Economics - MAHB

A feed of recent articles relating to Behavioral Economics from The Daily Climate.

2 July 2024. Scientists work to save marshlands along Intracoastal Waterway –

Researchers hope that using dredged sediment can both restore marshes and maintain the East Coast’s marine highway.

Mac Carey reports for Undark Magazine.

In short:

Scientists added a thin layer of sediment to marshes along Georgia’s Intracoastal Waterway in 2019 to combat erosion and sea level rise.
Monitoring over five years showed promising results, with significant vegetation regrowth and sediment stability.
The technique could help protect marshlands and ensure the waterway remains navigable, but further research and technological advancements are needed.

Key quote:

"The test is going to be 10 years, 20 years on, to see how this area of marsh compares to the marsh around it."

— Christine Hladik, associate professor of geography at Georgia Southern University.

Why this matters:

Salt marshes, those lush coastal ecosystems, play an unsung role in safeguarding our shorelines. Acting as natural buffers, they absorb wave energy and trap sediments, effectively reducing erosion and mitigating flooding. Yet these vital landscapes are in peril, facing a rapid decline spurred by climate change.

2 July 2024. Californians to vote on $10 billion climate bond in November –

California's Legislature agreed on a $10 billion climate resilience bond for the November 2024 ballot, addressing climate impacts amid a budget shortfall.

Sharon Udasin reports for The Hill.

In short:

California lawmakers reached a compromise on a $10 billion climate bond after budget cuts affected climate initiatives.
The bond focuses on aiding communities most affected by climate change, with specific allocations for water, wildfire and air quality projects.
Approval is pending, with lawmakers required to finalize by Wednesday.

Key quote:

"Our historically underserved communities on the front lines of the climate crisis could not afford to wait any longer."

— Eduardo Garcia, California Assemblymember.

Why this matters:

The bond aims to address urgent climate issues while promoting equity for disadvantaged communities. This initiative could provide significant improvements in infrastructure, resilience and public health, enhancing California's climate adaptation efforts.

2 July 2024. Coral reefs that protect Caribbean islands from hurricanes are rapidly declining –

Hurricane Beryl, which hit the Caribbean as a Category 4 storm, highlights the crucial role of coral reefs in mitigating storm damage, but these vital ecosystems are disappearing.

Benji Jones reports for Vox.

In short:

Coral reefs act as natural barriers, reducing wave energy and preventing flooding in Caribbean nations.
The area of live corals has decreased by 80% in recent decades due to climate change and human activities.
Without reefs, the flood risk in the Caribbean and the U.S. would increase significantly, endangering thousands more people.

Key quote:

"Without reefs, annual damages would more than double."

— Authors of the 2018 study "The global flood protection savings provided by coral reefs."

Why this matters:

Coral reefs provide essential protection against hurricanes, but their decline due to climate change weakens this natural defense. Rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and human activities are causing unprecedented rates of coral bleaching and degradation. As these reefs disappear, so too does their ability to protect coastal communities from the ravages of hurricanes.

2 July 2024. Texas to boost energy fund to $10 billion to expand power grid –

In response to rising electricity demands, Texas will double its state fund for power grid expansion from $5 billion to $10 billion.

Kayla Guo reports for The Texas Tribune.

In short:

Texas plans to expand the Texas Energy Fund to $10 billion, offering low-interest loans to build new gas-fueled power plants.
The state’s grid operator predicts electricity demand will nearly double by 2030, prompting an immediate policy review.
The fund will also provide bonuses and grants for plant connection, modernization and weatherization.

Key quote:

"[The numbers in the new forecast] call for an immediate review of all policies concerning the grid."

— Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in a press release.

Why this matters:

The state's commitment to bolstering its power grid is a critical step towards ensuring reliable electricity for millions of residents. Recent years have highlighted the vulnerabilities in Texas's energy infrastructure, most notably during the devastating winter storm in 2021 that left millions without power in freezing temperatures. The expanded funding aims to prevent such crises by enhancing grid resilience and capacity.

2 July 2024. Scientists rush to save historical data locked in melting glaciers –

As glaciers worldwide melt, scientists are scrambling to retrieve vital ice cores that hold historical climate records before they are lost forever.

Nicola Jones reports for Yale Environment 360.

In short:

Researchers are urgently retrieving ice cores from glaciers worldwide, as warming temperatures melt and corrupt these historical climate records.
The Ice Memory Foundation aims to store ice cores in Antarctica to protect them from further damage.
The Foundation's goal is to get cores from 20 glaciers around the world in the next 20 years and lock them away in an ice cave in the Antarctic.
Many glaciers have already lost valuable data, raising concerns about the future availability of these critical climate archives.

Key quote:

"When you are standing on a glacier that’s literally melting under your feet, you really feel the urgency.”

— Margit Schwikowski, environmental chemist at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Germany and scientific lead for the Ice Memory Foundation.

Why this matters:

Preserving glacial ice cores is important for scientific understanding of historical climate patterns and predicting future environmental changes that can influence global efforts to combat climate change and protect public health. Read more: People are flocking to see melting glaciers before they're gone—bringing both benefit and harm.

2 July 2024. Chevron ruling reshapes energy regulations and federal authority –

The Supreme Court's decision to limit federal agency power will pose challenges for the Biden administration's climate policies and regulatory efforts.

Niina H. Farah and Lesley Clark report for E&E News.

In short:

The Supreme Court's decision reduces the authority of federal agencies to interpret ambiguous laws, affecting regulations on emissions and electric vehicles.
Legal experts anticipate increased litigation challenging existing and new regulations, particularly those related to climate change.
Key Biden-era climate initiatives, such as emission reductions from power plants and electric vehicle regulations, face new legal hurdles.

