Economics - MAHB

A feed of recent articles relating to Behavioral Economics from The Daily Climate.

4 April 2025. Insurers warn climate change could unravel financial markets and endanger capitalism –

A top executive at Allianz says the climate crisis is pushing insurance and broader financial systems toward collapse as rising temperatures and extreme weather make entire regions uninsurable.

Damian Carrington reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Allianz SE board member Günther Thallinger warned that global warming is rendering climate risk uninsurable, leading to cascading failures in housing, investment, and credit markets.
At projected warming levels between 2.2C and 3.4C, insurers will no longer be able to cover many risks, leading to systemic financial instability and the breakdown of essential market mechanisms.
Thallinger stressed that cutting fossil fuel use is the only viable path to preserving financial stability, as no government can absorb the costs of repeated high-impact climate disasters.

Key quote:

"There is no way to ‘adapt’ to temperatures beyond human tolerance … Whole cities built on flood plains cannot simply pick up and move uphill.”

— Günther Thallinger, board member, Allianz SE

Why this matters:

In the increasingly volatile era of climate change, the insurance industry — long considered a stabilizing force for modern economies — is beginning to buckle under the weight of escalating environmental disasters, threatening the foundations of the financial sector. Insurers have traditionally absorbed the financial shock of wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and droughts, but the new normal of climate-fueled extremes is forcing them to reassess risk, and in many cases, retreat. Entire swaths of high-risk states like Florida and California are now facing partial or full withdrawal from major insurers, leaving homeowners without coverage and entire communities economically exposed. As the planet continues to warm, experts warn that climate-driven instability in the insurance sector could deepen global inequality, creating pockets of uninsurable — and therefore uninhabitable — territory.

4 April 2025. Lawyers turn to pro bono work to drive climate solutions beyond the courtroom –

A growing virtual bootcamp trains legal professionals to support climate initiatives through everything from contracts to corporate advising.

Claire Elise Thompson reports for Grist.

In short:

The Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp, launched by environmental lawyer Matthew Karmel and Green Pro Bono’s Stephanie Demetry, aims to show how legal skills of all kinds — not just litigation — can support climate efforts.
The bootcamp’s 2024 debut drew 700 participants, leading to a doubling of Green Pro Bono’s legal volunteer network and a 53% increase in matched projects.
Organizers hope to eventually break a Guinness World Record for largest virtual law conference, using that momentum to connect more lawyers to climate-related service.

Key quote:

“There are so many attorneys working at large law firms, small law firms — who just don’t do litigation, but are still very passionate about climate change and want to apply their skills in that way.”

— Stephanie Demetry, executive director of Green Pro Bono

Why this matters:

As the climate crisis escalates, the spotlight often lands on solar panels, electric vehicles, and carbon capture technology, but behind the scenes, legal frameworks are emerging as critical tools for climate resilience. Legal infrastructure shapes everything from who owns the rights to a climate-smart invention, to whether a frontline community group can navigate the red tape to incorporate and access funding. Environmental attorneys, nonprofit legal aid organizations, and pro bono networks are quietly enabling transformative work, helping communities build sustainable businesses, defend against polluting developments, and maintain control over local land and resources.

4 April 2025. Trump tariffs may raise U.S. wind energy prices and stall project growth –

Tariffs proposed by President Trump could raise the cost of building wind power projects in the U.S., threatening the already fragile momentum of the renewable energy sector.

Stanley Reed reports for The New York Times.

In short:

President Trump’s planned tariffs on imported goods could increase the cost of wind turbines on land by 10% and renewable energy projects by 7%, according to analyst Endri Lico.
Many wind turbine components are sourced internationally, and the new tariffs could disrupt supply chains and drive up electricity prices.
With only a few offshore wind projects expected to move forward and investor confidence shaken, states may fall short of clean energy targets.

Why this matters:

As wind energy takes off across the U.S., supply chain turbulence is emerging as a serious headwind. The nation’s growing appetite for clean electricity—driven by rising demand from electric vehicles, AI-powered data centers, and state-level decarbonization mandates—has elevated wind power as a cornerstone of the energy transition. But the industry’s reliance on global suppliers for everything from turbines to specialized ship components leaves it vulnerable to tariffs, shipping delays, and geopolitical instability. Even as the Inflation Reduction Act offers unprecedented incentives to accelerate domestic renewables, the U.S. manufacturing base has struggled to scale up in time, pushing costs higher.

4 April 2025. Trump’s anti-science agenda is pushing American researchers overseas –

A growing number of U.S. scientists are fleeing restrictive policies under Trump and finding support in Europe, where institutions are rolling out the red carpet for displaced talent.

Fred Schwaller reports for DW.

In short:

The Trump administration’s mass layoffs and censorship at U.S. science agencies have triggered a wave of uncertainty, with many researchers now jobless or facing restrictions on climate, vaccine, and gender-related research.
Institutions like Germany’s Max Planck Society and France’s Aix-Marseille University are actively recruiting U.S. scientists, with applications reportedly doubling or tripling in some cases.
Europe, China, and South Korea are all moving to streamline visa and funding systems to lure U.S. researchers, while protests across the U.S. and Europe call attention to science’s global interconnectedness.

Key quote:

“We can suddenly recruit talent that we would not have been able to attract under normal circumstances.”

— Patrick Cramer, president of the Max Planck Society

Why this matters:

Scientific brain drain weakens public health, climate research, and disease preparedness — areas critical to human wellbeing. When top scientists are pushed out of U.S. institutions, it’s not just a national loss; global research networks suffer, and public trust in science takes another hit.

4 April 2025. New approach to composting in Massachusetts relies on hands-on help, not just rules –

In Massachusetts, a state composting mandate for businesses gets a major assist from a down-to-earth consultant who helps restaurants rethink what they throw away.

