US employment commission sues UPS, alleging discrimination against deaf driver candidates
Reuters
Fri, September 22, 2023
Sept 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on Friday said it sued United Parcel Service for disability discrimination, alleging the delivery firm refused to hire deaf or hearing-impaired individuals as drivers.
The agency said the Department of Transportation (DOT) has authorized the practice of employing those individuals to drive vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds through a program that exempts them from a hearing test and instead uses alternative criteria to ensure an equivalent level of driver safety.
Atlanta-based UPS said it is modifying driver training for those who are deaf and hard of hearing and would start accepting exemptions to the DOT commercial driver hearing standard for operators of its ubiquitous brown delivery trucks in January 2024.
UPS said training is necessary because "current regulations do not consider best practices for driving larger commercial vehicles that make frequent stops in residential neighborhoods, or other significant factors UPS considers as it works to help keep its drivers and communities safe."
EEOC said it sued the world's largest parcel delivery firm under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) after failing to reach a pre-litigation settlement.
"Just because someone is deaf does not mean they cannot drive safely," said Gregory Gochanour, EEOC's regional attorney in Chicago.
The case, EEOC v. UPS, Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-14021, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
(Reporting by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Chris Reese)
Saturday, September 23, 2023
THEM IS FIGHTING WORDS
Ex-UN climate chief has 'lost patience' with fossil fuel industry
AFP
Thu, September 21, 2023
Speaking at the "Climate Changes Everything" summit at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Christiana Figueres, among the key negotiators of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, said that the industry had failed to put "out of the park" profits back into developing renewables (Ezequiel BECERRA)
The UN's former climate chief said Thursday she had "lost patience" with fossil fuel companies and that they should steer clear of crunch talks in Dubai if the industry refuses to be part of the solution.
Speaking at the "Climate Changes Everything" conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Christiana Figueres, among the key negotiators of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, said that the industry had failed to put "out-of-the-park" profits back into developing renewables.
"Instead of doing everything that they do and applying their amazing engineering capacity, they've been actually doing the opposite," she said.
Oil and gas companies have been slowing down their decarbonization commitments, paying out handsome dividends to shareholders and lobbying governments to reverse climate commitments.
Asked whether to welcome them at the two-week talks in Dubai starting in late November, Figueres said "it should depend on whether they are there to help and to accelerate decarbonization," or "whether they are literally operating against those objectives."
The issue of the industry's participation is a hugely contentious point for the climate action community, even as the president-designate of the talks, Sultan Al Jaber, is himself an oil executive.
Figueres said the sector from which the COP president comes was not as relevant as being true to the mandate, and in this regard, she offered some cautious praise.
While she was initially skeptical Al Jaber was separating his country's national interest from global interest, "lately I have seen he is moving in that direction, which I celebrate.
"I think he has understood the political international responsibility, multilateral responsibility that comes with that presidency."
Jaber addressed a UN climate summit on Wednesday, acknowledging "the phasedown of fossil fuels is inevitable” and "essential."
ia/sct/jh
‘Fossil fuel industry speaks withforked tongue’:***
Svitlana Romanko
Fri, September 22, 2023
As world leaders gather for meetings at the UN’s Climate Ambition Summit, the urgency of addressing the climate crisis cannot be overstated. At the same time, we must confront Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, where innocent lives are being lost daily.
Over-dependence on Russian fossil fuels has already created severe energy insecurity, helped wreck the climate, and continued to threaten democracy.
Russia's war connects these seemingly disparate issues, and the role of the international community and multinational companies in indirectly supporting violence by facilitating Russia’s fossil fuel industry must be addressed.
The U.S., as a leader on the global stage, must spearhead efforts to create full and transparent sanctions against Russia’s fossil fuel industry. Equally important is holding U.S. companies like Halliburton accountable for their role in sustaining this industry.
The Climate Ambition Summit convened by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres is held at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., on Sept. 20, 2023.
Strengthening sanctions and oversight
The U.S. and its allies must enhance sanctions against Russian critical industries, especially oil and gas extraction and exports, which are key sources of revenue to fund the war.
Embargoes and secondary sanctions on entities involved in cooperation with the Russian oil and gas industry are only partial thus far and are limited in effect.
In the U.S., legal action is expected to close the “refining loophole,” which allows Russian oil to be laundered and flow into the U.S., by banning the import of oil products produced from Russian crude in countries like India and Turkey.
For its part, the EU is working on a 12th sanctions package, which should include an embargo on Russian LNG.
Regulatory bodies should intensify oversight of financial institutions' transactions with entities connected to the Russian government.
Transparency and accountability should be at the forefront of these efforts, and it must be the responsibility of national governments to monitor and hold firms operating under their oversight responsible.
Responsible corporate conduct
Multinational corporations operating in Russia must engage in responsible business conduct. This includes conducting due diligence to ensure their operations do not indirectly support war crimes or human rights violations.
Companies that fail to uphold ethical standards should face legal consequences and reputational damage.
New York Climate Week provides an opportunity for world leaders, corporations, and individuals to align their actions with the principles of justice, peace, and environmental stewardship and start their full-speed shift to a renewable energy future.
Empty promises will no longer suffice. To secure a sustainable future, we must simultaneously tackle the climate crisis and demand accountability for those inadvertently financing violence in Ukraine.
As we embark on a journey toward a greener, more just world, let us ensure that our steps are marked by integrity, responsibility, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of all, both on our planet and in regions marred by war and conflict.
The people of the world demand not only words but actions from their leaders to save the climate and create peace, and I will be keeping up the pressure to make them act at this pivotal moment of history.
Submit an Opinion
We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ex-UN climate chief has 'lost patience' with fossil fuel industry
AFP
Thu, September 21, 2023
Speaking at the "Climate Changes Everything" summit at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Christiana Figueres, among the key negotiators of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, said that the industry had failed to put "out of the park" profits back into developing renewables (Ezequiel BECERRA)
The UN's former climate chief said Thursday she had "lost patience" with fossil fuel companies and that they should steer clear of crunch talks in Dubai if the industry refuses to be part of the solution.
Speaking at the "Climate Changes Everything" conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Christiana Figueres, among the key negotiators of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, said that the industry had failed to put "out-of-the-park" profits back into developing renewables.
"Instead of doing everything that they do and applying their amazing engineering capacity, they've been actually doing the opposite," she said.
Oil and gas companies have been slowing down their decarbonization commitments, paying out handsome dividends to shareholders and lobbying governments to reverse climate commitments.
Asked whether to welcome them at the two-week talks in Dubai starting in late November, Figueres said "it should depend on whether they are there to help and to accelerate decarbonization," or "whether they are literally operating against those objectives."
The issue of the industry's participation is a hugely contentious point for the climate action community, even as the president-designate of the talks, Sultan Al Jaber, is himself an oil executive.
Figueres said the sector from which the COP president comes was not as relevant as being true to the mandate, and in this regard, she offered some cautious praise.
While she was initially skeptical Al Jaber was separating his country's national interest from global interest, "lately I have seen he is moving in that direction, which I celebrate.
"I think he has understood the political international responsibility, multilateral responsibility that comes with that presidency."
Jaber addressed a UN climate summit on Wednesday, acknowledging "the phasedown of fossil fuels is inevitable” and "essential."
ia/sct/jh
‘Fossil fuel industry speaks with
Al Gore tells Big Oil ‘get out of the way’ in climate battle
Louise Boyle
Thu, September 21, 2023 at 11:03 AM MDT·4 min read
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, speaks onstage at The New York Times Climate Forward Summit 2023 at The Times Center on September 21, 2023 in New York City (Getty Images)
Al Gore unleashed on the fossil fuel industry for engaging in “massive fraud” for decades and called on the powerful multinationals to “get out of the way” of those fighting the climate crisis.
The former vice president is the latest prominent political figure to break a long-held taboo, and directly name the fossil fuel industry as core perpetrator of creating - and continuing - the global crisis.
“I was one of many who felt for a long time that the fossil fuel companies, or at least many of them, were sincere in saying that they wanted to be a meaningful part of bringing solutions to this crisis,” Mr Gore told the New York Times at its Climate Forward event in Manhattan on Thursday, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“But I think that it’s now clear they are not. Fossil fuel industry speaks with forked tongue.”
Mr Gore noted how the industry has been able to infiltrate the political process at every level including the United Nations annual climate summit.
He said that this year, the UN had gone “too far” in naming Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as president of Cop28 in the United Arab Emirates this December.
“That’s just like taking the disguise off,” Mr Gore said.
“The fossil fuel companies, given their record today, are far more effective at capturing politicians than they are at capturing emissions.”
He pointed to how the fossil fuel industry spent just 1 per cent of overall profits on the clean energy transition last year.
“It is a ruse,” he said. “And many of the largest companies have engaged in massive fraud. For some decades now, they’ve followed the playbook of the tobacco industry, using these very sophisticated, lavishly-financed strategies for deceiving people.
He added: “I don’t think it’s fair to expect them to solve this when they’re incentivised to do otherwise. But I think it’s more than fair to ask them to get out of the way, and stop blocking the efforts of everybody else to solve this crisis. I think it’s time to call them out.”
Despite the challenges, and the worsening climate impacts, the former VP said there were encouraging signs like the speed of transition to clean energy in the power sector, and the growing number of electric vehicles.
“There used to be an old cliche, denial is just a river in Egypt, and you could add that despair is just a tire in the trunk,” he said.
“Despair is just another form of denial, and we have to resist it. We don’t have time to wallow in despair, we’ve got work to do. We can do this.”
Mr Gore’s fiery denouncement of the fossil fuel industry was part of a shift among some leaders in public statements about the climate crisis.
It was similarly evident on the floor of the UN headquarters on Wednesday at the so-called “no-nonsense” Climate Ambition Summit – an event championing the “movers and doers” taking accelerated action to cut emissions.
Presidents and prime ministers along with state and local leaders were invited to speak, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who excoriated the fossil fuel industry for its decades of deception.
“It’s time for us to be a lot more clear. This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis,” he said, to applause and cheers in the chamber.
Ms Mottley also laid responsibility at the door of the fossil fuel industry, noting it had benefited from $7 trillion in subsidies last year, along with naming financial institutions and the transport sector.
“If you don’t take corrective action now, you will have to tell us where you’re keeping all your scientific research to relocate you and your families to the planet Mars or Pluto,” Ms Mottley said.
Petro Gustavo, president of major fossil fuel exporter Colombia, gave a stark assessment.
“The real goal that all countries should have is aiming for zero in terms of production and supply of coal, gas and oil. If we keep as we are on our current track, it will be suicide,” he said.
***(LIKE 'OFF THE RESERVATION' THIS IS RACIST)
Svitlana Romanko: UN climate summit offers chance to confront Russian fossil fuels, climate crisis
Thu, September 21, 2023 at 11:03 AM MDT·4 min read
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, speaks onstage at The New York Times Climate Forward Summit 2023 at The Times Center on September 21, 2023 in New York City (Getty Images)
Al Gore unleashed on the fossil fuel industry for engaging in “massive fraud” for decades and called on the powerful multinationals to “get out of the way” of those fighting the climate crisis.
The former vice president is the latest prominent political figure to break a long-held taboo, and directly name the fossil fuel industry as core perpetrator of creating - and continuing - the global crisis.
“I was one of many who felt for a long time that the fossil fuel companies, or at least many of them, were sincere in saying that they wanted to be a meaningful part of bringing solutions to this crisis,” Mr Gore told the New York Times at its Climate Forward event in Manhattan on Thursday, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“But I think that it’s now clear they are not. Fossil fuel industry speaks with forked tongue.”
