You are here

News Feeds

The battle for community-led Pride in Place

Red Pepper - Fri, 09/11/2026 - 00:00

The high-profile local regeneration initiatives will test Burnhamism’s commitment to genuinely devolving power and empowering communities, argue Nick Mahony and Frances Northrop

The post The battle for community-led Pride in Place appeared first on Red Pepper.

Categories: F. Left News

Sportsbook ini Membaca Pertandingan dalam Data, Simak Cara Sistemnya Bekerja

Socialist Resurgence - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 23:46

Satu gol dapat mengubah situasi pertandingan hanya dalam hitungan detik. Namun bagi sistem sportsbook, perubahan bukan sekadar terlihat dari papan skor. Setiap tembakan, kartu, pergantian pemain, waktu pertandingan, sampai pergerakan statistik masuk sebagai rangkaian informasi baru untuk dibaca mesin.

Royalgacor menempatkan konsep tersebut sebagai bagian dari cara sportsbook modern bekerja. Data pertandingan bergerak dari sumber informasi menuju sistem analitik sebelum diterjemahkan menjadi pembaruan pasar. Proses ini menjelaskan mengapa angka pada live market dapat berubah berkali-kali sepanjang laga.

Di balik layar, mekanismenya melibatkan real-time data Royalgacor, sports analytics, probability model, data feed, trading engine, serta risk analysis. Setiap komponen memiliki fungsi berbeda, tetapi saling terhubung dalam membaca kondisi pertandingan.

Real-Time Data Royalgacor Menjadi Titik Awal Pembacaan Laga

Sportsbook membutuhkan informasi aktual agar sistem tidak tertinggal dari kondisi lapangan. Data feed menjadi jalur utama untuk membawa event data menuju platform. Informasinya bisa mencakup skor, waktu laga, kartu, tembakan, penguasaan bola, pergantian pemain, hingga berbagai match statistics lain. Pada cabang olahraga berbeda, jenis datanya ikut berubah. Basket memiliki poin, rebound, foul, serta possession, sementara tenis membaca set, game, servis, dan momentum skor. Real-time data Royalgacor kemudian perlu diproses dalam format terstruktur. Sistem tidak cukup hanya mengetahui skor berubah. Mesin juga perlu mengenali kapan peristiwa terjadi serta dampaknya terhadap kondisi pertandingan.

Event Data Mengubah Pertandingan Menjadi Informasi Terstruktur

Sebuah pertandingan sebenarnya menghasilkan aliran data sangat besar. Sports analytics membantu menyaring informasi tersebut agar mesin dapat membedakan peristiwa biasa dari kejadian dengan dampak lebih besar. Gol tentu membawa pengaruh berbeda dibanding lemparan ke dalam. Kartu merah juga dapat mengubah situasi lebih besar daripada pergantian pemain biasa. Konteks semacam ini menjadi bahan bagi sistem sebelum memasuki tahap perhitungan berikutnya.

Probability Model Membaca Kemungkinan dari Kondisi Terbaru

Setelah data diterima, probability model mulai memperbarui estimasi berdasarkan situasi terkini. Model tidak sekadar membaca siapa sedang unggul. Waktu tersisa, skor, performa sebelumnya, statistik pertandingan, kondisi pemain, serta pola historis dapat menjadi bagian dari perhitungan. Bobot setiap variabel bergantung pada olahraga serta jenis pasar. Misalnya, keunggulan satu gol pada menit awal tentu memiliki konteks berbeda dari skor serupa menjelang laga selesai. Probability model perlu memahami perbedaan tersebut agar estimasi tetap relevan terhadap situasi aktual.

Match Statistics Tidak Berdiri Sendiri

Angka statistik mudah terlihat meyakinkan apabila dibaca tanpa konteks. Sebuah tim bisa mendominasi penguasaan bola, tetapi belum tentu menciptakan peluang berkualitas. Sports analytics berfungsi menghubungkan banyak indikator sekaligus. Data historis memberi konteks awal, sedangkan informasi live memperbarui gambaran selama pertandingan berlangsung. Hasil pemrosesan kemudian diteruskan menuju tahap market pricing.

Market Pricing Menerjemahkan Probabilitas Menjadi Pasar

Probability model menghasilkan estimasi, sementara market pricing menerjemahkannya menjadi harga pasar. Di bagian ini, sportsbook mulai bekerja menyerupai sistem perdagangan digital. Harga dapat bergerak saat informasi baru masuk. Perubahan skor, kartu, waktu tersisa, atau situasi penting lain dapat memicu kalkulasi ulang. Karena itu, live market bersifat dinamis dan tidak menunggu pertandingan selesai untuk memperbarui kondisi. Pada Royalgacor, konsep tersebut dapat dipahami sebagai hubungan antara data pertandingan dengan respons sistem. Bukan satu statistik tunggal pemicunya, melainkan kombinasi informasi dari banyak variabel.

Trading Engine Menjaga Pergerakan Live Market

Trading engine berada pada lapisan penting setelah model menghasilkan estimasi harga. Mesin ini membantu mengelola pembaruan pasar, parameter perdagangan, serta respons terhadap perubahan situasi. Ketika event data baru datang, sistem dapat menilai apakah pasar masih relevan atau perlu diperbarui. Pada kejadian tertentu, market bahkan dapat dihentikan sementara sampai informasi terkonfirmasi. Kecepatan memiliki peran besar di tahap tersebut. Data feed dengan keterlambatan terlalu tinggi berpotensi membuat harga tidak lagi sesuai dengan keadaan lapangan. Karena itu, infrastruktur sportsbook modern menaruh perhatian besar pada latency, sinkronisasi, serta kestabilan sumber data.

Risk Analysis Menjadi Lapisan Pengendali

Model probabilitas tidak bekerja sendirian. Risk analysis ikut membaca eksposur pasar serta kondisi perdagangan secara keseluruhan. Fungsinya bukan meramal hasil pertandingan secara mutlak. Lapisan ini lebih dekat pada pengendalian risiko agar perubahan harga tetap berada dalam parameter sistem. Royalgacor melalui pendekatan sportsbook berbasis data memperlihatkan bahwa angka di layar merupakan hasil dari beberapa proses berurutan. Data dikumpulkan, divalidasi, dianalisis, diterjemahkan menjadi probabilitas, lalu masuk ke pricing dan pengelolaan risiko.