Somini Sengupta reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Massachusetts requires businesses producing at least half a ton of food waste per week to divert it from landfills, but enforcement is rare, and many aren’t aware of the rule.
Consultant Heather Billings, contracted by the state, helps restaurants comply by offering practical fixes — from signage to small compost buckets — and connecting them with compost haulers.
Environmental advocates say the state should go still further by mandating residential composting and offering secure bins to curb food waste and rats alike.

Key quote:

“We’re still throwing away a lot of food.”

— Kirstie Pecci, executive director of Just Zero

Why this matters:

Massachusetts shows that with the right mix of policy and people, even small changes in the back of a bar kitchen can add up to a cleaner, healthier planet. Rotting food in landfills spews methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and landfills are running out of room. Advocates say the next logical step is mandatory composting for households, too — because let’s be honest, your fridge probably has at least one science experiment in it right now.

4 April 2025. How solar is helping African farmers beat drought and diesel –

Solar-powered irrigation is quietly transforming small farms across Africa, helping farmers boost yields, cut costs, and ditch dirty diesel.

Aimable Twahirwa reports for Mongabay.

In short:

In Rwanda, smallholder farmers are adopting solar-powered irrigation systems, dramatically increasing their yields and allowing year-round farming even in drought-prone regions.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) and national governments are backing efforts to integrate clean energy into the entire agricultural value chain — from irrigation to refrigeration and transport.
While upfront costs remain high, financial support and falling tech prices are making renewable energy solutions more accessible and economically viable for rural farmers.

Key quote:

“These renewable solutions are helping us to become less dependent on unpredictable weather patterns.”

— Victor Ndwaniye, smallholder farmer in Rwanda

Why this matters:

Farmers who once waited on the skies can now plant, water, and harvest on their own schedules. For Africa, facing both a climate crisis and a food crisis, powering farms with renewables isn’t just smart policy; it's helping assure survival. As climate change worsens drought and disrupts food systems, clean energy in agriculture is also a health issue. More stable food production means better nutrition, fewer diesel fumes in the air, and sustainable rural livelihoods across a continent where food insecurity and energy poverty remain urgent.

Climate colonialism at COP26

4 April 2025. Rural families use innovative DNA tool to track pig farm pollution –

Communities living near factory farms are using a new scientific tool to track pig feces in their homes — and fight back.

Hana Mensendiek reports for U.S. Right To Know.

In short:

Residents in Duplin County, North Carolina, worked with Johns Hopkins scientists to create Pig-2-Bac, a tool that identifies pig manure DNA in household dust.
The data helps communities prove that fecal waste from nearby factory farms is contaminating their air and homes, strengthening legal cases against polluters.
Researchers say the tool could support lawsuits and Environmental Protection Agency enforcement, especially as new clean air rules targeting livestock emissions take shape.

Key quote:

“When we’re telling the powers that be how bad it is sometimes, that our eyes are watering, our nose is running, and we’re coughing, sometimes we hear, ‘oh, it can’t be that bad’”.

— Devon Hall Sr., director of Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help

Why this matters:

Factory farm air pollution is a serious but underregulated health threat, linked to asthma, respiratory illness, and mental health conditions.For communities buried in the stink of Big Ag, this little dust test could be a breath of fresh air — and a shot at justice. As federal oversight stalls and right-to-farm laws shield industry, tools like Pig-2-Bac give communities a rare shot at holding powerful companies accountable.

Read more from EHN:

Peak Pig: Read our full series on the fight for the soul of rural America.

4 April 2025. Puerto Rico’s blackout crisis drags on as solar dreams stall and federal dollars sit idle –

Despite billions in recovery funds and a bold renewable energy mandate, Puerto Rico remains trapped in a cycle of blackouts, political gridlock, and public frustration.

Gloria Gonzalez reports for Politico.

In short:

Puerto Rico’s electric grid is the most fragile in the U.S., with frequent blackouts disrupting daily life, healthcare access, and education for 3.2 million residents.
Congress allocated over $20 billion post-Hurricane Maria to fix the system, but delays, bureaucratic red tape, and political infighting have left most of the funds unspent.
While rooftop solar offers relief for some, large-scale renewable projects have stalled, and fossil fuel interests are regaining ground under new pro-gas leadership.

Key quote:

“The fact right now is that solar energy is the best way, the easiest way and the cheapest way" to provide energy to Puerto Rican communities.

— Jonathan Castillo Polanco, Director of Green Energy, Hispanic Federation in Puerto Rico

Why this matters:

Puerto Rico’s power crisis is a public health emergency hiding in plain sight. Unreliable electricity cuts off access to medicine, clean water, and safe shelter, putting lives at risk with every outage. Billions of federal dollars are just sitting in bureaucratic limbo while 3.2 million people deal with flickering lights, dead refrigerators, and hospitals scrambling to keep lifesaving machines running. The result is a feeling of abandonment — by the federal government, by mainland media, and by an energy system that was never built to last.

4 April 2025. Opinion: Trump-era science cuts opens the door wide to industry-fueled pollution –

The Trump administration’s move to gut EPA science programs could let polluting industries rewrite the rules on cancer-causing chemicals, writes Jennifer Sass for Scientific American.

In short:

The Trump administration plans to eliminate the EPA’s independent research office, removing over 1,000 scientists whose work underpins clean air, water, and chemical safety laws.
With industry lobbyists rewriting the rules and public science on the chopping block, environmental protections will increasingly rely on biased, polluter-funded research.
Texas provides a cautionary tale: After EPA scientists found a strong link between ethylene oxide and breast cancer, Texas regulators pushed a weaker, industry-sponsored report that would allow thousands of times more pollution.

Key quote:

“Eliminating scientists from the EPA is kneecapping environmental safeguards. Every major environmental statute — the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Superfund law governing cleanup requirements — relies on EPA scientists to calculate how hazardous chemicals are, how people and wildlife may be exposed and what health and ecological harms may occur.”

