The proliferation of data centers across the United States represents new “loads” (i.e., sources of demand) on the electrical grid. Data centers require enormous amounts of energy to power and cool their computing systems that operate continuously or near-continuously. To meet this demand, new energy infrastructure—both generation and transmission—will need […]
At every level of government, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions disclosure regulations that saw meaningful progress only a few years ago are now in retreat. Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed rescinding its 2024 corporate climate-disclosure rule, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul persuaded legislators to weaken the […]
Data center development and its climate, environmental, and energy impacts have emerged as a central and hotly debated issue facing local governments in 2026. Various studies have explored, among other things, the large amounts of land required for data centers; their immense use of energy and water ; their greenhouse gas […]
Interest in marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) has risen in the last decade as the deadlines to meet global climate temperature goals draw closer. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tells us that the 1.5°C and 2°C temperature targets outlined in the Paris Agreement require net zero emissions, which […]
Rapid data center development is challenging local governments’ ability to manage the environmental challenges these facilities raise. Cities, towns, and counties are facing both uncertainty about the scope of those impacts and growing opposition to data centers from residents. In response, many are turning to temporary moratoria to pause data […]
Clean energy siting across the nation is facing enormous challenges. Local opposition is widespread and rapidly increasing in many areas. One example is Ohio, where government opposition is a byproduct of state legislation and also the result of coordinated campaigns spreading mis- and dis-information about the impacts of renewable energy […]
Climate advocates may hope to see dramatic commercial breakthroughs over the next several decades that reshape emissions-intensive components of our everyday lives, such as our dietary choices, household energy use, and transportation habits. Yet transforming these consumer sectors will require not only scientific ingenuity and entrepreneurial ambition, but also nimble […]
Compounding their significant climate and environmental harms, fossil fuels are also volatile commodities. In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted the supply of natural gas, causing prices to spike. More recently, the United States’ war on Iran resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most […]