The United Nations put out a sprawling, sobering report this week about the world’s progress in slowing global warming. POLITICO Europe’s Karl Mathiesen breaks down the big takeaways from the report, what was missing, and the limitations of the UN’s climate change panel in general. Plus, DOE says private-sector spending needs to ramp up to hit President Joe Biden’s climate goals.

The Supreme Court began oral arguments in a case on Monday that pits the Navajo Nation against the Biden administration, along with four Southwest states, over the tribe’s rights to the Colorado River, the West’s most important waterway. POLITICO’s Annie Snider breaks down the arguments and what’s at stake. Plus, a federal judge blocks President Joe Biden’s WOTUS rule in Texas and Idaho. 

Republicans in Congress are pushing for changes in how the nation’s big infrastructure projects are permitted – mostly by easing rules under the National Environmental Policy Act. But energy experts say the proposed changes won’t dramatically speed up the approvals.

Republican Bruce Westerman and Democrat Scott Peters are leading the effort to find common ground on an important, but highly elusive energy issue: permitting reform. And their effort comes as House Republicans have introduced an energy package that many Democrats are already dismissing. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel breaks down the lawmakers’ joint approach, the permitting priorities for Democrats and Republicans, and the reform effort’s chances. Plus, FERC approved a new supply chain cybersecurity standard.

On Wednesday, EPA issued a new sweeping plan to curb pollution from power plants and manufacturing facilities across 23 states. The measure is the latest in a series of EPA regulations aimed at cutting down pollution and toxic waste from coal-fired power plants, and it’s likely to further shrink the nation’s fleet of coal-fired power generation. However, the regulation might face resistance from industry because of cost compliance and grid concerns. POLITICO’s Alex Guillén breaks down EPA’s latest rule and the pushback. Plus, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed the House GOP’s energy agenda, calling it “as bad and partisan as it gets.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed the first-ever federal limits for toxic PFAS "forever chemicals" that are found in the drinking water of 200 million Americans. If finalized, the rule would mark the first major upgrade in the safety of the nation's drinking water in the past three decades. However, getting it across the finish line is far from certain, and the new safety measures would cost American households hundreds of millions of dollars. POLITICO's Annie Snider breaks down the cost and potential regulatory obstacles. Plus, the state of Ohio is suing Norfolk Southern for the costs associated with the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment.

The Biden administration approved the long-debated Willow oil project in Alaska on Monday -- the latest concession by President Joe Biden to the oil and gas industry and Republican critics, and which came over the pleas to quash it from environmental groups and some nearby tribal communities. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre breaks down the project’s details, how the administration is defending itself and the reaction from environmentalists. Plus, Volkswagen picks Ontario for the site of its first battery plant outside Europe as countries rush to build an electric vehicle supply chain.

There's still no conclusive answer to the six-month-old question of who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, which sent geopolitical shockwaves around the world. POLITICO’s Charlie Cooper breaks down the prevailing theories and the global energy implications of each culprit. Plus, Senator Joe Manchin said he would not support President Joe Biden’s nominee to a top Interior Department position.

President Joe Biden unveiled his $1.7 trillion budget and likely campaign blueprint on Thursday. While the government funding proposal likely has no chance of passing Congress as is, it marks both a campaign pitch and an opening shot at House Republicans who have demanded significant spending cuts. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel and Kelsey Tamborrino discuss Biden’s energy funding proposals and how it impacts his green goals. Plus, the Biden administration met with natural gas industry representatives and foreign government officials on Thursday in Houston to discuss 'clean gas' standards.

The nation’s premier energy event, CERAWeek, is underway in Houston, and observers to this year’s conference are noting a tone shift from previous years. While demand for oil and gas remains robust, there are signs all around the conference that the traditional oil industry is changing, and it’s all about investing in new climate technologies. POLITICO’s Matt Daily breaks down the vibe shift within the oil industry on climate tech. Plus, the Interior Department expects its final five-year offshore leasing plan in December. 

Plagued by delays and cost issues, the only nuclear power plant under construction in the U.S. is moving closer to startup. The two reactors being built by Southern Co’s Georgia Power are projected to produce emission-free electricity for half a million homes and businesses once complete. POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse breaks down the major development. Plus, the Biden administration’s EPA is at odds with the agency’s Inspector General over Trump-era changes to an assessment of PFAS.

The House GOP is preparing a massive new energy bill. Speaker Kevin McCarthy is hopeful the bill will unite his sometimes fractured party, whose members touted many of the energy-related proposals on the campaign trail. But, passage of the bill will not be easy. The package includes both long-time ideological priorities, such as boosting drilling on federal lands, as well as an opening bid to ease permitting of energy projects, a policy area of bipartisan interest. But since the Republicans hold such a slim majority, moving the bill to the finish could prove tricky. Politico’s Josh Siegel breaks down the key points in the bill, and the challenges McCarthy could face ahead of the legislation hitting the floor at the end of March.