Key quote:

“Where agencies appear to be carrying out sweeping and adventurous regulatory efforts to address our most pressing issues, that sort of effort is going to be immediately called into question.”

— Joel Eisen, University of Richmond law professor.

Why this matters:

This ruling could stymie efforts to mitigate climate change by increasing legal barriers to environmental regulation, potentially slowing down policies aimed at reducing climate-warming pollution. Read more: “Cancer Alley” residents exposed to more than the lifetime exposure limit for cancer-causing compound.

2 July 2024. Plastic industry pushes for recycling as a solution to pollution crisis –

The petrochemical industry claims to support a global treaty to curb plastic pollution but emphasizes recycling over production caps.

Joseph Winters reports for Grist.

In short:

Industry groups are promoting recycling targets and waste collection improvements as alternatives to capping plastic production.
These proposals could cut global plastic pollution by 36% by 2050, but without a production cap, it's harder to achieve significant reductions.
Industry influence over treaty negotiations is increasing, with substantial lobbying at recent sessions.

Key quote:

“Whether the treaty includes plastic production cuts is not just a policy debate. It’s a matter of survival.”

— Jorge Emmanuel, adjunct professor at Silliman University in the Philippines.

Why this matters:

Recycling initiatives proposed by the petrochemicals industry while beneficial, are insufficient to tackle plastic pollution. A comprehensive approach, including production caps, is a more effective approach to achieve meaningful health and environmental benefits. For more read the op-ed by Pete Myers: We must determine which uses of plastic remain essential; eliminate those that aren’t; and design new materials to replace still essential plastics.

2 July 2024. Oil industry drops effort to repeal California's neighborhood drilling law –

The oil industry has withdrawn its $40 million campaign against a California law protecting communities from oil drilling, but may challenge the measure in court.

Liza Gross reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

California’s Senate Bill 1137, signed in 2022, bans new oil wells within 3,200 feet of sensitive sites like homes and schools and tightens oversight of existing wells.
Research has shown that Black and Latino and low-income Californians are most likely to be living near oil and gas wells.
The oil industry spent over $60 million on lobbying and campaigning to overturn the law, but withdrew their referendum efforts after facing strong opposition from communities.
Grassroots activists and legislators remain vigilant as the oil industry might pursue legal challenges against the law, arguing violations of private property laws.

Key quote:

“I think the fossil fuel industry saw that power, the power of that organizing and that momentum. And I think they knew it was a losing battle.”

— Luis Martinez, campaigns organizer with the nonprofit Fossil Free California.

Why this matters:

Neighborhood oil drilling exposes residents, especially in low-income and minority communities, to harmful chemicals linked to cancer and respiratory issues. This law, a cornerstone of California's aggressive environmental policies, seeks to create safer distances between oil drilling sites and residential areas, schools and other sensitive locations. For many Californians, especially those in lower-income and predominantly minority neighborhoods, this is a long-awaited step towards reducing health risks such as respiratory problems and other pollution-related ailments.

2 July 2024. How an early hurricane may signal a rough storm season –

Hurricane Beryl's explosive growth and record-setting intensity foretell a potentially catastrophic storm season fueled by unusually warm waters in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

Seth Borenstein reports for the Associated Press.

In short:

Hurricane Beryl has set multiple records, including the earliest Category 4 storm and unprecedented rapid intensification.
The storm’s strength is driven by abnormally warm sea temperatures, which are currently at levels typical of peak hurricane season.
Experts warn that this trend indicates a season with more frequent and intense hurricanes, similar to the deadly 2005 season that spawned Hurricane Katrina.

Key quote:

“Beryl is unprecedentedly strange... It is so far outside the climatology that you look at it and you say, ‘How did this happen in June?’”

— Jeff Masters, meteorologist and Weather Underground co-founder

Why this matters:

With sea temperatures far above normal, the risk of severe hurricanes is heightened, posing serious threats to coastal communities and indicative of the broader impacts of climate change on weather patterns. Read more: Robbie Parks on why hurricanes are getting deadlier.

2 July 2024. The Biden administration is ordered to resume natural gas export permits –

A federal judge has mandated the Biden administration to restart issuing permits for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, overturning a pause intended to assess climate and economic impacts.

Coral Davenport reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Judge James D. Cain, Jr. ruled that the pause on LNG permits has caused economic harm to states like Texas and Louisiana.
The decision follows a lawsuit from 16 Republican attorneys general who claimed the pause was damaging to their states' economies.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm expects the analysis on LNG exports to be completed by late this year.

Key quote:

“In every corner of the country and the world, people are suffering the devastating toll of climate change. This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.”

— U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in January when the pause on new LNG approvals was announced

Why this matters:

The ruling impacts national policy on energy exports and climate change mitigation efforts. If the Biden administration appeals this latest decision, the appeal will likely be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Louisiana: Davenport notes that several Trump-appointed Fifth Circuit judges have previously decided for plaintiffs in cases challenging Biden administration environmental policies.

Read EHN's two-part series about LNG expansion on the Gulf Coast (also available in Spanish):

Part 1: LNG production comes with a price, Gulf Coast communities warn LNG production comes with a price, Gulf Coast communities warn

Part 2: Amid LNG’s Gulf Coast expansion, community hopes to stand in its way

2 July 2024. Texas offers more coastal waters for carbon dioxide storage –

Texas is opening over a million acres of offshore waters for companies to inject greenhouse gases underground to mitigate climate change.