— Jennifer Sass, senior scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council

Why this matters:

If successful, this move would give polluting industries a bigger voice in writing the rules, while pushing the people who actually study cancer risk and chemical safety out of the room. When science is sidelined, health risks skyrocket. If polluters get to define what’s “safe,” communities face higher chances of cancer, asthma, and long-term illness. Without that science, the system tilts even further in favor of corporations, while people are left breathing the consequences.

4 April 2025. EPA begins targeting offshore wind permits, slowing clean energy rollout –

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has revoked a key permit for a New Jersey offshore wind project, marking the agency’s first major action under President Trump’s order to halt the expansion of the offshore wind industry.

Clare Fieseler reports for Canary Media.

In short:

The EPA revoked a Clean Air Act permit from the Atlantic Shores wind project, citing a Trump executive order to reassess the offshore wind sector.
Anti-wind groups are now targeting other projects, including Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts, by filing similar petitions that argue EPA failed to properly estimate emissions during turbine construction.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is reshaping the agency with proposals to slash funding, eliminate regulations, and reframe the agency's mission around economic affordability, raising concerns about politicization of previously independent environmental review processes.

Key quote:

“Atlantic Shores is disappointed by the EPA’s decision to pull back its fully executed permit as regulatory certainty is critical to deploying major energy projects.”

— Terence Kelly, spokesperson for Atlantic Shores, a wind project slated offshore of the New Jersey coast

Why this matters:

The EPA’s shift under President Trump threatens to derail the offshore wind industry at a time when several coastal states are depending on it to meet emissions targets and stabilize power grids. Offshore wind farms require a tangle of federal permits to proceed, and even projects that already secured those approvals are now vulnerable to reversal. The revocation of Atlantic Shores’ permit may signal broader challenges for renewable energy under a federal administration skeptical of climate-driven energy reforms. The move threatens to ripple well beyond any single installation; it challenges the regulatory continuity that developers need to commit billions in long-term infrastructure.

4 April 2025. HHS abruptly eliminates staff for federal energy aid program serving millions –

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services fired all federal employees running a key energy assistance program for low-income families, raising concerns about access to funds as summer approaches.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

In short:

HHS fired the entire federal staff managing the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps poor families pay heating and cooling bills.
About 15 people had staffed LIHEAP before the layoffs, which also included all federal workers overseeing Social Services Block Grants.
The firings are part of a broader cut ordered by the Trump administration to reduce HHS staff by 20,000 employees, with officials citing a shift toward focusing on chronic disease prevention.

Key quote:

“My fear is that quietly in their homes, grandmothers will die this summer.”

— Katrina Metzler, executive director of the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition

Why this matters:

The quiet dismantling of federal oversight for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program threatens to sever a crucial support system for more than six million U.S. households that rely on it to keep the heat on in winter and the AC running in sweltering summer months. As climate change pushes temperatures to new extremes, LIHEAP has become more than a seasonal subsidy — it's a public health safeguard, especially for elderly residents, medically vulnerable individuals, and families with young children. But with federal staff eliminated, states could face bureaucratic bottlenecks just as need spikes, leaving people in the lurch.

Related EHN coverage:

4 April 2025. EPA funding cuts threaten smoke protection efforts in rural wildfire zones –

A wave of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant terminations has left small towns in the West scrambling to protect residents from worsening wildfire smoke and climate impacts without the resources they were promised.

Joshua Partlow and Amudalat Ajasa report for The Washington Post.

In short:

The EPA has frozen or ended more than 450 grants — worth over $1.5 billion — citing a review of funding priorities and a new executive order against DEI and environmental justice programs.
Rural communities across Alaska, Oregon, and Washington that rely on these grants for air filters, home retrofits, and flood protection now face health and safety risks with no backup.
Many local nonprofits, tribes, and small towns learned of the cuts without warning, and some, like the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk, are now at risk of losing essential infrastructure to climate-driven erosion and flooding.

Key quote:

“We’re basically abandoning people who need it most.”

— Jasmine Minbashian, executive director of Methow Valley Citizens Council

Why this matters:

From the thick forests of Oregon to the wind-scoured tundra of Alaska, rural towns across the American West are finding themselves on the frontlines of climate chaos, where the line between “natural disaster” and “chronic crisis” has blurred. Climate change has lengthened wildfire seasons and made blazes burn hotter, sending dense smoke into mountain valleys that trap pollution for days, even weeks. The same warming that fuels fires also melts permafrost and lifts seas, carving away coastlines in Indigenous villages like Kipnuk. These communities, many already grappling with aging infrastructure, dwindling populations, and fragile health care systems, depend heavily on federal environmental justice programs to help them adapt and build resilience. But as the Trump administration rolls back those investments, it’s not just money disappearing — it’s respiratory health, livable housing, and even cultural continuity.

Related EHN coverage: LISTEN: Carlos Gould on wildfire smoke and our health

4 April 2025. Zooming in on the fallout from the Trump administration's freezing of green bank funds –

A sweeping halt to a $27 billion federal climate program is upending clean energy plans and stalling economic development for nonprofits, lenders, and contractors in low-income communities nationwide.

Marianne Lavelle and Dan Gearino report for Inside Climate News.

In short:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency froze the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a signature Biden-era program designed to spur clean energy investments in disadvantaged communities through a public-private lending model.
The freeze has paused billions in loans, halted solar and energy-efficiency projects, and disrupted the work of local nonprofits and lenders who were preparing to distribute the funds.
Trump officials have launched a criminal probe and are asserting broad executive power to cancel contracts, a move now being challenged in federal court.

Key quote:

"They’re just manufacturing claims, and that manufacturing of claims is itself a fraud. It’s a fraud on the public.”

