When President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord in 2017, pundits speculated about who would step in to fill the leadership void.Many said it would be which had become the world’s biggest greenhouse gas polluter, but was rapidly deploying renewable energy and was eager to reduce the thick pollution choking its cities. Others predicted it would be states, cities, and businesses, which promised to step into the breach, with “” as their rallying cry.Four years later, it is clear that while China ramped up clean technology and so-called “sub-national” actors...…When President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord in 2017, pundits speculated about who would step in to fill the leadership void.Many said it would be which had become the world’s biggest greenhouse gas polluter, but was rapidly deploying renewable energy and was eager to reduce the thick pollution choking its cities. Others predicted it would be states, cities, and businesses, which promised to step into the breach, with “” as their rallying cry.Four years later, it is clear that while China ramped up clean technology and so-called “sub-national” actors...WW…

The largest U.S. oil industry trade group is considering an endorsement of carbon taxes for the first time. But the biggest news may be how little that is likely to matter, as U.S. climate policy moves decisively in an entirely different direction.The American Petroleum Institute confirmed that its member companies are trying to arrive at a consensus about carbon pricing—a position that almost certainly will involve trade-offs, including less government regulation, in exchange for the industry’s support of taxes or fees.Economists have long favored making fossil fuels more expensive by...…The largest U.S. oil industry trade group is considering an endorsement of carbon taxes for the first time. But the biggest news may be how little that is likely to matter, as U.S. climate policy moves decisively in an entirely different direction.The American Petroleum Institute confirmed that its member companies are trying to arrive at a consensus about carbon pricing—a position that almost certainly will involve trade-offs, including less government regulation, in exchange for the industry’s support of taxes or fees.Economists have long favored making fossil fuels more expensive by...WW…

As global banking giants and investment firms vow to divest from polluting energy companies, they’re continuing to bankroll another major driver of the climate crisis: food and farming corporations that are responsible, directly or indirectly, for forests and spewing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. These agricultural investments, largely unnoticed and unchecked, represent a potentially catastrophic blind spot.“Animal protein and even dairy is likely, and already has started to become, the new oil and gas,” said Bruno Sarda, the former North America president of CDP, a...…As global banking giants and investment firms vow to divest from polluting energy companies, they’re continuing to bankroll another major driver of the climate crisis: food and farming corporations that are responsible, directly or indirectly, for forests and spewing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. These agricultural investments, largely unnoticed and unchecked, represent a potentially catastrophic blind spot.“Animal protein and even dairy is likely, and already has started to become, the new oil and gas,” said Bruno Sarda, the former North America president of CDP, a...WW…

The Trump administration didn’t put much value on lowering carbon emissions.In fact, it calculated that the benefits of action on climate change added up to as little as $1 per ton of carbon dioxide, and it set policy accordingly. Almost any steps to reduce greenhouse gases seemed too costly, given the paltry potential gain for society.President Joe Biden’s White House took a crucial first step toward building back U.S. climate policy on Friday by to use a figure closer to $52 per ton as their guidance for the so-called “social cost of carbon” number on a temporary basis.That figure,...…The Trump administration didn’t put much value on lowering carbon emissions.In fact, it calculated that the benefits of action on climate change added up to as little as $1 per ton of carbon dioxide, and it set policy accordingly. Almost any steps to reduce greenhouse gases seemed too costly, given the paltry potential gain for society.President Joe Biden’s White House took a crucial first step toward building back U.S. climate policy on Friday by to use a figure closer to $52 per ton as their guidance for the so-called “social cost of carbon” number on a temporary basis.That figure,...WW…