Royalgacor Membaca Pertandingan sebagai Aliran Data

Pertandingan bagi penonton adalah rangkaian aksi di lapangan. Bagi mesin, laga merupakan aliran informasi terus-menerus. Real-time data Royalgacor menjadi bahan awal, sports analytics memberi konteks, probability model menghitung kemungkinan, market pricing menerjemahkan estimasi, sedangkan trading engine menjaga live market tetap mengikuti perkembangan pertandingan. Struktur tersebut menjelaskan satu hal penting: perubahan angka pada sportsbook bukan bukti bahwa sistem mengetahui hasil masa depan. Mesin hanya merespons informasi tersedia melalui model statistik serta parameter risiko. Semakin cepat pertandingan berubah, semakin aktif pula proses pembacaan datanya. Di situlah sportsbook modern berbeda dari papan skor biasa. Sistem tidak hanya menampilkan apa sudah terjadi, tetapi terus menghitung bagaimana setiap kejadian mengubah kondisi pasar berdasarkan data terbaru.

Categories: D2. Socialism

The commodification of conservation

Ecologist - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 23:00
The commodification of conservation Channel Comment brendan 11th September 2026 Teaser Media
Categories: H. Green News

Provider Slot Maxwin Mulai Punya Peran Besar dalam Struktur Situs Modern

Socialist Resurgence - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 22:13

Struktur situs permainan modern tidak lagi dibangun hanya untuk menampilkan sebanyak mungkin judul dalam satu halaman. Perubahan antarmuka, pertumbuhan katalog, serta meningkatnya jumlah provider membuat arsitektur platform ikut berkembang. Royalgacor menjadi salah satu contoh bagaimana konsep tersebut dapat diterapkan lewat pembagian kategori, sistem navigasi, integrasi game, serta pengelolaan konten secara lebih terstruktur.

Posisi provider Slot Maxwin akhirnya ikut berubah. Provider bukan sekadar pemasok permainan, tetapi menjadi bagian penting dalam penyusunan katalog, pencarian konten, sampai pola navigasi pengguna.

Provider Mulai Menjadi Bagian dari Arsitektur Situs

Pada model situs lama, puluhan bahkan ratusan game kerap ditempatkan dalam satu halaman panjang. Metode tersebut cukup sederhana, tetapi mulai terasa kurang efisien saat jumlah konten bertambah.

Arsitektur situs Royalgacor dapat dilihat dari pendekatan berbeda. Setiap provider bisa ditempatkan sebagai kelompok tersendiri, kemudian dipecah lagi berdasarkan tema, fitur, popularitas, atau jenis permainan.

Struktur semacam ini membuat hubungan antara halaman menjadi lebih jelas.

Elemen PlatformFungsi dalam Struktur SitusKategori providerMengelompokkan game berdasarkan pengembangAPI gameMenghubungkan katalog dengan sistem providerNavigasiMempercepat perpindahan antarbagianSistem kontenMengatur informasi setiap permainanFilter gameMembantu pencarian berdasarkan preferensiKatalog providerMenampilkan koleksi secara lebih rapi

Konsep tersebut membuat provider memiliki posisi struktural. Nama pengembang tidak lagi berhenti sebagai label kecil pada kartu permainan.

Integrasi Game Bergantung pada Sistem API API Menjadi Jembatan antara Situs dan Provider

Di balik tampilan visual, terdapat proses teknis agar katalog permainan dapat dimuat secara konsisten. Salah satu komponen penting berada pada API game.

API memungkinkan platform mengambil sejumlah informasi, misalnya:

  1. nama permainan,
  2. thumbnail atau aset visual,
  3. kategori game,
  4. identitas provider,
  5. status ketersediaan konten,
  6. parameter peluncuran permainan.

Sistem tersebut membantu Royalgacor menyusun banyak game tanpa mengelola setiap elemen secara manual.

Ketika katalog bertambah, pendekatan berbasis API juga membuat pembaruan konten lebih mudah dikendalikan. Provider baru dapat ditempatkan ke dalam kategori tertentu tanpa harus mengubah keseluruhan rancangan halaman.

Integrasi Tidak Berhenti pada Tombol Play

Integrasi game modern mencakup lebih dari proses membuka permainan. Sistem harus mempertimbangkan bagaimana konten ditemukan, ditampilkan, dikelompokkan, serta dipindahkan dari satu halaman menuju bagian lain. Karena itu, struktur Slot Maxwin semakin berkaitan dengan desain backend dan pengalaman pengguna pada sisi frontend.

Katalog Provider Membentuk Pola Navigasi

Katalog besar memerlukan jalur navigasi sederhana. Tanpa pengelompokan, pengguna harus melakukan terlalu banyak pencarian hanya untuk menemukan satu tema tertentu.

Royalgacor dapat menggunakan beberapa lapisan navigasi seperti:

  • provider,
  • tema permainan,
  • game populer,
  • rilisan terbaru,
  • kategori visual,
  • fitur tertentu.

Pendekatan tersebut menciptakan ekosistem permainan lebih terorganisasi.

Sebagai contoh, pengguna tertarik pada satu provider tidak perlu menyisir seluruh katalog. Mereka dapat masuk langsung menuju kategori terkait, kemudian melihat pilihan game di dalam kelompok serupa. Model navigasi seperti ini juga membantu mesin pencari memahami hubungan antarkonten apabila struktur URL, internal link, judul halaman, serta hierarki kategori dibuat konsisten.

Sistem Konten Membuat Setiap Provider Lebih Mudah Dibedakan Identitas Provider Tidak Hanya Berasal dari Logo

Setiap pengembang biasanya membawa ciri desain sendiri. Ada provider dengan pendekatan visual sederhana, tema mitologi, konsep Asia, animasi intens, atau karakter bergaya kartun. Royalgacor dapat memanfaatkan perbedaan tersebut sebagai bagian dari sistem konten.

Informasi provider dapat disusun melalui:

  • halaman kategori khusus,
  • deskripsi singkat,
  • koleksi permainan,
  • tag tema,
  • rekomendasi game terkait.

Hasilnya bukan sekadar katalog besar, tetapi jaringan konten dengan hubungan lebih jelas.

Kategori Membantu Mengurangi Kepadatan Informasi

Masalah utama situs dengan ribuan konten adalah kepadatan layar. Terlalu banyak elemen membuat pengguna kesulitan menentukan pilihan. Kategori provider menjadi salah satu solusi paling logis. Pembagian tersebut membuat informasi diproses sedikit demi sedikit, bukan dilempar sekaligus ke halaman utama.

Pengalaman Pengguna Mulai Dipengaruhi Struktur Provider

Perubahan paling terasa akhirnya muncul pada pengalaman pengguna. Orang tidak hanya melihat tampilan situs, tetapi berinteraksi dengan struktur di baliknya. Navigasi cepat, filter relevan, halaman provider, pencarian internal, serta rekomendasi game saling bekerja membentuk perjalanan pengguna.

Struktur ideal biasanya mengikuti alur sederhana:

Beranda → Kategori Provider → Pilihan Game → Informasi Game → Konten Terkait

Alur tersebut lebih mudah dipahami dibanding halaman berisi ratusan kartu tanpa pengelompokan.