Dylan Baddour reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Texas issued its largest request for proposals to inject greenhouse gases underground to mitigate climate change yet, targeting Lavaca Bay, Matagorda Bay and other coastal areas.
,Backed by federal funding and with support from the oil and gas sector, carbon sequestration is expanding, despite concerns over long-term feasibility and cost.
The Texas Railroad Commission seeks authority to regulate these wells, but environmental groups and lawmakers urge caution.

Key quote:

“We are really now on the cusp of moving away from institutional research and more towards broad commercial deployment.”

— Charles McConnell, director of the Center for Carbon Management in Energy at the University of Houston.

Why this matters:

Reducing atmospheric CO2 through sequestration could have immediate benefits. Lower CO2 levels can help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, heatwaves and poor air quality, all of which have direct impacts on human health. However, a continued dependence on fossil fuels, facilitated by carbon sequestration, could maintain high levels of other pollutants that pose serious health risks, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.

2 July 2024. States push for fossil fuel companies to fund climate resilience –

Several U.S. states are advancing legislation to make oil companies pay for the climate damages caused by their emissions.

Emily Sanders reports for Fast Company.

In short:

Vermont has enacted a climate superfund law, with New York and others considering similar measures.
These bills, inspired by the federal Superfund program, would make oil companies pay for climate-related damages.
The proposed laws would calculate costs based on emissions attributed to fossil fuels sold over specified periods.

Key quote:

“States and municipalities are suffering enormous costs from the damage associated with climate change and the money they have to spend now to prepare for the consequences they’re going to face in the future, at the same time as fossil fuel industry actors are posting record profits from creating these harms.”

— Martin Lockman, climate law fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University

Why this matters:

Climate superfund bills represent a significant step in holding fossil fuel companies accountable for environmental harm. They aim to provide essential funding for climate adaptation and resilience, shifting financial responsibility to those who contributed most to the problem.

2 July 2024. Michigan aids workers in clean energy shift –

To support the transition to clean energy, Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has established an office to help workers move from fossil fuel jobs to renewable energy roles.

Kyle Davidson reports for Michigan Advance.

In short:

Michigan aims for 100% clean energy, transitioning auto production from gas to electric vehicles.
The new Community and Worker Economic Transition Office, funded federally, aids manufacturers and workers in adapting to renewable energy jobs.
Collaboration with federal programs enhances workforce training and resource allocation for economic transitions.

Key quote:

“We know that we’re going to have clean energy transitions that are gonna take us years and decades to fully employ. So what we can do is we can create these opportunities to identify the communities and workers that are most vulnerable to change, and then deliver opportunities to the businesses in those communities so that they don’t ever face that economic harm.”

— Jonathan Smith, senior chief deputy director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Why this matters:

The transition to clean energy can prevent economic harm in communities reliant on fossil fuels by creating new jobs and training opportunities. Proactive strategies help ensure that workers and businesses can adapt to and benefit from these changes.

1 July 2024. Extreme heat worsens conditions for India's waste pickers –

Millions of India's waste pickers face increased dangers from extreme heat as they sort through toxic landfills for recyclable materials, earning barely enough to survive.

Channi Anand, Piyush Nagpal, and Sibi Arasu report for The Associated Press.

In short:

It is estimated that 1.5 to 4 million people make a living searching through India’s waste.
Waste pickers in Jammu, a city in northern India, endure severe heat and toxic fumes while scavenging for recyclables, risking their health for minimal income.
Rising temperatures and poorly managed landfills increase the frequency of hazardous landfill fires and gas emissions.
Experts emphasize the need for basic amenities like water, shade and medical care for waste pickers to mitigate health risks.

Key quote:

“It’s really very sad to look at how the poor are trying to live somehow, just take their bodies and try to reach the end of this heat wave in some form of being intact.”

— Bharati Chaturvedi, founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group in New Delhi.

Why this matters:

As global temperatures soar, waste pickers, the unsung heroes of urban recycling, find themselves in increasingly perilous conditions. Extreme heat amplifies the already harsh realities of their work, exposing them to severe health risks and underscoring the urgent need for dignified working conditions.

1 July 2024. Natural disasters disproportionally harm women in Australia –

Women are 14 times more likely to die and face higher rates of violence and homelessness during and after natural disasters in Australia, yet climate policies fail to address these dangers, experts say.

Stephanie Gardiner reports for The Australian Associated Press.

In short:

Domestic violence and homelessness spike for women following natural disasters in Australia, with significant cases noted after events like the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and the 2022 NSW Northern Rivers floods, new research found.
Despite research, climate policies still overlook the heightened risks faced by women, who make up 80% of those displaced after disasters.
Traditional gender roles during disasters often lead men to heroic duties while women bear increased caregiving burdens, exacerbating social and economic disadvantages.

Key quote:

“There’s the social disadvantage, but women are also economically disadvantaged and … when a crisis strikes, they’ve got less security and fewer resources to draw upon.”

— Carla Pascoe Leahy, research manager at the Women's Environmental Leadership Australia.

Why this matters:

Women face disproportionately higher risks during natural disasters, which exacerbate existing social and economic vulnerabilities. Ultimately, building resilience against natural disasters means building equity. By empowering women and addressing the root causes of their vulnerabilities, communities can create a more just and sustainable path to recovery.

1 July 2024. At least 30 Reform UK candidates doubt climate change –

At least 30 Reform UK candidates have questioned human-caused global warming on social media, according to a Guardian analysis.