Mr Gore noted how the industry has been able to infiltrate the political process at every level including the United Nations annual climate summit.
He said that this year, the UN had gone “too far” in naming Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as president of Cop28 in the United Arab Emirates this December.
“That’s just like taking the disguise off,” Mr Gore said.
“The fossil fuel companies, given their record today, are far more effective at capturing politicians than they are at capturing emissions.”
He pointed to how the fossil fuel industry spent just 1 per cent of overall profits on the clean energy transition last year.
“It is a ruse,” he said. “And many of the largest companies have engaged in massive fraud. For some decades now, they’ve followed the playbook of the tobacco industry, using these very sophisticated, lavishly-financed strategies for deceiving people.
He added: “I don’t think it’s fair to expect them to solve this when they’re incentivised to do otherwise. But I think it’s more than fair to ask them to get out of the way, and stop blocking the efforts of everybody else to solve this crisis. I think it’s time to call them out.”
Despite the challenges, and the worsening climate impacts, the former VP said there were encouraging signs like the speed of transition to clean energy in the power sector, and the growing number of electric vehicles.
“There used to be an old cliche, denial is just a river in Egypt, and you could add that despair is just a tire in the trunk,” he said.
“Despair is just another form of denial, and we have to resist it. We don’t have time to wallow in despair, we’ve got work to do. We can do this.”
Mr Gore’s fiery denouncement of the fossil fuel industry was part of a shift among some leaders in public statements about the climate crisis.
It was similarly evident on the floor of the UN headquarters on Wednesday at the so-called “no-nonsense” Climate Ambition Summit – an event championing the “movers and doers” taking accelerated action to cut emissions.
Presidents and prime ministers along with state and local leaders were invited to speak, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who excoriated the fossil fuel industry for its decades of deception.
“It’s time for us to be a lot more clear. This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis,” he said, to applause and cheers in the chamber.
Ms Mottley also laid responsibility at the door of the fossil fuel industry, noting it had benefited from $7 trillion in subsidies last year, along with naming financial institutions and the transport sector.
“If you don’t take corrective action now, you will have to tell us where you’re keeping all your scientific research to relocate you and your families to the planet Mars or Pluto,” Ms Mottley said.
Petro Gustavo, president of major fossil fuel exporter Colombia, gave a stark assessment.
“The real goal that all countries should have is aiming for zero in terms of production and supply of coal, gas and oil. If we keep as we are on our current track, it will be suicide,” he said.
***(LIKE 'OFF THE RESERVATION' THIS IS RACIST)
Svitlana Romanko: UN climate summit offers chance to confront Russian fossil fuels, climate crisis
Svitlana Romanko
Fri, September 22, 2023
As world leaders gather for meetings at the UN’s Climate Ambition Summit, the urgency of addressing the climate crisis cannot be overstated. At the same time, we must confront Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, where innocent lives are being lost daily.
Over-dependence on Russian fossil fuels has already created severe energy insecurity, helped wreck the climate, and continued to threaten democracy.
Russia's war connects these seemingly disparate issues, and the role of the international community and multinational companies in indirectly supporting violence by facilitating Russia’s fossil fuel industry must be addressed.
The U.S., as a leader on the global stage, must spearhead efforts to create full and transparent sanctions against Russia’s fossil fuel industry. Equally important is holding U.S. companies like Halliburton accountable for their role in sustaining this industry.
The Climate Ambition Summit convened by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres is held at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., on Sept. 20, 2023.
(Photo by Kyodo News via Getty Images)
As we discuss international climate action, it is essential to recognize that real progress means keeping Russian fossil fuels in the ground. Cutting down oil and gas production in Russia should be a priority for both ending the war in Ukraine and mitigating climate change.
While climate change threatens the planet, the expansion of Russian fossil fuel infrastructure, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), poses a dire threat to energy security, climate stability, and global peace.
As U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New York, the U.S. must strengthen sanctions on Russia to halt the growth of this infrastructure. We also can’t ignore the fact that LNG expansion in the U.S. will also lock us in gas export dependency if the renewable energy revolution is not fast-tracked.
Furthermore, Russia has amassed about $445 billion for its exports of fossil fuels, and G20 countries that cause 80% of world emissions have paid $314 billion of this sum as of Sept. 1.
Ukraine has also called for major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and HSBC to be prosecuted for war crimes for allegedly financing companies that trade oil with Russia. TotalEnergies, a France-based multinational corporation, has faced accusations of complicity in war crimes due to its involvement in Russia’s energy sector.
In particular, the recent exposure of multinational fracking corporation Halliburton sending over $7 million worth of oil refining hardware to Russia highlights the need for immediate action, not empty promises.
These revelations cast a shadow over the role of Western companies in the ongoing violence in Ukraine.
The time to move forward and build out clean-energy solutions to the climate crisis is now, at the same time as Russia’s fossil fuel-propelled war is raging in Ukraine. It is not enough to merely express concern; we must take concrete steps to stop these crises.
To bridge the gap between climate action and accountability for Ukraine, we propose a two-fold approach.
As we discuss international climate action, it is essential to recognize that real progress means keeping Russian fossil fuels in the ground. Cutting down oil and gas production in Russia should be a priority for both ending the war in Ukraine and mitigating climate change.
While climate change threatens the planet, the expansion of Russian fossil fuel infrastructure, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), poses a dire threat to energy security, climate stability, and global peace.
As U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New York, the U.S. must strengthen sanctions on Russia to halt the growth of this infrastructure. We also can’t ignore the fact that LNG expansion in the U.S. will also lock us in gas export dependency if the renewable energy revolution is not fast-tracked.
Furthermore, Russia has amassed about $445 billion for its exports of fossil fuels, and G20 countries that cause 80% of world emissions have paid $314 billion of this sum as of Sept. 1.
Ukraine has also called for major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and HSBC to be prosecuted for war crimes for allegedly financing companies that trade oil with Russia. TotalEnergies, a France-based multinational corporation, has faced accusations of complicity in war crimes due to its involvement in Russia’s energy sector.
In particular, the recent exposure of multinational fracking corporation Halliburton sending over $7 million worth of oil refining hardware to Russia highlights the need for immediate action, not empty promises.
These revelations cast a shadow over the role of Western companies in the ongoing violence in Ukraine.
The time to move forward and build out clean-energy solutions to the climate crisis is now, at the same time as Russia’s fossil fuel-propelled war is raging in Ukraine. It is not enough to merely express concern; we must take concrete steps to stop these crises.
To bridge the gap between climate action and accountability for Ukraine, we propose a two-fold approach.
Strengthening sanctions and oversight
The U.S. and its allies must enhance sanctions against Russian critical industries, especially oil and gas extraction and exports, which are key sources of revenue to fund the war.
Embargoes and secondary sanctions on entities involved in cooperation with the Russian oil and gas industry are only partial thus far and are limited in effect.
In the U.S., legal action is expected to close the “refining loophole,” which allows Russian oil to be laundered and flow into the U.S., by banning the import of oil products produced from Russian crude in countries like India and Turkey.
For its part, the EU is working on a 12th sanctions package, which should include an embargo on Russian LNG.
Regulatory bodies should intensify oversight of financial institutions' transactions with entities connected to the Russian government.
Transparency and accountability should be at the forefront of these efforts, and it must be the responsibility of national governments to monitor and hold firms operating under their oversight responsible.
Responsible corporate conduct
Multinational corporations operating in Russia must engage in responsible business conduct. This includes conducting due diligence to ensure their operations do not indirectly support war crimes or human rights violations.
Companies that fail to uphold ethical standards should face legal consequences and reputational damage.
New York Climate Week provides an opportunity for world leaders, corporations, and individuals to align their actions with the principles of justice, peace, and environmental stewardship and start their full-speed shift to a renewable energy future.
Empty promises will no longer suffice. To secure a sustainable future, we must simultaneously tackle the climate crisis and demand accountability for those inadvertently financing violence in Ukraine.
As we embark on a journey toward a greener, more just world, let us ensure that our steps are marked by integrity, responsibility, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of all, both on our planet and in regions marred by war and conflict.
The people of the world demand not only words but actions from their leaders to save the climate and create peace, and I will be keeping up the pressure to make them act at this pivotal moment of history.
Submit an Opinion
We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Chicago announces plans to curb environmental racism
TheGrio Staff
Thu, September 21, 2023
Last year, the federal government determined that Chicago violated residents’ civil rights by consistently placing polluting businesses in Black and brown communities.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has devised a strategy to combat environmental racism in the wake of last year’s federal government decision that the city violated residents’ civil rights by putting businesses that pollute in Black and brown communities.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, his recommendations include new procedures for city departments, such as quicker responses to environmental complaints, air monitoring and pollution control measures, public involvement in planning and development, and investments in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by pollution, known as environmental justice communities.
The Johnson administration will also petition the City Council to adopt new planning and zoning regulations that would make it more challenging to continue putting polluting industries in the same South Side and West Side areas.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has devised a strategy to bring an end to the city’s practice of placing polluting businesses in Black and Brown communities.
TheGrio Staff
Thu, September 21, 2023
Last year, the federal government determined that Chicago violated residents’ civil rights by consistently placing polluting businesses in Black and brown communities.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has devised a strategy to combat environmental racism in the wake of last year’s federal government decision that the city violated residents’ civil rights by putting businesses that pollute in Black and brown communities.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, his recommendations include new procedures for city departments, such as quicker responses to environmental complaints, air monitoring and pollution control measures, public involvement in planning and development, and investments in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by pollution, known as environmental justice communities.
The Johnson administration will also petition the City Council to adopt new planning and zoning regulations that would make it more challenging to continue putting polluting industries in the same South Side and West Side areas.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has devised a strategy to bring an end to the city’s practice of placing polluting businesses in Black and Brown communities.
(Photo: Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“In the greatest city in the world, no neighborhood should have to suffer the burdens of pollution more so than any other neighborhood,” Johnson said during a City Hall news conference full of community activists. “The time to act on environmental justice is now.”
In addition, the proposal calls for enacting the terms of a legally enforceable agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that guarantees to stop discriminatory practices.
The strategy also asks for readily available information on various environmental aspects, such as community-level pollution levels, the historical sites of polluting industries and the prevalence of chronic diseases in kids.
Following a citywide study of the cumulative impact of pollution and other social stresses that started in the spring of 2022, Chicago’s definition of environmental justice communities now includes Austin, East Garfield Park and West Garfield Park, Englewood, Humboldt Park, Roseland and other South Side and West Side communities.
The city already had classified Little Village, McKinley Park, Pilsen, East Side and South Deering as having too much pollution from industry and heavy roadway traffic.
Megan Cunningham, the deputy director of Chicago’s Department of Public Health, who conducted the cumulative burden research, noted that these neighborhoods have “the greatest combined environmental health and social burdens.”
The city’s study last year took into account the level of pollution, as well as social pressures that are typical in primarily low-income neighborhoods of color.
HUD concluded its more than 18-month investigation of Chicago after Southeast Side neighborhood organizations claimed that the proposed move of the General Iron scrap metal firm from Lincoln Park to the East Side was discriminatory.
Cheryl Johnson, whose organization People for Community Recovery assisted in bringing the HUD complaint, described the partnership with City Hall as “a commitment that our lived experience will inform the changes to a racist system of zoning in Chicago.”