Royalgacor Membentuk Ekosistem Permainan Lebih Terstruktur

Peran provider dalam situs modern mulai bergerak dari sekadar penyedia konten menuju bagian penting dari arsitektur platform. Integrasi API, kategori, navigasi, katalog, serta sistem konten sekarang saling terhubung. Pada Royalgacor, pendekatan tersebut dapat membentuk ekosistem permainan dengan jalur eksplorasi lebih jelas. Provider membantu menentukan bagaimana game dikelompokkan, sementara struktur situs menentukan seberapa mudah koleksi tersebut ditemukan. Perubahan ini menunjukkan bahwa perkembangan provider Slot Maxwin tidak hanya terlihat dari tema atau visual permainan. Perannya mulai masuk lebih dalam ke struktur teknis, organisasi konten, hingga desain pengalaman pengguna pada platform modern.

Categories: D2. Socialism

Friday Video: Urbanists on Bakfiets Talking Cities

Streetsblog USA - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 21:01

Forget Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee; it’s time for Urbanists on Bakfiets Talking Cities.

We love this new YouTube series from Urban Mobility Explained and host Lior Steinberg, which is, well, exactly what it sounds like: short interviews-on-wheels with some of the most interesting people in the movement to make cities better … with the subject riding shotgun in the bucket of an Urban Arrow cargo bike.

The first episode doubles as a rolling travelogue through Ljubljana, Slovenia, and it features none other than one of the godfathers of tactical urbanism, Mike Lydon — and they even ride by a temporary “school street” that his famous methodology may have influenced. Come for the e-bike and vacation envy, stay for the fascinating insights into how inexpensive, reversible design interventions can help transform your streets.

Watch this video on YouTube here.

Anyone Can Access Friday’s Headlines

Streetsblog USA - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 21:01
  • A review of more than 100 studies found that increasing access to bicycles, particularly e-bikes, is the best way to get people to ride one. “Access” can mean a lot of things, though, from promoting safe biking routes to cash to buy a bike. Addressing these practical concerns is more effective than education or PR campaigns. (Momentum)
  • Subway construction in English-speaking countries is even more expensive than previously thought, compared to the rest of the world. (The Transit Brief)
  • Here’s how to turn an aging strip mall into a walkable neighborhood. (Building Better Places)
  • The only reason Sean Duffy is secretary of transportation is that Donald Trump had already given out all the other jobs in his administration. (Jalopnik)
  • If you’re a rising star athlete like the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz, you can kill three people with your car and hire a fixer to make it go away. (Propublica)
  • San Francisco, New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, Miami, Oakland, Philadelphia, Seattle and Long Beach have the highest walk scores in the U.S. (Quartz)
  • Why is it so hard to build transit in Austin but so easy to widen a freeway? (Planetizen)
  • A business community that favors suburban sprawl is keeping Charlotte from realizing its full potential. (Ledger)
  • Upstate New York cities like Buffalo, Albany, Rochester and Syracuse are investing in better bike infrastructure. (Focus)
  • An Amazon-backed driverless car company called Zoox is challenging Waymo’s supremacy in San Francisco. (New York Times)
  • Minneapolis is considering a law requiring human drivers in autonomous vehicles. (Minnesota Public Radio)
  • Michigan is testing a road usage charge to fund transportation. (WILX)
  • Phoenix has installed 200 miles of “cool pavement” that reduces the urban heat island effect. (Smart Cities World)
  • Seattle will install speed cameras on four high-risk corridors. (Capitol Hill Seattle Blog)
  • Pittsburgh bikeshare POGOH is searching for a new sponsor. (WESA)
  • The mayor of Mobile is obsessed with streetcars. (AL.com)
  • Time Out ranked the 20 best cities for biking in the world.
  • Japan cut speed limits in half on narrow city streets, from 60 kilometers per hour, or 37 mph, to 30 kph. (The Guardian)

I Care About E-Bike Safety 0.02 Percent of The Time

Streetsblog USA - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 21:01

A version of this article originally appeared on Urbanism Speakeasy and is republished with permission.

Corporate media outlets have found a new click-bait genre: the terrifying e-bike. A teenager on a sidewalk or a delivery rider weaving through a crosswalk on a machine that blasts through city streets like a rocket. Social media warriors and neighborhood busybodies are all in a tizzy.

In the US, the standard e-bike is a pedal-assist bicycle that tops out around 20 mph. These have become wildly popular because they have just enough juice to flatten hills and make it easier to carry heavy bags (or kids) without breaking a sweat.

A large share of the panic is a labeling problem. The machines doing the most alarming things on sidewalks and in intersections are electric motorcycles. Without moving your feet, you can soar up to 60 mph.

Even though there is a percentage of the population doing dumb things on e-motos, the traffic safety moment is wasted if we let the fearmongers frame e-bikes as something that deserves immediate political intervention. Instead, we have a chance to put the hierarchy of safety controls back on the table.

Learn how to rank hazards if you really want to prevent the most injuries

The hierarchy of safety controls is a ranked list of ways to deal with a hazard. You start at the top and only move down when a stronger option is not available. The most effective are at the top, and the least effective at the bottom. (Since humans are feeling creatures who sometimes think, it’s not surprising that the least effective safety treatments are the ones that get the most attention.)

  • Elimination. Get rid of the hazard. The dangerous thing is no longer there, so it can’t hurt anyone. Unplug and remove a machine, stop using a toxic chemical, etc.
  • Substitution. Change the source of harm. Use a safer chemical instead of a toxic one, use a lower-voltage tool, replace a process that can crush a hand with one that can’t, etc.
  • Engineering controls. Leave the hazard in place, but build something that keeps people away from it or limits how bad contact can be. Guards, ventilation, barriers, etc.
  • Administrative controls. Change how people work. Training, procedures, warning signs, schedules that limit exposure, “only trained staff may enter,” checklists. These help, but they also fail when someone is rushed, tired, untrained, or unsupervised.
  • PPE (personal protective equipment). Put protection on the person who is still exposed. Gloves, goggles, helmets, respirators, earplugs. This is last because it does not remove the hazard and does not separate people from it. It only reduces harm if the gear is the right kind, worn correctly, and still working when something goes wrong.

The further down the pyramid you go, the more you’re asking of people when the system itself should have done more.

The public conversation about e-bikes and e-motos lives almost entirely at the bottom two rungs. Meanwhile, the hazard that actually fills trauma centers and morgues is motor vehicle crashes.

Recommended What If Drivers Had to Follow Scooter Laws? Kea Wilson August 31, 2021

In 2023, the United States recorded about 6.14 million police-reported traffic crashes. Of those, 71.7 percent were property-damage-only, 27.6 percent involved injury, and 0.6 percent were fatal. That same year, 40,901 people were killed and an estimated 2.44 million were injured. The CDC separately counted about 2.8 million ER visits for car crash injuries.