— U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

Why this matters:

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund—a $27 billion program born out of the Inflation Reduction Act—was designed as a keystone of the Biden administration’s climate agenda. Its goal: seed a nationwide network of “green banks” to finance clean energy projects in low-income and pollution-burdened communities. These banks offer low-interest loans for rooftop solar, efficient heat pumps, and community solar installations, often in places where traditional lenders are scarce or wary. Now, with the program in limbo following legal challenges and a policy freeze from the Trump administration, a rare moment of bipartisan momentum is at risk of unraveling. Critics argue the freeze undermines Congressional authority and undercuts historically underserved communities just as billions were poised to flow their way.

4 April 2025. Chile's lithium rush strains Indigenous communities and dries up a fragile desert ecosystem –

A lithium mining boom in Chile’s Atacama Desert is depleting water resources and transforming the lives of Indigenous Lickanantay communities, who now face worsening drought, ecological loss, and cultural disruption.

Muriel Alarcón reports for Grist

In short:

Chile’s Atacama Salt Flat holds one of the world’s richest lithium reserves, fueling a rapid expansion of mining driven by global demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
The extraction process uses vast amounts of water, exacerbating scarcity in one of Earth’s driest places and threatening ecosystems, including flamingo habitats and sacred Indigenous lands.
Local leaders and environmental advocates, including the Council of Atacameño Peoples, are demanding oversight, water rights, and research into mining’s long-term impacts.

Key quote:

“Not all of us are against mining, but we do want to know the state of health of our basin. We don't want to be a sacrifice zone.”

— Edwin Erazo, pharmacist from the community of Cúcuter

Why this matters:

In the parched salt flats of northern Chile, the global race for green energy is colliding head-on with the realities of local water scarcity and Indigenous rights. Lithium, a key ingredient in batteries that power electric vehicles and store renewable energy, is often touted as the cornerstone of a clean energy future. But the process relies on pumping vast amounts of underground brine to the surface, where water evaporates and leaves lithium behind — a practice that depletes precious aquifers and disrupts delicate desert ecosystems. While mining companies claim to follow sustainability protocols and consult with residents, many locals describe these efforts as superficial, arriving too late or without meaningful input. As demand for lithium surges, this environmental and ethical dilemma underscores a growing tension in climate action — where the tools to fight one crisis risk deepening another.

4 April 2025. Shell’s offshore oil ships face ongoing safety problems years after massive Nigeria spill –

Shell’s oil production fleet, including the vessel at the center of a 2011 Nigerian spill, continues to show safety flaws years later, raising concerns about the risk of future disasters.

Ed Davey reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

Internal Shell reviews and whistleblower accounts show that major safety issues persist on Shell's offshore oil ships, including the Bonga vessel, which spilled 40,000 barrels of oil in 2011. A 2022 audit flagged “high risk” transfer systems — the same kind that failed during the earlier spill.
Other vessels in Shell’s fleet, including the Fluminense off Brazil and the Prelude off Australia, also showed signs of serious decay and safety lapses. Reports describe fire hazards, corroded equipment, and chemical exposure risks, with some workers injured and others raising alarms internally.
Internal surveys and communications show that Shell once set legal thresholds for safety concerns based on worker feedback, but later abandoned them. Experts say the company’s failure to act on known issues weakens its claims of a safety-first culture.

Key quote:

“One mistake can cost a lot of lives. If you don’t maintain that equipment, that’s when the fires happen, that’s when the explosions happen.”

— Irina Woodhead, former Shell safety engineer

Why this matters:

Floating production storage and offloading units—FPSOs—are marvels of offshore engineering, often operating miles from land to tap into deepwater oil reserves. They serve as floating refineries, storing and processing oil on-site before offloading it to tankers. But behind their slick, self-sustaining exterior lies a more troubling truth: Many of these vessels are aging, overworked, and under-regulated. When a failure happens—whether it’s a blowout, a leak, or a structural breach—the results can be catastrophic.

Learn more: Shell faces legal battle in London over oil pollution in Nigeria

4 April 2025. Rising ground-level ozone pollution worsens with climate change, threatening health and crops –

Human-caused emissions are fueling a sharp increase in ground-level ozone, a toxic air pollutant that worsens with climate change and threatens global health, food systems, and forests.

Sean Mowbray reports for Mongabay.

In short:

Ground-level ozone forms from chemical reactions involving methane, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds under sunlight, and spikes during heat waves worsened by climate change.
The pollutant damages human lungs, stresses the cardiovascular and reproductive systems, and has been linked to 1.4 million deaths annually — far more than previously estimated.
Ozone pollution weakens forests and reduces food crop yields, particularly in the tropics, raising concerns for biodiversity and food security as temperatures climb.

Key quote:

“Ozone pollution is an often overlooked but significant threat to pollinators and global food security. Addressing it requires policy action and interdisciplinary research to develop mitigation strategies that balance human activities with ecosystem health.”

— James Ryalls, researcher at the University of Reading

Why this matters:

Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly but forms from other pollutants — largely from vehicles, agriculture, and fossil fuel use — reacting in sunlight. It aggravates respiratory and cardiovascular conditions and lowering crop yields worldwide. Rising ozone also undercuts the carbon-storing ability of forests and threatens pollinators critical to agriculture. Its effects cross borders, making it a global problem requiring international cooperation. Despite being a lesser-known greenhouse gas, ozone is deeply intertwined with public health, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

4 April 2025. EPA deregulation puts schoolchildren at risk in petrochemical zones –

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is walking back pollution enforcement, leaving children in heavily industrialized areas like Louisiana’s Cancer Alley more exposed to toxic air and water.

Terry L. Jones reports for Floodlight.