Fintan Hogan reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Many candidates label climate change warnings as a "hoax" or "scam," promoting conspiracy theories involving "global elites" and "the Illuminati."
Reform UK's only MP, Lee Anderson and the party chair, Richard Tice, also express skepticism about the impact of decarbonization on global heating.
The party's election contract pledges to eliminate the UK's net-zero commitments, reflecting a broader denial of human-caused climate disruption.

Key quote:

“This is a scientifically illiterate approach. People across the country are suffering from climate change and these candidates are not suitable to represent them.”

— Bob Ward, the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics.

Why this matters:

Reform UK's climate change denial could hinder effective climate action in the next parliament. Their stance reflects a growing trend of skepticism on the political right, potentially undermining efforts to address the climate crisis.

1 July 2024. Vermont strengthens dam safety to prevent future flooding disasters –

Vermont is overhauling dam safety regulations after last year's catastrophic flooding damaged numerous dams and endangered communities.

Peter D'Auria reports for VTDigger.

In short:

Inspectors found that five dams failed, 50 were significantly damaged, and 57 were overtopped during last year's floods.
The state is implementing stricter regulations and renovation projects to mitigate future flood risks and ensure dam safety.
Vermont's new legislation, Act 121, increases funding and staffing for dam safety, bringing oversight of all state dams under one agency by 2028.

Key quote:

“It’s a big deal. The dam safety program is evolving significantly, in a good direction.”

— Neil Kamman, director of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Investment Division.

Why this matters:

The new regulations aim to enhance the structural integrity of dams across Vermont, ensuring they can withstand increasingly extreme weather patterns linked to climate change. This move is not just about preventing future disasters but also about protecting the environment and public health.

1 July 2024. Amazon rainforest inhabitants share plan to save their home –

Inhabitants of the Amazon have created a comprehensive plan to prevent climate and ecological collapse, focusing on ending fossil fuel subsidies and securing Indigenous land rights.

Katie Surma reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

The Pan-Amazon Social Forum (FOSPA) gathered Indigenous and local communities to discuss strategies to protect the Amazon rainforest.
Participants criticized international climate talks and emphasized the need for direct action and local knowledge.
The proposed plan includes ending fossil fuel subsidies, securing land rights and prioritizing biodiversity hotspots for conservation.

Key quote:

“We are being suffocated by large enterprises.”

— Vanuza Abacatal, leader of a Quilombola community in Para, Brazil.

Why this matters:

The Amazon rainforest plays a critical role in regulating the global climate, and study after study have shown that Indigenous communities with secure land tenure have the best conservation outcomes, even compared to national parks. However, the rainforest faces unprecedented threats from deforestation, illegal mining and oil extraction. Indigenous leaders argue that continuing to support fossil fuel industries through government subsidies only exacerbates these threats, accelerating the pace of ecological destruction and climate change.

1 July 2024. Neglected oil spills in Canadian little-known Canadian oilpatch go unpunished for years –

Oil spills in Manitoba have gone unchecked for 16 years, with no fines or penalties issued for 6.5 million liters of leaked oil and saltwater.

Julia-Simone Rutgers reports for The Narwhal.

In short:

Manitoba has seen 6.5 million liters of oil and saltwater spill from pipelines since 2008, with no fines issued.
The provincial government previously cut environmental oversight, leaving oil companies to self-regulate and report spills.
Experts warn that this self-regulation model poses significant environmental and public health risks.

Key quote:

“It’s really a self-governance model where industry gets to mark its own homework.”

— Alan Andrews, lawyer with the environmental law charity EcoJustice.

Why this matters:

In rural Manitoba, where agriculture and natural resources play a crucial role in daily life, the impact of oil spills can be devastating. The leaked oil and saltwater can degrade soil quality, making it unsuitable for farming and contaminate water supplies, posing risks to both human health and wildlife. Despite these severe consequences, the lack of regulatory action highlights a troubling oversight in environmental governance.

1 July 2024. Federal funds for methane-cutting digesters in farms could end up boosting methane emissions –

The U.S. is investing millions in anaerobic digesters to cut methane emissions from cattle, but critics argue this may boost industrial-scale farming and methane production.

Marin Scotten reports for Floodlight.

In short:

The Inflation Reduction Act funds anaerobic digesters to convert manure into biogas, aiming to reduce methane emissions.
Critics claim the funding encourages the expansion of larger farms, potentially increasing overall methane emissions.
The Biden Administration views digesters as a key technology for meeting the Global Methane Pledge targets of reducing the country’s methane emissions by 30% by 2030. So far, the U.S. is falling short on achieving that goal.

Key quote:

"Cutting methane quickly is the best lever we have to slow global warming in the next couple decades. Digesters are the single most effective tool in our toolbox."

— Michael Lerner, director of research at Energy Vision, a nonprofit that focuses on methane reduction.

Why this matters:

Large-scale farming often relies on practices and technologies that, while boosting productivity, can lead to increased methane emissions. For example, livestock farming is a significant source of methane due to enteric fermentation in ruminants. The drive for higher yields and greater efficiency in agriculture might lead to a paradox where the very technologies meant to enhance food production could exacerbate methane emissions.

1 July 2024. Renting an EV can be affordable but may come with challenges –

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common at rental car agencies, often available at competitive prices compared to traditional cars, but they come with unique considerations.

Chris Velazco writes for The Washington Post.

In short:

Be sure to research your chosen electric vehicle model to understand its quirks, such as charging port locations and operational features.
Confirm insurance coverage with your credit card company, as not all policies extend to electric vehicles.
Plan your route ahead to ensure access to charging stations, particularly in remote areas.

Why this matters:

For the environmentally-aware traveler, opting for an electric vehicle means contributing to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduced air pollution. However, the availability of charging infrastructure remains a key concern, especially for renters unfamiliar with EV technology.