Medical expenses from car crashes cost a whopping $31 billion in 2019. CDC put the 2023 cost of crash deaths alone at more than $457 billion, counting medical care and the value of lives lost. The public pays a share of that bill whether or not it wants to. Taxpayers subsidize about 9% of all economic crash costs.

Cars are associated with roughly 40,000 deaths and 2.4 to 2.8 million injured or ER-treated people every year. E-bike deaths were 91 in 2023 and 97 in 2024, with a total of 310 from 2017 through 2024. Rising e-bike injuries are real. That’s because, thankfully, so many more people are now using e-bikes for many of the short trips that used to be car trips.

If we took the top of the pyramid seriously, we would direct policy energy and advocacy resources at the hazard that has such a high share of the blame for traffic violence.

Recommended Why ‘Safe Systems’ Are Not Enough to End Road Violence Kea Wilson February 26, 2024

None of this requires pretending e-motos are harmless. High-power machines on sidewalks are a genuine nuisance and, in some cities, a genuine injury problem. What is not worth doing is treating every battery-assisted bicycle like it’s anywhere near the threat of motor vehicles.

Should we focus at all on e-bikes? Sure. On the topic of traffic safety, I propose 0.2% of our attention focus on e-bikes and 99.8% of our attention focus on cars. That aligns nicely with the real world situation we’re currently faced with.

25 Years Later: How 9/11 Changed Everything

Green and Red Podcast - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 16:31
In our latest, we look at the watershed event of September 11th, 2001. We discuss how the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, led to dramatic shifts in…
Categories: B4. Radical Ecology

State Policy, National Impact

Audubon Society - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 14:29
 Conservation policy isn’t limited to what is happening inside the Washington, DC beltway.  Across the country, Audubon's state and regional offices work with policymakers, partners, and...
Categories: G3. Big Green

Meet Canyon Keepers: A New Name for SUWA’s Monthly Giving Program 

Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 13:48

Protecting Utah’s redrock wilderness has never been about a single moment or a single victory. It’s a long, unfolding effort—one that depends on people willing to stand alongside these landscapes for the long haul. That’s why monthly giving matters so much: it’s an ongoing commitment that helps us carry the work forward month after month, year after year. 

Our monthly donors have been part of SUWA’s story for years. This circle of members, whose dependable contributions support our work year-round, is now called “Canyon Keepers.” 

Why Become a Canyon Keeper? 

  • Reliable year-round support: Monthly gifts provide consistent funding that allows us to respond immediately to urgent threats and stay engaged in long-term campaigns. 
  • It helps us plan ahead: Knowing what we can count on each month helps us budget more effectively, allocate resources wisely, and plan campaigns with confidence. 
  • Simple and flexible: Set it up once, adjust it anytime. No hassle—just a continuous, meaningful way to sustain the work you care about. 

Becoming a Canyon Keeper is easy. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and once you do, your gift renews automatically each month. You can increase, decrease, or pause your support at any time. To welcome you to the Canyon Keepers circle, we’ll send you a limited-edition Canyon Wren canvas bag (design by Riley Lubich) to show our gratitude.

Click here to join Canyon Keepers today!

The post Meet Canyon Keepers: A New Name for SUWA’s Monthly Giving Program  appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Legislative Roundup Update: Help Us Reach the Next Goal Post and Tell the Governor to Sign SB 872!

Restore The San Francisco Bay Area Delta - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 13:03

Dear friends,

In an email shared earlier today, we highlighted a few legislative wins shared by California’s Legislative Delta Caucus and Senator Jerry McNerney.

Those wins include:

  • $90.2 million to protect the Delta and fortify its aging levees
  • Along with up to $68 million to safeguard the State Water Project’s (SWP) California Aqueduct and canals, which are being undermined by the over-drafting of groundwater
  • SB 872 receiving unanimous approval from the Legislature

This news highlights what we can accomplish for the Delta together

Join us in continuing to advocate for California’s water future by urging Governor Newsom to sign SB 872 into law!

Help Support SB 872: The Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund

SB 872, a bill designed to safeguard California’s water supply for decades to come, has been unanimously approved by the Legislature.

The bill brings together Northern and Southern California legislators, environmental groups including Restore the Delta, and water interests to protect the state’s primary water source.

If signed into law by Governor Newsom, SB 872 would address two major threats to California’s water supply: aging levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and sinking canals in the State Water Project (SWP). Many Delta levees are at risk of failure, raising the threat of catastrophic flooding and ecosystem damage, while sinking land is jeopardizing SWP canals and reliable water deliveries.

Now that SB 872 has moved to the Governor’s desk for signature, we need your help to sign this bill into law!

Two Easy Ways You Can Take Action:

1. Call the Governor at (916) 445-2841 urging his signature on SB 872.

When calling the Governor’s Office please tell them: 

  • As a constituent, I urge you to sign SB 872 into law
  • You support advancing legislation that prioritizes safeguarding California’s water supplies, protecting critical infrastructure, and preparing the state’s water system for future challenges.

2. Alternatively, you can also write to the Governor’s Office, asking for their support on SB 872. 

  • Click this link to send a comment urging the Governor’s Signature on SB 872.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Trump’s Desperate Attempt to Bribe Voters Ahead of Election is a New Low

Common Dreams - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 12:43

At a speech at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas yesterday, Donald Trump promised,“if the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000.”

Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, issued the following statement in response:

“Even for the notoriously corrupt and lawless Trump, this explicit and desperate attempt to buy votes in the November election is a new low. Trump knows he can’t do this, and yet he’s attempting to bribe voters with the false promise of cash to help his party win an election, which is antithetical to every principle of American democracy.

“Every Republican at the convention and across the country should loudly and vehemently denounce Trump for proposing this dangerous and transparently illegal scheme. The fact that no one has done that yet is cause for deep alarm about the future of American elections.”

Categories: F. Left News

U.S. Postal Service Still Blocked from Enforcing Key Parts of New Rule to Restrict Mail Ballots

Common Dreams - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 12:41

The First Circuit Court of Appeals today kept in place through the Nov. 3 election a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from enforcing key parts of a new rule that would significantly interfere with mail voting if implemented.The Trump administration has also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the injunction. A ruling is expected soon.

In issuing the injunction, the U.S. District Court in Boston found that the USPS rule was likely unconstitutional and unlawful — and that enforcing it would make voter disenfranchisement “practically inevitable.”

The First Circuit Court of Appeals reinforced the District Court’s findings, writing: “[T]he district court made detailed findings about the chaos and widespread disenfranchisement that would occur between now and November 3 should the [USPS] Rule take immediate effect, including the fact that it would be impossible for some States to reprint compliant envelopes; the likely delays in the required USPS envelope review process; the lack of a presently operative portal; and the herculean task that would confront the USPS in scanning tens of millions of ballot envelopes and reviewing for a match with information in the presently non-operative portal."

