• People

ODP Exclusive Interview: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Gets Real on Climate Progress

• bipartisan
• clean energy
• climate change
• climate emergency
• executive power
• Green New Deal
• Senate
• stimulus
• whole of government

Senator Whitehouse believes the Biden Administration should go big and go bold on climate change policy.  Watch the whole interview here. 

• Energy

The Energy Package Is a Win for Climate and Jobs That We Can Build on Next Year.

• #ThirdWay
• climate change
• Congress
• energy
• energy efficiency
• renewable energy
• stimulus
• The Energy Act of 2020
• Third Way

As we grapple with the disastrous pandemic, recession, and climate change, the nation is in desperate need of investment in clean energy to reduce climate pollution and jumpstart the economy. The Energy Act of 2020, included with the COVID-19 relief and 2021 spending package, will help the United States on both fronts by investing in a spectrum of technologies.

• Sustainability

Recycling Struggling Due to Pandemic and Electronic Waste Breaks Records

• cardboard
• conservation
• COVID-19
• e-waste
• environment
• recycling
• stimulus

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused turmoil in recycling programs and markets for recycled goods.  Meanwhile, a UN report released last week found that electronic waste produced globally jumped to a record of 53.6 million tons or about 16 pounds per person.

Why This Matters: And while residential waste is greatly increasing, fewer materials are being recycled other than cardboard, which is much in demand.  Recycling, like so many other local programs, needs federal financial support and soon.

• Politics

Clean Energy Sector Makes Strong Case for Coronavirus Aid

• clean energy
• COVID-19
• solar energy
• stimulus
• tax credits
• wind energy

As we have reported, the clean energy sector is down more than 620,000 jobs thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and the industry is now pushing hard for relief from Congress in the form of tax credits that companies would receive as cash payments (a deal Congress gave some companies) and delaying the phase-down of other tax incentives. 

Why This Matters:  While there may be some overcounting in jobs lost or undercounting of the number covered under the generic PPP stimulus program, there is no doubt the sector has been “decimated” as the clean energy industry claims.

• Politics

One Conservative Thing: Group Makes Pro Climate/Rebuild Better Ad Buy on Fox News

• clean jobs
• climate change
• COVID-19
• stimulus

A pro-climate change conservative group has made a major ad buy on Fox News to air this commercial.   The group, called the American Conservation Coalition, is hoping to persuade the Trump Administration and Congress to add funding for what many characterize as “green” jobs — those in clean energy and green infrastructure — to any […]

• Climate Change

EU COVID Recovery Plans Make Investments In Climate Change; China Remains in Neutral

• China
• climate change
• COVID-19
• European Union
• recovery
• stimulus

The European Union announced its $825 billion recovery package for the coronavirus pandemic late last week and it includes big plans to address climate change as intrinsic to its economic recovery.

Why This Matters:  Only when we shut down the economies of the developed world due to the life or death threat of the pandemic did we see global greenhouse gas emissions reductions necessary for the foreseeable future.