Boston Mayor Wu Divests City Funds From Fossil Fuels
"This is a wonderful, wonderful place to start," said environmentalist Bill McKibben.
The measure prohibits public investment in any financial instrument deriving more than 15% of its revenue from fossil fuels, as well as from tobacco products or jail or prison facilities.
"Boston, as a finance hub, is looked to for leadership. By signing this ordinance, Mayor Wu signals that she is serious [and] that Boston is serious" about pursuing climate goals, Mary Cerulli, founder of Climate Finance Action, told the Boston Globe.
Boston is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and is already spending millions of dollars on short-term projects to prevent flooding in its subway system, the oldest in the country.
The ordinance does not apply to the city's pension investments, which are governed by state law. The divestment ordinance is the latest in a growing drumbeat of divestment moves, including by New York City and Harvard University earlier this year.
As reported by the Boston Globe:
At the signing event, U.S. Senator Edward Markey — the author of the federal Green New Deal legislation — said Boston's divestment represents "what a Green New Deal city looks like in the United States."
"Boston is at the center of this dangerous science experiment which is taking place on this planet, with the fossil fuel companies using us as the experiment," Markey said. "What the mayor is signing today is a declaration of independence from the oil, gas, and coal industries."
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At the signing on Monday, activists applauded Boston's move. Activist, author, and educator Bill McKibben, who has led the divestment movement nationally, called Wu's signing of the ordinance transformative — what he said would probably be the first of many decisions that will cement Boston as a leader on climate.
"This is a wonderful, wonderful place to start," McKibben said. "To stand up to power and say: No more. Time now for real change before it gets any later."
For a deeper dive:
Boston Globe, AP, WBUR, WCVB, Boston.com, Local10
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
Climate impacts are constricting supply and driving up prices for numerous key pie ingredients. Alberto Gagliardi / iStock / Getty Images Plus
The Washington Post reports droughts, extreme rainfall, and other climate impacts are constricting supply and driving up prices for numerous key pie ingredients, including the honey necessary for graham cracker crumbs, dairy products like sweetened condensed milk, spring red wheat, and vanilla from Madagascar, which is on the brink of a climate-induced famine and has much more to worry about than pie shortages.
"Every consumer package goods company is feeling it — no matter what their business is," Janis Abbingsole, VP of operations for King Arthur, one of the country's biggest flour companies. "The pressure on the hard red spring wheat is a result of weather and drought conditions. Mother Nature bats last."
As reported by The Washington Post:
For consumers, the impact on the food business means that stocks of seasonal items, from entrees to desserts, are significantly below pre-pandemic times, with meat and pies at the highest risk of being out of stock entirely, according to IRI, a global data provider for retail companies. Food prices are also way up, rising 5.1 percent in October over last year, the fastest rate in years, according to inflation data released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Economists broadly expect that the labor and supply chain disruptions should work themselves out as the pandemic fades, but they say climate and weather impacts will remain major threats to food and a growing number of other industries.
For a deeper dive:
The Washington Post; Climate Signals background: Drought, Extreme precipitation increase
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
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Average Cost of Solar Panels in Arizona: What to Expect (2022)
We break down what the average homeowner pays for solar in Arizona.
Anyone who has spent time in the southwestern U.S., particularly in the deserts of Arizona, would find it no surprise that the region has some of the best natural solar resources in the country. But all the sunshine in the world won't mean anything if the cost of solar panels in Arizona keeps renewable energy out of reach for homeowners across the Grand Canyon State.
From reduced energy bills to shrunken carbon footprints, there are many benefits of going solar. Regardless, for most homeowners, making the switch comes down to one key question: How much do solar panels cost in Arizona?
In this article, we'll discuss the average cost of solar panels in Arizona as well as key information about financing solar, public policies that may incentivize solar installations and more. If you want to see how much solar would cost for your home, specifically, you'll need to get a free quote from a solar installer near you. You can do so using this tool or by filling out the form below.
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in Arizona?
Solar panel costs in Arizona are about on par with the U.S average. Local factors and supply limitations don't hamper Arizona installations or pull prices in either direction. Based on market-based research and data from top solar companies, we've found that the average cost of solar panels in Arizona is $2.61 per watt (the national average is $2.66 per watt).
Of course, solar systems aren't purchased one watt at a time, so what does that price look like in terms of actual installations? Using the state average, for a modestly sized 5-kilowatt (kW) system, the total system cost would be $13,050, but after the federal tax credit is applied, out-of-pocket costs would be lowered to about $9,657.