The injunction stems from a lawsuit filed by a coalition of nonpartisan voter service and civic organizations: the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, League of Women Voters, Association of Americans Resident Overseas, U.S. Vote Foundation, OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Massachusetts, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, Legal Defense Fund (LDF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC), and LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

Plaintiffs and counsel jointly issued the following statement:

“The U.S. Postal Service is not the gatekeeper for mail ballots. It does not have that authority. And it cannot usurp election authority from the states and Congress. This decision rightly keeps in place an order blocking USPS from enforcing its disruptive and disenfranchising rule through the November election and preserves the current system, which has worked safely, securely, and reliably for decades.”

Categories: F. Left News

August Newsletter: Big Insurance – gouging customers and siding with Big Oil.

Stop the Money Pipeline - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 12:35

If you feel like you’ve heard less from us recently, there’s a good reason for that. We’ve been deep in campaign research, developing what we think will be a central pillar of our strategy for the next several years.

We’re not ready to announce our plans yet, but we can say that we’re looking very closely at the insurance industry. 

It may be one of the dullest industries on earth, but the insurance industry is a key player in the energy transition, one that could hasten the end of fossil fuels, or slow down the energy transition considerably. 

Between 2004 and 2024, one-third of all weather-related payouts made by the industry ― totalling $600 billion ― could be directly attributed to climate change.

In a sane world, this would push insurance companies to recognize that Big Oil poses an existential threat to its business model, cease their support of oil and gas, and scale up support of renewables.  

Instead, insurance companies, such as State Farm, Chubb, and Liberty Mutual, are passing the full costs of the climate crisis onto their customers ― and doubling down on oil and gas.

Between 2019 to 2025, insurance companies hiked home insurance premiums by an average of 70 percent across the country, causing insurance costs to become a major challenge for millions of homeowners and prospective home buyers. 

As many as 1 in 8 homeowners can no longer even get home insurance, leaving them financially exposed in the event of a climate-driven extreme weather event damaging their property. 

At the same time as implementing record-breaking rate hikes, CEOs are making more money than ever. In 2025 ― the most profitable year for the property and casualty insurance industry in decades ― the CEOs at the 10 largest insurers banked a whopping $134 million, a 27% increase from 2024.

And as Big Insurance sticks working- and middle-class Americans with the bill for the climate crisis, it’s fueling the flames of the climate crisis further still.  

Insurance industry trade groups regularly lobby against climate policy and recently filed an amicus brief, siding with oil and gas companies in an impending Supreme Court case. Worse still, insurance companies continue to enable oil and gas expansion, both as a major investor in fossil fuels and by providing insurance coverage to new coal, oil, and gas projects.  

U.S. insurance companies are also falling well behind their global peers in terms of revenue growth from renewables, as they fail to insure clean energy projects. 

So to summarize, here we have an industry that’s:

  • Making life less affordable for tens of millions of Americans 
  • Making record profits and boosting CEO pay 
  • Fueling the climate crisis by lobbying against climate policy, backing oil and gas expansion, and failing to adequately support the clean energy sector

 

Fortunately, unlike every other pillar of the financial industry, insurance companies are regulated at the state level. 

That means that any state legislature or Insurance Commissioner that cares about stopping the climate crisis and protecting people from the predations of corporate greed can pass legislation and regulations curtailing the industry to that effect. 

A lot of these efforts are already in motion. In Connecticut, Senate Bill 453 would place a surcharge on the premiums insurance companies charge on fossil fuel projects to raise money for climate resilience projects. In California and Hawaii, campaigns are underway to get state Attorneys General to sue oil and gas companies to recoup the costs borne by consumers from climate-driven insurance premium rate hikes. 

In New York, we’re building a coalition around the Insure our Communities Act. The strongest insurance-related, anti-oil and gas bill in the country, the Insure our Communities Act would compel any insurance company that wants a license to do business in the state of New York to stop underwriting new oil and gas projects. 

But I’ve probably said enough for now. As I said at the start of this newsletter, we’re still in the process of developing our campaign plans.

Over the next month or two, we’ll be continuing to figure out the best way that we can take the fight to the insurance industry head on, fighting to get mega corporations like State Farm to pay their fair share for the climate crisis, take care of communities, and end their support of oil and gas.

If you want to support this work, you can make a donation here. We look forward to sharing more soon.  

In Solidarity
– Alec Connon, Stop the Money Pipeline, coalition director

News & Updates from the Coalition

– Calls to Investigate Musk & DOGE gain traction

As it becomes clear that Musk’s dismantling of USAID has killed countless children around the world, our Investigate DOGE campaign has secured commitments from five Members of Congress to support investigations and hearings into Musk and DOGE in the new Congress ― Rep. Robert Garcia (CA), Rep. John B. Larson (CT), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA), Rep. James Talarico (TX), and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY). 

But to make investigations and hearings into Musk and DOGE a reality, we need many more Members of Congress to stand up and fight to hold the world’s richest man to account.

Email your Members of Congress now and urge them to hold Musk and his DOGE bros to account. 

 

– Santander backs off a dangerous LNG project

In April, 33,000 of you sent emails to Santander’s leadership, demanding the bank stop financing new fossil fuels. In May, we joined Rainforest Action Network and Amazon Watch to meet their senior management and push them to stop backsliding on climate.

Now, in response to years of organizing from partners in Mexico and Latin America, Santander has felt the need to publish a statement claiming that it is not financing the controversial Saguaro and AMIGO LNG projects, both of which would threaten biodiverse marine ecosystems and lock in decades more fossil fuel pollution.

This claim contradicts a public statement made in October 2024 by the CEO of the company behind Saguaro LNG, who named Santander as one of the financial advisers for the project.

The fact that Santander now feels compelled to publicly distance itself from these toxic projects is a notable victory for the growing global campaign on Santander.

 

– Supporting state leadership through Local Leads, Global Impacts

Through our year-long leadership development program, Local Leads, Global Impacts, we have the honor of supporting and coaching a cohort of talented, dedicated campaigners across the country. One of the cohort members is 350 Seattle’s campaigns director, Aki Chatterji, who is leading the Make Polluters Pay WA campaign. 

As 65,000 people are evacuated from Spokane in the face of terrifying wildfires, and Big Oil makes record profits, it’s never been clearer that Big Oil, not everyday people, should pay for the wildfire response and recovery in Spokane and elsewhere, and that Big Oil, not everyday people, should pay for the cooling centers, affordable clean energy, healthy housing and other climate resilience solutions our communities need to survive.

If you’re in Washington State, get plugged into the Make Polluters Pay WA campaign by sending an email to your state legislators urging them to Make Polluters Pay.

You can also find more ways to plug into the campaign here.  

