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Three wins that came out of COP28, the U.N. Climate Conference, that you may have missed.

Statement from Curt Stokes, senior attorney for Environmental Defense Fund

Results were released today for Washington’s fourth quarterly cap-and-invest auction, which was held on December 6th. The results from this sold-out auction show continued strong demand for allowances in the program, which has brought in substantial revenue for the state of Washington to reinvest in its communities. This is the final auction of 2023, marking …

COP28 laid an important foundation and some direction on where countries, industry and civil society need to accelerate climate action. But the work following COP28 will require monumental ramp-up in ambition and collaboration to address the climate crisis. We hoped the final agreement would have given countries stronger direction toward a just and equitable transition to clean energy, including realizing the full potential of methane reductions to slow the rate of warming in the near term.  

Working alongside the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), U.S. Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL) and Mike Levin (D-CA) yesterday introduced the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration (CETA) Act, which would address some of the most urgent issues in advancing the clean energy transition. This bill will encourage the development of new transmission lines to carry renewable power where it’s needed while protecting the rights of communities to provide input on where lines are built and to benefit from their construction.

Last week, EPA Administrator Regan announced final standards to cut methane and harmful local air pollution from both new and existing facilities in the oil and gas industry.   Diverse stakeholders ranging from major oil-producing states like New Mexico to tribal air agencies to oil and gas producers and methane mitigation companies have all voiced support …

In the last few years, North Carolinians have seen eye-popping electricity bills. Bill increase after bill increase has compounded, resulting in 20+ percent higher monthly bills for most ratepayers in our state. The main driver? The volatile cost of natural gas, which accounts for a larger and larger portion of the energy mix that North …

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) reintroduced the Clean Competition Act, which aims to reduce industrial climate pollution while strengthening the competitiveness of clean U.S. manufacturing through new incentives.

(This post was written by EDF interns Cyera Charles and Remeny White) Across the U.S. states are passing laws that will ensure greater equity as we transition to a clean energy system. EDF has developed an interactive map – based on our new report, the State Climate Equity Survey – that documents states’ efforts to …

In an order issued today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear challenges to EPA’s Clean Air Act responsibility to address climate pollution.

Deepening patterns of water scarcity and excess pose a growing threat to agriculture across much of the United States according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund.

Concrete and cement are parts of our everyday lives, from sidewalks to bridges and schools, but their production contributes significantly to overheating the planet. We must find solutions for energy-intensive industries like these to reduce their climate pollution.

Water has finally reached the highest levels of global climate negotiations. The path to a sustainable freshwater future, however, lies with ground-level users. At COP 28, EDF is elevating their voices, their needs and the approaches they find most useful. _______ While greenhouse gases drive climate change, many of its impacts are inherently liquid. Whether …

Getting lead out of gasoline was a major public health victory. Yet half of American children under 6 tested between 2018 and 2020 still have detectable levels of lead in their blood, underscoring the need to get lead out of everything. 

Environmental Defense Fund and almost six dozen other health, environmental and public interest groups are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to protect people from dangerous air pollution caused by producing hydrogen with fossil fuels.

Panel will discuss emerging science and policy considerations for this critical ecosystem

The EPA’s new rules to reduce methane emissions from the nation’s oil and gas industry could be a climate game changer.

What’s New? EPA has proposed improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) to reduce lead in drinking water. The proposed rule would require utilities to eliminate the nation’s roughly 9.2 million lead service lines (LSLs) at an estimated cost of $2.1 to $2.9 billion per year.1 The socioeconomic benefits from the rule vastly outweigh …

Get out of your car, get into my dreams. New York City's congestion pricing plan promises better transit, less gridlock and cleaner air. 

By Istvan Bart, Climate Director Last week, Virgin Atlantic became the first commercial airline to fly across the Atlantic ocean using 100% sustainable aviation fuels , demonstrating the incredible potential of clean, alternative fuels for flight. We need more planes flying on SAF, because if aviation were a country, it would be one of the …

The world is gathered in Dubai for the 28th Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework for Climate Change Convention, otherwise known as COP28. Over a two-week span, government delegations come together to negotiate what actions the world needs to take to achieve a future under 1.5 degrees. This will set the tone …

New emissions analysis from EDF, which uses 2023 projections from Rhodium Group, assesses the collective impact that U.S. states with climate commitments could have and how far they need to go to reach their own targets.

This blog was authored by Holly Pearen, Lead Counsel for People & Nature at the Environmental Defense Fund. Proposed Guidance from Financial Market Regulators Could Improve Integrity and Transparency in the Voluntary Carbon Market Many of the world’s largest companies have committed to net zero, and high-quality carbon credits are increasingly seen as a key tool …

EDF response to new proposal to regulate methane emissions from Canada's oil and gas industry

Methane is the big news out of this year’s climate conference in Dubai. EDF scientist Dr. Ilissa Ocko, who has studied methane’s impact on the climate for more than a decade, offers her top 10 "greatest hits" for evaluating methane’s role in climate change.