Late on Sunday, the Senate finally released the text of the big infrastructure bill, a historic and bipartisan $1.2 trillion package. Today, POLITICO’s Sam Mintz walks along the path to getting this deal, and the path ahead. Plus, POLITICO’s Zack Colman, Ben Lefebvre, and Kelsey Tamborrino have the key takeaways on energy and the environment.

Many people tried to get the United Nations to take action on the fight against climate change, but Secretary General Ban Ki-moon got the organization to actually put its diplomatic muscle behind the issue. Today, POLITICO’s Lorraine Woellert talks to the former UN chief about the agency’s climate action during his tenure, and the areas where the world needs to act now.

This week, the Senate finally released some details on the infrastructure bill that is expected to come through over the next few weeks. And, while the package doesn’t address climate change as aggressively as the reconciliation bill is expected to, the bipartisan bill does have big plans for water, carbon capture programs, and helping communities transition into the clean energy economy. POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna has more

The Trump administration spent years fighting to keep a Russian pipeline from reaching Germany. Now, it seems like the Biden administration is giving up on fighting the inevitable fate of Nord Stream 2, and is instead looking for a deal to protect the Western bloc’s interests. Today, POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre, on the German-US deal over the pipeline.

If the Democrats’ reconciliation package passes, it will become the largest piece of climate policy in American history. But even at $3.5 trillion dollars, the framework is being criticized by some progressive green groups as too small. Today, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna, on the risk of climate hawks overplaying their hand and how much of Biden’s climate agenda may actually come through.

The Wildland firefighters are a special unit that battle fires on federal lands and can assist states fighting blazes within their borders. But extremely low wages and ever-increasing working demands are pushing many of these crews out of the job and into other departments. Today, POLITICO’s Ximena Bustillo explains the Biden administration’s plan to keep its firefighters.

There was a time when rural Guatemalans never left home. But back-to-back hurricanes, failed crops and extreme poverty are driving them to make the dangerous trek north. Today, POLITICO’s Sabrina Rodriguez, on how climate change and natural disasters are contributing to the decision of thousands to flee to the US.

Last weekend, heavy rains led to massive floods across Western Europe, killing hundreds and causing millions of dollars in damages. And while uncontrollable, the floods were predictable. Today, POLITICO Europe’s Karl Mathiesen reports that governments are looking at what could have been done to prevent the loss of life, and whether the continent’s climate policies are prepared to deal with damage mitigation.

Fighting climate change is not just about ending fossil fuels: a low-emissions future will also require higher use of electricity obtained from clean sources. But if the US is counting on electricity to take over for oil in transportation and heating, it is going to need a strong and ambitious Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to deploy more clean energy. Today, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna talks to a lawmaker seeking to raise awareness about one of the most important agencies for climate policy that most have not heard about.

Getting rid of the nation’s network of lead drinking water pipes is tremendously politically popular — but also estimated to cost tens of billions. President Joe Biden promised a bipartisan infrastructure framework would get the job done, but senior Democrats say it almost certainly won’t. Today, POLITICO’s Annie Snider and Anthony Adragna on how far Democrats may go on removing lead from America’s water and why they may fall short of the White House’s promise.

President Biden’s push for green energy development is putting pressure on an energy grid that is currently unprepared to move significant amounts of renewable energy across the country. But the chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has a goal for a new rulemaking that will help ensure the grid can catch up. Today, POLITICO’s Gloria Gonzalez, on Rich Glick’s ambitious timeline.

On Wednesday, Senate Democrats announced the framework of their massive — but still unwritten — reconciliation bill. The package, which more than triples the bipartisan infrastructure framework in cost, is meant to establish and fund a big chunk of President Biden’s agenda, including a massive effort to fight climate change. Today, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna has details on what’s in the framework for the environment and renewable energies.

Yesterday, the European Union unveiled its detailed plan to drastically cut emissions by half over the next decade. But the EU’s quest to implement a tariff on products originating from countries without similar carbon reducing policies could spell trouble for its relationships with its biggest trade partners, including the U.S. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman discusses the possibility of an all-out trade war erupting over carbon emissions and how it could be avoided.

For a long time, leaders in Texas were content to have the state produce, transport, and consume its own electricity. But recent extreme weather events have exposed critical flaws in the system, and yesterday, the state’s Electric Reliability Council unveiled its plan to attempt and make its

Since the smog crisis in the 60s, California has led the way in fighting for cleaner air and pushing the auto industry for ambitious innovation. Now, they’re using some of their special powers to switch the truck fleet in the state to electric. Today, POLITICO’s Ry Rivard, on how New Jersey is the first state to join California’s push, but on the plenty of obstacles it faces in doing so.

In late May, a small investor group managed to win a quarter of the board seats in one of America’s largest oil companies. Across the board, Engine 1’s win at ExxonMobil is widely seen as a watershed moment for energy, sustainability, and governance movements, and POLITICO’s Lorraine Woellert says the momentum that helped them win is also affecting the traditional relationships between directors and shareholders in other large companies.

or years, Republicans have largely refused to even acknowledge the reality of climate change, let alone engage on solutions. But now, with legislative and executive action seemingly inevitable, GOP members on the Hill are banding together to discuss rhetoric — and possible solutions. Today, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna talks to the new chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, Rep. John Curtis.

Every summer, gas prices tend to go up as millions of Americans go on their long-planned road trips. But this year, drivers are paying prices they haven’t seen in years. Today, POLITICO’s Matthew Choi explains why prices are soaring.

2021 is expected to be the worst year yet for wildfires across the West. And Latino communities are set to suffer a disproportionate amount of the damages – and their risks are growing worse. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman, on the underlying inequities facing Latinos and the public policy complexity in trying to solve them.

On land and at sea, the planet is drowning in plastic. And while countries are crafting their own policies around recycling and minimizing the use of plastic bottles and bags, POLITICO‘s Eline Schaart reports a push for a unified international policy is brewing.

Many imagine the Pacific northwest as a rainy, temperate part of the U.S., but a heatwave earlier this week sent parts of Washington and Oregon to record high temperatures — and may contribute to hundreds of deaths. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman has more on the connection between the heatwave and climate change, and how extreme weather in the region is underlining its Republican uneven messaging on climate policy.

For years, the state of New Jersey and developers for the PennEast pipeline have engaged in a fight over the company’s use of eminent domain to seize portions of the state’s land. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court sided with the company in a case that challenged New Jersey's immunity to lawsuits. Today, POLITICO’s Alex Guillen and Ry Rivard, on why the highest court’s ruling still doesn’t guarantee that the pipeline will be built.

The Bureau of Land Management never used to be a controversial selection, but Republican senators have gone all out against Tracy Stone-Manning, Biden’s pick, despite her decades of experience in federal and Montana roles. Today, POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre on a 30-year old controversy, and why the GOP is uniting against her.

For weeks, about a quarter of the states in the US have been suffering from droughts. Along the west, the dry conditions are creating water shortages and water access crises for cities, agriculture and fishing. And with the planet warming more and more, these droughts are set to get worse. Today, POLITICO’s Annie Snider, on the effects of this year’s droughts for millions in the US now and into the future.

In the wake of two historic failures in American energy access, Republicans and oil-friendly advocates argue the government needs to increase investment in fossil fuels, not cut back. Environmental justice advocates say that’s an old line from the pro-fossil fuel playbook that doesn't meet the current energy landscape or the climate challenge.