| Post

Gov. Newsom leads on public health, except when it comes to the oil industry

Fracking rig operates next to a walking and bike way for residents of Signal Hill drilling into the Los Angeles Oil Field. Photo by Sarah Craig.

By Rosanna Esparza and Ashley Hernandez, The Sacramento Bee ACTION ALERT: Send Governor Newsom a message now to reverse his decision and halt fracking. Highlights California Governor Gavin Newsom approved 24 new fracking permits for the state in the midst of shelter-at-home mandates as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. Though Newsom is doing great at … Read more

| Post

Trump’s move to suspend enforcement of environmental laws is a lifeline to the oil industry

By Marianne Levelle, Inside Climate News Highlights The Trump administration suspended U.S. environmental laws due to calls for help from the American Petroleum Institute. The suspension of the rules will ultimately lead to more pollution, making more people in frontline communities susceptible to health risks, including COVID-19.  The Environmental Protection Agency announced a policy that … Read more

| Post

Air pollution linked to far higher Covid-19 death rates, Harvard study finds

by Damian Carrington, The Guardian Highlights New research from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health suggests that air pollution is linked to higher death rates for people that have contracted COVID-19 compared to those living in areas with cleaner air. Living in a polluted city in the past has an effect on death … Read more

| Post

UBS says investors should prefer green bonds over regular debt

By David Caleb Mutua, Bloomberg Highlights According to UBS Global Wealth’s head of credit, Thomas Wacker, sustainable bonds are a “defensive opportunity” that credit investors should favor over non-green, investment-grade corporate notes The fossil fuel industry has no presence in the green bond market and are feeling the impacts of the turning economy due to … Read more

| Post

Unexpected surge in methane emissions has scientists worried

from Climate Nexus Highlights There is a noticeable global surge in methane emissions with the U.S. accounting for the largest source of growth.  If this trend continues, all progress made towards reaching Paris Agreement climate goals will be lost.  Though tropical wetlands may play a role, scientists agree that large methane emissions are from the … Read more

| Post

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – March 27, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 disruption, the legislature has gone into recess until April 13 at the earliest. While the legislature is on recess, The Climate Center continues to analyze the bills that were introduced in February, and is in the process of determining positions on many of them. Below are several, but not all, of … Read more

| Post

U.S. fracking giants prepare for repeat of 2016 collapse, expect little help from Wall Street

by David Wethe, Bloomberg Highlights: Major fracking companies are expecting to crash and don’t anticipate receiving financial help from Wall Street, potentially paving the way for more renewable energy projects. Though drilling rig numbers have dropped in the past, the current decline could come much faster this time according to fracking giant Schlumberger Ltd. Halliburton, … Read more