Planet Week: Bipartisan infrastructure deal is light on climate
Welcome to Planet Week, where we highlight the last week of environmental news and what it means for our Planet.
Welcome to Planet Week, where we highlight the last week of environmental news and what it means for our Planet.
A quick note before we dive in: We’ll be taking next week off for the holiday but will return to your inboxes on July 12. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
Now, onto the news: Last week, Tropical Storm Claudette surged across the U.S. South, the U.N. warned that 41 million people are at risk of famine, and record heat blasted the Pacific Northwest.
In case you missed it, here’s what else happened around the Planet:
Monday, June 21
UN and Australia butt heads over the Great Barrier Reef’s health
On Monday, the U.N. released a report that suggested adding the Great Barrier Reef to the list of World Heritage Sites “in danger,” noting that the outlook for the reef has “deteriorated from poor to very poor.”
Changing its designation would put renewed pressure on countries to take action, but that’s not how Australia took it. Prime Minister Scott Morrison claims the report was unfair, citing the country’s $2.3 billion investment in reef conservation. And environment minster Sussan Ley said the report lacked the latest data. Earther has more.
Tuesday, June 22
Heat wave sweeps across Europe and Russia
This summer is hot. Last week, ground temperatures in at least one location in Siberia reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit — and the heat is unlikely to subside.
These extreme heat events, made more frequent and intense by climate change, are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in most of Europe and Asia.
But as The Washington Post reports, it’s not just the immediate public health impacts we have to worry about: The ongoing heat, particularly in the Arctic, melts ice and permafrost that end up heating the Planet more. In Planet Days last week, we wrote about how a melting Arctic has global consequences.
Wednesday, June 23
We’re closing in on climate tipping points
The world is warming fast, and future generations will see the onslaught of climate impacts, according to a landmark draft U.N. report obtained by Agence-France Press. The draft outlines worst-case climate scenarios, including tipping points — thresholds that, once reached, can lead to irreversible catastrophes.
“The worst is yet to come, affecting our children’s and grandchildren’s lives much more than our own,” the report says. “Life on Earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems… Humans cannot.”
Unlivable heat, ecosystem collapse, and runaway sea level rise are all at play should we fail to quickly cut our emissions. For any hope, we must transform our “processes and behaviours at all levels: individual, communities, business, institutions and governments,” according to the report.
Did you just say conservative climate caucus?
Conservative and climate action — two words you don’t often see together. Now, a small but growing group of Republicans are trying to change that.
On Wednesday, Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) launched the Conservative Climate Caucus to “bring members of the Republican party together to educate each other on climate policies that will make real progress on reducing emissions through American innovation and resources,” according to a press release.
The caucus, which is 60 members strong, is a deliberate attempt to shift Republican views on climate — which have ranged from denial to disinterest — especially since more Americans than ever believe in human-caused climate change. But it will be an uphill battle: In 2020, the GOP didn’t even mention climate in their platform. The Hill has more.
Thursday, June 24
Bipartisan infrastructure deal is light on climate
In the last week, Biden became one step closer to passing his sweeping infrastructure plan, which is also his sweeping climate plan. On Thursday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers agreed on an eight-year $1.2 trillion “framework,” reports E&E News.
But the framework is light on details and leaves out many climate measures from the initial plan. Climate hawks in the Senate are now pushing a second bill, one passed by the filibuster-proof process of budget reconciliation, to include climate provisions. The president seems to agree: Already, Biden said that, as stands, the current deal is not enough.
So what climate items did make it? Grist breaks down the bipartisan deal, which includes $47 billion for resilience measures, $21 billion for environmental remediation, $7.5 billion for electric vehicle infrastructure, and $7.5 billion for electric buses and transit.
Did sea level rise cause the condo collapse?
A condo in the coastal city of Surfside, Florida, collapsed early Thursday morning, killing five people and leaving 156 people unaccounted for. Though it’s too early to tell, some now are pointing to rising sea levels as a culprit, as saltwater can destabilize metal and steel foundations.
“Sea level rise does cause potential corrosion and if that was happening, it’s possible it could not handle the weight of the building,” Zhong-Ren Peng, an adaptation specialist at the University of Florida, told The Palm Beach Post. “I think this could be a wakeup call for coastal developments.”
To add to the devastation, smoke and debris from the wreckage is polluting the air, posing potential health risks to surrounding neighbors.
Friday, June 25
Congress restores Obama-era methane controls
In a rare bipartisan vote, the House voted to restore Obama-era controls on methane, a greenhouse gas up to 86 times more potent than CO2. The vote comes after the Senate’s vote to restore the regulations in April, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Biden is now expected to sign the resolutions, which will be a key part of his recent target to cut U.S. emissions in half by 2030. The move is the latest in a long list of environmental actions, many of which seek to overturn Trump’s policies.
Bonus
Saving two (thousand) turtle doves
Ask your true love to skip the turtle doves this year: Because of hunting, food shortages, and disease, the bird’s population in Europe has dropped 30–49% between 2000 and 2015.
But some countries are taking action: Spain just imposed a one-year ban on hunting the endangered bird, sparing nearly one million turtle doves. The Guardian has the story.
Have a great (two) weeks,
Brandon and Sam