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Evelyn Garcia has had asthma for as long as she can remember. And she has always been aware of the effect the problematic air quality near her Pasadena, Texas, home has on her and others who have grown up in the area. The March 2019 fires at Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) in Deer Park caused …

Last month, the city of Houston announced the formation of EVolve Houston, a partnership focused on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, slashing transportation-related emissions and delivering cleaner air for the region. Considering Houston has some of the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the country and nearly half of these emissions come from …

Texas’ Permian Basin isn’t just the site of the world’s biggest oil boom. It’s also the source of one of the country’s most unnecessary wastes of energy and associated air pollution. The burning off (flaring) and intentional release (venting) of natural gas has proven to be a black eye Permian producers can’t shake. A previous …

Water scarcity is a challenge facing many Texas communities, and it’s encouraging to see how many state leaders are proactively exploring solutions to our growing water needs. This has brought the oil and gas industry and the massive volumes of water it uses and produces each year into the conversation. One positive opportunity area exists …

Last summer, Texas’ electric grid was put to the test by scorching temperatures that sent power demand soaring and raised the specter of potential brownouts. Thankfully, the grid did what it was designed to do and pulled through without any major issues. This week, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas released its projection for how …

As Texans contend with the threat of the COVID-19 virus and an economic downturn, the state’s Public Utility Commission has adopted a proposal to prevent customers from having their power shut off in the midst of the current crisis. Chairman DeAnn Walker initially put forward a set of policies on Tuesday to protect the state’s …

Ananya Roy, Senior Health Scientist; Rachel Fullmer, Senior Attorney; Jeremy Proville, Director; Grace Tee Lewis, Health Scientist The Trump administration’s disregard for science has been clear in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not the only health threat they’re making worse by ignoring overwhelming scientific evidence. For three years the administration has systematically …

This post was co-authored by Alexander Golub, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Science at American University. Shutterstock For companies that are large emitters of greenhouse gases, uncertainty about policies to address climate change can be a real challenge. But our new paper in the journal Energy shows how companies that invest now in a novel approach to climate mitigation could …

This post, co-authored with Maureen Lackner, originally appeared on Voices. Cities, states and businesses are still feeling the shock. The coronavirus has stolen more than 138,000 lives and obliterated budgets. Had the U.S. better prepared for the fallout, some of the impacts would have been less severe. Countries in Asia, for example, accustomed to managing …

Earlier this month, EDF’s Office of Chief Economist hosted a virtual fireside chat with Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice and Founding Director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and Marianne Kah, an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar and Advisory Board member at the Center. Prior to joining Columbia, Bordoff had served in the …

New research building on Nobel Prize winner Nordhaus’ past contributions shows reaching UN climate targets is a good investment for the planet Two years ago William Nordhaus was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering work on “integrated assessment modeling” (IAM) and his Dynamic Integrated model of Climate and the Economy (DICE)—a framework …

Strong emissions trading system prices encourage and facilitate climate action but also reflect private sector confidence in governments’ commitments to long-term transformation. Every evening in my Brooklyn neighborhood we come out onto our stoops with our children, dogs, bells, horns and pots (my contribution – inspired by the Colombian cacerolazos I witnessed protesting – non-violently,

As climate week gets underway, policymakers should prioritize ways to reduce emissions from one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases: the transportation sector. A diverse group of stakeholders recently came together to discuss opportunities to do just that. Transportation accounts for nearly one third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and a …

A shift in ambition, narrative, global cooperation and likely support for mitigation in least-developed countries The announcement by President Xi Jinping at the UN General Assembly last month makes me optimistic. First, on its own, achievement of this goal will contribute to a reduction in expected future temperature by 0.2 to 0.3 degrees.  Second, having …

This post is a collaboration with Yana Jin Since 2013, the Chinese government has changed its approach to regulating pollution, including providing the public greater access to information about their own exposure. This increased visibility into pollution exposure can affect citizens’ perceptions of how pollution affects their own health, and their desire to avoid these …

This blog post was co-authored with Nina Donaldson Much of the existing research on climate change impacts focuses on end-of-century projections across nations, but this misses the very real costs that everyday Americans are already facing daily and will continue to face in the months and years ahead. Case in point today: While most Americans …

An EDF analysis of carbon credits for rice growers shows great climate and cost-savings potential, but is that enough for farmers to participate? In 2015, rice became the first crop for which agricultural carbon credits were valid for compliance in the California cap-and-trade system. Unfortunately, as of September 2020, no compliance credits have been generated.

A case study of MFA Inc. shows how conservation can support the bottom line. The post “Success first.” How one ag retailer is helping farmers adopt conservation practices, profitably. first appeared on Growing Returns.

A new report released this week by AECOM, the world’s premiere infrastructure firm, and Rebuild by Design, a community-focused organization advocating for resilient infrastructure, offers hope for recovery for the Empire State as it demonstrates how investments in the environment can help New York not only build lasting climate resilience but also create jobs at a time when they are desperately needed. The post New York’s environmental bond can deliver lasting resilience and create jobs first appeared on Growing Returns.

These steps toward more sustainable groundwater management would go a long way to ensuring Texas’ economy, natural resources and livelihoods will continue to thrive as our population increases and droughts intensify in years to come. The post 5 challenges to sustainable groundwater management in Texas and how to tackle them first appeared on Growing Returns.

Three groundwater bills Arizona lawmakers should pass to ensure a secure future for rural communities. The post How to advance water security for Arizona? These 3 bills are a good start. first appeared on Growing Returns.

New report details how soil health practices like cover crops and no-till affect farm budgets. The post Farm budget analysis finds 3 ways conservation affects the bottom line first appeared on Growing Returns.

By Tom Neltner, J.D., Environmental Defense Fund Chemicals policy director Meat and seafood derived from animal cells grown outside the animal are likely coming to your kitchen table. The process involves culturing cells in tanks and combining them into a consumable product using extrusion, 3-D printing or other processes commonly used in food industry. The …

By Kristin M. Kleisner and Mauricio Galvez Along the Pacific coast of South America, a powerful ocean current brings to life one of the most abundant and productive ecosystems on the planet. The Humboldt Current System spans from southern Chile to Ecuador, pulling cold, nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths to the surface. This upwelling, as it’s …

Today we celebrate World Food Day — the annual event that promotes global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all. But unique to this year is the coronavirus pandemic, which has created new and extraordinary challenges for the food and nutrition security of …