In short:

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a rollback of federal regulations meant to protect communities near industrial sites, ending the agency’s focus on areas “already highly burdened with pollution impacts.”
Children face heightened health risks from pollution due to faster breathing and developing lungs; many attend schools located within a mile of chemical plants, especially in low-income, majority-Black neighborhoods.
Affected residents and advocates say the deregulation erases years of environmental justice progress and undermines federal obligations to safeguard public health.

Key quote:

“That is not an exaggeration; we feel like we are suffocating without the cover and the oversight of the EPA. Without that, what can we really do? How can we really save ourselves? How can we really save our communities?”

— Kaitlyn Joshua, community advocate in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley

Why this matters:

In a stark departure from recent precedent, the EPA under President Trump is stepping back from its commitment to environmental justice, a move with sweeping implications for vulnerable communities already burdened by pollution. Children living in the shadows of petrochemical plants — many attending school just a few hundred yards from flaring stacks or chemical tanks — face elevated risks of asthma, cancer, and developmental challenges. These neighborhoods have little power to hold industry accountable. Now, with the dismantling of rules aimed at curbing these emissions, decades of advocacy and incremental progress risk being unraveled, with the communities most in need of protection once again being asked to bear the heaviest cost.

Learn more:

2 April 2025. Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry? –

PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ran on a promise to regulate Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry more stringently. Two years into his term, the Environmental Health Project, a public health advocacy nonprofit focused on fracking, has published a report that assesses the Shapiro administration’s progress.

“Despite some steps in the right direction, we are still missing the boat on actions that can improve our economic, environmental, and health outcomes,” Alison L. Steele, executive director of the Environmental Health Project, said during a press conference.

As attorney general, Shapiro spearheaded a 2020 grand jury report that concluded, in his words, that “when it comes to fracking, Pennsylvania failed” in its “duty to set, and enforce, ground rules that protect public health and safety.”

During his campaign for governor in 2022, Shapiro said that if elected, he would implement the eight recommendations made by that grand jury, which included expanding no-drill zones from 500 to 2,500 feet from homes, requiring fracking companies to publicly disclose all chemicals used in wells before they’re drilled, and providing a “comprehensive health response” to the effects of living near fracking sites, among other measures.

Some progress has been made on enacting those recommendations, Steele said, but “there are more opportunities available to Gov. Shapiro over the next two years of his term.”

The report applauds the Shapiro administration’s progress on some environmental health measures “despite increasing challenges at the federal level,” including identifying and plugging 300 abandoned oil and gas wells, promoting renewable energy projects, and proposing alternatives to the state’s stalled participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

But the report also says the Shapiro administration has fallen short on regulating the oil and gas industry to reduce health risks, prioritizing clean energy that doesn’t include fossil fuels, and fully supporting a just transition to renewable energy.

The Shapiro administration has yet to expand no-drill zones in Pennsylvania from the required 500 feet to 2,500 feet, still doesn’t require fracking companies to publicly disclose all chemicals used in fracking, and has failed to acknowledge the science on health risks of exposure to shale gas pollution, according to the report. The report also says that, despite positive efforts to advance environmental justice, agencies like the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Environmental Protection are not engaging enough with frontline communities and health care providers in fracking communities, and that the Department of Environmental Protection needs additional funding to enforce existing environmental regulations.

While the Shapiro administration was able to obtain a 14% increase in funding for the Department of Environmental Protection in the 2024-2025 budget, “the bulk of the 2024-2025 funding was earmarked for staff in the permitting division, not the enforcement division, where a real regulatory need exists,” according to the report. Shapiro called for an additional 12% increase in funding for the agency in the 2025-2026 budget, but details about how those funds would be allocated have not yet been released.

The report makes the following recommendations for the Shapiro administration:

Urge the General Assembly to amend Act 13 and mandate greater distances between homes, schools, hospitals, and fracking sites.
Press the legislature to require full disclosure of all chemicals used in fracking wells, even if they are considered proprietary or a trade secret.
Develop a comprehensive health plan for preventing fossil fuel pollution exposure
Address cumulative emissions when permitting fracking sites.
Further increase funding for the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health.
Call on the state’s departments of health and environmental protection to work more closely and transparently with communities.
Take a precautionary approach to petrochemicals, blue hydrogen, and liquified natural gas.
Transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable forms of energy.

Steele acknowledged that some of the recommendations, including increasing the distance between wells and homes, would require new legislation. The Republican-controlled state senate vocally opposes any new regulations for the oil and gas industry, limiting what the Shapiro administration can achieve. “In those cases,” Steele said, “he could at least use his authority to vocally encourage legislative action.”

Pennsylvania state Rep. Dr. Arvind Venkat, an emergency physician who represents parts of western Pennsylvania, said these recommendations are timely as federal environmental protections are being rolled back under the Trump administration.

“What we're seeing out of DC is as extreme an attack on environmental regulation and the scientific understanding of the relationship between the environment and health as I've seen in my lifetime,”Venkat said during the press conference. “Both parties are pushing more things down to the state and local level, so as bad as this is…it creates an opportunity for us to be far more responsible than we have been at the state level.”

Editor’s note: The Environmental Health Project and Environmental Health News both receive funding from the Heinz Endowments.

2 April 2025. Trump’s government cuts disrupt NOAA forecasts and data collection –

President Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce have triggered firings, operational cuts, and email security problems at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Oliver Milman reports for The Guardian.

In short:

NOAA, which houses the National Weather Service, has seen over 1,000 staff fired or resign, with another 1,000 job cuts expected.
Weather balloon launches have been reduced in six U.S. locations, limiting critical data used to predict storms and extreme weather.
A new, unsecured email server created a flood of spam and lewd messages to staff, reflecting growing disorder within the agency.

Key quote:

“These people at Doge think they are the best at what they do but they can’t even protect an email list.”

