Week of 3/7

White House

FACT SHEET: United States Bans Imports of Russian Oil, Liquefied Natural Gas, and Coal (White House )

Senate

Democrats are seeking to reconfigure the stalled “Build Back Better Act” within reconciliation (E&E News)

Congress

Lawmakers release fiscal 2022 spending deal, including clean energy and environment spending at lower levels than what Democrats had hoped (E&E News)

Week of 2/28

White House

CEQ Announces Public Listening Sessions and Training Webinars on Draft Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. Public Engagement Sessions to Gather Feedback on Screening Tool that Will Help Federal Agencies Ensure that the Benefits of Federal Programs are Reaching Disadvantaged Communities.  (White House)

Week of 1/31

White House

Biden Administration Releases Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Guidebook for State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Governments  (White House)

Week of 1/17

White House

President Biden announced during his remarks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors that his Administration is teaming up with states, cities, labor, and industry to launch the Building Performance Standards Coalition, a first-of-its-kind partnership between 33 state and local governments dedicated to delivering cleaner, healthier, and more affordable buildings. (White House)

One-Year Wrap-Up: Highlights from the Council on Environmental Quality’s Progress in Tackling the Climate Crisis, Advancing Environmental Justice, Conserving and Restoring Lands and Waters, Boosting Clean Energy Investments and Strengthening Federal Sustainability. (White House)

Week of 1/10

White House

The Biden-Harris Administration is making major leaps forward on wind, solar, transmission, and other clean energy projects to create high-quality jobs and deliver affordable, carbon pollution-free electricity across the country. (White House)

Week of 12/13

Congressional Action

Manchin pulls support from $2.2T Build Back Better bill, imperiling passage of social safety net, climate and other provisions (The New York Times)

Week of 12/6

White House

FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Executive Order Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Economy Through Federal Sustainability (White House website) 

Week of 11/29

Congressional Action

• Sen. Schumer eyeing Build Back Better vote as soon as week of Dec. 13 (The Hill)

Week of 11/15

White House

• White House Commits to Elevating Indigenous Knowledge in Federal Policy Decisions  (White House website) 
• President Biden signed the U.S Infrastructure Bill, which looks to advance environmental justice and deliver an equitable future for all. (The New York Times, White House website)

Week of 11/1

White House

• FACT SHEET: President Biden Renews U.S. Leadership on World Stage at U.N. Climate Conference (COP26) (White House website) 
• President Biden releases the Build Back Getter Framework, a plan to rebuild the middle class, including large investments in clean energy and climate action (White House website)

Congressional Action

• House passes $1 trillion infrastructure bill which includes $47 billion for climate resilience, but very little to reduce emissions (The New York Times)

Week of 10/25

White House

President Biden Announces the Build Back Better Framework (White House website)

Week of 10/11

White House

Senator Joe Manchin III (D-West Virginia) told the White House he is firmly against the Clean Electricity Program – a program to rapidly replace the nation’s coal- and gas-fired power plants with wind, solar and nuclear energy – which will impact the President’s climate agenda.

Week of 10/4

White House

On October 7, 2021, the White House announced the release of more than 20 Federal Agency Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plans (Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer)

Week of 9/20

The House Natural Resources Committee approved $25.6 billion reconciliation measure to fund climate corps, coastal protection, wildfire management, tribal & territorial Needs (Natural Resources Committee website)

Week of 8/30/2021

White House

• Biden administration announces a new Office of Climate Change and Health Equity to be housed under the Department of Health and Human Services (New York Times)  

Congressional Action

• Governors of California, Connecticut, Hawaiʻi, Maine, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington sign joint letter urging Congress to center climate action as an integral part of infrastructure package (California Governor Press Release)
• The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a virtual “Briefing on the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report” on Wednesday, September 1st, 2021. (House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis website)

Week of 8/9/2021

White House

• Biden-⁠Harris Administration Leaders Underscore Importance of Global Action to Combat Climate Change on Heels of New IPCC Report (White House website)

