ClimateWire News
State climate fights to watch in the new year
Three interrelated trends — growing energy demand, rising costs and worsening climate impacts — will shape statehouse action in 2025.
Florida offered wind-safety grants to condos. They sold out in 5 days.
The "My Safe Florida Condo" program is the first state effort to help condominium associations protect buildings from hurricane winds.
Citi and Bank of America say they’re leaving global climate-banking alliance
The move comes amid pressure by Republican lawmakers.
UAE companies will start tracking and reporting carbon emissions
The United Arab Emirates is the first Middle Eastern nation to mandate climate disclosure.
Drought, fires, deforestation battered Amazon rainforest in 2024
A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005.
Wild weather in the UK disrupts New Year’s events
Holiday celebrations including a bathtub race were canceled due to dangerous conditions.
Is it time to talk seriously about geoengineering?
Advocates say there’s a growing ethical obligation for researchers to explore alternative solutions to climate change.
Possible Trump OSHA pick thwarted heat enforcement
Heather MacDougall vacated OSHA citations in Trump’s first term. Her nomination could collide with agency efforts to shield workers from extreme heat.
How Argentinian president’s reg killing inspired DOGE
Elon Musk has applauded Javier Milei’s progress in “deleting entire departments” of the Argentinian government.
They quit a council to improve carbon markets. Now they’re skeptics.
Two European scientists who tried to make the voluntary carbon market more credible found problems with “industry-led self-regulation.”
Biden is urged to release insurers’ climate data before leaving office
Treasury is doing an unprecedented analysis of climate change and property insurance. Advocates want the information before Trump takes power.
New York poised to move forward with multibillion-dollar climate program
Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to forge ahead with a cap-and-trade-style policy to charge for emissions.
Miccosukees fight to help Everglades from climate change
The tribe says decades of massive engineering projects for development and agriculture have devastated the ecosystem that’s sustained them.
Walmart expects to miss climate targets as green challenges mount
Previous pledges to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 and 35 percent by 2025 are probably not achievable.
Wells Fargo says it’s quitting world’s largest climate-banking group
Financial companies have been under increasing pressure from Republicans who have filed lawsuits related to the industry’s efforts to address climate change.
Trump OMB pick slowed aid to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria
Russell Vought had a “significant” role in creating obstacles to federal disaster aid and antagonized HUD leaders, an investigation found.
DOE tries to unload $1.8B for carbon removal as Trump looms
The Department of Energy is soliciting applications for direct air capture facilities.
SBA has no money for disaster loans. A shutdown would keep applicants in limbo.
The Small Business Administration has not acted on $1.5 billion in disaster loan applications since it ran out of funding, an analysis shows.
Florida launches AI-based emergency broadcast system
The initiative could help reach people in places lacking access to local news sources.
House Republican to OSHA: Drop worker heat protections
The chair of the Education and Workforce Committee argued the rule would threaten businesses and is overly protective.