The investigators concurred that it was a civil rights violation to relocate the company, which was considered a nuisance in the white, affluent community, to a Latino district surrounded by Black residential neighborhoods.
While the company’s owner wants a judge to reverse Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to deny the permit, the federal government ruled that Chicago must still alter its methods.
Angela Tovar, the city’s chief environmental officer whom Lightfoot hired, began discussing city legislation to reduce the cumulative pollution load in 2020. She said the process took years “because to think about what we’re doing requires systemic change.”
“In the greatest city in the world, no neighborhood should have to suffer the burdens of pollution more so than any other neighborhood,” Johnson said during a City Hall news conference full of community activists. “The time to act on environmental justice is now.”
In addition, the proposal calls for enacting the terms of a legally enforceable agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that guarantees to stop discriminatory practices.
The strategy also asks for readily available information on various environmental aspects, such as community-level pollution levels, the historical sites of polluting industries and the prevalence of chronic diseases in kids.
Following a citywide study of the cumulative impact of pollution and other social stresses that started in the spring of 2022, Chicago’s definition of environmental justice communities now includes Austin, East Garfield Park and West Garfield Park, Englewood, Humboldt Park, Roseland and other South Side and West Side communities.
The city already had classified Little Village, McKinley Park, Pilsen, East Side and South Deering as having too much pollution from industry and heavy roadway traffic.
Megan Cunningham, the deputy director of Chicago’s Department of Public Health, who conducted the cumulative burden research, noted that these neighborhoods have “the greatest combined environmental health and social burdens.”
The city’s study last year took into account the level of pollution, as well as social pressures that are typical in primarily low-income neighborhoods of color.
HUD concluded its more than 18-month investigation of Chicago after Southeast Side neighborhood organizations claimed that the proposed move of the General Iron scrap metal firm from Lincoln Park to the East Side was discriminatory.
Cheryl Johnson, whose organization People for Community Recovery assisted in bringing the HUD complaint, described the partnership with City Hall as “a commitment that our lived experience will inform the changes to a racist system of zoning in Chicago.”
The investigators concurred that it was a civil rights violation to relocate the company, which was considered a nuisance in the white, affluent community, to a Latino district surrounded by Black residential neighborhoods.
While the company’s owner wants a judge to reverse Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to deny the permit, the federal government ruled that Chicago must still alter its methods.
Angela Tovar, the city’s chief environmental officer whom Lightfoot hired, began discussing city legislation to reduce the cumulative pollution load in 2020. She said the process took years “because to think about what we’re doing requires systemic change.”
'I don't want to die:' How 14 youth advocates in Hawaii are fighting climate change by taking the state to court
Yoonji Han
Fri, September 22, 2023
Youth plaintiffs and supporters hold up signs after the Navahine vs. the Hawaii Department of Transportation court hearing in Honolulu on January 26.
Taliya Nishida.Courtesy of Taliya Nishida
Youth advocates are leading the charge
While Hawaii has a number of environmental laws on the books, including ones aimed at curbing pollution and ensuring land protection, greenhouse-gas emissions from the island nation's transportation systems have increased in recent years. Transportation emissions made up the largest share of energy-sector emissions in Hawaii in 2017, according to a 2021 report by the Hawaii Department of Health.
The youth plaintiffs' lawsuit seeks to change that.
"There's a clear problem with respect to how the state is operating its transportation system," Andrea Rodgers, the senior litigation attorney at Our Children's Trust and cocounsel for the youth plaintiffs, said. "The young people are seeking a declaration from the court that not only do they have constitutional rights to a life-sustaining climate system, but the state has an obligation to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions."
Because people under 18 can't vote and typically don't have the money to lobby legislators, they have very limited political power, Rodgers said. Many of the youth clients she represents have done "everything in their power" to communicate with policymakers, whether it's through testifying in legislative hearings, meeting with government officials, or putting up signs on street corners, she said.
"What I think is unique about young people is they're fresh from their civics classes and learning about the role of the government," Rodgers told Insider. "I think why they're turning to the courts is that they're seeing their fundamental rights get infringed upon by their political branches, so they're turning to the courts to protect themselves."
Youth plaintiffs gather before the start of the Navahine F. v. the Hawaii Department of Transportation hearing at the First Circuit Environmental Court in Honolulu on January 26. Pictured from left: Kaʻōnohi P.-G., 16, KawahineʻIlikea N., 13, Taliya N., 15, Navahine F., 15, Mesina D.-R., 15, Kalā W., 19, Rylee K., 15, and Kawena F., 10.Elyse Butler/EarthjusticeMore
Relying on nature
Nishida decided to take action after she saw the devastating effects of the climate crisis firsthand.
She and her family live off-grid in Waimea on the Big Island, miles away from the nearest town. That means they rely on solar panels and water catchments for virtually all of their electricity and water. Nishida said her parents chose to live off-grid as a way to "be part of the island and connect to their roots."
The family's reliance on natural resources has left them especially vulnerable to extreme weather events. During droughts, there's little water in their catchment, so they've used "drastic methods" to conserve water, like limiting showers to no more than a couple of minutes to flushing toilets with buckets of water they hauled from town, Nishida said.
Nishida said things are only getting worse: The island has experienced more droughts and she's seen more trees uprooted by storms and flash floods.
Roads were flooded during a flash flood near the Nishidas' home in 2018.Courtesy of Taliya Nishida
One of Nishida's treasured memories is going to the beach with her family. Now she fears those outings are at risk of disappearing.
"When I was little, I would go to all these different beaches, and there'd be tons of people with lots of space," Nishida said. "But more recently, there have been higher tides, so there's less space on the beach for people to play and have fun with others."
When Nishida first heard about the lawsuit against the Department of Transportation from her mother, she knew this was her chance to contribute to a larger cause.
"I realized I had never done anything prominent to help my climate," she told Insider. "I thought that by joining this, I can be one small voice in a sea of problems."
A culture at risk
Climate change threatens not only Hawaii's natural environment but also its Native Hawaiian culture, which has endured existential threats from European colonization and the United States' annexation of its islands in 1898.
Extreme weather like heavy rains and droughts have damaged traditional kalo, or taro, farming practices, which, in turn, jeopardizes food security on the islands. Hawaii's coral reefs have shrunk by up to 50% in recent years, leading to degraded coastal protection that threatens traditional diets.
Navahine F., the lead youth plaintiff, at the taro patch that her family has farmed for over 10 generations.Elyse Butler/Earthjustice
Rising sea levels eat away at what limited land there is in Hawaii to use for farming and encroach upon cultural traditions. For example, higher tides are washing out traditional burial sites along the coast, leaving both emotional and physical damage in their wake.
In the face of the threats to their homes, Nishida and the other youth advocates are fighting to preserve their culture and ways of life.
"The climate on this island is what feeds us," Nishida said. "There's a Hawaiian saying that translates to, 'Land is chief, man is servant.' Everything that humans need to survive, it all comes from nature. Without nature, then humans as a society, we have nothing."
Yoonji Han
Fri, September 22, 2023
Youth plaintiffs and supporters hold up signs after the Navahine vs. the Hawaii Department of Transportation court hearing in Honolulu on January 26.
Elyse Butler/Earthjustice
Hawaiian youth advocates sued the state's transportation department over greenhouse-gas emissions.
The lawsuit is part of a growing movement of young people taking climate action in the courts.
Extreme weather caused by the climate crisis threatens Hawaii's environment and cultural traditions.
This article is part of "Journey Toward Climate Justice," a series exploring the systemic inequities of the climate crisis. For more climate-action news, visit Insider's One Planet hub.
When Taliya Nishida was 10 years old, her home on Hawaii's Big Island was struck by a deluge of flash floods. The roads near her family's off-grid house were washed out under several feet of water, and Nishida sat helplessly in their truck as they tried to get to her aerial-silks practice.
"I was so scared that I told my mom, 'I don't want to die,'" Nishida, now a sophomore in high school, recalled. "I know that may sound dramatic to some, but it's truly how I felt because I was just that scared of our truck being pushed away from the water."
As global temperatures rise, flash floods and other natural disasters have worsened in recent years, and as an island nation, Hawaii is particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather.
In August, wildfires devastated parts of Maui, displacing thousands of people and destroying historic sites.
Amid the escalating climate crisis, Nishida and 13 other Hawaiian youth advocates sued the Hawaii Department of Transportation in 2022 over transportation-related greenhouse-gas emissions. The lawsuit is part of a growing international movement of young people taking climate action in the courts, including in Montana, where a group of youth plaintiffs won a landmark lawsuit in August that compels the state to take climate change into account when considering fossil-fuel projects.
The lawsuit, Navahine F. v. Hawaii Department of Transportation, is scheduled to go to trial next summer.
"I feel like many things are at risk of being lost, not only physically, but also memories," Nishida told Insider. "Our shorelines are getting lost by rising sea waters, and the time to make memories with the things around us is shortening because we don't know how long it's going to be here for."
Hawaiian youth advocates sued the state's transportation department over greenhouse-gas emissions.
The lawsuit is part of a growing movement of young people taking climate action in the courts.
Extreme weather caused by the climate crisis threatens Hawaii's environment and cultural traditions.
This article is part of "Journey Toward Climate Justice," a series exploring the systemic inequities of the climate crisis. For more climate-action news, visit Insider's One Planet hub.
When Taliya Nishida was 10 years old, her home on Hawaii's Big Island was struck by a deluge of flash floods. The roads near her family's off-grid house were washed out under several feet of water, and Nishida sat helplessly in their truck as they tried to get to her aerial-silks practice.
"I was so scared that I told my mom, 'I don't want to die,'" Nishida, now a sophomore in high school, recalled. "I know that may sound dramatic to some, but it's truly how I felt because I was just that scared of our truck being pushed away from the water."
As global temperatures rise, flash floods and other natural disasters have worsened in recent years, and as an island nation, Hawaii is particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather.
In August, wildfires devastated parts of Maui, displacing thousands of people and destroying historic sites.
Amid the escalating climate crisis, Nishida and 13 other Hawaiian youth advocates sued the Hawaii Department of Transportation in 2022 over transportation-related greenhouse-gas emissions. The lawsuit is part of a growing international movement of young people taking climate action in the courts, including in Montana, where a group of youth plaintiffs won a landmark lawsuit in August that compels the state to take climate change into account when considering fossil-fuel projects.
The lawsuit, Navahine F. v. Hawaii Department of Transportation, is scheduled to go to trial next summer.
"I feel like many things are at risk of being lost, not only physically, but also memories," Nishida told Insider. "Our shorelines are getting lost by rising sea waters, and the time to make memories with the things around us is shortening because we don't know how long it's going to be here for."
Taliya Nishida.Courtesy of Taliya Nishida
Youth advocates are leading the charge
While Hawaii has a number of environmental laws on the books, including ones aimed at curbing pollution and ensuring land protection, greenhouse-gas emissions from the island nation's transportation systems have increased in recent years. Transportation emissions made up the largest share of energy-sector emissions in Hawaii in 2017, according to a 2021 report by the Hawaii Department of Health.
The youth plaintiffs' lawsuit seeks to change that.
"There's a clear problem with respect to how the state is operating its transportation system," Andrea Rodgers, the senior litigation attorney at Our Children's Trust and cocounsel for the youth plaintiffs, said. "The young people are seeking a declaration from the court that not only do they have constitutional rights to a life-sustaining climate system, but the state has an obligation to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions."