Congressional Action

• Democrats formally began their push on Monday for the most significant expansion of the nation’s social safety net since the Great Society of the 1960s, unveiling a budget blueprint that would spend $3.5 trillion on health care, child and elder care, education and climate change. (The New York Times)
• The Senate approved a $1 trillion infrastructure package to improve and modernize the nation’s aging infrastructure through a bipartisan 69 to 30 vote. The legislation now must pass the House (The New York Times)
• The White House released a document on what The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will Deliver for California (California Research Bureau)

Week of 7/19/2021

White House

• The Biden Administration released “The Path to Achieving Justice40,” on July 20, 2021 to outline interim guidance to deliver a whole-of-government effort to ensure that Federal agencies work with states and local communities to make good on President Biden’s promise to deliver at least 40 percent of the overall benefits from Federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities. (White House website)
  • Environmental justice leaders applauded the action

Week of 7/12/2021

Congressional Action

• President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats have vowed to push forward a $3.5 trillion budget resolution framework that would fund a clean energy transition and policies to combat climate change. The blueprint comes after Biden’s climate proposals were slashed from the bipartisan infrastructure deal during negotiations with Senate Republicans. (CNBC)
• The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis convened a hearing entitled “Advancing Environmental Justice Through Climate Action” (U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis website)

Week of 6/7/2021

White House

• Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm today launched the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Earthshots Initiative, to accelerate breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade

Week of 5/31/2021

White House

• Biden’s budget proposal calls for more than $36 billion to fight climate change (CNBC).
  • The full budget proposal can be found here

Week of 5/24/2021

White House

• FACT SHEET: President Biden Directs Agencies to Analyze and Mitigate the Risk Climate Change Poses to Homeowners and Consumers, Businesses and Workers, and the Financial System and Federal Government Itself (White House website)
  • Executive Order on Climate-Related Financial Risk directs officials to create a strategy to address climate-related financial risks including “financing needs associated with achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the U.S. economy by no later than 2050, limiting global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and adapting to the acute and chronic impacts of climate change”
• President Biden announced that $1 billion, doubling previous funding, will go to FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which provides support for states, territories, tribes and rural communities’ preparation efforts in advance of extreme weather events like wildfire and hurricanes (ABC News)

Week of 5/10/2021

Federal Agencies

• EPA released freshly compiled climate change indicator data, the federal government’s most comprehensive and up-to-date information yet, which shows that a warming world is making life harder for Americans, in ways that threaten their health and safety, homes and communities.

Week of 5/3/2021

White House

• DOE launches initiatives to accelerate solar deployment in underserved communities, including $15.5 Million to tackle barriers to solar deployment, increased focus on expanding clean energy access to low- and moderate-income communities and fostering a diverse solar workforce (Energy.gov)
• President Biden released his fiscal year 20222 discretionary funding request, which includes major investments to combat climate change, including in energy efficiency, resilience, environmental justice, and research and development. (White House website)

Federal Agencies

• NOAA Delivers New U.S. Climate Normals, a decadal update that gives forecasters and public latest averages for 1991–2020. Rather than assess long-term climate trends, Normals reflect the impacts of the changing climate on our day-to-day weather experience.  (NOAA website)
• DOE Launches Initiatives to Accelerate Solar Deployment in Underserved Communities (DOE website)

Congressional Action

• The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance convened a hearing entitled “Built to Last: Examining Housing Resilience in the Face of Climate Change.” (U.S. House Committee on Financial Services website) 

Week of 4/19/2021

White House

• FACT SHEET: President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate (White House Website)
• Remarks by President Biden at the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Session 5: The Economic Opportunities of Climate Action (White House Website)
• CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory’s Prepared Remarks for the Leaders Summit on Climate, Day 2 (White House Website)

Week of 4/12/2021

White House

• More than 300 businesses have called on President Joe Biden to nearly double U.S. targets to reduce planet-warming emissions below 2005 levels by 2030 (CNBC)