1 July 2024. Biden's green job policy faces mixed reactions in Georgia –

President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has led to a $2.5 billion investment by Qcells in Dalton, Georgia, aimed at creating 2,500 solar manufacturing jobs, but it hasn't increased his local support.

Michelle Fleury reports for BBC.

In short:

The Korean company Qcells is expanding its solar panel factory in Dalton, Georgia, bringing 2,500 new jobs to the area within a year.
The investment has been possible thanks to the tax cuts included in Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which provides significant incentives for clean energy projects.
According to industry representatives, the IRA has resulted in more investment in the past two years in solar and clean energy manufacturing than the previous 20 years.
Despite the economic benefits, local sentiment remains skeptical, with some residents and businesses resenting the foreign investment.

Key quote:

“The business community resents the fact that we have a company from South Korea coming in this area with government subsidies, while they themselves get nothing from the government.”

— Jan Pourquoi, spokesperson for the local Whitfield County Democratic Party.

Why this matters:

For many in Dalton, the promise of new jobs is tempered by uncertainty about the longevity and stability of the solar industry. In addition, President Biden's broader policies, though beneficial in terms of economic incentives and environmental impact, face resistance from a population that may not see immediate benefits in their daily lives.

1 July 2024. Rising temperatures accelerate global dengue spread, including U.S. territories –

Dengue fever cases are surging globally, in part driven by climate change, with Puerto Rico seeing record numbers and a warning for future outbreaks in the United States.

Lena H. Sun and Sarah Kaplan report for The Washington Post.

In short:

Dengue cases have reached an unprecedented 10 million this year, exacerbated in part by global warming, which expands mosquito habitats.
Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency with over 1,500 cases reported by mid-June, anticipating more due to the hot and rainy season.
Public health officials expect the virus will crop up in more temperate regions, including the southernmost parts of the United States.
The only U.S. dengue vaccine will expire in 2026, complicating future prevention efforts.

Key quote:

“The storm’s comin’, folks. It’s here in Puerto Rico, but you guys are going to feel it pretty soon.”

— Grayson Brown, executive director of the nonprofit Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit.

Why this matters:

Mosquitoes, particularly the Aedes aegypti species responsible for transmitting dengue, flourish in warmer, wetter environments. As climate change drives temperatures upward and alters precipitation patterns, these insects can expand their range, invading new territories and bringing dengue along with them. Countries unaccustomed to dealing with dengue outbreaks must now brace for potential epidemics, placing additional strain on healthcare systems already grappling with other infectious diseases.

1 July 2024. Sicilian farmers face dire drought conditions –

Severe drought in Sicily is forcing farmers like Luca Cammarata to consider drastic measures to save their livestock as water resources dwindle and government aid falls short.

Lorenzo Tondo reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Rainfall in Sicily has decreased by over 40% since 2003, leading to extreme drought conditions.
The government has declared a state of emergency, allocating €20 million, far less than the €130 million requested by local authorities.
Farmers are experiencing significant losses, with young agricultural workers leaving the industry and region due to the crisis.

Key quote:

"By 2030, a third of the territory of Sicily will become a desert, comparable to the lands of Tunisia and Libya (...) Sicily is now facing the concrete consequences of decades of mismanagement of water resources."

— Christian Mulder, a professor of ecology and climate emergency at the University of Catania.

Why this matters:

For centuries, Sicilian farmers have cultivated a diverse array of crops, from olives and grapes to citrus fruits and almonds, contributing significantly to the region's economy and cultural heritage. However, with the persistent lack of rainfall, these crops are now at risk. The once fertile fields are parched and the vital reservoirs are dwindling, threatening the livelihood of countless farmers who rely on these traditional agricultural practices.

1 July 2024. Heat rules for workers face election challenge –

The Biden administration is moving closer to finalizing a heat protection standard for workers, but the upcoming election could jeopardize its implementation.

Ayurella Horn-Muller and Frida Garza report for Grist.

In short:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has submitted a proposal for a national heat stress rule to the White House for review.
The rule may mandate employer and worker training, acclimatization procedures and heat illness prevention programs starting at an 80°F heat index.
Political and legal challenges, especially if Trump wins the presidency, could prevent the rule from being finalized.

Key quote:

“When it’s hot outside, it feels even hotter within the warehouses, because of all the machinery. If it’s like 110 outside, then it’s like 10 more degrees inside.”

— Victor Ramirez, former Walmart warehouse worker.

Why this matters:

Extreme heat poses a significant danger to workers, especially those in outdoor or poorly ventilated indoor environments. Heat stress causing a range of illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can be fatal. Beyond immediate health risks, chronic exposure to extreme heat can exacerbate existing conditions like cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

1 July 2024. Texas weather extremes becoming increasingly common –

Extreme weather in Texas, including wildfires, thunderstorms and flooding, is intensifying due to climate change, according to scientists.

Alejandra Martinez and Yuriko Schumacher report for The Texas Tribune.

In short:

Texas experienced record-breaking wildfires, tornadoes, severe storms and a tropical storm in the first half of 2024.
Scientists attribute these events to rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns from greenhouse gas emissions.
Texas is witnessing more intense rainfall in wet regions and amplified drought in dry regions.

Key quote:

“Rainfall is being concentrated in these really high-intensity storms. And then the areas that are historically dry, the lack of rainfall is also being amplified.”

— Avantika Gori, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University.

Why this matters:

For the residents of Texas, these changes are not just statistics but a harsh reality. Families are being displaced, properties are being destroyed and the landscape of the state is being reshaped. Farmers and ranchers are particularly hard-hit, with crops and livestock suffering from the unpredictable and extreme weather patterns.