Because people under 18 can't vote and typically don't have the money to lobby legislators, they have very limited political power, Rodgers said. Many of the youth clients she represents have done "everything in their power" to communicate with policymakers, whether it's through testifying in legislative hearings, meeting with government officials, or putting up signs on street corners, she said.
"What I think is unique about young people is they're fresh from their civics classes and learning about the role of the government," Rodgers told Insider. "I think why they're turning to the courts is that they're seeing their fundamental rights get infringed upon by their political branches, so they're turning to the courts to protect themselves."
Youth plaintiffs gather before the start of the Navahine F. v. the Hawaii Department of Transportation hearing at the First Circuit Environmental Court in Honolulu on January 26. Pictured from left: Kaʻōnohi P.-G., 16, KawahineʻIlikea N., 13, Taliya N., 15, Navahine F., 15, Mesina D.-R., 15, Kalā W., 19, Rylee K., 15, and Kawena F., 10.Elyse Butler/EarthjusticeMore
Relying on nature
Nishida decided to take action after she saw the devastating effects of the climate crisis firsthand.
She and her family live off-grid in Waimea on the Big Island, miles away from the nearest town. That means they rely on solar panels and water catchments for virtually all of their electricity and water. Nishida said her parents chose to live off-grid as a way to "be part of the island and connect to their roots."
The family's reliance on natural resources has left them especially vulnerable to extreme weather events. During droughts, there's little water in their catchment, so they've used "drastic methods" to conserve water, like limiting showers to no more than a couple of minutes to flushing toilets with buckets of water they hauled from town, Nishida said.
Nishida said things are only getting worse: The island has experienced more droughts and she's seen more trees uprooted by storms and flash floods.
Roads were flooded during a flash flood near the Nishidas' home in 2018.Courtesy of Taliya Nishida
One of Nishida's treasured memories is going to the beach with her family. Now she fears those outings are at risk of disappearing.
"When I was little, I would go to all these different beaches, and there'd be tons of people with lots of space," Nishida said. "But more recently, there have been higher tides, so there's less space on the beach for people to play and have fun with others."
When Nishida first heard about the lawsuit against the Department of Transportation from her mother, she knew this was her chance to contribute to a larger cause.
"I realized I had never done anything prominent to help my climate," she told Insider. "I thought that by joining this, I can be one small voice in a sea of problems."
A culture at risk
Climate change threatens not only Hawaii's natural environment but also its Native Hawaiian culture, which has endured existential threats from European colonization and the United States' annexation of its islands in 1898.
Extreme weather like heavy rains and droughts have damaged traditional kalo, or taro, farming practices, which, in turn, jeopardizes food security on the islands. Hawaii's coral reefs have shrunk by up to 50% in recent years, leading to degraded coastal protection that threatens traditional diets.
Navahine F., the lead youth plaintiff, at the taro patch that her family has farmed for over 10 generations.Elyse Butler/Earthjustice
Rising sea levels eat away at what limited land there is in Hawaii to use for farming and encroach upon cultural traditions. For example, higher tides are washing out traditional burial sites along the coast, leaving both emotional and physical damage in their wake.
In the face of the threats to their homes, Nishida and the other youth advocates are fighting to preserve their culture and ways of life.
"The climate on this island is what feeds us," Nishida said. "There's a Hawaiian saying that translates to, 'Land is chief, man is servant.' Everything that humans need to survive, it all comes from nature. Without nature, then humans as a society, we have nothing."
Business Insider
Gen Zers turn up the heat on President Biden. They want climate action, not words
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Fri, September 22, 2023
NEW YORK — Xiye Bastida’s fate was sealed when she stood knee-deep in flood waters in San Pedro Tultepec, Mexico.
Just 13 years old at the time, she saw her neighbors trying to get water out of their homes and storefronts. She saw crops being flooded. She witnessed contamination in the water that spilled over from the Lerma River.
"This paralyzed me for a long time," Bastida said.
It turned her into an environmental activist, like her parents.
Bastida, now a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, marched through the streets of New York City along with some 75,000 other activists on Sunday to demand the end of fossil fuels. She was also a part of the Climate Ambition Summit youth delegation convened by United Nations’ secretary general, António Guterres.
Notably absent from the summit was President Joe Biden, who skipped the event even though he was in New York for the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly.
To Bastida, Biden’s absence was one more indication that he’s out of step with many young Americans when it comes to climate change. Many Gen Zers, those born after 1996, said they feel they are being asked to grab the reins and demand that leaders take action, when it should be the other way around.
Leaders need to recognize all the tools they have at their disposal right now to make real change instead of waiting for younger Americans to grow up and do it themselves, said Jilly Edgar, 24, who works at the Climate Museum in New York City and joined the march on Sunday.
She added: "By then, it will be too late."
Xiye Bastida, a Climate Clock ambassador, marched in NYC on Sept 17 to end fossil fuels.
'Climate-proofing' the world
At the U.N. General Assembly, Biden and other world leaders spoke of the urgency of addressing climate change.
Biden said in his remarks to the high-profile gathering on Tuesday that the world is already seeing the effects of climate change. He pointed to record-breaking heatwaves in the United States and China, wildfires in North America and southern Europe, a fifth year of drought in the Horn of Africa, and flooding in Libya that has killed thousands of people.
Climate impact: Extreme heat, coupled with chronic health issues, is killing elderly New Yorkers
Climate change is un-burying graves: It's an expensive, 'traumatic,' confounding problem.
“Together, these snapshots tell an urgent story of what awaits us if we fail to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and begin to climate-proof the world,” he said.
Guterres, in his opening remarks, bluntly warned that actions to deal with climate change have fallen “abysmally short.” He called on countries to stop the expansion of coal, oil and gas production, saying “the fossil fuel age has failed."
“We cannot afford the same old broken record of scapegoating and waiting for others to move first,” Guterres said.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called climate change “the mother of all crises” and complained that mankind has “dedicated itself to war,” which he said has distracted attention and resources to deal with climate change.
But climate activists who protested in the streets ahead of the U.N. meeting said they want action, not words. They want a phase-out of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas.
A U.N. climate report released this month said the world is not on track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 to fight climate change. The world needs to reduce emissions by 43% in the next seven years to reach the goal set under the agreement, the report said.
Bastida said leaders have not kept their promises on climate change. She points to Biden's campaign promise that he would ban fossil fuel extraction on federal land.
"When he was campaigning, he said he'd ban fossil fuel extraction of federal land. Next thing he does is sell oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico, " said Bastida, an ambassador of the nonprofit Climate Clock.
“It's just incredibly frustrating because the politicians that are deciding our futures, they're not going to be around in 30 years when I'm in my 50s," she said. "When I have kids, they're going to see a different world than the politicians are shaping now with their decisions.”
On Wednesday, Biden delivered on one major demand of climate activists with the announcement of the nation’s first-ever American Climate Corps, which will seek to train and provide career paths to young people who want to take on the climate crisis.
The initiative, which seeks to enlist 20,000 people in year one, will train Americans on the conservation and restoration of lands and waters, deploying clean energy, bolstering community resilience to climate change, and advancing environmental justice, among other areas.
The concept for the civilian climate corps is based on former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps, which put millions of Americans to work on public works projects during the Great Depression.
“We’re not just opening up pathways to decarbonization,” said Ali Zaidi, White House climate adviser. “We're opening up pathways to good-paying careers, lifetimes of being involved in the work of making our communities more sustainable, more fair, more resilient, in the face of a changing climate."
Jilly Edgar, who works for the Climate Museum, attended the march to end fossil fuels on Sept. 17.
Biden has taken a number of other steps to fight climate change.
A year after taking office, he set a new national goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and pledged to make the U.S. power sector 100% carbon-pollution-free by 2035. Biden also has signed an executive order setting a target for zero-emissions vehicles to account for half of all automobiles sold in the U.S. by 2030 – a thorny issue with striking laborers such as United Auto Workers.
Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last year, put in place a comprehensive set of clean energy initiatives. These include tax credits to help Americans buy electric vehicles, energy-efficient heat pumps and rooftop solar panels.
Environmental groups hailed the law as the most significant piece of climate legislation in U.S. history.
Still, the fact that the Civilian Climate Corps, which was pushed by many environmental groups, wasn't in the original Inflation Reduction Act was a huge disappointment, said Edgar of the Climate Museum.
But she was glad to hear of the new announcement since, she said, creating the climate corps is crucial for a just transition.
“We need to make sure that we actually have a robust workforce changing the way that we are physically structured and also economically structured to align with averting the climate crisis," she said.
Biden angered environmentalists, including young climate activists, in March when his administration cleared the way for a scaled-down version of the Willow project, the largest new oil and gas developments on federal land in Alaska in 20 years. Conservation groups have sued to block the project.
Biden made some amends with his critics two weeks ago when he canceled the seven remaining oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His administration proposed stronger protections for more than 20,000 square miles of land in the reserve in the western Arctic.
Federal data show the Biden administration approved 6,430 permits for oil and gas drilling on public lands in its first two years, outpacing the Trump administration’s 6,172 drilling-permit approvals in its first two years, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
That shows the wide gulf between what people of her generation are demanding and what Biden is doing, Edgar said.
“It's really important to keep putting pressure on him because he entered office with a big commitment that he has since broken,” she said.
Ayisha Siddiqa (in yellow) marches with Xiye Bastida (blue shirt) on Sept 17 in NYC to stop fossil fuels
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Fri, September 22, 2023
NEW YORK — Xiye Bastida’s fate was sealed when she stood knee-deep in flood waters in San Pedro Tultepec, Mexico.
Just 13 years old at the time, she saw her neighbors trying to get water out of their homes and storefronts. She saw crops being flooded. She witnessed contamination in the water that spilled over from the Lerma River.
"This paralyzed me for a long time," Bastida said.
It turned her into an environmental activist, like her parents.
Bastida, now a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, marched through the streets of New York City along with some 75,000 other activists on Sunday to demand the end of fossil fuels. She was also a part of the Climate Ambition Summit youth delegation convened by United Nations’ secretary general, António Guterres.
Notably absent from the summit was President Joe Biden, who skipped the event even though he was in New York for the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly.
To Bastida, Biden’s absence was one more indication that he’s out of step with many young Americans when it comes to climate change. Many Gen Zers, those born after 1996, said they feel they are being asked to grab the reins and demand that leaders take action, when it should be the other way around.
Leaders need to recognize all the tools they have at their disposal right now to make real change instead of waiting for younger Americans to grow up and do it themselves, said Jilly Edgar, 24, who works at the Climate Museum in New York City and joined the march on Sunday.
She added: "By then, it will be too late."
Xiye Bastida, a Climate Clock ambassador, marched in NYC on Sept 17 to end fossil fuels.
'Climate-proofing' the world
At the U.N. General Assembly, Biden and other world leaders spoke of the urgency of addressing climate change.
Biden said in his remarks to the high-profile gathering on Tuesday that the world is already seeing the effects of climate change. He pointed to record-breaking heatwaves in the United States and China, wildfires in North America and southern Europe, a fifth year of drought in the Horn of Africa, and flooding in Libya that has killed thousands of people.
Climate impact: Extreme heat, coupled with chronic health issues, is killing elderly New Yorkers
Climate change is un-burying graves: It's an expensive, 'traumatic,' confounding problem.
“Together, these snapshots tell an urgent story of what awaits us if we fail to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and begin to climate-proof the world,” he said.
Guterres, in his opening remarks, bluntly warned that actions to deal with climate change have fallen “abysmally short.” He called on countries to stop the expansion of coal, oil and gas production, saying “the fossil fuel age has failed."