— NOAA staff member (unnamed), currently on administrative leave

Why this matters:

NOAA operates behind the scenes but forms the backbone of public weather services, offering real-time data to farmers, fishers, pilots, emergency managers, and everyday citizens. Its satellites and ocean buoys, radar systems and climate models all contribute to what amounts to the nation’s early warning system. But as the Trump administration reorients federal priorities and eyes potential budget cuts across science agencies, NOAA’s stability is again in question. Any disruption — whether through funding reductions, staffing shortfalls, or political interference — could have real consequences, not only in terms of storm preparedness but also in the quality of long-term environmental data. Climate researchers warn that even small gaps in recordkeeping today could leave us less prepared for tomorrow’s extremes.

2 April 2025. Trump EPA’s fraud claims stall in court as green bank funding freeze drags on –

Federal court documents reveal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump has yet to produce evidence of fraud in a $20 billion climate grant program it moved to freeze earlier this year.

Lisa Friedman and Claire Brown report for The New York Times.

In short:

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin accused the Biden-era climate grant program of “insane” mismanagement, citing allegations ranging from misallocated funds to political favoritism.
Despite the rhetoric, court records show no evidence of fraud, and legal filings instead argue that the grants should be canceled because they don’t match Trump administration priorities.
The funding freeze has left nonprofits scrambling to cover costs and halted or delayed clean energy projects in low-income and rural communities.

Key quote:

“They come in with huge press releases claiming all kinds of things, criminal misconduct, corruption, and then the documents that are filed in court don’t match that rhetoric. It’s completely and utterly irresponsible.”

— Richard Lazarus, environmental law professor at Harvard University

Why this matters:

At the heart of a growing political and legal standoff is the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a $27 billion initiative created under the Inflation Reduction Act to funnel clean energy financing into historically marginalized communities. The fund is part of a broader strategy to spark grassroots climate resilience — backing projects like rooftop solar for low-income housing or neighborhood-scale geothermal systems. But that momentum has hit a wall. Allegations of fraud, unsubstantiated in court, have been used by some Republican leaders to justify freezing disbursements, a move critics say sidesteps due process and sets a dangerous precedent. For communities long overlooked by both investors and regulators, the pause doesn’t just slow clean energy adoption—it stalls job creation, delays pollution relief, and deepens disparities in public health.

2 April 2025. Texas lawmakers move to restrict growth of wind and solar power –

Texas and other Republican-led states are advancing legislation that could slow or block new renewable energy projects, as political momentum shifts back toward fossil fuels.

David Montgomery reports for Stateline.

In short:

Despite Texas leading the nation in wind and solar electricity generation, lawmakers have filed dozens of bills this session to curb new renewable projects and require stricter permitting than for fossil fuels.
Similar efforts are advancing in Oklahoma, Arizona, Ohio, and Missouri, with proposed restrictions ranging from setbacks to zoning bans and new taxes on landowners who lease to renewables.
Rural communities remain divided, with some residents opposing wind and solar over aesthetics and land use, while others benefit from tax revenue and lease payments supporting schools and local infrastructure.

Key quote:

"When we look out across the road, we see rolling green pastures and trees. Now we’re facing the possibility of that view and so much more being replaced by a sprawling solar farm."

— Laurie Dihle, who lives on 154 acres in Franklin County with her husband

Why this matters:

Once defined by oil derricks and gas flares, Texas now produces more electricity from wind and solar than any other in the country — an economic pivot that’s redrawing rural skylines and intensifying political divides. In communities long reliant on fossil fuels, some residents see wind turbines and solar farms as threats to local identity and land use traditions, prompting state lawmakers to consider restrictions on clean energy development. The clash has revealed deeper tensions over who benefits from, and who bears the burdens of, the energy transition. At the same time, extreme weather events — exacerbated by climate change — are testing the reliability of Texas’ aging grid. Federal incentives have accelerated renewable investment, but local resistance could complicate how, and where, the clean energy future unfolds.

2 April 2025. Greenpeace verdict over pipeline protest defamation could spell problems for environmental activism and speech –

A North Dakota jury found Greenpeace defamed pipeline builder Energy Transfer during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, awarding $250 million in defamation damages. What does it mean for environmental activism and free speech?

Karen Zraick reports for The New York Times.

In short:

The jury found Greenpeace made nine defamatory statements about Energy Transfer during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, including claims about desecration of sacred sites and violence against demonstrators.
Legal experts warn the verdict could set a precedent that chills protest speech by nonprofits across the political spectrum, depending on how appeals courts handle First Amendment questions.
Greenpeace plans to appeal in North Dakota’s Supreme Court, while also pursuing a separate countersuit in the Netherlands under European anti-SLAPP laws.

Key quote:

“This case should alarm everyone, no matter their political inclinations. We should all be concerned about the future of the First Amendment.”

— Sushma Raman, interim executive director of Greenpeace USA

Why this matters:

The court ruling against Greenpeace has sent a chill through advocacy communities nationwide, raising new questions about the limits of protest and public criticism in the United States. At the heart of the case is a judgment against the environmental group for its role in opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline, a verdict many see as a potent example of a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or SLAPP suit. These lawsuits, often brought by corporations, are less about winning on the merits and more about exhausting critics through prolonged legal battles. While 32 states have passed anti-SLAPP laws to protect individuals and organizations from such tactics, North Dakota has not — an omission now under scrutiny.

For groups focused on environmental justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and climate action, the ruling could mark a turning point — where the legal right to speak out faces growing pressure from financial and political power.

2 April 2025. Petrochemical industry struggles with overcapacity, rising costs, and shaky green investments –

Executives at a Houston conference warned that global overbuilding, slow economic growth, and policy uncertainty are shaking the foundation of the petrochemical industry as it faces pressure to go greener.

Alexander Tullo reports for Chemical & Engineering News.

