Climate 411

Why the Department of Energy launched an ‘Earthshot’ effort to draw down and store carbon pollution

By Jake Higdon / Published: November 9, 2021

This blog was co-authored by Sonali Deshpande, Program Analyst for U.S. Climate at EDF.

At a COP26 event on November 5, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm announced a new, visionary effort to scale up solutions that can draw down and store carbon pollution from the atmosphere: The Carbon Negative Shot. 

The Carbon Negative Shot follows two other Energy Earthshot announcements from DOE this year on hydrogen and long duration storage, all aimed at achieving breakthroughs in emerging climate solutions this decade. It’s the latest way that DOE is demonstrating how it can deliver on President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to combating climate change.

While we need to prioritize slashing carbon and methane pollution this decade to have a fighting chance of reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century — the target that gives us the best chance of avoiding the worst effects of warming — the science suggests that we might also need to scale up strategies to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, known as carbon dioxide removal or CDR.

DOE’s new Earthshot aims to fund research and innovation to achieve durable and scalable carbon removal under $100 per ton of CO2 within a decade. To be clear, that’s an ambitious goal: currently, a ton of direct air capture can cost multiples of that. However, some experts believe that these costs can fall significantly with an aggressive research agenda. And there are plenty of other challenges beyond cost: storing the CO2 permanently and safely, engaging with communities to ensure they inform and benefit from CDR, and ensuring CDR does not compete with renewable energy generation and other vital infrastructure for land use, and more.

To explore ways to maximize the value and impact of the Carbon Negative Shot, DOE gathered a range of voices for the launch at COP26, including remarks from Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol; and a panel featuring, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and expert on CDR Dr. Jennifer Wilcox, Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp, Microsoft’s Chief Environmental Officer Dr. Lucas Joppa; and moderated by Dr. Akshat Rathi, Climate and Energy Reporter for Bloomberg News.

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Posted in Greenhouse Gas Emissions / Comments are closed

The Supreme Court will review a crucial case about climate pollution from power plants. Now what?

By Ashley Maiolatesi / Published: November 3, 2021

(This post was co-authored by EDF legal fellow Jesse Hevia)

The Supreme Court has agreed to review a D.C. Circuit decision that struck down the Trump administration’s rule weakening regulations of carbon pollution from power plants.

Here’s a look at what happened – and what might happen next.

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Posted in Clean Air Act, Clean Power Plan, EPA litgation, News, Policy / Comments are closed

What’s in store for forests at COP—and why you should be excited

By Breanna Lujan / Published: November 1, 2021

This post was coauthored by Ruben Lubowski.

Amazon Canopy.

Stakeholders from all over the world are gathering in Glasgow for the COP26, which is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal climate change convenings. While participants will discuss how to tackle climate change and build back better (and greener), they will also focus on how to mobilize support and resources to reduce tropical deforestation.

Halting tropical deforestation is indispensable for meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit temperature rise to 1.5C and for enhancing global climate action. Although forests are not included in the official negotiation agenda, during COP stakeholders will have the opportunity to turn discussion into commitments, action and finance to reduce emissions from deforestation. EDF will be closely tracking and contributing to these developments. Here’s what you should keep an eye on. Read More »

Posted in Forest protection, News, REDD+, United Nations / Comments are closed

Safeguarding Americans’ financial futures from climate change

By Gabriel Malek / Published: October 29, 2021

This post is co-authored with Michael Panfil, Director of Climate Risk Strategies Project Manager at EDF.

Climate change presents immense risks for our society. These include, as is becoming increasingly apparent, the financial system. Now, the U.S. Department of Labor is taking a step to help safeguard one critical part of our economy and a cornerstone of many Americans’ financial futures – workers’ retirement savings.

The Labor Department has proposed a rule that would make clear that retirement plan managers can consider climate change when making 401(k) investment decisions. Risk management is bedrock to our financial system, and this proposal empowers 401(k) plan sponsors to incorporate the substantial and growing risks posed by climate change alongside other financial risks.

A substantial body of research highlights the financial risks stemming from climate change. The London School of Economics found that climate change could cause trillions of dollars in financial damage, far more severe than the 2008 financial crisis. The U.S. Fourth National Climate Assessment found climate change could stifle economic growth by 10% by 2100.  The U.S. Commodity Futures and Trading Commission released a report last year that found Earth’s rising temperatures, and resulting extreme weather, pose “a major risk to the stability of the U.S. financial system and to its ability to sustain the American economy.” These findings were reaffirmed last week, with an Executive Order initiated risk and finance report by the White House making clear that “climate change poses serious and systemic risks to the U.S. economy and financial system.”

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Posted in Economics / Read 1 Response

COP26: 4 Reasons Carbon Markets Rules under Article 6 (Finally) May be Agreed in Glasgow

By Kelley Kizzier / Published: October 28, 2021
The SEC Centre in Glasgow Credit: CC0/PublicDomainPictures.net

The SEC Centre in Glasgow Credit: CC0/PublicDomainPictures.net

Interest in carbon markets is currently booming and with increased activity comes increased attention and, of course, familiar criticism. A high-integrity carbon market can help companies and countries increase their ambition on the pathway to net zero by mid century.

If designed well, the carbon market can channel public and crucial private sector investment from developed to developing countries and to the most urgent areas for climate action — like tropical forest protection.

A few key changes since countries met at COP25 in Madrid mean we are in a better position to get agreement on Article 6 at COP26 in Glasgow. Read More »

Posted in Carbon Markets, News, Paris Agreement, United Nations / Read 1 Response

Washington and Wall Street must act now to protect Americans’ financial futures from unfolding climate change harms

By Michael Panfil / Published: October 25, 2021

This piece was co-authored by Stephanie Jones, Attorney, Climate Risk and Financial Regulations, and Gabe Malek, Project Manager, Investor Influence at EDF.

Climate change poses grave risks across society, including “more frequent and intense storms, wildfires, and heatwaves as well as more damaging droughts and more extensive ecosystem losses.” All people face climate harms, today: “this year alone, extreme weather has upended the U.S. economy and affected one in three Americans.” Policymakers must act with urgency to protect all Americans in the face of the unfolding climate crisis, and safeguarding peoples’ financial health and stability is urgent and paramount – no American should face financial jeopardy due to the harms climate change poses to their retirement account or ability to prudently manage personal and home finances.

Importantly, Washington and Wall Street are increasingly taking steps to recognize and manage climate risks. A number of important activities have taken shape in recently weeks, all designed to protect Americans’ financial futures. Measures range from proposed rules that would improve lifelong retirement savings plan selection to report findings that make transparent the harms climate change presents to the foundational stability of our banking system.

Eight of the most significant recent U.S. developments in the last few months of 2021 are highlighted below. It is crucial that we build upon these steps and take concrete, urgent action now to protect families, all people with bank accounts small and large, investors from main street to wall street, retirees, and all who depend on a financial system that is not destabilized by climate change.

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Posted in Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Policy / Read 2 Responses