For larger systems to be installed on homes, businesses, schools or other facilities, average solar power costs break down as follows:
| Size of Solar Panel System | Arizona Solar Panel Cost |
Cost After Federal Tax Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 5kW | $13,050 | $9,657 |
| 6kW | $15,660 | $11,588 |
| 7kW | $18,270 | $13,520 |
| 8kW | $20,880 | $15,451 |
| 9kW | $23,490 | $17,383 |
| 10kW | $26,100 | $19,314 |
The above table provides statewide average prices, but each home solar panel installation will have its own unique characteristics, so costs will vary in actuality.
Some installations will be more straightforward (such as those on a roof that readily faces the sun) while others will be more complicated (such as an irregular-shaped roof or a ground-mounted system), so the actual price for a specific project is best estimated with an installer who can account for your individual needs.
What Determines the Cost of Solar Panels in Arizona?
There are a number of factors that can influence the cost of solar panels in Arizona, including the extent of your home's energy needs and the local incentives you're eligible for. Here are a few other key things that will play into pricing:
Solar Equipment
Not all solar energy systems are alike, and the specific equipment chosen for your project will influence the final cost. Solar panels themselves are seeing lots of research and development, meaning the most efficient solar panels can generate greater amounts of electricity — but they come at a higher cost.
Similarly, things like inverters, solar batteries and the mounting equipment needed to secure the panels to your roof will vary in cost based on the quality of materials and complexity of the install. If you opt for added features like rotating panels or smart technology, your investment will be even more significant. These factors can all be discussed during a free consultation with a solar expert.
Solar Financing
Regardless of the size and quality of the solar system being installed, the total will usually be relatively high upfront. Because of these capital requirements, it's extremely common for customers to finance their solar systems. The type of financing used will not only impact what a customer pays upfront, but it will also affect the length of the customer's solar payback period, or how long it takes to "break even" on the investment.
Here's how the three most common payment options can affect the cost of solar panels in Arizona:
- Cash: For homeowners with the capital available to cover the full price of their solar system, it's smart to pay in full upfront. This is less common because of the aforementioned high price point, but if workable, it results in the lowest overall cost and thus shortens your payback period.
- Loans: If you're unable or unwilling to pay in full, there's the option to take out a simple loan to pay for the solar system. A solar loan can allow you to purchase a more expensive, premium system, but of course, loans come with interest, and that extra cost will eat into your payback period.
- Leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs): Lastly, potential solar customers may opt to work with a solar company that leases panels to homeowners. With this payment method, you don't have to pay upfront costs, but you also don't own the system (and, thus, are ineligible to cash in on tax credits). In the long run, the amount you will save on energy bills will be much lower, but you are also relieved of the burden of paying for the system yourself.
Installation Company
A third factor that really impacts the cost of solar systems for Arizonans is the choice of installation company. The solar industry is booming, and as such, there is no shortage of contractors and installers who will be eager to help you install your residential solar system.
As with any major home improvement project, different installers have their own rates, oftentimes correlated with the quality or even speed of their work, and it's up to the customer to do their homework to evaluate potential installation companies. Simply going with the lowest-cost installation company may not be wise if it isn't reputable, but at the same time, certified local installers may charge lower prices to compete with big-name national installers.
Our best advice is to look at the best solar companies in Arizona, research what deals or specials are available, and talk to neighbors or look at online reviews to find a company that offers you a good price and will deliver the quality of work you need.
Arizona Solar Incentives
Public policy leaders have done a fair job of offering financial incentives that lower the cost of solar in Arizona. Although the state's net metering program was phased out in 2016, there are still a number of tax credits and incentives available to homeowners. These include:
| Arizona Solar Incentive | How it Affects the Cost of Solar Panels in Arizona |
|---|---|
| Arizona solar tax credit | This statewide program allows people who install solar on their homes to be credited 25% of total installation costs (up to $1,000) in the form of a personal income tax reduction. |
| Solar tax exemptions |
The 5.6% of sales tax that's typically charged in Arizona is not applied to the purchase of solar equipment.
Similarly, most upgrades to homes will increase the value of the home, and that value is what is taxed via property taxes. Arizona, however, excludes the value increase from solar panels when evaluating how much property tax you must pay. |
| Local solar incentives | On top of state incentives, numerous towns, cities and counties may have their own incentives to encourage citizens to engage with solar. Because these can vary greatly from one jurisdiction to the next, you should research your area (or call your local representatives) to find out more. |
| Federal solar tax credit | Anyone in the U.S., including Arizona, is able to take advantage of the federal solar investment tax credit, or ITC. For any solar systems installed before the end of 2022, 26% of the cost of the system is available as an income tax credit. |
FAQ: Cost of Solar Panels in Arizona
Is it worth going solar in Arizona?