In short:

Petrochemical makers are reeling from a supply glut triggered by over-investment and weak post-COVID demand, especially in Europe, where plant closures loom.
Wall Street has pulled back from green plastic startups after early enthusiasm faded, leaving companies scrambling to prove profitability without subsidies.
U.S. producers fear a future of tighter ethane supplies and mounting trade tensions under the Trump administration, which could raise raw material and export costs.

Key quote:

“If you can’t see a path to a clear, self-sustaining economic model over — let’s say over 5–10 years, maybe not 0–5 — then likely it is not something you should be doing.”

— Bob Patel, director of Air Products & Chemicals

Why this matters:

For years, cheap U.S. shale gas fed a rapid buildout of facilities producing plastics, fertilizers, and synthetic materials. But that growth strategy is now under strain. Demand is wobbling under pressure from global economic uncertainty, while production costs are climbing. At the same time, ambitious climate targets are forcing policymakers and corporations to take a harder look at the emissions-intensive nature of petrochemical production. As political rhetoric around sustainability heats up, the industry's ability to evolve without sacrificing profitability is becoming a test case for how legacy sectors adapt — or fail to adapt — to a decarbonizing world.

Related EHN coverage:

2 April 2025. Plastic ban in Bangladesh struggles as eco-friendly bags face high costs –

Government raids in Dhaka reveal the ongoing failure of Bangladesh’s plastic bag ban, as consumers and businesses continue to rely on cheap, single-use polythene bags.

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla reports for Mongabay.

In short:

Bangladesh banned plastic bags in 2002 but weak enforcement has allowed widespread use to persist, especially in Dhaka, where each resident discards about 24 kg of plastic waste per year.
Biodegradable alternatives made from cassava, jute, and potatoes exist, but their higher prices and limited availability hinder consumer adoption and market penetration.
Government investment in jute-based “Sonali” bags and new retail partnerships for cassava-based bags aim to revive alternatives, but producers face unfair competition from untaxed illegal plastic manufacturers.

Key quote:

“Our main challenge is the price competition against polybag, where we are paying 51% of taxes including import, sales and value added tax [VAT]. Meanwhile, the banned polybag producers — as they are mostly illegal — pay nothing, absolute 0%.”

— Mohammad Raihan, founder and CEO of Ecospear Ltd

Why this matters:

Plastic pollution in Bangladesh has quietly become a full-scale crisis, choking waterways, overwhelming waste systems, and seeping into everyday life. Although Bangladesh was once hailed for its pioneering 2002 ban on plastic bags — a global first — implementation has faltered. Cheap, single-use plastics are back with a vengeance, their popularity driven by convenience, affordability, and limited access to alternatives. Public health experts warn of increasing risks linked to toxic runoff, especially in urban slums where exposure is hardest to avoid. As the environmental load grows heavier with each passing year, so too does the toll on human health, ecosystems, and the country’s ability to adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change.

2 April 2025. B.C. regulator quietly let oil company delay decommissioning 4,300 pipelines –

British Columbia’s energy regulator granted Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. a long-term exemption from pipeline decommissioning rules without public disclosure, raising concerns about transparency and industry influence.

Matt Simmons and Zak Vescera report for The Narwhal.

In short:

In 2020, the BC Energy Regulator allowed Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL) to delay decommissioning more than 4,300 inactive or soon-to-be inactive pipelines, bypassing a legal 18-month deadline.
The exemption was not made public and covered pipelines that could pose environmental risks if left unattended; regulators cited “public interest” and “impracticality” as reasons for the deal.
Experts warn the quiet exemption sets a troubling precedent for regulatory accountability and industry influence, especially as regulators decline to penalize companies for non-compliance.

Key quote:

“If a company, whether large scale or small, is being given a formal exemption from a binding law, that should be public. Because otherwise, how are citizens to know that laws are being evenhandedly and faithfully executed?”

— Kathryn Harrison, political science professor at the University of British Columbia

Why this matters:

At the center of the controversy is one of Canada’s largest oil producers, which reportedly avoided both fines and its legal obligation to decommission unused sites. The fallout reveals a troubling pattern: environmental protections on paper often wither under pressure from powerful industries, especially in resource-dependent regions. It’s a particularly stark dilemma for a province grappling with the contradictions of a green transition while remaining economically tied to oil and gas. As more wells and pipelines fall idle, the burden of cleanup — both financial and environmental — may increasingly fall not on polluters, but on the public.

2 April 2025. Illinois weighs bold move to curb diesel truck pollution across the state –

Illinois may adopt California’s clean truck rules to cut diesel emissions, despite President Trump’s efforts to block state-level climate standards.

Kari Lydersen reports for Canary Media.

In short:

Illinois is considering adopting California’s Advanced Clean Trucks program, which requires rising sales of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks, and may also align with California's clean car rules and NOx limits.
Advocates point to warehouse-heavy communities like Joliet and Little Village, where diesel pollution hits low-income and immigrant residents hardest.
The program would accelerate electric vehicle infrastructure and market growth in the Midwest, but faces legal and political threats from the Trump administration, which has a history of revoking California's emission waivers.

Key quote:

“Black, brown, and low-income communities in and around Joliet are disproportionately affected by diesel pollution, large amounts of truck traffic, and increasing growth of the warehouse industry.”

— Griselda Chavez, environmental justice organizer, Warehouse Workers for Justice

Why this matters:

Heavy-duty diesel trucks — ubiquitous on highways and essential to America’s freight economy—are also among the most polluting vehicles on the road, emitting high levels of nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. These pollutants are closely linked to asthma, heart disease, and shortened lifespans, with the brunt of the impact falling on low-income communities and communities of color situated near major trucking routes and distribution hubs.

Illinois is now weighing whether to adopt California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule — a move that could reshape the regional market and reduce diesel dependence across the Midwest. But legal challenges to California’s authority, and a broader uncertainty over states' rights to enact stricter vehicle emissions standards, loom large. For environmental justice advocates, every year of delay means another year of preventable illness in communities already burdened by systemic inequities.