“We cannot afford the same old broken record of scapegoating and waiting for others to move first,” Guterres said.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called climate change “the mother of all crises” and complained that mankind has “dedicated itself to war,” which he said has distracted attention and resources to deal with climate change.
But climate activists who protested in the streets ahead of the U.N. meeting said they want action, not words. They want a phase-out of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas.
A U.N. climate report released this month said the world is not on track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 to fight climate change. The world needs to reduce emissions by 43% in the next seven years to reach the goal set under the agreement, the report said.
Bastida said leaders have not kept their promises on climate change. She points to Biden's campaign promise that he would ban fossil fuel extraction on federal land.
"When he was campaigning, he said he'd ban fossil fuel extraction of federal land. Next thing he does is sell oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico, " said Bastida, an ambassador of the nonprofit Climate Clock.
“It's just incredibly frustrating because the politicians that are deciding our futures, they're not going to be around in 30 years when I'm in my 50s," she said. "When I have kids, they're going to see a different world than the politicians are shaping now with their decisions.”
On Wednesday, Biden delivered on one major demand of climate activists with the announcement of the nation’s first-ever American Climate Corps, which will seek to train and provide career paths to young people who want to take on the climate crisis.
The initiative, which seeks to enlist 20,000 people in year one, will train Americans on the conservation and restoration of lands and waters, deploying clean energy, bolstering community resilience to climate change, and advancing environmental justice, among other areas.
The concept for the civilian climate corps is based on former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps, which put millions of Americans to work on public works projects during the Great Depression.
“We’re not just opening up pathways to decarbonization,” said Ali Zaidi, White House climate adviser. “We're opening up pathways to good-paying careers, lifetimes of being involved in the work of making our communities more sustainable, more fair, more resilient, in the face of a changing climate."
Jilly Edgar, who works for the Climate Museum, attended the march to end fossil fuels on Sept. 17.
Biden has taken a number of other steps to fight climate change.
A year after taking office, he set a new national goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and pledged to make the U.S. power sector 100% carbon-pollution-free by 2035. Biden also has signed an executive order setting a target for zero-emissions vehicles to account for half of all automobiles sold in the U.S. by 2030 – a thorny issue with striking laborers such as United Auto Workers.
Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last year, put in place a comprehensive set of clean energy initiatives. These include tax credits to help Americans buy electric vehicles, energy-efficient heat pumps and rooftop solar panels.
Environmental groups hailed the law as the most significant piece of climate legislation in U.S. history.
Still, the fact that the Civilian Climate Corps, which was pushed by many environmental groups, wasn't in the original Inflation Reduction Act was a huge disappointment, said Edgar of the Climate Museum.
But she was glad to hear of the new announcement since, she said, creating the climate corps is crucial for a just transition.
“We need to make sure that we actually have a robust workforce changing the way that we are physically structured and also economically structured to align with averting the climate crisis," she said.
Biden angered environmentalists, including young climate activists, in March when his administration cleared the way for a scaled-down version of the Willow project, the largest new oil and gas developments on federal land in Alaska in 20 years. Conservation groups have sued to block the project.
Biden made some amends with his critics two weeks ago when he canceled the seven remaining oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His administration proposed stronger protections for more than 20,000 square miles of land in the reserve in the western Arctic.
Federal data show the Biden administration approved 6,430 permits for oil and gas drilling on public lands in its first two years, outpacing the Trump administration’s 6,172 drilling-permit approvals in its first two years, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
That shows the wide gulf between what people of her generation are demanding and what Biden is doing, Edgar said.
“It's really important to keep putting pressure on him because he entered office with a big commitment that he has since broken,” she said.
Ayisha Siddiqa (in yellow) marches with Xiye Bastida (blue shirt) on Sept 17 in NYC to stop fossil fuels
Biden's 'wishy-washy' on climate action
For 24-year-old Ayisha Siddiqa, a research scholar at New York University Law School studying the intersection of human rights and climate change, Biden’s policies are “wishy-washy.”
While Biden has showcased himself as a climate president and has had progressive policies related to climate, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the actions of the administration don’t often represent what they are saying, Siddiqa said.
“Biden's been playing a game of ‘let’s see how many people it makes angry and how much potential damage I can cause. And then last minute when I realize it's the wrong decision, I'm going to take it back’,” said Siddiqa, who serves as a youth advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Young voters list climate as a top issue across party lines. Nearly 60% of those ages 18 to 29 believe climate change should be a priority, even at the risk of slowing economic growth, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
Saskia Randall, 26, who participated in the march with the Climate Museum team where she works, said it was important to show up for these protests. They demonstrate the force and the desire that young people have to end fossil fuels.
Attending these marches gives an extra boost of energy, Randall said.
"And serves as a reminder," she went on, "there are so many people who care about the climate crisis and really want serious action taken and serious climate policy.”
Contributing: Joey Garrison
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY
For 24-year-old Ayisha Siddiqa, a research scholar at New York University Law School studying the intersection of human rights and climate change, Biden’s policies are “wishy-washy.”
While Biden has showcased himself as a climate president and has had progressive policies related to climate, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the actions of the administration don’t often represent what they are saying, Siddiqa said.
“Biden's been playing a game of ‘let’s see how many people it makes angry and how much potential damage I can cause. And then last minute when I realize it's the wrong decision, I'm going to take it back’,” said Siddiqa, who serves as a youth advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Young voters list climate as a top issue across party lines. Nearly 60% of those ages 18 to 29 believe climate change should be a priority, even at the risk of slowing economic growth, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
Saskia Randall, 26, who participated in the march with the Climate Museum team where she works, said it was important to show up for these protests. They demonstrate the force and the desire that young people have to end fossil fuels.
Attending these marches gives an extra boost of energy, Randall said.
"And serves as a reminder," she went on, "there are so many people who care about the climate crisis and really want serious action taken and serious climate policy.”
Contributing: Joey Garrison
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY
US Government Ordered to Expand Gulf of Mexico Oil Auction
Jennifer A. Dlouhy
Fri, September 22, 2023
(Bloomberg) -- A federal judge ordered the Biden administration to expand next week’s Gulf of Mexico oil lease sale, saying officials appear to have weaponized the Endangered Species Act by yanking 6 million acres off the auction block.
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management “failed to justify” shrinking the territory offered in the Sept. 27 sale amid concerns it could harm one of the world’s most endangered whales, US District Judge James Cain wrote in a 30-page ruling late Thursday.
The Louisiana-based judge noted that when the agency scaled-down the sale, it cited a 2022 study that indicated the Rice’s whale may be found in the affected waters — despite previously weighing the same research in determining restrictions weren’t needed.
The administration’s decision was an “unexplained about-face” that leaves the impression the move “is merely an attempt to provide scientific justification to a political reassessment of offshore drilling,” Cain wrote. “The process followed here looks more like a weaponization of the Endangered Species Act than the collaborative, reasoned approach prescribed by the applicable laws and regulations,” he said.
Cain ordered the department to conduct the sale including the previously withdrawn acreage by Sept. 30, a deadline imposed under last year’s climate law.
Louisiana Win
The decision is a win for Louisiana, which argued it stood to lose as much as $2.2 million in royalties. It’s also a victory oil industry challengers to the administration’s plan, including the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron USA Inc., and Shell Offshore Inc. Chevron had emphasized vessel delays would boost the time and money needed to complete projects in the area.
Ryan Meyers, a senior vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, said the ruling “hit the brakes on the Biden administration’s ill-conceived effort to restrict American development of reliable, lower-carbon energy in the Gulf of Mexico.”
But environmentalists said the order would further imperil the Rice’s whale, a species whose numbers have dwindled to as few as 51.
“These baseline protections for the Rice’s whale are quite literally the least we could be doing to save the species from extinction,” Earthjustice attorney Steve Mashuda said by email. “Meanwhile, the government is still enabling the oil industry to bid on 67 million acres of the Gulf. These oil companies are looking at the full glass after one sip and calling it empty.”
Earthjustice said it’s considering options for appeal. An Interior Department spokeswoman declined to comment.
Jennifer A. Dlouhy
Fri, September 22, 2023
(Bloomberg) -- A federal judge ordered the Biden administration to expand next week’s Gulf of Mexico oil lease sale, saying officials appear to have weaponized the Endangered Species Act by yanking 6 million acres off the auction block.
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management “failed to justify” shrinking the territory offered in the Sept. 27 sale amid concerns it could harm one of the world’s most endangered whales, US District Judge James Cain wrote in a 30-page ruling late Thursday.
The Louisiana-based judge noted that when the agency scaled-down the sale, it cited a 2022 study that indicated the Rice’s whale may be found in the affected waters — despite previously weighing the same research in determining restrictions weren’t needed.
The administration’s decision was an “unexplained about-face” that leaves the impression the move “is merely an attempt to provide scientific justification to a political reassessment of offshore drilling,” Cain wrote. “The process followed here looks more like a weaponization of the Endangered Species Act than the collaborative, reasoned approach prescribed by the applicable laws and regulations,” he said.
Cain ordered the department to conduct the sale including the previously withdrawn acreage by Sept. 30, a deadline imposed under last year’s climate law.
Louisiana Win
The decision is a win for Louisiana, which argued it stood to lose as much as $2.2 million in royalties. It’s also a victory oil industry challengers to the administration’s plan, including the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron USA Inc., and Shell Offshore Inc. Chevron had emphasized vessel delays would boost the time and money needed to complete projects in the area.
Ryan Meyers, a senior vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, said the ruling “hit the brakes on the Biden administration’s ill-conceived effort to restrict American development of reliable, lower-carbon energy in the Gulf of Mexico.”
But environmentalists said the order would further imperil the Rice’s whale, a species whose numbers have dwindled to as few as 51.
“These baseline protections for the Rice’s whale are quite literally the least we could be doing to save the species from extinction,” Earthjustice attorney Steve Mashuda said by email. “Meanwhile, the government is still enabling the oil industry to bid on 67 million acres of the Gulf. These oil companies are looking at the full glass after one sip and calling it empty.”
Earthjustice said it’s considering options for appeal. An Interior Department spokeswoman declined to comment.
Bloomberg Businessweek
Judge blocks government plan to scale back Gulf oil lease sale to protect whale species
KEVIN McGILL
Fri, September 22, 2023
A rig and supply vessel are pictured in the Gulf of Mexico off the cost of Louisiana, April 10, 2011. A federal judge has ordered the Interior Department to expand next week’s scheduled sale of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases by millions of acres. The Thursday, Sept. 22, 2023, ruling rejected a scaled-back plan announced last month by the Biden administration as part of an effort to protect an endangered whale species.
KEVIN McGILL
Fri, September 22, 2023
A rig and supply vessel are pictured in the Gulf of Mexico off the cost of Louisiana, April 10, 2011. A federal judge has ordered the Interior Department to expand next week’s scheduled sale of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases by millions of acres. The Thursday, Sept. 22, 2023, ruling rejected a scaled-back plan announced last month by the Biden administration as part of an effort to protect an endangered whale species.
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the Interior Department to expand next week's scheduled sale of of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases by millions of acres, rejecting a scaled-back plan announced last month by the Biden administration as part of an effort to protect an endangered whale species.
The Biden administration on Friday asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to block the order issued Thursday night in Lake Charles, Louisiana, by U.S. District Judge James David Cain Jr. Environmental groups represented by the Earthjustice organization also appealed.