 

– And fighting off Big Oil’s attempts to gain legal immunity

With arguments before the Supreme Court between the City & County of Boulder and Suncor and Exxon-Mobil set to begin on October 5th, Big Oil is desperately trying to win legal immunity from the many lawsuits and pieces of legislation seeking to hold fossil fuel corporations accountable for their decades of lies, deception and pollution that have led us to the world of climate disasters we’re now living through. This includes efforts from Big Oil to pass a “legal immunity shield” in Congress, pass state bills invalidating climate lawsuits and legislation, and pleading their case in the courts. 

Two weeks ago, more than 5,000 of you sent emails to your Members of Congress, urging them to sign onto an amicus brief on the side of Boulder in the impending SCOTUS case that starts in October. In response, more than 90 Members of Congress added their name to the legal briefing, the most sitting Members of Congress to ever sign on to such a legal manoeuvre. 

Learn more & join the No Immunity for Big Oil campaign here.

– Aligning your money with your values

Last month’s annual Banking on Climate Chaos report reminded us just how bad the big Wall Street banks are: More than one-third of the $900+ billion commercial banks provided to fossil fuel companies in 2025 came from just ten US megabanks. 

So, we were glad to see our partners at Green America also reminding us that you can ensure your money isn’t going into new fossil fuel projects by finding a better bank. Check out their amazing Get A Better Bank tool to learn how. Incredibly, every $1,000 in a major Wall Street bank has the emissions equivalent of a return flight between New York and Seattle.

– If bombing an elementary school isn’t a redline. What is?

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently admitted he doesn’t know if Anthropic’s AI was used in the bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School which killed nearly 200 people, including 120 children. Amodei also claimed that regardless of whether his company’s AI was used in the strike, it was not a violation of its use-case “redlines” because “a human made that final call, not Claude.”

To call out the role of AI companies in the Iranian school bombing and the US war machine, we teamed up with Tesla Takedown to deploy art-installation actions at the offices of Anthropic, Google, Amazon, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Tesla, leaving child-sized body bags, flowers, audio of bombings and children playing, and a banner that read: Stop AI School Bombings.

Because, at the end of the day, if bombing an elementary school full of children doesn’t cross one of your red lines, there’s something deeply wrong with you and your company. 

 

– And, finally, keeping our eyes on Costco until we win

Costco’s 13 million co-branded credit cards are with Citibank, the #1 funder of toxic petrochemicals in the U.S. and the world’s 3rd largest funder of fossil fuels in recent years. Costco’s contract, which is worth 13 million credit cards, goes up for bid next year, so we’re doing everything possible to let Costco know we want them to choose a better credit card partner! 

If you’re in Texas and Louisiana, sign on to the Gulf South letter to Costco urging Costco to choose a credit card partner that is not destroying communities in the Gulf South.

If you’re in the Seattle area and want to canvass Costco headquarter employees, shoot our Seattle-based organizer Jake an email: jake@stopthemoneypipeline.org. And for all the latest updates, follow the campaign Instagram.

To close out this month’s newsletter, here’s Jake and the crew speaking about the campaign at a recent campaign event:

 

– Not read enough about insurance in this newsletter? Read on!

Later today at 2ET, our friends at AFR are hosting an informational webinar: Skyrocketing insurance costs hitting renters: How cities and affordable housing providers are fighting back. RSVP here.

On the call a panel of experts will discuss how cities and affordable housing developers can push back against skyrocketing insurance costs, and NYC Mayor Mamdani’s Housing Commissioner Dina Levy, will share updates on the Mayor’s affordable insurance program.

The post August Newsletter: Big Insurance – gouging customers and siding with Big Oil. appeared first on Stop the Money Pipeline.

Categories: G1. Progressive Green

Greenbelt-Sponsored Bill to Strengthen State Housing Law Heads To Governor’s Desk

Greenbelt Alliance - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 11:54

Of the many housing laws on the books in California, few are more effective at producing new affordable homes than the state Density Bonus Law. Originally adopted in 1979, the law has a simple premise: the more affordable housing a project provides, the more flexibility the state gives it in return regarding zoning standards.

Earlier in 2026, Greenbelt Alliance was proud to join as a co-sponsor on Assembly Bill 2433, a measure by Assemblymember David Alvarez of San Diego that would make it easier to build more infill housing in California by strengthening the Bonus Law in several different ways.

We’re joining Assemblymember Alvarez alongside co-sponsors Circulate Planning & Policy, Inner City Law Center, SPUR, and the San Diego Chamber of Commerce. AB 2433 has now passed the state legislature and is headed to Governor Newsom’s desk for signature. Join us in supporting this important piece of legislation by sending a support letter to the Governor’s office, urging him to sign the bill. Take action here!

What Does the Bill Do?

AB 2433 provides important clarifications and revisions to bonus law, with a focus on two key areas:

  1. Making it more predictable for builders to use, and
  2. Ensuring its application is consistent across jurisdictions.

These new provisions do the following (click the titles to expand):

1. Make waivers and concessions ministerial for purposes of CEQA

This is a big deal for many areas across the state, particularly Los Angeles. Under AB 2433, all Bonus Law waivers must be processed ministerially. That’s already supposed to be the law today, but LA and many other cities have long treated them as discretionary requests that trigger CEQA review. Now, the law is clear, and projects will have to be processed much more quickly, without triggering review, appeals, etc.

2. Requires jurisdictions to proactively notify project sponsors of density bonus eligibility

Oftentimes, communities that do not want to see more multifamily housing built will imply to project applicants that bonus law does not apply, that its provisions are more limited than they are, or that attempts to utilize the law will result in negative consequences for the applicant.  To solve for this, AB 2433 requires local governments to proactively and forthrightly notify project applicants of their eligibility for bonus law usage up front.

3. Allows 100% affordable housing developers to qualify for the full Double Density Bonus allowed under AB 1287

That law grants a 100% density bonus if a project includes 15% moderate income units on top of the deeply affordable units it’s already providing. AB 2433 ensures that 100% affordable developers providing deeper levels of affordability can access that full benefit as well, leading directly to more deeply affordable homes.

4. Grants additional waivers and concessions to projects that provide a portion of the project as homeownership units

Recognizing that it’s particularly difficult to produce ownership units in California, the law gives projects that provide them some additional flexibility to ensure that more for-sale homes are financially viable to build.

Why It Matters

Even though Bonus Law is one of the most widely used and effective housing production tools in the state, gaps and inconsistent local implementation have made it harder to use than it should be, including for ownership housing and 100% affordable projects. By closing those gaps, clarifying that waivers are ministerial, and requiring local governments to be upfront about eligibility, AB 2433 helps unlock more affordable and mixed-income housing in the communities that need it most.

As California continues to face a persistent housing affordability crisis, strengthening the tools that are already working is one of the most effective paths we have of producing the new housing we need at scale. AB 2433 builds on more than a decade of Density Bonus Law reforms, including AB 2345 in 2020 and AB 1287 in 2023, to help approve even more affordable homes throughout the state while keeping growth focused where it belongs: in our existing communities, not on our natural and working lands.