Yes, it is generally worth going solar in Arizona. Solar panels are a great way to reduce electric bills and carbon emissions for your home or business. Depending on the size and cost of the system, customers who install solar can expect to see a full return on their investment decades before the end of life of the system, turning additional savings into pure profit.
How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves in Arizona?
The average payback period for solar panels is about eight years, and the average lifespan of a system is about 25 years. The payback period can be greater or shorter depending on the size of installation, tax incentives utilized and total cost paid by the customer.
How many solar panels are needed to power a house in Arizona?
The average home needs about 20 to 25 solar panels to offset 100% of energy needs. However, that figure will vary widely based on the energy used by the home, the size and efficiency of the panels, how much shade falls onto the panels from nearby buildings or trees, and other factors.
In November. Montana, communities in and around Absarokee were evacuated as hurricane-force winds fueled a blaze that burned as much as 5,000 acres and was completely uncontained as of Tuesday afternoon. A grass fire in Clark, Wyoming, also burned 300 acres, including multiple structures, and killed at least one person.
The Kruger Rock Fire is forcing evacuations in Estes Park, Colorado near Rocky Mountain National Park. As of Tuesday evening, the fire had incinerated 133 acres and was just 15% contained as strong winds created dangerous conditions and a firefighting plane crashed Tuesday night, killing the pilot.
Climate change, caused by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, is lengthening the fire season. "Maybe 20 years ago we would have definitely been covered in snow by now, and now the snow is coming later and melting sooner," Adam Mahood, a postdoctoral researcher at Earth Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder, told the Daily Camera.
Colorado is increasing its program to use incarcerated people to perform fire prevention and mitigation projects.
For a deeper dive:
Fires: AP; Montana: Billings Gazette: Wyoming: Cody Enterprise, KTVQ; Colorado: Boulder Daily Camera, Earther, CNN, KDVR, CBS, Weather Channel, ABC; Pilot: 9News, KKTV, Coloradoan; Photos: KDVR; Incarcerated labor: KRDO; Climate Signals background: 2021 Western wildfire season
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
- Drought-Stricken Colorado River Basin Could See Additional 20 ... ›
- Interstate water wars are heating up along with the climate ›
The legislation provides $110 billion for roads and bridges, nearly $50 billion to protect communities from the impacts of climate change, $55 billion for water infrastructure including $15 billion for replacing lead pipes, $65 billion to improve the electrical grid, $39 billion for public transit, $25 billion for airports, $7.5 billion for EV charging stations, and $5 billion for hybrid and electric school buses.
Nearly all school buses currently run on diesel, exposing children whose lungs are particularly susceptible to air pollution to exhaust fumes, likely the most polluted air they'll breathe all day, and dumping more than 5 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year. The law also includes nearly $5 billion to begin to plug, cap, and clean up orphaned oil and gas wells that leak planet-heating methane and other pollutants.
The law aims to end the use of infrastructure projects like highways and bridges as instruments of racism, but some worry the law gives states unconcerned with equity considerations too much control. "A fundamental part of this program has always been to have the feds raise money, hand it over to the states and cross our fingers," Beth Osborne, who was an acting assistant secretary in the Transportation Department during the Obama administration, told The New York Times.
The law contains just a small fraction of the spending to cut American climate pollution included in the Build Back Better Act, which Democrats are hoping to pass before Thanksgiving.
For a deeper dive:
Infrastructure law: AP, NPR, Reuters, Thomson Reuters Foundation, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal; School buses: TIME; Orphaned Wells: High Country News, Grist, New Mexico Political Report, Bradford Era, Centre Daily Times; Environmental justice: The New York Times; Build Back Better: E&E News, The Hill
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
- House Passes $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill. Will Build Back Better ... ›
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The 26th meeting of the UN climate talks was finally gavelled on Saturday evening in Glasgow, after more than two weeks of intense negotiations.
The Glasgow Climate Pact secured a 2023 timeline for countries to resubmit their national emissions-reduction targets to be more aligned with 1.5°C (2.7°F) of warming, and made an unprecedented mention of fossil fuels and recognition of the need for Just Transition.