As originally proposed in March, the Sept. 27 sale was would have made 73 million acres (30 hectares) of offshore tracts available for drilling leases. That area was reduced to 67 million acres (27 hectares) in August when Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced final plans for the sale. Cain's injunction restores the original coverage area.
BOEM's revision also included new speed limits and requirements for personnel on industry vessels in some of the areas to be leased — also blocked by Cain's order.
BOEM had adopted the reduced area and new rules for next week's sale as part of an agreement the administration reached last month with environmentalists in efforts to settle a whale-protection lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland.
Chevron, Shell Offshore, the American Petroleum Institute and the state of Louisiana sued to reverse the cut in acreage and block the inclusion of the whale-protecting measures in the lease sale provisions. They claimed the administration’s actions violated provisions of a 2022 measure, labeled the Inflation Reduction Act, that provided broad incentives for clean energy, along with creating new drilling opportunities in the Gulf. They also said the changes after the initial lease sale was proposed in March violate federal law because they were adopted arbitrarily, without sufficient explanation of why they are needed.
Meanwhile, rival litigation filed by Earthjustice and other prominent environmental groups seeks to halt the lease sale. The organizations say the lease sale violates the National Environmental Policy. They say the administration failed to account for health threats to Gulf Coast communities near oil refineries and didn’t adequately the effects of new fossil fuel development on the climate.
Energy industry representatives welcomed the ruling. “The injunction is a necessary and welcome response from the court to an unnecessary decision by the Biden administration,” Erik Milito, President of the National Ocean Industries Association, said in an emailed news release. “The removal of millions of highly prospective acres and the imposition of excessive restrictions stemmed from a voluntary agreement with activist groups that circumvented the law, ignored science, and bypassed public input.”
An Earthjustice attorney said the order blocks “baseline protections" to help protect the Rice’s whale from extinction.
“These oil companies are looking at the full glass after one sip and calling it empty,” the attorney, Steve Mashuda, said in an emailed statement.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the Interior Department to expand next week's scheduled sale of of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases by millions of acres, rejecting a scaled-back plan announced last month by the Biden administration as part of an effort to protect an endangered whale species.
The Biden administration on Friday asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to block the order issued Thursday night in Lake Charles, Louisiana, by U.S. District Judge James David Cain Jr. Environmental groups represented by the Earthjustice organization also appealed.
As originally proposed in March, the Sept. 27 sale was would have made 73 million acres (30 hectares) of offshore tracts available for drilling leases. That area was reduced to 67 million acres (27 hectares) in August when Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced final plans for the sale. Cain's injunction restores the original coverage area.
BOEM's revision also included new speed limits and requirements for personnel on industry vessels in some of the areas to be leased — also blocked by Cain's order.
BOEM had adopted the reduced area and new rules for next week's sale as part of an agreement the administration reached last month with environmentalists in efforts to settle a whale-protection lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland.
Chevron, Shell Offshore, the American Petroleum Institute and the state of Louisiana sued to reverse the cut in acreage and block the inclusion of the whale-protecting measures in the lease sale provisions. They claimed the administration’s actions violated provisions of a 2022 measure, labeled the Inflation Reduction Act, that provided broad incentives for clean energy, along with creating new drilling opportunities in the Gulf. They also said the changes after the initial lease sale was proposed in March violate federal law because they were adopted arbitrarily, without sufficient explanation of why they are needed.
Meanwhile, rival litigation filed by Earthjustice and other prominent environmental groups seeks to halt the lease sale. The organizations say the lease sale violates the National Environmental Policy. They say the administration failed to account for health threats to Gulf Coast communities near oil refineries and didn’t adequately the effects of new fossil fuel development on the climate.
Energy industry representatives welcomed the ruling. “The injunction is a necessary and welcome response from the court to an unnecessary decision by the Biden administration,” Erik Milito, President of the National Ocean Industries Association, said in an emailed news release. “The removal of millions of highly prospective acres and the imposition of excessive restrictions stemmed from a voluntary agreement with activist groups that circumvented the law, ignored science, and bypassed public input.”
An Earthjustice attorney said the order blocks “baseline protections" to help protect the Rice’s whale from extinction.
“These oil companies are looking at the full glass after one sip and calling it empty,” the attorney, Steve Mashuda, said in an emailed statement.
Thomas Catenacci
FAUX NEWS GLOATS
Fri, September 22, 2023
A federal court struck down the Biden administration's last-minute restrictions on an upcoming offshore oil and gas lease sale in a ruling late Thursday evening.
Judge James Cain of the Western District of Louisiana granted a preliminary injunction request from plaintiffs — the State of Louisiana, industry association American Petroleum Institute (API) and oil companies Chevron and Shell — to block the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) restrictions on Lease Sale 261. The lease sale spanning millions of acres across the Gulf of Mexico is slated for next week.
Cain ruled the federal government must proceed with the lease sale by Sept. 30 under its original conditions. As a result of a July settlement with environmental groups, BOEM removed about six million acres from the sale and imposed various restrictions on oil and gas vessels associated with the leases auctioned to protect the Rice’s whale species found in parts of the Gulf of Mexico.
"The court observes that plaintiffs have demonstrated substantial potential costs resulting from the challenged provisions," Cain wrote in his decision. "While the government defendants largely focus on the acreage withdrawal and dynamics of the sale itself, many of plaintiffs’ alleged hardships arise from the vessel restrictions."
The Biden administration's actions — rejected by a federal court late Thursday — removed about six million acres of potentially oil-rich leases from an upcoming federal lease sale.
"Industry plaintiffs have shown a likelihood that these will burden their operations on current and planned leases," the ruling continued. "The resulting costs would not be undone by the court’s entry of a permanent injunction and order of another sale."
Fri, September 22, 2023
A federal court struck down the Biden administration's last-minute restrictions on an upcoming offshore oil and gas lease sale in a ruling late Thursday evening.
Judge James Cain of the Western District of Louisiana granted a preliminary injunction request from plaintiffs — the State of Louisiana, industry association American Petroleum Institute (API) and oil companies Chevron and Shell — to block the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) restrictions on Lease Sale 261. The lease sale spanning millions of acres across the Gulf of Mexico is slated for next week.
Cain ruled the federal government must proceed with the lease sale by Sept. 30 under its original conditions. As a result of a July settlement with environmental groups, BOEM removed about six million acres from the sale and imposed various restrictions on oil and gas vessels associated with the leases auctioned to protect the Rice’s whale species found in parts of the Gulf of Mexico.
"The court observes that plaintiffs have demonstrated substantial potential costs resulting from the challenged provisions," Cain wrote in his decision. "While the government defendants largely focus on the acreage withdrawal and dynamics of the sale itself, many of plaintiffs’ alleged hardships arise from the vessel restrictions."
The Biden administration's actions — rejected by a federal court late Thursday — removed about six million acres of potentially oil-rich leases from an upcoming federal lease sale.
"Industry plaintiffs have shown a likelihood that these will burden their operations on current and planned leases," the ruling continued. "The resulting costs would not be undone by the court’s entry of a permanent injunction and order of another sale."
Cain also said the Biden administration's actions appeared to be an attempt to "provide scientific justification to a political reassessment of offshore drilling." And he said the administration's process looked "more like a weaponization of the Endangered Species Act than the collaborative, reasoned approach prescribed by the applicable laws and regulations."
In a statement following the ruling Thursday, API Senior Vice President and General Counsel Ryan Meyers said it was a positive step in ensuring energy security.
"We are pleased that the court has hit the brakes on the Biden Administration’s ill-conceived effort to restrict American development of reliable, lower-carbon energy in the Gulf of Mexico," Meyers said in a statement.
"Today’s decision will allow Lease Sale 261 to move forward as directed by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act, removing the unjustified restrictions on vessel traffic imposed by the Department of the Interior and restoring the more than 6 million acres to the sale," he added. "This decision is an important step toward greater certainty for American energy workers, a more robust Gulf Coast economy and a stronger future for U.S. energy security."
In late August, API and its fellow plaintiffs filed the lawsuit against the Biden administration calling for the court to require the Biden administration to "fulfill its obligations to the American people." According to industry, sales like Lease Sale 261, which is the final federal offshore lease sale scheduled, are vital to ensure long-term oil and gas production.
Overall, BOEM said — following its eco settlement in July — it would offer 12,395 blocks across approximately 67 million acres in multiple regions of the Gulf of Mexico, less than the 13,620 blocks across 73.4 million acres it originally planned to offer. The acreage stripped from the sale included potentially oil-rich tracts located in the middle of the lease area.
Offshore lease sales often span large swaths of federal waters, but earn bids on a fraction of blocks projected by companies to contain more resources and to have a higher return on investment. For example, BOEM auctioned off 73.3 million acres during Lease Sale 259 in March, but received bids worth $263.8 million for 313 tracts spanning 1.6 million acres.
"The injunction is a necessary and welcome response from the court to an unnecessary decision by the Biden administration," said Erik Milito, the president of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). "The removal of millions of highly prospective acres and the imposition of excessive restrictions stemmed from a voluntary agreement with activist groups that circumvented the law, ignored science, and bypassed public input."
In addition to removing acreage from the sale, BOEM also imposed restrictions on oil and gas vessel traffic associated with the leases set to be auctioned during Lease Sale 261. Among the requirements, BOEM said specially-trained visual observers must be aboard all vessels traversing the area, all ships regardless of size must travel no quicker than 10 knots and vessels should only travel through the area in the daytime.
BOEM's restrictions came in response to the administration's settlement last month with a coalition of four environmental groups led by the left-wing Sierra Club.
In a federal stipulated stay agreement filed on July 21, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) agreed to a number of conditions requested by the groups which, in response, agreed to temporarily pause litigation in the related case. The case dates back nearly three years when, in October 2020, the environmental coalition sued the NMFS for failing to properly assess the oil industry impacts on endangered and threatened marine wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico.
The groups pursued the lawsuit after the NMFS coordinated a multiagency consultation studying the effects all federally regulated oil and gas activities would have on species like the Rice's whale listed under the Endangered Species Act in the Gulf of Mexico over the next 50 years. The groups argued in the original complaint that the NMFS' biological opinion resulting from its consultation was not based on the best science.
API and NOIA also argued BOEM's action had contravened the congressional intent of the Inflation Reduction Act, which reinstated multiple lease sales, including Lease Sale 261, after the Biden administration axed them in May 2022. In the sale's record of decision, it is mandated to be region-wide while its environmental analysis didn't acknowledge risks it may pose to the Rice’s whale.
LET'S TALK HEATPUMPS
Governors, Biden administration push to quadruple efficient heating, AC units by 2030ISABELLA O'MALLEY
Updated Thu, September 21, 2023
A condenser sits on the roof during the installation of a heat pump on Jan. 20, 2023, in Denver. A bipartisan coalition of about 25 governors and the Biden administration are set to announce a pledge Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, to quadruple the number of heat pumps in U.S. homes by 2030. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A group of 25 state governors that make up the U.S. Climate Alliance and the Biden administration announced a pledge Thursday to quadruple the number of heat pumps in U.S. homes by 2030, from 4.7 million to 20 million.
Heat pumps use little electricity, yet are able to heat and cool buildings. Since they often replace oil or gas furnaces that add greenhouse gases to the air, they can meaningfully address climate change.
Buildings account for more than 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The pledge on heat pumps is a collection of state initiatives to work toward the goal of ramping down emissions to zero by 2050. Pennsylvania and seven other states, for example, will look into developing a “clean heat” standard, meaning one for how non-polluting a heater needs to be.