The post Greenbelt-Sponsored Bill to Strengthen State Housing Law Heads To Governor’s Desk appeared first on Greenbelt Alliance.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37 2026

Skeptical Science - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 11:49
Open access notables

Early warning signals for tipping points in complex climate systems, LIU et al., Advances in Climate Change Research

The growing risk of climate tipping events underscores the urgent need for reliable early warning signals (EWS). Here we synthesize recent advances in EWS research for climate systems, systematically categorizing available methods into three groups, namely statistical indicators, nonlinear dynamical diagnostics, and data-driven approaches, and evaluating their theoretical applicability to practical limitations. In conclusion, statistical indicators offer theoretical clarity but are sensitive to non-stationary noise, nonlinear dynamical methods provide enhanced robustness in high-dimensional settings, and network- and deep learning-based approaches show the potential for detecting diverse tipping types, particularly when integrated with physical constraints and multi-modal observations. Given these trade-offs, we advocate for three practical strategies to enhance EWS utility, including adopting ensemble frameworks that combine multiple indicators to reduce false alarms, advancing cascade EWS to capture cross-system tipping interactions, and shifting from qualitative trend warnings toward quantitative, threshold-defined predictions with quantifiable uncertainties. We also discuss supporting techniques for these strategies, including adaptive noise filtering, dimensionality reduction, satellite data integration, and physics-informed machine learning. This review provides a structured reference for method selection across climate subsystems and data regimes, and underscores that operational EWS will require sustained integration of nonlinear dynamics, Earth observation, and data science.

Countering climate misinformation with large language models: Evidence from ChatGPT, Tsang & Wang, PLOS Climate

Public support for climate action hinges on the integrity of information environments. In an online experiment, U.S. adults used ChatGPT to evaluate climate-related claims. We first conducted computational text analysis of GPT conversation logs, assessing valence, formality, bias, recency, authority cues, and semantic richness of ChatGPT’s responses using language-model based classifiers and link-level metadata. Concurrently, we measured credibility judgments for both the claims and ChatGPT’s responses through participant self-reports. Credibility perceptions were driven primarily by individual differences; greater acceptance of the scientific consensus, attention to climate change, prior familiarity with ChatGPT, and younger age predicted higher perceived credibility. Once these factors were accounted for, authority cues were associated with slightly less extreme climate attitudes, while positive valence and semantic richness correlated positively with perceived credibility. These results support transparent, unbiased, audience-tailored engagement as a pathway to strengthen responsible climate communication and help bridge the gap between scientific consensus and public understanding.

Lost in Projection: Uncertainty is Misrepresented in Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments, Curran et al., Risk Analysis

In practice, many climate change risk assessments fail to capture the true depth of uncertainty. Despite widespread scientific recognition of deep uncertainty (large ranges of possibility) in climate conditions, this nuance is often lost in translation to policy and planning contexts; instead, conditions are presented as single projections. This means that communities are making large-scale infrastructure investments and long-term policy commitments based on false precision, leaving them unprepared for climate surprises or potentially wasting resources and disrupting communities unnecessarily by overadapting. To examine how climate uncertainties are represented and accounted for in adaptation planning, we conducted a structured review of 39 climate risk and vulnerability assessments from across the world, using sea level rise as a case study. These documents inform policy that guides billions of dollars in infrastructure investments and shape community preparedness strategies. Our analysis reveals that only 54% of these documents correctly represent sea level rise as deeply uncertain. This issue is compounded when making decisions; 71% of decisions were made by misapplying scenarios as individual projections to plan for, rather than as a tool for exploring potential future conditions, directly contradicting their intended use. This demonstrates a gap between scientific understanding of climate uncertainty and planning practice. Addressing this gap requires improved uncertainty communication, moving beyond just quantifying uncertainty to also characterizing uncertainty. This must be done in conjunction with the support of decision makers to incorporate a stronger understanding of uncertainty into planning by using tools designed specifically for decision making in deeply uncertain environments.

From this week's government/NGO section:

How Climate Resilient Are the World’s Largest Cities?, AlphaGeo

Geography is not destiny. Cities with near-identical physical risk scores diverge by as much as 33 resilience-adjusted risk (RAJ) points depending on the adaptation measures in place — demonstrating that risk is not fixed, and that resilience is a function of policy and investment, not geography alone. South Asian megacities face a compounding crisis. Ahmedabad (RAJ 41), Hyderabad Pakistan (41), Multan (38), Dhaka (36), Kolkata (35), and Lahore (35) combine extreme physical exposure with only moderate adaptation performance. European, African, and Latin American capitals outperform. Chicago, Addis Ababa, Melbourne, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Paris, and Nairobi all score below 14 on the RAJ scale, making them among the most resilient major cities globally. Chinese megacities are closing the gap. Beijing (50%), Tianjin (49%), Shenzhen (49%), and Shanghai (46%) lead globally on adaptation efficiency — consistently converting high physical exposure into substantially lower residual risk. Mispriced risk is concentrated in South Asia. South Asia accounts for the majority of cities where residual RAJ scores remain high and adaptation rates remain comparatively low relative to the scale of physical exposure.

Heathrow Airport expansion risks for the Climate Change Act, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester

The authors examine whether a third runway at Heathrow Airport is compatible with the UK’s domestic and international legal climate change obligations, and shows how growing airport capacity before climate technologies succeed will break the UK’s carbon budget. Through an analysis of future UK aviation scenarios and reviewing the status and outlook for key technology options, the authors findings show that Heathrow expansion cannot reasonably be considered consistent with UK Government climate targets. The authors examine three questions including the level of demand implied by an expanded Heathrow Airport; whether sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can mitigate emissions arising from any net additional demand; and if greenhouse gas removal (GGR) expansion can address remaining additional residual emissions. This assessment is within the context of the UK’s Seventh Carbon Budget, which is a legally binding limit on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the period when the third runway is proposed to start operating. 92 articles in 50 journals by 638 contributing authors

Physical science of climate change, effects

Anthropogenic forcing dominates relentless westward extension of the western North Pacific subtropical high, An et al., Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.109301


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Transient overturning changes cause an upper-ocean nutrient decline in a warming climate, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-52200-0 13 cites.

buffer/PWSE

Observations of climate change, effects

Changes in Compound Heat-Humidity over China: Insights from Homogenized Data, DENG et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access pdf 10.1016/j.accre.2026.08.017

Long-term temperature, oxygen and water clarity trends in Swiss lakes, Bärenbold et al., Earth system science data Open Access pdf 10.5194/essd-18-6527-2026