Agreement was also reached on carbon markets, with major loopholes closed but still susceptible to bad-faith actors. The U.S., EU, Australia, and other wealthy nations blocked the creation of a fund to compensate vulnerable nations for irreparable loss and damage caused by climate change, tabling it for more discussion next year at COP27, but the issue — long a priority for developing low-emitting nations, some literally disappearing beneath rising seas, least culpable for the climate crisis — got more attention at COP26 than at previous UN talks.
As reported by The Washington Post:
Two weeks of high-profile talks yielded a package that pushes countries to strengthen near-term climate targets and move away from fossil fuels faster. It insists that wealthy countries fulfill a broken promise to help vulnerable nations cope with the rising costs of climate change. And it cracks open the door to future payments developed nations might make for damage already done.
Saturday's agreement, however, does not achieve the most ambitious goal of the 2015 Paris accord — to limit Earth's warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. Instead, delegations left Glasgow with the Earth still on track to blow past that threshold, pushing toward a future of escalating weather crises and irreversible damage to the natural world.
And representatives from hard-hit nations feared that the deal still leaves their people facing an existential threat.
"The difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees is a death sentence for us," Aminath Shauna, the Maldives' minister of environment, climate change and technology, told the summit. "What is balanced and pragmatic to other parties will not help the Maldives adapt in time. It will be too late."
Organizers acknowledged that the hard-fought agreement doesn't go nearly far enough. But they argued that the progress made here creates a road map to a safer future and "keeps 1.5 alive."
"We're all well aware that, collectively, our climate ambition and action to date have fallen short on the promises made in Paris," Alok Sharma, the British minister of state and president of the Glasgow talks, told delegates Saturday.
For a deeper dive:
Final agreement: The Washington Post, AP, The Guardian, Buzzfeed, Reuters Factbox, Climate Home, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters, Axios, CNN, TIME, Grist, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg, FT, FT, POLITICO EU, The Hill, NPR, CNBC, The New York Times, InsideClimate News, AP, Reuters, Yale Environment 360, Vox, The Guardian, The New York Times; Fossil Fuels: NPR; Loopholes and Carbon Markets: Gizmodo, Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Gizmodo, Reuters, S&P Global; Loss and damage: Thomson Reuters Foundation, E&E News, Climate Home, Reuters, POLITICO EU
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
- Campaigners Rip New COP26 Draft as a 'Polite Request' for Climate ... ›
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Led by Costa Rica and Denmark, the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) was joined by France, Greenland, Ireland, Sweden, Wales, and the Canadian province of Quebec. California and New Zealand, signing on as associate members, committed to taking "concrete steps'' to reduce oil and gas extraction.
The extraction and combustion of fossil fuels like oil and gas are the main driver of climate change.
"My own country Denmark, when we made the decision in 2019, we were the biggest oil producer in the EU," Danish Climate Minister Dan Jørgensen told Earther. "Other countries on the list have substantial production. And we need to look at the reserves; Greenland has huge reserves. It's not without meaning. Having said all that, this is the first step."
Jørgensen also said BOGA was in "close dialogue" with Scotland, where most UK oil and gas extraction is located, according to the Financial Times.
For a deeper dive:
E&E News, Earther, Reuters, EuroNews, National Observer, Business Green, FT, Grist, Climate Home, Energy Monitor
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
U.S. and China Announce Surprise Climate Agreement at COP26
The agreement was light on details but significant nonetheless.
The agreement was light on details but was significant nonetheless, and seen as a potentially positive signal of U.S.-China relations. The two countries will take "enhanced climate actions" and "raise ambition in the 2020s" toward keeping the global warming limits central to the Paris Agreement "within reach."
The agreement also, for the first time, includes a Chinese commitment to develop a "national plan" to cut methane pollution. China is the world's largest methane polluter and has so far refused to sign on to the U.S. and EU-backed Global Methane Pledge.
The agreement resembles, but is far less substantial than, a deal brokered by the same lead negotiators — China's top climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and then Secretary of State John Kerry — in 2014 that laid the groundwork for the Paris Agreement the next year.
Chinese president Xi Jinping and President Biden will meet virtually next week, reportedly Monday evening, the countries confirmed earlier this week.
As reported by The Washington Post:
"The United States and China have no shortage of differences," U.S. special climate envoy John F. Kerry said in announcing the agreement Wednesday evening. "But on climate, cooperation is the only way to get this job done."
The United States and China, plus other major emitters such as the European Union, have come under fire in recent days for not yet delivering on some of the lofty rhetoric their leaders showcased last week.