Congressional Action

• Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing entitled “The CLEAN Future Act: Powering a Resilient and Prosperous America”. Testimony was heard from public witnesses (House Committee on Energy and Commerce)
• The Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a remote hearing titled “Making the Case for Climate Action: The Growing Risks and Costs of Inaction.” (House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis)

Week of 4/5/2021

• See event materials and notes, including a recording of “Communities, Climate Action, and New U.S. Leadership: A conversation with David Hayes, Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy”

Week of 3/29/2021

White House

• Biden pitches $2 trillion “American Jobs Plan” focused on infrastructure and the climate  (White House website)
  • Some spending priorities relevant to climate change include: 
    • Fix highways, rebuild bridges, upgrade ports, airports and transit systems ($600B)
      • $174 billion investment to win the EV market including funds to establish grant and incentive programs for state and local governments and the private sector to build a national network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030
      • Invest in communities most vulnerable to climate disasters through a range of programs, including FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program, new initiatives at the Department of Transportation, a bipartisan tax credit to provide incentives to low- and middle-income families and to small businesses to invest in disaster resilience, and transition and relocation assistance to support community-led transitions for the most vulnerable tribal communities.
      • Invest in protection from extreme wildfires, coastal resilience to sea-level rise and hurricanes, support for agricultural resources management and climate-smart technologies, and the protection and restoration of major land and water resources
      • Expanded direct-pay investment tax credit and production tax credit for clean energy generation and storage 
    • Deliver clean drinking water, a renewed electric grid, and high-speed broadband to all Americans. 
      • $10 billion investment will put a new, diverse generation of Americans to work conserving our public lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, and advancing environmental justice through a new Civilian Climate Corps
      • Investment tax credit that incentivizes the buildout of at least 20 gigawatts of high-voltage capacity power lines and mobilizes tens of billions in private capital off the sidelines
      • Ten-year extension and phase down of an expanded direct-pay investment tax credit and production tax credit for clean energy generation and storage
      • Support state, local, and tribal governments choosing to accelerate power sector modernization through complementary policies – like clean energy block grants that can be used to support clean energy, worker empowerment, and environmental justice
    • Build, preserve, and retrofit more than two million homes and commercial buildings, modernize our nation’s schools and child care facilities, and upgrade veterans’ hospitals and federal buildings.
    • Revitalize manufacturing, secure U.S. supply chains, invest in R&D, and train Americans for the jobs of the future.
      • Establish the United States as a leader in climate science, innovation, and R&D
      • Jumpstart clean energy manufacturing through federal procurement.
      • $20 billion in regional innovation hubs and a Community Revitalization Fund
      • Invest in existing capital access programs with a proven track record of success, with a focus on supporting rural manufacturing and clean energy.
      • Funding for community-based small business incubators and innovation hubs to support the growth of entrepreneurship in communities of color and underserved communities.
      • $5 billion for a new Rural Partnership Program to help rural regions, including Tribal Nations, build on their unique assets and realize their vision for inclusive community and economic development. This program will empower rural regions by supporting locally-led planning and capacity building efforts, and providing flexible funding to meet critical need
      • $100 billion in proven workforce development programs targeted at underserved groups
• Alongside the American Jobs Act, the “Made in America Tax Plan” reforms the corporate tax code to incentive job creation and investment in the US, stop unfair and wasteful profit shifting to tax havens, and ensure that large corporations are paying their fair share. This is expected to be contentious.
• Fact sheet: Interior, Energy, Commerce, and Transportation Departments Announce New Leasing, Funding, and Development Goals to Accelerate and Deploy Offshore Wind Energy and Jobs  (White House website)

Week of 3/22/2021

White House Transition

• Readout of the White House’s Meeting with Oil and Gas Company Leadership (White House website)
• Biden Team Prepares $3 Trillion in New Spending for the Economy. A pair of proposals would invest in infrastructure, education, work force development and fighting climate change, with the aim of making the economy more productive. (New York Times)