1 July 2024. Midwest floods highlight infrastructure vulnerabilities nationwide –

Recent flooding in the Midwest, particularly around Minnesota's Blue Earth River, emphasizes the urgent need to reinforce aging infrastructure against extreme weather events worsened by climate change.

Scott Dance reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

The Rapidan Dam, built in 1910, nearly failed under intense rainfall, highlighting its vulnerability.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, outpacing current infrastructure design capacities.
Experts warn that similar infrastructure nationwide is at risk, with potential cascading effects on ecosystems, economies and public health.

Key quote:

“We’re not prepared for this new climate regime. While we’re figuring it out, we’re at risk of lots more of these challenges.”

— Whitney Clark, executive director of Friends of the Mississippi River.

Why this matters:

In recent years, the drumbeat of extreme weather events—hurricanes, floods, wildfires and heatwaves—has grown louder and more insistent, a stark reminder of our planet's changing climate. This surge in natural disasters is putting unprecedented strain on infrastructure, much of which was built during a time when the climate was more predictable and less severe.

1 July 2024. Plastic Free July needs systemic change, not just consumer action –

A recent analysis argues that while Plastic Free July aims to reduce plastic use, significant impact requires action from governments and companies, not just consumers.

Bhavna Middha and Ralph Horne write for The Conversation.

In short:

Individual efforts during Plastic Free July are insufficient to address plastic pollution without systemic changes.
Governments and corporations must implement regulations and redesign production and distribution systems to reduce plastic waste.
Effective solutions need to consider the essential roles plastics play in everyday life and avoid disadvantaging vulnerable communities.

Key quote:

"Consumers shouldn’t have to bear full responsibility for plastic pollution. Individual sacrifices – particularly temporary ones – won’t make a significant difference."

— Bhavna Middha, senior research fellow at the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University and Ralph Horne, associate deputy vice chancellor of research & innovation at the College of Design & Social Context, RMIT University.

Why this matters:

Focusing solely on consumer action overlooks the need for comprehensive policies and industry accountability to create lasting environmental change. Addressing plastic pollution effectively requires broad, systemic reforms that protect both the environment and vulnerable populations. Read more: A plastic recipe for societal suicide.

1 July 2024. WATCH: Enduring the “endless” expansion of the nation’s petrochemical corridor –

In the course of a century, Houston, once known for its magnolia flowers, turned into the “energy capital of the world.” To many, at 52 miles long and deepening under its 11th expansion, the Houston Ship Channel represents its epicenter.

To read and watch a version of this story in Spanish click here. Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en español.

The channel hosts hundreds of chemical facilities, some of which have years of documented Clean Air Act violations. Amnesty International called the channel a “sacrifice zone” where fenceline communities, made up predominantly with people of color, are disproportionately exposed to pollution. This is seen as the “cost of doing business,” according to the report.

But to people like Juan Flores and his family, the area is also home.

Flores, who you’ll meet in the video report above, has lived in Galena Park his entire life, and has been surrounded by the Houston Ship Channel’s dredge material deposit sites for as long as he can remember. He even recalls playing in them as a child.

The current 11th expansion of the port will create new dredge deposit sites and will stack new dredge material on old sites. In response to communities’ concerns of potential risks, Port Houston, the local entity that manages the public ports of the channel and is in charge of the expansion alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has said there is no cause for concern. According to the Corps, the material is tested before being placed on the mounds — yet the Corps has stated in the past that they do not test the deposit sites.

Watch the video above to learn more about the stories of these communities and their industrial neighbors.

Editor’s note: This story is part of a two- part series that will highlight the expansion of industry along the Houston Ship Channel – and the channel itself – amidst the landscape of an ever growing industrial footprint and the pollution that comes with it.

24 January 2024. Amid LNG’s Gulf Coast expansion, community hopes to stand in its way –

This 2-part series was co-produced by Environmental Health News and the journalism non-profit Economic Hardship Reporting Project. See part 1 here. Este ensayo también está disponible en español

CAMERON PARISH, La. — Late into the night, John Allaire watches the facility next to his home shoot 300-foot flares from stacks.

He lives within eyesight of southwest Louisiana’s salty shores, where, for decades, he’s witnessed nearly 200 feet of land between it and his property line disappear into the sea. Two-thirds of the land was rebuilt to aid the oil and gas industry’s LNG expansion. LNG — shorthand for liquified natural gas – is natural gas that's cooled to liquid form for easier storage or transport; it equates to 1/600th the volume of natural gas in a gaseous state. It’s used to generate electricity, or fuel stove tops and home heaters, and in industrial processes like manufacturing fertilizer.

In the U.S., at least 30 new LNG terminal facilities have been constructed or proposed since 2016, according to the Oil and Gas Watch project. Louisiana and Texas’ Gulf Coast, where five facilities are already operating, will host roughly two-thirds of the new LNG terminals – meaning at least 22 Gulf Coast LNG facilities are currently under construction, were recently approved to break ground or are under further regulatory review.

Although the U.S. didn’t ship LNG until 2016, when a freight tanker left, a few miles from where Cameron Parish’s LNG plants are today, last year the country became the global leader in LNG production and export volume, leapfrogging exporters like Qatar and Australia. The EIA’s most recent annual outlook estimated that between the current year and 2050, U.S. LNG exports will increase by 152%.

And it’s changed local economic estimates: last year, retired Louisiana State University professor Loren Scott’s economic forecast last year predicted an additional $36 billion in oil and gas industry spending will boost local employment by 7% over just two years.