Some major manufacturers of heat pumps, including Johnson Controls, Siemens and Trane Technologies released a letter of support following the announcement.
The governors in the alliance represent approximately 60% of the U.S. economy and 55% of the country's population.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called heat pumps “almost a miraculous solution” to three problems Americans face, “heating in the winter, cooling in the summer, and a reduction of carbon pollution.”
The reason heat pumps run on less electricity than other forms of heating is that they merely extract heat from outdoor air or underground and transfer it inside, instead of heating up a coil, for instance. They are just as good at cooling, pulling heat from indoors and dumping it outside or underground.
“Even on a winter’s day, heat pumps can take heat from outside, move it inside, and use less energy than if you were heating your house with a furnace," said Stephen Porder, a professor of ecology and assistant provost for sustainability at Brown University. ”A furnace makes heat by burning something, (but) moving heat is more efficient than making it.”
In Providence, Rhode Island where Porder lives, there is more call for heating than air conditioning. In 2014, he said, he ditched his oil furnace and installed heat pumps. "My house is more comfortable, my energy bills are about half what they were before, and my house’s greenhouse gas emissions, even counting the electricity to run the heat pumps, have dropped by 75%. Plus, I now have AC, which I didn’t have before," he said.
Because they help address climate change, heat pumps are highly incentivized under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, which provides a 30% tax credit. Other states and utilities offer additional tax credits on top of the IRA incentive.
“There is already a huge increase in heat pump installations in the U.S. Heat pump units outsold gas furnace units, previously the most popular type of heating system, last year,” said Amanda Smith, a senior scientist at Project Drawdown, citing data from the International Energy Agency.
“People have been struggling with home heating costs and high energy costs in Maine, especially the last couple of years because we’ve been so over reliant on global fossil fuel energy markets,” said Maine Gov. Janet Mills. “I think people in Maine are interested in anything that will save them money, make their homes and businesses more efficient, and more comfortable financially.”
White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi noted rising demand for heat pumps will stimulate domestic manufacturing. But many clean energy businesses report shortages of qualified installers.
“We want to ensure that we're not held captive to foreign supply chain issues ... we want manufacturers here in the U.S. to get ready for high demand that we anticipate will follow this announcement,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Alexandra Rempel, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of Oregon, agreed heat pumps are more sustainable than traditional heating and cooling systems, but they are not highly efficient in extremely cold regions.
Like other systems, they use refrigerants — chemical fluids that significantly warm the atmosphere when they leak. They also draw power from the same electrical grid as everything else, which is often powered by fossil fuels, so their sustainability depends in part on the amount of green energy generated in that region, she pointed out.
“Overall, the benefits do outweigh the limitations in most places, but there are some limitations,” she said.
The governors of Washington, New York, and California formed the U.S. Climate Alliance in 2017 after the U.S. pulled out of the Paris Agreement. Alliance governors have pledged to collectively reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26% by 2025 and at least 50% by 2030, compared to 2005 emission levels.
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
UK
Heat-pump scheme 'one-dimensional', say heating firms
Ben Schofield & Ian Kelly - BBC News, East
Thu, September 21, 2023 at 4:46 AM MDT·6 min read
Across the UK, our homes have about 22 million boilers that burn fossil fuels. The government wants us to help the environment by switching to electricity for heating and hot water, and has just increased incentives to householders in England and Wales.
The scheme launched in May 2022, but has so far helped just 21,000 homes to convert. Firms behind new heating technologies say the government should go further, and faster.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced incentives of at least £5,000 to install heat pumps or biomass boilers would be increased to at least £7,500.
'It wasn't really sustainable'
Damian Lofthouse looked into having a heat pump installed but the work, disruption and other upgrades needed put him off
When Damian Lofthouse wanted to change his oil-fired boiler for something greener, he considered an air source heat pump, but decided against it, despite the government incentive.
Mr Lofthouse, from Norwich, hoped to cut his family's carbon footprint, and using electricity for heating and hot water was the next step.
Heating our homes contributes around 14% of the UK's carbon emissions and the Westminster government is pushing heat pumps to replace gas and oil boilers.
As well as being VAT-free, under the £450m Boiler Upgrade Scheme, air source heat pumps and biomass boilers attracted a £5,000 grant in England and Wales, with £6,000 available for ground source heat pumps.
The prime minister announced at a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday that grants were being increased by 50%.
Mr Lofthouse, 40, asked heat pump installers to conduct surveys and draw up quotes, but the results were not positive.
They told him "every radiator would need to be replaced" and that he might need planning permission.
"It got to a point where it just wasn't really sustainable for us in terms of the cost and disruption," Mr Lofthouse said.
He is not alone. While heat pumps can be installed in virtually any property, a briefing by the UK Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology in July said "most UK housing will need radiator upgrades to achieve good performance".
'Failing to deliver'
Katharine Kemp, whose company installs renewable heating systems, said many properties needed upgrading for heat pumps to work
Katharine Kemp, from Norfolk-based Leaping Hare Renewables, said that when installing a heat pump, "the whole house can have a great deal of disruption."
That could be two weeks or sometimes longer, she added.
Between May 2022 and July 2023, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme received grant applications for 21,212 air source and ground source heat pumps, an average of around 1,415 a month. It also helped pay for a much smaller number of biomass boilers.
Graphic showing how an air source heat pump works
In February, the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee said the scheme was "seriously failing to deliver" with a "disappointingly low take-up".
In response, the government said the take-up of heat pumps was higher under the current scheme than the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, which it replaced.
Instead of a heat pump, Mr Lofthouse bought a "zero-emission boiler" from Tepeo.
The smart storage heater charges itself up when electricity is cheaper and greener, and then discharges into a home's existing radiators or hot water tank.
It does not qualify for any subsidies or VAT exemptions.
In February, the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee said the scheme was "seriously failing to deliver" with a "disappointingly low take-up".
In response, the government said the take-up of heat pumps was higher under the current scheme than the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, which it replaced.
Instead of a heat pump, Mr Lofthouse bought a "zero-emission boiler" from Tepeo.
The smart storage heater charges itself up when electricity is cheaper and greener, and then discharges into a home's existing radiators or hot water tank.
It does not qualify for any subsidies or VAT exemptions.
'Get with the times'
Tepeo, whose CEO is Johan du Plessis, makes a smart "zero-emission boiler" that is not included in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Tepeo's CEO and founder Johan Du Plessis said the government's policy needed to "get with the times".
Heat pumps were a "very important part of the solution", he said, but it was "very one-dimensional" to try to apply a single technology to all homes.
"Every single home in this country is different and we need to have a range of different options for people to decarbonise and electrify their heating, otherwise it's going to put people off," he said.
"For millions of homes out there for whom heat pumps don't work for a variety of reasons, those people are being excluded from the current policies that the government is employing."
A letter organised by Thermal Storage UK, an industry lobby group, and signed by organisations including the Energy Saving Trust and Citizens Advice, asked the Treasury to update a list of VAT-exempt energy-efficient products that had not been added to since 2006.
How do heat pumps work and how do I get one?
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Cars, boilers and other key takeaways from Sunak's speech
Richard Nugee, chair of manufacturer Remit Zero, whose emission-free boiler replacement called Cylo does not qualify for financial incentives, said: "What government should do is provide that subsidy to all decarbonising heat sources... so that it is a level playing field."
That way, he added, home-owners, housing associations and others "can make their own choice as to which is the best product".
'Long way behind'
Gary Williams, co-founder of CeraPhi Energy, said he believed deep geothermal energy could heat homes in the future but needed more support
Great Yarmouth-based CeraPhi Energy believes it has another potential solution: deep geothermal.
It involves drilling up to 5km (3.1 miles) into the ground and capturing the higher temperatures beneath the earth's surface.
Gary Williams, CeraPhi co-founder, said it could be used to heat water in shared systems at large developments such as universities, hospitals and new housing estates.
The company is testing its technology in a disused fracking well in Yorkshire and said places like Hunstanton – a geothermal hotspot on the north Norfolk coast – could be ideal.
"We started this three years ago and at that time the government really wasn't looking at deep geothermal - it was being dismissed," Mr Williams said.
But the technology - like offshore wind power 25 years ago - needed government backing to mature, he added.
"Government is starting to wake up – but they're are a long, long way behind where they need to be in supporting this industry," he said.
'Fully committed'
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: "The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has paid out £81m-worth of vouchers to date and, as a result, families can now install a heat pump for an increasingly similar price to a gas boiler.
"Heat pumps are a proven option of decarbonising heat, and we remain fully committed on meeting our aim of 600,000 installations a year by 2028."
The Treasury said it did not comment on tax policy outside of the Budget or the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, but taxes were always under review.
BBC News:
10,000 fewer heat pump grants available to households after Rishi Sunak's net zero overhaul
Jonathan Leake
Thu, September 21, 2023
Rishi Sunak press conference - Justin Tallis/AFP
Ten thousand fewer households a year will be able to claim heat pump grants from the Government after Rishi Sunak’s overhaul of the scheme, it has emerged.
Just 20,000 households a year will be able to claim the Prime Minister’s more generous heat pump grants because the Government left a cap on the cost of the scheme unchanged.
Mr Sunak announced this week that he was increasing the grants to replace gas boilers with heat pumps from £5,000 to £7,500 per household.
However, it has since emerged that the £150m overall cap on the scheme has not been changed.
As a result, the number of households able to claim the grants each year will plummet from 30,000 a year to 20,000.
That compares with the Government’s declared target of persuading 600,000 households a year to switch to heat pumps by 2028 to ensure the UK reaches its net zero targets.
If the cap remains, just 3pc of the numbers targeted will be able to get the grants. The rest must pay the full costs for themselves.
Heat pump installations typically cost between £7,000 and £15,000, whereas replacing gas boilers costs £2,000 to £4,000. Increasing the budget of the grant scheme to fund 600,000 installations a year would cost £4.5bn annually.
Mr Sunak announced the increase in the size of individual heat pump grants as he overhauled the Government’s approach to net zero to stop families facing unnecessary costs.
As part of the changes, the Prime Minister watered down the plan to phase out gas boilers by 2035 and created an exemption for a fifth of households.
This change means they will potentially never switch to alternatives such as heat pumps.
He said: “We’ll never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump.”
Charlotte Lee, the chief executive of the Heat Pump Association, said the changes were “yet another blow for the heating industry’s confidence in Government policy”.
She said: “Manufacturers have invested in good faith in manufacturing facilities and training to support heat pump deployment in keeping with the Government’s election manifesto.”
Henrik Hansen, managing director of boiler manufacturer Vaillant, welcomed the increase in the grants for householders but added: “If the overall budget is not increased, the number of homeowners able to access the grant will be limited to 20,000 per annum, which represents less than 0.1pc of the housing stock in the UK, potentially slowing down the transition to heat pumps.”
The boiler upgrade scheme was introduced in May 2022 as a way of reducing the 68 million tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from home heating, which amounts to about 20pc of the UK’s emissions. It was expected to run until 2025 but has since been extended to 2028.
Responsibility for the scheme rests with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero where Claire Coutinho recently replaced Grant Shapps as Energy Secretary.
A spokesman said the £150m cap was in place till the end of 2025 but could be reviewed, and added: “The Government has allocated £6bn for clean heat and energy efficiency spending over 2025 to 2028, from which funding for the extension to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will be agreed in a future fiscal announcement.”
