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
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
By Ivan Penn, The New York Times Highlights Even though the renewable energy sector is facing some losses during the coronavirus pandemic, renewables are set to account for nearly 21% of the electricity in the United States, a 3% increase from 2019 Renewables prices have not dropped as much as oil and gas prices during … Read more
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
by Tim McDonnell, Quartz Highlights Failing prices are a hard blow for many of these companies, who need oil prices of at least $30 to be profitable. Stocks that were once over $100 a share are now dipping dramatically and the top largest fracking companies in the US can’t turn a profit. Whiting Petroleum, a … Read more
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
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
by Naveena Sadasivam, Grist Highlights: Clean energy-based investments, known as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds, are performing better than fossil fuel backed investments during the current financial decline. ESG funds were not considered safe investments by naysayers, but the hits taken throughout the year are not nearly as bad as their fossil fuel counterparts $30 … Read more
by Ken Kimmel, President of the Union of Concerned Scientists Highlights Current situation: Federal government response to COVID-19: In Washington DC a bi-partisan effort to help the country cope with COVID-19 is underway. So far, one immediate emergency bill appropriated approximately $8 billion designed to treat and prevent the virus. A second bill has also … Read more
by Tony Barboza, The Los Angeles Times Highlights: As the world shelters-in-place due to the pandemic of COVID-19, greenhouse gas emissions have lowered. However, this reduction in emissions is temporary and emissions will rise again once the pandemic reaches an end: Once self-isolation and quarantines end, more people will travel by car and airplane, ruining … Read more