Allaire, 68, watches how saltwater collects where rainwater once fed the area’s diminishing coastal wetlands. “We still come down here with the kids and set out the fishing rods. It's not as nice as it used to be,” he told Environmental Health News (EHN).

That intimacy with nature drew Allaire to the area when he purchased 311 acres in 1998. An environmental engineer and 30-year oil and gas industry veteran, he helped lead environmental assessments and manage clean-ups, and although retired, he still works part-time as an environmental consultant with major petroleum companies. With a lifetime of oil and gas industry expertise, he’s watched the industry's footprint spread across Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico’s fragile shores and beyond. Now that the footprints are at the edge of his backyard, Allaire is among a cohort of organizers, residents and fisher-folk in the region mobilizing to stop LNG facility construction. For him, the industry’s expansion usurps the right-or-wrong ethics he carried across his consulting career. For anglers, oil and gas infrastructure has destroyed fishing grounds and prevented smaller vessels from accessing the seafood-rich waters of the Calcasieu River.

From the view of Allaire’s white pickup truck as he drives across his property to the ocean’s shore, he points to where a new LNG facility will replace marshlands. Commonwealth LNG intends to clear the land of trees and then backfill the remaining low-lying field.

“You see what’s happening with the environment,” Allaire said. “When the facts change, I got to change my mind about what we’re doing.”

Community bands together

During an Earth Day rally in April, community members gathered in the urban center of Lake Charles to demand local oil and gas industries help deliver a safer, healthier future for all. In between live acts by artists performing south Louisiana’s quintessential zydeco musical style, speakers like James Hiatt, a Calcasieu Parish native with ties to Cameron Parish and a Healthy Gulf organizer, and RISE St. James organizer Sharon Lavigne, who’s fighting against LNG development in rural Plaquemines Parish near the city of New Orleans, asked the nearly 100 in attendance to imagine a day in which the skyline isn’t dotted by oil and gas infrastructure.

Not long ago, it was hard to imagine an Earth Day rally in southwest Louisiana at all. For decades, the area has been decorated with fossil fuel infrastructure. Sunsets on some days are highlighted by the chemicals in the air; at night, thousands of facilities’ lights dot the dark sky.

“It takes a lot of balls for people to start speaking up,” Shreyas Vasudevan, a campaign researcher with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, told EHN in the days after the rally. In a region with its history and economy intertwined with oil and gas production, “you can get a lot of social criticism – or ostracization, as well – even threats to your life.”

Many are involved in local, regional and national advocacy groups, including the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Healthy Gulf, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Turtle Island Restoration Network, the Center for Biological Diversity and the National Audubon Society.

“You see what’s happening with the environment,” Allaire said. “When the facts change, I got to change my mind about what we’re doing.” - John Allaire, environmental engineer and 30-year oil and gas industry veteran

But environmental organizers are fighting a multi-billion-dollar industry with federal and state winds at its back. And LNG’s federal support is coupled with existing state initiatives.

Under outgoing Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards — a term-limited Democrat — the state pledged a goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. Natural gas, which the LNG industry markets as a cleaner-burning alternative, is cited as one of the state’s solutions. Louisiana is the only state that produces a majority of its carbon emissions through fossil fuels refining industries, like LNG, rather than energy production or transportation. Governor Edwards’ office did not return EHN’s request for comment.

This accommodating attitude towards oil and gas industries has resulted in a workforce that’s trained to work in LNG refining facilities across much of the rural Gulf region, said Steven Miles, a lawyer at Baker Botts LLP and a fellow at the Baker Institute’s Center on Energy Studies. Simultaneously, anti-industrialization pushback is lacking. It’s good news for industries like LNG.

“The bad news,” Miles added. “[LNG facilities] are all being jammed in the same areas.”

One rallying cry for opponents is local health. The Environmental Integrity Project found that LNG export terminals emit chemicals like carbon monoxide –potentially deadly– and sulfur dioxide, of which the American Lung Association says long-term exposure can lead to heart disease, cancer, and damage to internal or female reproductive organs.

An analysis of emissions monitoring reports by the advocacy group the Louisiana Bucket Brigade found that Venture Global’s existing Calcasieu Pass facility had more than 2,000 permit violations.That includes exceeding the permit’s authorized air emissions limit to release nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds 286 out of its first 343 days of operation.

Rather than amend its infrastructure to meet regulatory standards, Venture Global is asking the state to raise its facility’s air emissions permit limits to release an additional 833% of greenhouses gasses each year, according to the Louisiana Bucket Brigade’s January report. If approved, permitted emissions would rise to roughly 4.65 million tons, making the facility the state’s fifth-largest emitter), according to a 2021 statewide greenhouse data inventory compiled by Louisiana State University’s Center for Energy Studies.

“This is just one facility,” at a time when three more facilities have been proposed in the region and state, Vasudevan said. Venture Global’s operational LNG facility — also known as Calcasieu Pass — “is much smaller than the other facility they’ve proposed.”

In an area that experienced 18 feet of storm surge during Hurricane Laura in 2020 — and just weeks later, struck by Hurricane Delta — Venture Global is planning to build a second export terminal Known as “CP2,” it’s the largest of the roughly two dozen proposed Gulf LNG export terminals, and a key focal point for the region’s local organizing effort.

Residents “don’t really want LNG as much as they want Cameron [Parish] from 1990 back,” Hiatt told EHN of locals’ nostalgia for a community before storms like Rita in 2005 brought up to 15 feet of storm surge, only for Laura to repeat the damage in 2020. Throughout that time, the parish’s population dipped from roughly 10,000 to 5,000. “But the wolf knocking at the door is LNG. Folks in Cameron think that's going to bring back community, bring back the schools, bring back this time before we had all these storms — when Cameron was pretty prosperous.”

