Happy New Year! Now What? Record-breaking global temperatures, coral bleaching, and extreme weather events created worrisome climate headlines throughout 2016, while Donald Trump’s surprise win in November and December’s grim Arctic ice melt numbers put an ugly final spin on the year. But 2016 also had many bright spots, as our favorite end-of-year climate news roundups pointed out: global emissions stopped increasing, solar and wind costs continued to plummet, and the Paris Agreement went into effect well ahead of schedule. Looking towards 2017, keep an eye on state action against backwards climate policy from Washington, how international diplomacy may respond to Trump’s climate wrecking ball, climate justice at DAPL and beyond, and renewable energy becoming even cheaper worldwide. (2016 roundups:
Washington Post$,
CBS,
The Guardian,
Wired,
LA Times $,
Grist,
Climate Central,
Greentech Media,
ThinkProgress,
Quartz,
Pacific Standard. 2017:
The Guardian,
Quartz,
Gizmodo,
InsideClimate News,
Climate Central.)
Cabinet Confirmations Put Fossil Fuels in Spotlight: As Trump readies a formidable team to push his cabinet picks through upcoming confirmation hearings, his nominees’ ties to the fossil fuel lobby are coming under close scrutiny. Six Senate Democrats are pressing Scott Pruitt for more details related to nearly $200k of fossil fuel donations to his nonprofit, saying that Pruitt’s financial ties to the industry he would regulate as EPA chief is “troubling.” And while Rex Tillerson’s stated belief in climate change makes him stand out in a sea of deniers, some speculate that Tillerson’s leadership at Exxon on climate change was nothing more than PR bluster. Lawyers for a set of teens and children suing the US government and industry groups (including Exxon) for failing to act on climate change called on Tillerson last week to testify in the case on January 19, the day before the inauguration. (Cabinet: Politico. Pruitt: Reuters, The Hill, ThinkProgress. Tillerson: New York Times $, Bloomberg, Boston Globe $. Commentary: The Guardian, Dana Nuccitelli analysis, LA Times, Lee Wasserman op-ed $.)
Liberal States Gear Up for 2017 Climate Surprises: Last Thursday, 15 attorneys general from Democratic states sent a letter to Trump urging him to preserve the Clean Power Plan, rebutting a letter sent in early December from Republican AGs pushing for the CPP to be scrapped. The letter hinted at future legal action if Trump does away with the CPP. California continues to send strong signals that it may defy anti-climate policies from Washington, with Jerry Brown telling the New York Times in late December the state “will take action” against “extreme climate denial.” Last week, Brown tapped climate change attorney Kathleen Kenealy to serve as the state’s interim AG while Kamala Harris transitions to the Senate. (Letter: Washington Post $, The Hill, Politico Pro$, TPM California: New York Times $ Commentary: New York Times editorial $, LA Times editorial $, Grist, Vien Truong op-ed)
…But Don’t Forget Red States: It’s not just Democratic states pushing their own climate agendas: while Ohio’s AG Michael DeWine signed on to the letter in favor of scrapping the CPP, Gov. John Kasich vetoed a bill last week pushed through the Republican legislature that would freeze renewable energy standards and slow renewables development in Ohio. Kasich, who cited “economic competitiveness” as the reason for his veto, also blocked a $264 million tax break for the oil and gas industry in the state. (Vox, Bloomberg, The Hill, Greentech Media, Cincinnati Inquirer, Crain’s Cleveland Business, Cleveland.com. Commentary: Cleveland.com, Dick Munson and Josh Knights op-ed, Akron Beacon Journal editorial.)
