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.

Years ago, a company built a natural gas pipeline in St. Louis to help meet an alleged increase in demand. Now, even though the pipeline has been up and running for two years, a federal court rejected its permit, saying regulators failed to follow their own rules in evaluating its necessity. Turns out, many companies use similar strategies to justify the need for their pipelines. Today, POLITICO’s Eric Wolff explains the ruling and how it can shape the future of pipeline projects.

The European Union and the US government are moving to ask companies to disclose the risks that climate change poses on their operations. And while most companies have agreed in principle to the idea of sharing their information, they’re asking the government that they not be held legally liable for what the disclosures reveal. Today, POLITICO’s Lorraine Woellert, on what kind of liability the companies are fearing, and whether the federal government will listen.

Solar panels are a fundamental tool for any country looking to clean up their energy industry. But countries across the globe say China is hiding a sinister secret behind the production of a key component of these panels. Today, POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino, on the Biden administration’s plan to continue boosting solar power at home without funding human right abuses overseas.

As both parties continue to negotiate over a deal on infrastructure, the possibility that climate will have to be addressed separately is now looking more likely than ever. But could Democrats even find partisan agreement over what would have to be in a climate-alone package? Today, POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna says that won’t be an easy task.

Since Joe Biden took office, the US has been seen as an ally in the fight against climate change. But just a change at the helm doesn’t mean the American ship will fully line up with all of Europe’s climate plans. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman discusses how the president’s European trip reflected the differences.

Earlier this month, environmentalists scored a major win they’d spent years fighting for: the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. But while that project died, there is another pipeline that’s been carrying oil sands from Canada to the US for years: Enbridge’s Line 3. Line 3 has long needed critical maintenance to operate at full capacity, and blocking work on a replacement pipeline has become another key fight for environmentalists. Today, POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre explains the tensions around Line 3, and whether the Biden administration will step in to shut down the project.

Over the weekend, leaders of the largest developed economies gathered in Cornwall, England to discuss their plans to tackle some of the world’s biggest issues, including how best to fight climate change.Today, POLITICO’s Ryan Heath discusses how these leaders are aligned on many of the broad goals, but critical details about the future of the coal sector- and other climate issues remain elusive.