Energy Exchange

By Michael Zimmerman 

A new study by Black & Veatch, commissioned by Environmental Defense Fund, provides further evidence that proactive grid investments don’t just help electric vehicles get on the road — they can save utility ratepayers money. 

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With COP29​ just around the corner, the reality of how far we still have ​to go to meet global climate goals is coming into focus​​. ​​​​A new United Nations (UN) Climate Change report finds “current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed”. Similarly, the UN Environment Programme reports that national pledges would only reduce emissions 4-10% below 2019 levels by 2030.

Yet, hydrogen is one of the climate opportunities that governments, industry and investors are excited about. Hundreds of billions of dollars in investment, as well as more than 50 national hydrogen strategies and roadmaps, have been put on the table to develop it. And the COP29 Presidency is focusing on putting those plans into action, with a new declaration that lays out what is required to address regulatory, technological, financing and standardization barriers to market acceleration.

Notably this includes a call for actions to ensure hydrogen deployment achieves maximum climate benefits. This is the crucial point if we want to avoid hydrogen becoming just another failed climate strategy. Whether labeled zero emission or low carbon, hydrogen is not ​a silver​​​ bullet: Poorly deployed, it can produce limited climate benefits, or even be worse for the climate in the near term (20 years from now) than the fossil systems it is slated to replace. This is because hydrogen is highly energy intensive to produce, and its production, management and use can trigger climate-warming emissions​.

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America’s ports are hotbeds for toxic air pollution due to the diesel-powered ships and port vehicles that move our goods from sea to land. This pollution causes all kinds of health problems for nearby communities — from asthma and lung disease, to premature birth and death — which is why today’s announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency is so important.

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By Neda Deylami

Adopting the Advanced Clean Trucks rule and transitioning Illinois’ trucks from diesel engines to zero-emission motors is one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce climate and air pollution, spark economic growth, prioritize equitable outcomes and improve health in the state. 

A new study from EDF and Atlas Public Policy modeled the charging infrastructure needed at depots and along truck routes to support the adoption of the Advanced Clean Trucks rule in Illinois through 2032.

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By Erica Morehouse

In April 2025, International Maritime Organization member states must come to a collective decision on technical and economic measures at the U.N. agency’s 83^rd Marine Environment Protection Committee  meeting. The adoption of these measures will define the shipping industry’s trajectory toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and away from fossil fuels by 2050. These policies include a carbon pricing mechanism — which would require industry to pay a specific amount for each ton of greenhouse gas emissions – and a global fuel standard accounting for emissions at every stage of the shipping process. The measures are intended to incentivize and accelerate the adoption of new, lower carbon fuel technologies, and provide revenue for re-investment into the shipping sector’s transition, with justice and equity at the center.

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By Maaz Haider

As the world grapples with the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, the impacts of climate change have become a tangible concern for millions of people. Among the largest contributors to this crisis is transportation, the largest source of U.S. emissions, and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles have an outsized impact.

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