10,000 fewer heat pump grants available to households after Rishi Sunak's net zero overhaul
Jonathan Leake
Thu, September 21, 2023
Rishi Sunak press conference - Justin Tallis/AFP
Ten thousand fewer households a year will be able to claim heat pump grants from the Government after Rishi Sunak’s overhaul of the scheme, it has emerged.
Just 20,000 households a year will be able to claim the Prime Minister’s more generous heat pump grants because the Government left a cap on the cost of the scheme unchanged.
Mr Sunak announced this week that he was increasing the grants to replace gas boilers with heat pumps from £5,000 to £7,500 per household.
However, it has since emerged that the £150m overall cap on the scheme has not been changed.
As a result, the number of households able to claim the grants each year will plummet from 30,000 a year to 20,000.
That compares with the Government’s declared target of persuading 600,000 households a year to switch to heat pumps by 2028 to ensure the UK reaches its net zero targets.
If the cap remains, just 3pc of the numbers targeted will be able to get the grants. The rest must pay the full costs for themselves.
Heat pump installations typically cost between £7,000 and £15,000, whereas replacing gas boilers costs £2,000 to £4,000. Increasing the budget of the grant scheme to fund 600,000 installations a year would cost £4.5bn annually.
Mr Sunak announced the increase in the size of individual heat pump grants as he overhauled the Government’s approach to net zero to stop families facing unnecessary costs.
As part of the changes, the Prime Minister watered down the plan to phase out gas boilers by 2035 and created an exemption for a fifth of households.
This change means they will potentially never switch to alternatives such as heat pumps.
He said: “We’ll never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump.”
Charlotte Lee, the chief executive of the Heat Pump Association, said the changes were “yet another blow for the heating industry’s confidence in Government policy”.
She said: “Manufacturers have invested in good faith in manufacturing facilities and training to support heat pump deployment in keeping with the Government’s election manifesto.”
Henrik Hansen, managing director of boiler manufacturer Vaillant, welcomed the increase in the grants for householders but added: “If the overall budget is not increased, the number of homeowners able to access the grant will be limited to 20,000 per annum, which represents less than 0.1pc of the housing stock in the UK, potentially slowing down the transition to heat pumps.”
The boiler upgrade scheme was introduced in May 2022 as a way of reducing the 68 million tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from home heating, which amounts to about 20pc of the UK’s emissions. It was expected to run until 2025 but has since been extended to 2028.
Responsibility for the scheme rests with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero where Claire Coutinho recently replaced Grant Shapps as Energy Secretary.
A spokesman said the £150m cap was in place till the end of 2025 but could be reviewed, and added: “The Government has allocated £6bn for clean heat and energy efficiency spending over 2025 to 2028, from which funding for the extension to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will be agreed in a future fiscal announcement.”
MONOPOLY CAPITALI$M
Intel (re)fined $400M by EU for 'naked restrictions' dating back to the noughties
Natasha Lomas
Fri, September 22, 2023
Talk about old news: The European Union has reimposed a fine (totalling €376.36 million) on Intel for antitrust violations dating back decades.
Veteran tech watchers may recall the chipmaker was slapped with a much bigger fine, of over a billion euros, by the EU back in 2009 which found Intel had abused its dominance in the market for chips to exclude rival AMD by paying PC manufacturers and retailers to delay, cancel or simply not sell products containing AMD's chips.
The massive sanction kicked off years of legal appeals. Some of which remain ongoing (yes, in the Year of Our Lord 2023). But one component of which is no longer being appealed by Intel, hence the EU reimposing a (substantially less massive) fine for that specific element.
Today's development follows a ruling last year by the EU's General Court -- after a 2017 decision by the bloc's top court referring the case back to the lower court for review -- which annulled part of the Commission's original decision concerning so-called "conditional rebates" (aka, its claim Intel had given whole or partial rebates to PC makers on condition they bought all/almost all their x86 CPUs from Intel); but confirmed the unlawfulness of Intel's "naked restrictions" (aka, paying PC makers to halt or delay the launch of specific products containing rival x86 CPUs and limit the sales channels available to these products).
At the same time the General Court annulled the entirety of the fine the Commission had imposed in 2009 since it could not establish the amount of the penalty relating only to naked restrictions. And so we arrive at today's €376.36M (~$400M) sting -- which, per the Commission, reflects the "naked restrictions" EU judges have confirmed that Intel unlawfully applied.
What exactly were the restrictions Intel is being (re)fined for now? Here's the Commission's breakdown:
Between November 2002 and May 2005, Intel made payments to HP conditional upon HP selling business desktops based on the x86 CPUs of its competitor AMD (i) only to small- and medium-sized enterprises; (ii) only via direct distribution channels (rather than distributors); and (iii) on HP postponing the launch of its first AMD-based business desktop in Europe by 6 months
Intel made payments to Acer conditional upon Acer postponing the launch of an AMD-based notebook from September 2003 to January 2004
Intel made payments to Lenovo conditional upon Lenovo postponing the launch of AMD-based notebooks from June 2006 to the end of 2006
"As a result of those restrictions, computer manufacturers halted, delayed or placed restrictions on the commercialisation of products based on a competitor's chipsets, which they had actively planned and for which there was consumer demand. Intel's naked restrictions therefore had a detrimental effect on competition in the market, by depriving customers of a choice which they would have otherwise had," the Commission adds.
The amount of fine being reimposed on Intel is based on the same parameters as its 2009 decision, per the Commission -- with the downsizing reflecting the "narrower scope of the infringement" compared to that decision.
The EU is still appealing the General Court's other finding last year that the Commission's assessment of Intel's conditional rebates was incomplete and the decision did not sufficiently demonstrate the rebates had the capability of restricting competition. So it hasn't given up on the possibility of clawing back more of the earlier fine amount. But that appeal remains pending.
The Commission's Q&A on the latest case development includes a question wondering why it's imposing a fine for an infringement that "might have had a limited impact in the European Economic Area (EEA) and 15 years after the infringement came to an end"?
"The Court of Justice has confirmed that the infringement amounted to a serious breach of EU competition rules, with a significant impact in the EEA (C-413/14 P). The Commission is committed to enforcing EU competition rules and ensuring that such anticompetitive practices do not remain unsanctioned," it responds on that.
Interest payments fight
The memo also states that the Commission reimbursed Intel the entire fine "provisionally paid" and "applicable interest" last year. But this aspect of the saga is also the target of legal action.
This stems from a 2021 decision by the bloc's top court which ruled the Commission must pay default interest on reimbursed fines in annulled antitrust cases which should be the rate set by the European Central Bank for its principal refinancing operations, plus 3.5 percentage points.
Last summer Intel duly filed a claim for €593 million in interest from the EU, which it claimed had refused to reimburse default interest on the annulled sanction. Although those proceedings have been stayed in the General Court pending a final decision from the EU's Court of Justice on Commission appeals in two cases before the CJEU.
Last year the EU's executive also adopted a proposal for a targeted amendment of the bloc's Financial Regulation which includes a proposal that fines provisionally paid and later annulled or reduced by the CJEU should be reimbursed with an interest at the rate applied by the European Central Bank to its principal refinancing operations increased by 1.5 percentage points.
Intel (re)fined $400M by EU for 'naked restrictions' dating back to the noughties
Natasha Lomas
Fri, September 22, 2023
Talk about old news: The European Union has reimposed a fine (totalling €376.36 million) on Intel for antitrust violations dating back decades.
Veteran tech watchers may recall the chipmaker was slapped with a much bigger fine, of over a billion euros, by the EU back in 2009 which found Intel had abused its dominance in the market for chips to exclude rival AMD by paying PC manufacturers and retailers to delay, cancel or simply not sell products containing AMD's chips.
The massive sanction kicked off years of legal appeals. Some of which remain ongoing (yes, in the Year of Our Lord 2023). But one component of which is no longer being appealed by Intel, hence the EU reimposing a (substantially less massive) fine for that specific element.
Today's development follows a ruling last year by the EU's General Court -- after a 2017 decision by the bloc's top court referring the case back to the lower court for review -- which annulled part of the Commission's original decision concerning so-called "conditional rebates" (aka, its claim Intel had given whole or partial rebates to PC makers on condition they bought all/almost all their x86 CPUs from Intel); but confirmed the unlawfulness of Intel's "naked restrictions" (aka, paying PC makers to halt or delay the launch of specific products containing rival x86 CPUs and limit the sales channels available to these products).
At the same time the General Court annulled the entirety of the fine the Commission had imposed in 2009 since it could not establish the amount of the penalty relating only to naked restrictions. And so we arrive at today's €376.36M (~$400M) sting -- which, per the Commission, reflects the "naked restrictions" EU judges have confirmed that Intel unlawfully applied.
What exactly were the restrictions Intel is being (re)fined for now? Here's the Commission's breakdown:
Between November 2002 and May 2005, Intel made payments to HP conditional upon HP selling business desktops based on the x86 CPUs of its competitor AMD (i) only to small- and medium-sized enterprises; (ii) only via direct distribution channels (rather than distributors); and (iii) on HP postponing the launch of its first AMD-based business desktop in Europe by 6 months
Intel made payments to Acer conditional upon Acer postponing the launch of an AMD-based notebook from September 2003 to January 2004
Intel made payments to Lenovo conditional upon Lenovo postponing the launch of AMD-based notebooks from June 2006 to the end of 2006
"As a result of those restrictions, computer manufacturers halted, delayed or placed restrictions on the commercialisation of products based on a competitor's chipsets, which they had actively planned and for which there was consumer demand. Intel's naked restrictions therefore had a detrimental effect on competition in the market, by depriving customers of a choice which they would have otherwise had," the Commission adds.
The amount of fine being reimposed on Intel is based on the same parameters as its 2009 decision, per the Commission -- with the downsizing reflecting the "narrower scope of the infringement" compared to that decision.
The EU is still appealing the General Court's other finding last year that the Commission's assessment of Intel's conditional rebates was incomplete and the decision did not sufficiently demonstrate the rebates had the capability of restricting competition. So it hasn't given up on the possibility of clawing back more of the earlier fine amount. But that appeal remains pending.
The Commission's Q&A on the latest case development includes a question wondering why it's imposing a fine for an infringement that "might have had a limited impact in the European Economic Area (EEA) and 15 years after the infringement came to an end"?
"The Court of Justice has confirmed that the infringement amounted to a serious breach of EU competition rules, with a significant impact in the EEA (C-413/14 P). The Commission is committed to enforcing EU competition rules and ensuring that such anticompetitive practices do not remain unsanctioned," it responds on that.
Interest payments fight
The memo also states that the Commission reimbursed Intel the entire fine "provisionally paid" and "applicable interest" last year. But this aspect of the saga is also the target of legal action.
This stems from a 2021 decision by the bloc's top court which ruled the Commission must pay default interest on reimbursed fines in annulled antitrust cases which should be the rate set by the European Central Bank for its principal refinancing operations, plus 3.5 percentage points.
Last summer Intel duly filed a claim for €593 million in interest from the EU, which it claimed had refused to reimburse default interest on the annulled sanction. Although those proceedings have been stayed in the General Court pending a final decision from the EU's Court of Justice on Commission appeals in two cases before the CJEU.
Last year the EU's executive also adopted a proposal for a targeted amendment of the bloc's Financial Regulation which includes a proposal that fines provisionally paid and later annulled or reduced by the CJEU should be reimbursed with an interest at the rate applied by the European Central Bank to its principal refinancing operations increased by 1.5 percentage points.
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