| States Will Drive Climate Progress: Despite the incoming Trump administration’s likely hostility to clean energy development, state governments with energy transition plans already in place will continue their paths to a low-carbon economy. California Gov. Jerry Brown has vowed to “continue to confront the existential threat of our time – devastating climate change” while Richard Kauffman, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s energy czar, has also affirmed the state’s continued commitment to climate action. The nine northeastern states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative cap-and-trade program are also expected to continue with their emissions reductions plans. (Bloomberg BNA, Climate Central, Politico, Lohud, LA Times $, AP, Sacramento Bee, KXTV)
“Climate Kids” Case Moves Forward: A federal judge in Oregon allowed 21 young climate activists to take their groundbreaking lawsuit against the US government to federal court. The case’s legal counsel says Donald Trump will automatically become a defendant in the case when he assumes the presidency next year. The young plaintiffs and climate scientist James Hansen allege that the government isn’t doing enough to curb greenhouse gas emissions and demand stronger efforts on climate change. The case has been contested by the federal government as well as several fossil fuel and industry groups. (News: AP, TIME, Politico Pro $, KLCC. Commentary: CNN, John Sutter column)
Govt. Finalizes Rule for Renewables on Public Land: The Interior Department approveda new leasing program to encourage renewable energy on public lands as the Obama administration attempts to streamline patchwork policies to make renewables development more efficient. The plan includes competitive leasing provisions that would apply on 700,000 acres of land in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. This rule is part of a set of last-minute regulations the Interior Department and EPA are attempting to finalize before the start of the Trump administration. (Wall Street Journal $, AP, The Hill, Greenwire $)
Ratchet Up Climate Ambition: A new Climate Action Tracker report estimates that current pledges under the Paris Agreement will lead to global temperatures reaching 2.8°C by the end of the century, with more aggressive commitments needed to reach the Agreement’s ultimate goal of keeping warming under 1.5°C. Despite the uncertainty of US emissions reductions commitments under a Trump administration, the report’s co-author said that increased climate action from world leaders like China coupled with rapid growth in renewables, battery storage and electric vehicles should allow riding through “the turbulence that a climate skeptic in the White House could bring.” (Reuters, Climate Home, Scientific American) |