“Clearly,” for the oil and gas industry, “the idea is to transform what was once the center of commercial fishing in Louisiana to gas exports,” Cindy Robertson, an environmental activist in southwest Louisiana, told EHN.

Helping fishers’ impacted by LNG is about “actual survival of this unique culture,” Cooke said.

In a measure of organizers’ success, she pointed to a recent permit hearing for Venture Global’s CP2 proposal. Regionally, it’s the only project that’s received an environmental permit, but not its export permit, which remains under federal review. At the meeting, some spoke on the company’s behalf. As an organizer, it was a moment of clarity, Cooke explained. Venture Global officials “had obviously done a lot of coaching and organizing and getting people together in Cameron to speak out on their behalf,” Cooke said. “So, in a way, that was bad. But in another way, it shows that we really had an impact.”

“It also shows that we have a lot to do,” Cooke added.

Environmental organizers like Alyssa Portaro describe a sense of fortitude among activists — she and her husband to the region’s nearby town of Vinton near the Texas-Louisiana border. Since the families’ relocation to their farm, Portaro has worked with Cameron Parish fisher-folk.

“I’ve not witnessed ‘community’ anywhere like there is in Louisiana,” Portaro told EHN. But a New Jersey native, she understands the toll environmental pollution has on low-income communities. “This environment, it’s so at risk — and it’s currently getting sacrificed to big industries.”

“People don’t know what we’d do without oil and gas. It comes at a big price,” she added.

A disappearing parish

The stakes are seemingly higher for a region like southwest Louisiana, which is the epicenter of climate change impacts.

In nearly a century, the state has lost roughly 2,000 square miles of land to coastal erosion. In part driving the state’s erosion crisis is the compounding impacts of Mississippi River infrastructure and oil and gas industry activity, such as dredging canals for shipping purposes, according to a March study published in the journal Nature Sustainability. Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority said Cameron Parish could lose more land than other coastal parishes over the next 50 years. A recent Climate Central report says the parish will be underwater within that time frame.

On top of erosion and sea level rise impacts, in August, 2023, marshland across southwest Louisiana’s Cameron Parish burned. The fires were among at least 600 across the Bayou State this year. Statewide, roughly 60,000 acres burned — a more than six-fold increase of the state’s average acres burned per year in the past decade alone.

But while the blaze avoided coastal Louisiana communities like Cameron Parish, the fires represented a warning coming from a growing chorus of locals across the region — one that’s echoes by the local commercial fishing population, who claimed to have experienced unusually low yields during the same time, according to a statement from a local environmental group. At the site of the Cameron Parish fires are locations for two proposed LNG expansion projects.

"The idea is to transform what was once the center of commercial fishing in Louisiana to gas exports.” - Cindy Robertson, an environmental activist in southwest Louisiana

It was an unusual occurrence for an area that’s more often itself underwater this time of year due to a storm surge from powerful storms. For LNG expansion’s local opposition, it was a red flag.

As the Louisiana Bucket Brigade has noted prior, the confluence of climate change’s raising of sea levels and the construction of LNG export terminals — some are proposed at the size of nearly 700 football fields — are wiping away the marshland folks like Allaire watched wither. Among their fears is that the future facilities won’t be able to withstand the power of another storm like Laura and its storm surge, which wiped away entire communities in 2020.

Amidst these regional climate impacts, LNG infrastructure has shown potential to exacerbate the accumulation of greenhouse gasses that cause global warming. For the most part, LNG is made up of methane — a greenhouse gas that’s more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Among the 22 current LNG facility proposals, the advocacy group Sierra Club described a combined climate pollution output that would roughly equal to that of about 440 coal plants.

The climate impacts prompt some of the LNG industry’s uncertainty going forward. It isn’t clear if Asian countries, key importers of U.S. LNG, will “embrace these energy transition issues,” said David Dismuke, an energy consultant and the former executive director of Louisiana State University’s Center for Energy Studies. Likewise, European nations remain skeptical of embracing LNG as a future staple fuel source.

“They really don't want to have to pull the trigger,” Dismukes added, referring to Europe’s hesitation to commit more resources to exporting LNG from the American market. “They don't want to go down that road.”

While there will be a tapering down of natural gas supply, Miles explained, “we’re going to need natural gas for a long time,” as larger battery storage for renewables is still unavailable.

“I'm not one of these futurists that can tell you where we're going to be, but I just don't see everything being extreme,” Dismukes said. “I don't see what we've already built getting stranded and going away, either.”

For now, LNG seems here to stay. From 2012 to 2022,U.S. natural gas demand — the sum of both domestic consumption and gross exports — rose by a whopping 43%, reported the U.S. Energy Information Administration, or EIA. Meanwhile, in oil and gas hotbeds like Louisiana and Texas, natural gas demand grew by 116%.

Throughout 25 years, Allaire has witnessed southwest Louisiana’s land slowly fade, in part driven by the same industrial spread regionally. Near where the front door of his travel trailer sits underneath the aluminum awning, he points to a chenier ridge located near the end of the property. It’s disappearing, he said.

“See the sand washing over, in here?” Allaire says, as he points towards the stretches of his property. “This pond used to go down for a half mile. This is all that's left of it on this side.”

Read Part 1: LNG production comes with a price, Gulf Coast communities warn

Some funding for this reporting was also provided by the Wake Forest University Environmental and Epistemic Justice Initiative.