President Joe Biden’s agenda to green the nation’s economy relies on a simple pitch: creating good-paying jobs for Americans. However, there is one big issue: there might not be enough American workers to fill them.

Republican-led states are embracing chemical recycling, a high-temperature plastic melting process that’s criticized by environmentalists. The GOP approach is allowing them to financially benefit off Democrat-led states that recycle more plastic waste. POLITICO’s Jordan Wolman breaks down the red-blue divide over recycling. Plus, Holtec International is pursuing a separate DOE lifeline to restart its Michigan nuclear facility.

Rep. Garret Graves proposed legislation on Tuesday to overhaul the rules for environment reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act for energy infrastructure. The pitch would form the backbone of a larger legislative energy package that House Republicans are planning to introduce in March. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel breaks down the GOP permitting reform efforts, and why they will (once again) face an uphill legislative battle. Plus, EPA says it will propose allowing year-round sales of gasoline blends containing 15 percent ethanol in several Midwestern states.

Community groups in North Carolina are suing EPA Administrator Michael Regan for failing to require sufficient testing of PFAS chemicals contaminating water, air, and blood. The lawsuit poses a significant test for Regan, who grew up in North Carolina and has promised to hold polluters accountable in marginalized communities. Annie Snider breaks down the lawsuit, EPA's response, and what this means for Regan's environmental justice promises. Plus, an EPA watchdog slammed the agency’s wood heater program in a new report.

The initial rollout of a low-income tax credit program under the Inflation Reduction Act has some solar developers concerned it will be difficult to expand solar power into low-income communities - a Biden administration environmental justice priority. But community solar advocates are rejecting those concerns and applauding the Treasury Department’s approach. POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino explains the divide in the solar sector. Plus, the Department of Energy is offering a conditional $375 million loan for the construction of a first-of-its-kind lithium-ion battery recycling facility in North America.

The National Transportation Safety Board put out an initial report last week about what caused the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that has triggered a massive cleanup. POLITICO’s Tanya Snyder breaks down the report, why this train derailment has caused partisan finger pointing, and how the Department of Transportation might be scrutinized moving forward. Plus, the Department of Energy is exploring a plan to offer a government endorsement for natural gas that meets a minimum standard for cleanliness.

When Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, Moscow thought it could intimidate Kyiv’s European allies through energy blackmail. But that strategy has actually backfired because of America’s growing energy role in Europe’s economy and the changing global energy landscape. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre breaks down how the energy world has changed since Russia invaded Ukraine. Plus, President Joe Biden nominated former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga to head the World Bank.

The Biden administration’s ambitious green transition is facing a labor crunch despite the incentives included in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. So far, clean energy companies have announced 100,000 clean energy job openings since the law was passed, but the construction and manufacturing sectors are already short hundreds of thousands of workers. POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down why the green transition has a labor problem and how industry is responding. Plus, the Interior Department proposed the first ever Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease sale.

The Biden administration has a new opportunity to reshape the World Bank after David Malpass announced he would step down as president last week. President Joe Biden is expected to name a president who will push the World Bank to focus more on climate change and other global challenges. However, the administration’s path to installing the bank’s next leader won’t be as easy as it has been in the past. POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down Biden’s window to redefine the World Bank. Plus, EPA orders Norfolk Southern to pay for train crash clean-up.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, announced a suite of executive orders and regulatory actions last week that raised the bar much higher for the state’s climate ambitions, including the most aggressive clean energy target of any large state and a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. POLITICO’s Ry Rivard breaks down the suite of New Jersey’s climate ambitions – and whether they are feasible. Plus, EPA reinstated an Obama-era regulation that significantly curbed mercury emissions.

Government regulators and industry officials are debating how to secure the nation’s power grid against physical attacks, which have surged to a decade-high peak. Those discussions come as Democrats and climate change advocates press to expand the use of electricity and shift the nation’s energy consumption to renewables. POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse breaks down the different strategies and factors officials are considering. Plus, EPA administrator Michael Regan promises results after the Norfolk Southern train crash in Ohio.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced an agreement with Tesla that would open portions of its EV charging network to other carmakers’ electric vehicles. POLITICO’s James Bikales breaks down how the deal got done and why the White House hopes a more expansive network of EV charging stations will support its green tech goals. Plus, World Bank chief David Malpass announced he is leaving in June, months after a fumbling interview in which he seemed to cast doubt on climate change science.

On Tuesday, the Biden administration unveiled details of the new Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which will distribute $27 billion dollars in grants to meet the needs of low-income and minority communities that often face the worst effects of pollution. POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down the fund’s details and how it targets a Biden campaign promise. Plus, EU officials met with executives from US and European LNG companies to help European member countries meet their natural gas needs.