Week of 3/15/2021

White House Transition

• Readout of the Second National Climate Task Force Meeting (White House website)
  • Discussed whole-of-government approach to tackling the climate crisis, creating good-paying, union jobs, and prioritizing environmental justice.
  • USDA will invest over $218 million to leverage the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
  • EPA is relaunching its climate change website

Week of 3/8/2021

White House Transition

• Readout of the White House’s Meeting with Climate Finance Leaders (White House website)

Congressional Action

• On Wednesday, March 10 at 10:00 AM EST, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held a hearing entitled “Building Back Better: Addressing Climate Change in the Electricity Sector and Fostering Economic Growth.”
• On Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. EST, the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife held a hearing entitled, “Building Back Better: Building Resilience for the Economy, Climate, and Ecosystems”

COVID-19 Response & Recovery

On Thursday, March 11, President Joseph R. Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law. This $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package was passed through the Senate on Monday along a party-line vote 50-49, and subsequently the House of Representatives on Wednesday by a margin of 220-211. (Congress.gov)

• A short analysis of the the American Rescue Plan’s Energy and Climate Provisions (American Action Forum)

Week of 3/1/2021

White House Transition

• The Interior Department is already moving to lock in key parts of President Biden’s environmental agenda, particularly on oil and gas restrictions, laying the groundwork to fulfill some of the administration’s most consequential climate change promises (The New York Times)

Congressional Action

• The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a hearing (2/3/21) to examine global climate trends and progress in addressing climate change (Senate Website)

Week of 2/22/2021

White House Transition

• Biden raises social cost of carbon, restoring key climate policy tool slashed by Trump (CBS News)

Congressional Action

• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R.1319) passed the House. It is a $1.9 trillion dollar stimulus package for economic and public health recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and includes payments to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments for economic relief and provisions to address the climate crisis and environmental injustice in post-pandemic recovery efforts (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)
  • Biden administration’s earlier announcement on the American Rescue Plan states that it is “the first step of an aggressive, two-step plan for rescue, from the depths of this crisis, and recovery, by investing in America, creating millions of additional good-paying jobs, combatting the climate crisis, advancing racial equity, and building back better than before.” (White House website)
• The Senate Energy and Natural Resources, House Energy and Commerce, and House Oversight and Reform committees are planning hearings into the Texas power grid’s failure following frigid temperatures. (E&E News)
• The House Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets held a hearing (2/25/21) entitled “Climate Change and Social Responsibility: Helping Corporate Boards and Investors Make Decisions for a Sustainable World,” during which witnesses and policymakers discussed ESG principles and disclosure mandates. (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) 
• The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing entitled “Building Back Better: Investing in Transportation while Addressing Climate Change, Improving Equity, and Fostering Economic Growth and Innovation” to discuss investments in transportation infrastructure. (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)

Week of 2/8/2021

White House Transition

• Statement: Biden-Harris Administration Launches American Innovation Effort to Create Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis, including Climate Innovation Working Group and $100 million climate Innovation Research Opportunity (White House website)
• National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy convened the first-ever National Climate Task Force meeting  (White House website)

Congressional Action

• The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change held a virtual hearing titled “Back in Action: Restoring Federal Climate Leadership” (House Committee on Energy & Commerce website)

Week of 2/1/2021

White House Transition

• President Biden signed the “Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration.” Among other actions, it directs various federal officials to submit a report to the President on climate change and its impact on migration, including opportunities to work collaboratively with localities (White House website)

Congressional Action

• The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to examine global climate trends (Senate Website)
• “The new Congress is off to a running start on issues related to the environment and energy. From January 3 to 29, the inaugural 117th Congress introduced a total of 97 bills and resolutions related to environmental and energy topics.” Below are a few highlights. (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)
  • S.140 – A bill to improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, and for other purposes. 
  • S.101 – A bill to establish the Environmental Justice Mapping Committee, and for other purposes. 
  • H.R.516 – To establish the Environmental Justice Mapping Committee, and for other purposes. 
  • H.R.481 – To safeguard taxpayer resources and strengthen the Nation’s resilience against severe storms and flooding. 
  • H.R.267 – To extend the wildfire and hurricane indemnity program to cover certain crop losses in calendar year 2020, and for other purposes. 

