Investments into clean-energy technologies totaled more than $500 billion for the first time ever, according to a BloombergNEF report released Tuesday. Why it matters: Technologies making energy and other material cleaner needs to expand rapidly if the world is to adequately address climate change in the coming decades. Where it stands: If this sounds familiar, that's because it is. By the numbers: Global investment in the low-carbon energy transition was $501.3 billion in 2020, up 9% from 2019 despite the pandemic driving the world into a recession.Yes, but: The report also reflects...…Investments into clean-energy technologies totaled more than $500 billion for the first time ever, according to a BloombergNEF report released Tuesday. Why it matters: Technologies making energy and other material cleaner needs to expand rapidly if the world is to adequately address climate change in the coming decades. Where it stands: If this sounds familiar, that's because it is. By the numbers: Global investment in the low-carbon energy transition was $501.3 billion in 2020, up 9% from 2019 despite the pandemic driving the world into a recession.Yes, but: The report also reflects...WW…

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosIn the four years since the U.S. federal government last paid serious attention to climate change, the problem has become a top priority across states and corporations.Why it matters: Washington, D.C. isn't the only place, or even the most important place, where meaningful climate change action is likely to happen in the coming years.Where it stands: President-elect Joe Biden will attempt to force some changes at the federal level, but he's also expected to lean on states to show America’s progress on the global stage. Meanwhile, companies’ rhetoric on...…Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosIn the four years since the U.S. federal government last paid serious attention to climate change, the problem has become a top priority across states and corporations.Why it matters: Washington, D.C. isn't the only place, or even the most important place, where meaningful climate change action is likely to happen in the coming years.Where it stands: President-elect Joe Biden will attempt to force some changes at the federal level, but he's also expected to lean on states to show America’s progress on the global stage. Meanwhile, companies’ rhetoric on...WW…

Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photo: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Joshua Roberts/Getty ImagesJoe Biden wants to go big on climate change and big on unions. Elon Musk leads on the former but lags on the latter.Why it matters: Musk isn’t uniquely averse to unions, but Tesla is considered a leader on the type of new technologies needed to tackle climate change. Musk’s leadership ethos could be in the crosshairs if Biden becomes president and follows through on his campaign vows.Catch up fast: Biden’s calls for renewable energy to largely replace oil, natural...…Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photo: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Joshua Roberts/Getty ImagesJoe Biden wants to go big on climate change and big on unions. Elon Musk leads on the former but lags on the latter.Why it matters: Musk isn’t uniquely averse to unions, but Tesla is considered a leader on the type of new technologies needed to tackle climate change. Musk’s leadership ethos could be in the crosshairs if Biden becomes president and follows through on his campaign vows.Catch up fast: Biden’s calls for renewable energy to largely replace oil, natural...WW…

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosThe Trump administration recently touted its approval of America’s first terminal on the West Coast to export liquefied natural gas. There’s just one problem: It probably won’t be built.Why it matters: The project in southern Oregon faces political and business hurdles serious enough that those who are following it say it will be shelved. Its problems embody facing a once-promising sector that's now struggling under the weight of the pandemic and more.What they’re saying: “It’s not going to be built,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) told Axios in a recent...…Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosThe Trump administration recently touted its approval of America’s first terminal on the West Coast to export liquefied natural gas. There’s just one problem: It probably won’t be built.Why it matters: The project in southern Oregon faces political and business hurdles serious enough that those who are following it say it will be shelved. Its problems embody facing a once-promising sector that's now struggling under the weight of the pandemic and more.What they’re saying: “It’s not going to be built,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) told Axios in a recent...WW…

Let’s hark back to the childhood game of musical chairs to talk about fossil fuels and climate change (yes really!). My thought bubble: The world’s oil, natural gas and coal producers are, metaphorically speaking, encircling a bunch of chairs, and as the world tightens its grip on heat-trapping emissions, the use of these fuels drops — and so does the number of chairs. The big picture: These companies make products we all demand — usually without noticing — when we flip on the light switch, fill up our car’s tank or open up a plastic-wrapped package. Wind and solar are growing rapidly,...…Let’s hark back to the childhood game of musical chairs to talk about fossil fuels and climate change (yes really!). My thought bubble: The world’s oil, natural gas and coal producers are, metaphorically speaking, encircling a bunch of chairs, and as the world tightens its grip on heat-trapping emissions, the use of these fuels drops — and so does the number of chairs. The big picture: These companies make products we all demand — usually without noticing — when we flip on the light switch, fill up our car’s tank or open up a plastic-wrapped package. Wind and solar are growing rapidly,...WW…

Photo illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios. Photos: Win McNamee/Getty ImagesBreaking from other progressives, Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling to build a natural gas pipeline to serve an impoverished community near Chicago.Why it matters: This is one example of between energy affordability and tackling climate change. The tension is poised to grow as America and much of the world careen into pandemic-fueled recessions.Driving the news: The move puts Jackson at odds with some Democrats and environmentalists who oppose fossil fuels because they drive climate change. The famous civil rights...…Photo illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios. Photos: Win McNamee/Getty ImagesBreaking from other progressives, Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling to build a natural gas pipeline to serve an impoverished community near Chicago.Why it matters: This is one example of between energy affordability and tackling climate change. The tension is poised to grow as America and much of the world careen into pandemic-fueled recessions.Driving the news: The move puts Jackson at odds with some Democrats and environmentalists who oppose fossil fuels because they drive climate change. The famous civil rights...WW…

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/AxiosEconomists, investors and environmentalists are calling on the United States — and the world — to inject big clean energy and climate policy into recovery plans.Reality check: Such prospects face uphill battles almost everywhere, and especially in the United States, where proponents are on defense while the Trump administration and lawmakers are in crisis mode.The big picture: It’s not just environmentalists clamoring for a green economic recovery. The , the and a broad swath and corporate executives are calling for a range of clean-energy policies as...…Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/AxiosEconomists, investors and environmentalists are calling on the United States — and the world — to inject big clean energy and climate policy into recovery plans.Reality check: Such prospects face uphill battles almost everywhere, and especially in the United States, where proponents are on defense while the Trump administration and lawmakers are in crisis mode.The big picture: It’s not just environmentalists clamoring for a green economic recovery. The , the and a broad swath and corporate executives are calling for a range of clean-energy policies as...WW…