2 April 2025. Trump’s workforce cuts threaten climate protection in national parks –

Thousands of National Park Service employees face job cuts under President Trump’s plan to shrink the federal workforce, jeopardizing efforts to protect public lands from climate change.

Twilight Greenaway reports for Grist.

In short:

After laying off about 1,000 park employees in February, the Trump administration plans to cut up to 30% of the National Park Service’s workforce, impacting both public-facing staff and scientists tracking climate impacts.
Federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law remains frozen, endangering projects focused on restoring ecosystems, removing invasive species, and relocating climate-threatened wildlife.
As national parks face hotter temperatures, stronger wildfires, and heavier flooding, park staff say a lack of trained personnel could lead to permanent damage and the loss of species.

Key quote:

“Without the staff and their scientific and institutional knowledge, these actions may not occur, and species could be lost.”

— Terri Thomas, retired natural resources manager

Why this matters:

National parks are living laboratories showing what’s at stake as climate shifts accelerate. Scientists and rangers stationed in national parks have become de facto emergency responders, tracking vanishing snowpack, rescuing wildlife from heat stress, and battling longer, more intense fire seasons. But with shrinking budgets and thinning staff, many parks are struggling to keep pace. Years of conservation work are now at risk of unraveling, just when we need these wild places most—not only as refuges for biodiversity, but as vital carbon sinks helping to slow climate change.

2 April 2025. Global economic losses from climate change may be far worse than predicted, new study warns –

Climate change could slash global income for the average person by 40% if temperatures rise 4C above pre-industrial levels, a new study shows, challenging decades of economic modeling.

Graham Readfearn reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Australian researchers found that economic models have long underestimated the global cost of climate change, particularly due to extreme weather's ripple effects across supply chains.
The study projects that even with 2C warming, average per-person GDP could fall by 16%, far above earlier estimates of just 1.4%.
Models that ignore supply chain shocks and extreme events give a false sense of security, undermining the case for rapid emissions cuts.

Key quote:

“In a hotter future, we can expect cascading supply chain disruptions triggered by extreme weather events worldwide.”

— Dr. Timothy Neal, University of New South Wales Institute for Climate Risk and Response

Why this matters:

For decades, policymakers have leaned heavily on integrated assessment models — tools meant to weigh the costs and benefits of acting on climate change — to guide everything from carbon pricing to international climate negotiations. But a growing body of research suggests those models have missed a critical point: The planet doesn’t operate in silos, and neither do economies. When a drought hits one part of the world, it can ripple through global food supply chains, raise prices on every continent, and put pressure on already strained health systems. Such “cascading impacts” are largely absent from older economic models, which means the actual cost of climate inaction has likely been dramatically underestimated.

2 April 2025. Urban wildfires may expose firefighters to toxic metals like lead and mercury –

A new study has found that Los Angeles firefighters who battled January’s urban wildfires had significantly higher levels of mercury and lead in their blood cells than those who fought rural forest fires.

Maggie Astor reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Firefighters who fought the Palisades and Eaton fires in populated areas had up to five times more lead and three times more mercury in their blood cells than peers who worked rural fires.
These metals entered cells, not just blood plasma, meaning they may interact with DNA and cause long-term health effects, though the full risks remain unknown.
Researchers also detected benzene and styrene in the air after the fires had visually cleared, raising concerns about ongoing exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

Key quote:

“The recent findings highlight the many unrecognized cascading health effects from climate-intensified wildfire.”

— Jennifer Runkle, environmental epidemiologist at the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies

Why this matters:

As wildfires become more frequent and destructive in an overheating world, the line between a natural disaster and a public health emergency is blurring — especially in urban areas where homes, vehicles, and infrastructure add a toxic twist. When buildings go up in flames, they don’t just burn — they melt, vaporize, and spew out substances like asbestos, lead, mercury, and synthetic chemicals from plastics and electronics. These contaminants don’t just threaten firefighters and first responders on the front lines; they can settle into nearby communities and enter the bloodstream through lungs or skin.

Yet as research into these health risks becomes more urgent, federal support may be wavering. Under the Trump administration’s new budget priorities, climate-related health research at institutions like the National Institutes of Health faces mounting scrutiny and cuts, raising concerns that critical data could be left in the smoke.

Related EHN coverage:

2 April 2025. Texas water fight pits growing cities against each other over groundwater exports –

A legal battle in Central Texas reveals rising tensions as booming urban areas seek to secure groundwater supplies by pumping from rural aquifers.

Dylan Baddour reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Georgetown, the fastest-growing U.S. city, signed a deal to import up to 89 million gallons of water daily from the Simsboro Aquifer, 80 miles away, triggering lawsuits from Bryan, College Station, and Texas A&M.
The Upwell Water project is one of several large-scale efforts to export rural groundwater to expanding cities along the I-35 corridor, amid limited statewide regulation and escalating demand.
Groundwater rights in Texas favor landowners under the “right of capture,” and oversight falls to small local districts, leaving long-term regional water planning fragmented and reactive.

Key quote:

“Water is the new oil. They have a commodity that can be sold and they have every right to sell it.”

— Alan Day, manager of the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District

Why this matters:

Rapid population growth in Central Texas is colliding with a patchwork legal system ill-equipped to manage dwindling groundwater reserves. Private companies — often backed by Wall Street — are securing rights to pump and sell groundwater, exacerbating tensions with rural landowners who fear the depletion of wells and the loss of local control. At the same time, Texas is becoming hotter and drier, with more erratic rainfall and less reliable aquifer recharge. As water-hungry sectors like semiconductor fabrication and AI-driven data centers move in, the fight over groundwater is becoming a proxy battle over growth, climate resilience, and who gets to shape the future of the region.