Week of 1/25/2021

White House Transition

• Several early actions by the new Biden Administration seek to evaluate processes and principles that govern federal regulation to promote the public interest and help tackle urgent national priorities including climate change. 

• • A Presidential memorandum titled “Modernizing Regulatory Review” empowers the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (White House website)

• • • The directive could lead to progressive movement on climate change, public health and worker safety (HuffPost)  
  • An executive order on “Revocation of Certain Executive Orders Concerning Federal Regulation” revokes several Trump era policies and directives that threaten to “frustrate” the Federal Government’s ability to confront problems (like climate change).
• Biden issues Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (White House website)
• Biden says tackling climate change will create jobs, bring economic recovery (ABC News)
• FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes Executive Actions to Tackle the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, Create Jobs, and Restore Scientific Integrity Across Federal Government (White House website)
• Top White House climate adviser, David Hayes, recently published an article titled “Preparing for Climate Disasters,” which provides some of the first insights into the Biden administration’s potential strategy for FEMA as climate change causes increased damage through intensifying floods, storms and wildfires (The Environmental Forum)
  • “With new funding to reduce risks before calamity strikes, the Biden administration has an opportunity to ensure that state and local governments have the resources and capacities needed for effective mitigation projects that will meet multiple community need.” 

Congressional Action

• Schumer calls for Biden to declare climate emergency (The Hill)
• US House Lawmakers Reintroduce $1.5 Billion Bill for Clean Energy Microgrids (Microgrid Knowledge)

Week of 1/18/2021

White House Transition

• White House Transition
  • Once Biden is inaugurated on Wednesday, early climate actions will include: 
    • Rejoin the Paris climate deal (CNN)
    • Cancel the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline (The New York Times)
    • Additional executive actions to address the climate crisis, according to a memo from Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain (Blue Virginia)
  • A federal appeals court this morning struck down the Trump administration’s Clean Power Plan replacement (E&E News)
  • Five things the Biden-Harris Administration could do to use the strength of cities to help meet the Paris Goals (ICLEI USA) 
  • Biden signs several climate-related actions in first days of Presidency (White House website)
    • Executive Order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis
    • Rejoining Paris Climate Agreement

Week of 1/11/2021

White House Transition

• Here’s what might be in Biden’s first climate order (E&E News)
• Biden adds 6 policy experts to his climate team (E&E News) 

Congressional Action

• With Harris’s tie breaking vote in Senate, budget reconciliation offers Democrats pathway to act on climate change and clean energy (S&P Global Market Intelligence)

COVID-19 Response & Recovery

• Biden unveils $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 relief plan, which includes $350 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments, but no specific funding for energy or climate change. The administration is expected to outline further recovery plans in the coming months. (NPR)

Week of 1/4/2021

White House Transition

• Trump EPA to Tie Biden Hands on Science for Environmental Rules (Bloomberg Law)
• Biden Climate Team Says It Underestimated Trump’s Damage: Agency reviews have found greater budget cuts, staff losses and elimination of climate programs than initially thought (Scientific American)

Congressional Action

• Democrats won both Senate runoff elections in Georgia, gaining control of the Senate and shaping what President-elect Joe Biden can accomplish on climate change (CNBC)
• House Democrats voted this week to scrap budget limitations for bills related to the coronavirus pandemic and climate change (E&E News)

Week of 12/28/2020

White House Transition

• Build back better? One department’s turmoil shows Biden’s challenge ahead: Biden sees climate change research as core to his agenda. The Trump team’s overhaul of USDA highlights a key roadblock (Politico)
• The names of five prominent emergency management officials are circulating as possible candidates to run the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the incoming Biden administration  (E&E News)
• President-elect Joe Biden’s picks for key climate change and energy policy positions held meetings yesterday with environmental justice and Native American leaders (E&E News)