But many leaders have demonstrated a willingness during COP26 to go further than they have before, as shown by a new draft of the agreement conference president Alok Sharma released barely 12 hours before the U.S.-China declaration came out.
The draft, which Sharma said he hoped would be signed by the end of the week, proposed a breakthrough not seen in three decades of U.N. climate negotiations: an explicit acknowledgment that nations must phase out coal burning faster and stop subsidizing fossil fuels.
"It's fossil fuels that cause climate change," said Mohamed Adow, director of the Kenya-based think tank Power Shift Africa. "Explicitly mentioning it gets on the path to addressing it."
For a deeper dive:
The Washington Post, The New York Times, PBS, Axios, Reuters, The New York Times, CNN, Climate Home, Sydney Morning Herald, CNBC, AP, Bloomberg, POLITICO, The Hill, POLITICO Pro; Chinese Methane: Bloomberg; Global Methane Pledge: Bloomberg; Biden-Xi meeting: POLITICO, Bloomberg, South China Morning Post, Reuters; Commentary: Bloomberg, David Fickling column
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
- U.S., China Announce Climate Actions at UN General Assembly ... ›
- U.S. Doesn't Sign Pact to Quit Coal at COP26 - EcoWatch ›
- COP26 Ends With Climate Action Falling 'Short on the Promises Made in Paris' - EcoWatch ›
Fossil Fuel Industry Has Largest Representation at COP26 With More Than 500 Delegates
The largest delegation at COP26 represents the fossil fuel industry that profits from the climate crisis, according to an analysis from Global Witness.
More than 500 lobbyists from over 100 fossil fuel companies are in Glasgow. There are more fossil fuel lobbyists at COP26 than there are delegates from Puerto Rico, Myanmar, Haiti, the Philippines, Mozambique, the Bahamas, Bangladesh and Pakistan — combined — and more than double the official Indigenous constituency.
Meanwhile civil society groups have been largely excluded from the talks. Activists also sharply criticized a leaked decision text draft for failing to mention fossil fuels or the need to stop burning them.
As reported by The Washington Post:
The United States sent 165 delegates, including former president Barack Obama, who was attending events on Monday. The United Kingdom sent 230.
Murray Worthy, the gas campaign leader at Global Witness, said the "presence of hundreds of those being paid to push the toxic interests of polluting fossil fuel companies will only increase the skepticism of climate activists who see these talks as more evidence of global leaders' dithering and delaying."
The group said its analysis found that some of the delegates with links to fossil fuel interests were parts of official country designations from Canada, Russia and Brazil. The researchers said that over 100 fossil fuel companies were represented at COP26, including Royal Dutch Shell, Gazprom and BP, as well as 30 trade associations and membership organizations.
For a deeper dive:
Fossil fuel delegation: The Washington Post, BBC, CNN, Democracy Now, Earther; Civil society exclusion: The Guardian; Draft text: The Hill
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
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House Passes $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill. Will Build Back Better Act Follow?
The bill includes few measures to cut the greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change, but includes substantial funding for adapting and building resilience to its impacts. The legislation includes $15 billion for flood control, mitigation and assistance and $100 million to help Indigenous communities relocate as their homes are inundated by sea-level rise.
It also includes $65 billion for grid upgrades, $39 billion for public transit, $5 billion for EV chargers, and $2.5 billion for electric school buses — as well as $110 billion for roads, bridges, and other projects, and $18 billion in loan guarantees for for a methane gas export terminal in Alaska, as well as $4.7 billion to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells which spew heat-trapping methane into the atmosphere.
The House did not pass the $1.75 Build Back Better Act, which includes more climate and social spending measures, but Democratic Senators were touting the House passage in Glasgow on Saturday as evidence that progress on that legislation would come soon.
As reported by Grist:
It's worth remembering that the green spending in this bill was much higher before a bipartisan group of senators negotiated it from its original, $2 trillion size to a punier $1 trillion version. Total funding for electric vehicles was slashed 90 percent, funding for clean energy tax credits cut out entirely, the list goes on.
Patrick Gaspard, the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, praised the passage of the infrastructure bill while calling on Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act. "While today we take a significant step forward, no thriving 21st-century economy can sustain the social and economic injustices and inefficiencies of centuries past, nor can they look the other way in the face of fundamental threats like climate change," Gaspard said in a statement. "The only way for Congress to redress these wrongs is to send both of these bills to the president's desk."
