John Hickenlooper, offers a bright spot for bipartisan energy progress. The bill will bring more reliable and affordable power on the grid faster, by unlocking the potential for renewable energy on federal lands already used for energy purposes.

Here’s what you need to know.

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Also posted in Energy / Authors: / Comments are closed

Forests and People – The Roots of Our Future

By Santiago Garcia and Bärbel Henneberger / Published: March 21, 2025

Kichwa woman harvesting cocoa in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Photo: Wiñak

Every year, the International Day of Forests reminds us of the indispensable role forests play in sustaining life. In 2025, the theme “Forests and Foods” sheds light on an often-overlooked reality—forests are not just scenic landscapes brimming with wildlife but fundamental to human survival. From food security and nutrition to livelihoods and ecosystem stability, forests are the backbone of our planet’s well-being.

While forests contribute only 0.6% of the global food supply, their importance goes far beyond calories. Forest foods are vital supplements during lean seasons and serve as safety nets for vulnerable households. Moreover, forests support 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, offering an invaluable reservoir of genetic resources that could help communities adapt to climate change. Access to wild foods diversifies diets and income sources, strengthening resilience in the face of environmental and economic shocks.

Forests are far more than economic assets; they are the silent architects of ecosystems and societies. Over a billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods, particularly Indigenous communities, who depend on them for food, shelter, medicine, and water. However, their significance extends beyond material resources. Forests are deeply woven into cultural identities, shaping traditional knowledge, fostering community, and strengthening local values through deep emotional and spiritual connections to the land.

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Forest protection, Indigenous People, International, REDD+ / Authors: , / Comments are closed

Jobs in Jeopardy: Undermining federal support for electric vehicles threatens U.S. employment

By Ellen Robo / Published: March 20, 2025

The U.S. auto industry has just started finding its footing with electric vehicles (EVs). Jobs are now booming across the Midwest and the new “battery belt” in the South.

But new evidence shows that the rollback of federal tax and regulatory policies poses critical risks to this progress.

A recent report commissioned by Environmental Defense Fund found that EV manufacturing investments reached almost $200 billion over the last ten years. 65% of that came in the last two and a half years – since Congress passed laws that spurred that growth, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The report also found that manufacturers have announced 195,000 EV-related jobs in the U.S., and that EV and battery manufacturing could generate up to 826,000 additional jobs in the broader economy.

These investments are being made in communities across the country. Many are the largest investments the states or counties have ever seen. But these investments and jobs are now in peril.

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Also posted in Cars and Pollution, Cities and states, Economics, Green Jobs, Jobs, News / Authors: / Comments are closed

Washington’s cap-and-invest program remains strong as first auction of the year delivers essential funds for communities in the Evergreen state

By Caroline Jones / Published: March 12, 2025

Photo: Pixabay

With climate policy under attack at the federal level, it’s more important than ever that state leaders deliver real action that lowers pollution, creates jobs and expands affordable clean energy. Washington state’s cap-and-invest program continues to show the power of state policies that cut pollution and raise funds for their communities.

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Cities and states, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, News / Authors: / Comments are closed