Week of 12/21/2020

White House Transition

• Biden’s energy secretary pick will face an uphill battle, a Republican senator suggests (The New York Times)
• Biden-Harris Transition releases it’s four “Build Back Better” priorities, which include climate change, COVID-19, economic recovery and racial equity (Biden-Harris Transition)

Congressional Action

• Trump signs stopgap funding bill; Congress awaits his approval of $892 billion COVID aid, which leaves out funds for State and local governments (Reuters)
• Full text of H.R. 133, “the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,” which includes Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations and emergency coronavirus relief
  • Division-by-division Summary of COVID-19 Relief Provisions
• Stimulus deal includes raft of provisions to fight climate change (Washington Post) 
  • The most substantial federal investment in green technology in a decade includes billions for solar, wind, battery storage and carbon capture 
    • Empowers the EPA to cut the production and use of HFCs by 85 percent over the next 15 years
    • $35 billion of new funding for renewable technology and energy efficiency, including temporary extension of tax incentives for solar and wind generation and more money for clean energy research. Does not include: 
      • Voluntary standards for energy efficiency in buildings
      • Subsidies for electric vehicles
      • New requirements that utilities eliminate their contributions to global warming by 2035
• New stimulus bill includes $35.2 billion for new energy initiatives (Tech Crunch)
  • The spending is split between the Energy Act of 2020 and the Energy for the Environment Act. Both include new money for technology initiatives, such as expanding the Weatherization Assistance Program to include renewable energy and other advanced technologies, and expanding the DOE’s ARPA-E program to fund demonstration projects for geothermal, advanced nuclear, energy storage and direct air capture 
  • See a tweet breakdown of these provisions by policy analyst Dr. Leah Stokes, an Assistant Professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  
• Takeaways from the massive year-end deal (E&E News)
• Congress passes massive energy package (Politico)

Week of 12/14/2020

White House Transition

• Historic Picks for EPA, Interior Complete Biden Climate Team (Scientific American)
• Biden To Name Gina McCarthy, Former EPA Chief, As Domestic Climate Coordinator (NPR)
• Biden eyes infrastructure package to help economic, climate goals (The Hill)
• Green buildings ‘unheralded hero’ in emissions fight, experts say (Utility Dive)
• Five ways Biden can fight climate change (The Hill)

Congressional Action

• Congress works on Covid-19 relief deal as shutdown deadline looms; Live Updates (CNN)

Week of 12/07/2020

White House Transition

• How Biden’s Treasury secretary pick could shape U.S. climate politics (CT Mirror)
• Biden is making the case for deficit spending on climate (E&E News)
• Biden eyes infrastructure package to help economic, climate goals (The Hill)
• The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday finalized a rule that allows companies to develop their own methods for testing the energy efficiency of their products (The Hill)
• For Biden’s Economic Team, an Early Focus on Climate (New York Times)

Congressional Action

• Clock ticking on stimulus, spending talks (Politico)
• Analysis: Bipartisan Bill to Spur Building Upgrades Would Cut Energy Costs and Emissions (ACEEE)

COVID-19 Response & Recovery

• The Left and the Climate Crisis After the Pandemic (Jacobin)
• How governors are fighting for clean energy jobs: Clean energy jobs could get the economy back on track and tackle climate change, they say (The Verge)

Week of 11/30/2020

White House Transition

• Biden’s plan for a clean energy revolution and environmental justice
• Biden appoints John Kerry as Climate Envoy for international diplomacy efforts, and is preparing to appoint a Climate Chief for domestic efforts
• Under Biden, NOAA’s profile is set to rise as climate change takes center stage (Washington Post)

Congressional Action

• Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis’ report 
• House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis’ report.
• Senate Gridlock Can’t Stop America’s Clean Energy Revolution: Cities, states and businesses will keep lowering emissions, no matter what happens in Washington. (Bloomberg)