For a deeper dive:
AP, Grist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Black Wall Street Times, POLITICO, NPR, Bloomberg; Senators in Glasgow: Gizmodo
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
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- Who Is the World's Greatest Climate Champion? - EcoWatch ›
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U.S. Doesn't Sign Pact to Quit Coal at COP26
American officials abstained from the agreement, The New York Times reports, out of a fear of angering West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.
The agreement includes 23 new countries signing on to a promise to stop building new coal plants, including some of the world's largest coal users. "The end of coal is in sight," said COP President Alok Sharma.
The United States did not sign the pledge, however, nor did China, India, or Australia. The text of the pledge, the Financial Times reported, said signatories would cease burning coal in the 2030s "or as soon as possible thereafter" — a substantial delay compared to the original goal of 2030.
American officials abstained from the agreement, The New York Times reports, out of a fear of angering West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin III, who receives income from the coal brokerage he founded and his son continues to run.
For a deeper dive:
FT, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Reuters, Canary Media, CNBC, Reuters, WBUR, NPR
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
- 'Test for Humanity': What's at Stake at COP26? - EcoWatch ›
- World Leaders Pledge $400 Billion to Boost Clean Energy and ... ›
- U.S. and China Announce Surprise Climate Agreement at COP26 - EcoWatch ›
Youth climate activists ended their two-week hunger strike Tuesday.
"We are ending our hunger strike to bring the fire to Joe Manchin and other folks in Congress that are more willing to fight for oil and gas billionaires and not for the young people and their communities," Kidus Girma, 26, said in a video on Twitter.
The five youth inspired more than 250 to fast in solidarity and took an extreme toll on their bodies and doctors warned they risked permanent damage. Paul Campion, 24, ended his strike earlier this week after being hospitalized with bradycardia, a condition in which the heart beats extremely slowly.
As reported by The Washington Post:
In recent days, the U.N. global climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, has tried to advance conversations about the climate crisis and draw important commitments from world leaders.
But for two weeks, in the nation's capital, five young people did more than just toss out words and promises. They put their health on the line, starving themselves in hope that their actions would push others to act. After preparing their bodies to go without food, they launched a hunger strike outside the White House on Oct. 20 and vowed not to end it until President Biden and other Democratic lawmakers delivered climate policy that matched "the urgency and the scale" of the crisis.
Unfortunately but not surprisingly, the pace of politics moved slower than the pace of their bodies' decline.
On Tuesday, two weeks into the hunger strike, the group was forced to end it. The decision, as they describe it, was not an easy one and came only after they faced serious health scares and warnings about the potential repercussions of continuing.
14 days ago, we stopped eating. We told @POTUS that our survival depended on his commitment to climate action. \n\nThis morning, he promised a 50% decrease in emissions by 2030. \n\nToday, we end our strike. But our survival still depends on Joe Biden and other Democrats like him.pic.twitter.com/ZQlsy4BdA8— Hunger Strike 4 Climate Justice (@Hunger Strike 4 Climate Justice) 1635881433
For a deeper dive:
HuffPost, The Washington Post, Press Democrat, Texas Monthly; Solidarity: National Catholic Reporter
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.
- After Manchin nixes clean energy budget provision, youth climate ... ›
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An extensive analysis by ProPublica reveals a detailed map of more than 1,000 American communities that are hotspots for carcinogenic air pollution.
The worst three are in Louisiana's "Cancer Alley," five of the top 20 are in Texas, and predominantly Black areas experience double the cancer risk of white areas.
"Go read this investigation on the toxic air crisis plaguing American communities," the Verge wrote of ProPublica's investigation.
As reported by The Verge:
The ProPublica investigation underscored weaknesses in how the EPA regulates air pollution. While the agency strictly regulates "criteria" air pollutants like particulate matter, it doesn't set limits on emissions of over 180 so-called hazardous air pollutants. And instead of tracking the cumulative emissions of dangerous chemicals in each area, it looks at pollution like refineries and shipyards one by one — an approach that underestimates the extent to which people living around multiple chemical plants are exposed to toxic air.
"The public is going to learn that EPA allows a hell of a lot of pollution to occur that the public does not think is occurring," Wayne Davis, an environmental scientist who used to work at the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, told ProPublica.
New: Using the EPA\u2019s data, we mapped the spread of cancer-causing industrial air emissions down to the neighborhood level. Look up your home to see if you and your loved ones are living in a hot spot.https://propub.li/3EwZmSe— ProPublica (@ProPublica) 1635843794
For a deeper dive:
For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.