Recent intensification of extreme precipitation over East Antarctica driven by increases in greenhouse gases and stratospheric ozone, Chittella et al., cryosphere Open Access pdf 10.5194/tc-20-5005-2026


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Indian Ocean Acidification and Its Driving Mechanisms Over the Last Four Decades (1980–2019), Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 10.1029/2024gb008139 21 cites.

buffer/OBME

Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects

Advanced Visualization Techniques for Insight in Clouds and Climate Research, Sullivan et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society Open Access pdf 10.1175/bams-d-25-0055.1

An AI-driven reconstruction of global surface temperature with emphasis on refining the Antarctic record, Ouyang et al., Earth system science data Open Access 10.5194/essd-18-6503-2026

Early warning signals for tipping points in complex climate systems, LIU et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.09.002

Shallow Antarctic blue ice shows photochemical influence on trapped greenhouse gases, Lee et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03923-z


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
What is a heat wave: A survey and literature synthesis of heat wave definitions across the United States, PLOS Climate, 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000468 18 cites.

buffer/WINS

Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects

Downscaling and Trend Projection of Lightning Associated with Forest Lightning-Ignited Fires under Climate Change, Song et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 10.1016/j.jastp.2026.106967

Global cities under multiple climate hazards, Nogherotto et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.103132

Revealing Enhanced Signals of Future Marine Heatwave Changes in the East/Japan Sea Through a High-Resolution Dynamical Downscaling Ensemble, Oh et al., Earth s Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2025ef007760

The Source of Arctic Precipitation in HadGEM3-GC5, Ridley et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026jd046751


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Strong regional trends in extreme weather over the next two decades under high- and low-emissions pathways, Nature Geoscience, 10.1038/s41561-024-01511-4 52 cites.

buffer/MSWE

Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection

Diagnosing CESM2 Biases in Northwest Indian Ocean Warming and Its Implications for India Summer Monsoon Precipitation, Chen et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026gl123060

Evaluating Deep Learning Models for Streamflow Prediction Under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 Climate Scenarios, Piri et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 10.1016/j.jastp.2026.106972

Global Kilometer-Scale Simulations with ARP-GEM2: Effect of Parameterized Convection and Calibration, Geoffroy & Saint-Martin, Journal of Climate pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0650.1

Spurious Drifts in the ITCZ Location and Associated Atmospheric Circulation in Decadal Climate Predictions, Mahmood et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026gl124719


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Artificial intelligence for climate prediction of extremes: State of the art, challenges, and future perspectives, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change, 10.1002/wcc.914 113 cites.

buffer/GCMA

Cryosphere & climate change

Attribution of the Spread in Antarctic Sea Ice-Driven Water Mass Transformation in Coupled Climate Models, Chen et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026jc024388

Glaciers of Ecuador: a review of current scientific knowledge, Avila & Campos, Earth-Science Reviews Open Access 10.1016/j.earscirev.2026.105680

Permafrost Degradation Drives Shifts in Chemostasis and Stream Geochemistry in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Wright et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026gl125327

Refreezing variability in the Greenland Ice Sheet firn zone and its response to extreme melt events, CHEN et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access pdf 10.1016/j.accre.2026.08.015

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:

Evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet Over the Next Three Centuries From an ISMIP6 Model Ensemble, Earth s Future, 10.1029/2024ef004561 73 cites.

buffer/CRYO

Sea level & climate change

An improvement to short term variability in Global Mean Sea Level reconstruction, Shaw et al., Ocean science Open Access pdf 10.5194/os-22-2673-2026

Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry

Global and regional climate change impacted Paleogene mammal faunas in Central Asia, Benevento et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-77374-7

Paleogeographic controls on Phanerozoic weathering rates and implications for climate regulation, Graham et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-77289-3


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Opposing Changes in Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall Variability Produced by Orbital and Anthropogenic Forcing, Geophysical Research Letters, 10.1029/2024gl109897 8 cites.

buffer/PCIM

Biology & climate change, related geochemistry

Aggravated forest fragmentation undermines productivity spatial stability and amplifies climate impact, Huang et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111455

An Integrated Oceanographic and Physiological Framework for Identifying Climate Refugia for Marine Invertebrates, Provost et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.71091

Climate and Ecosystem Impacts of a Weakened Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in Brazil, Komarov et al., Earth Interactions Open Access 10.1175/ei-d-25-0050.1

Ecosystem response of an anthropogenically impacted lagoon to induced climate-driven water stagnation: an enclosure experiment, Burini et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access pdf 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108393

Habitat Selection and Intrapopulation Spatial Segregation in an Arctic Top Predator at the Southern Limit of Its Range, Ross et al., Global Change Biology Open Access pdf 10.1111/gcb.71024

Invertebrates at the Land-Sea Interface in a Climate Change World: Heatwaves, Floods, Fire and Ice, Byrne & Ross, Global Change Biology Open Access pdf 10.1111/gcb.71096

Mapping the Global Habitat Redistribution of Critically Endangered Commercial Fish Species Under Climate Change, Gong et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.71077

Modeling climate adaptive habitat connectivity for conservation planning in Colombia, Song et al., Ecography Open Access 10.1002/ecog.08789

Modelling Climate-Resilient Habitats for Conservation and Restoration of Isoberlinia doka Craib and Stapf and Isoberlinia tomentosa (Harms) Craib and Stapf in Benin, Adjahossou et al., Climate Resilience and Sustainability Open Access pdf 10.1002/cli2.70062

Nonuniform resizing of marine life under climate change, Trindade-Santos et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2606099123

Parrotfish demonstrate little behavioural shift during marine heatwaves, Golanski et al., Biology Letters Open Access 10.1098/rsbl.2026.0337

Phenological fluctuations induce seasonal asymmetric warming in boreal forests, Yan et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-77464-6

Plant dominated ecosystem respiration of alpine meadow in permafrost region under experimental warming, Qin et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.09.003

Predicted Global Redistribution of Pyrophilous Beetle Melanophila acuminata (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Under Climate Change, Wang et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.74317

Projected AMOC Weakening Controls Future Diatom Decline in the Subpolar North Atlantic Ocean, Doléac et al., Earth s Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2025ef007992

Virulent Parasites Emerge in Hosts With Rising Temperatures, Hector et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.71082

With Knowledge Comes Responsibility: Increasing Conservation Scientists’ Impact in a Time of Global Crises, Martin et al., Conservation Letters Open Access pdf 10.1111/con4.70076


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Global change and premature hatching of aquatic embryos, Global Change Biology, 10.1111/gcb.17488 22 cites.

buffer/BIOW

GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry

Atmospheric CH4 plateau sustained by NOx emission rise and southward shift, Zhu et al., Nature 10.1038/s41586-026-10983-w

C-PEAT’s Global Peatland Carbon Database (v.2025), Loisel et al., Earth system science data Open Access pdf 10.5194/essd-18-6485-2026

Coordinated satellite, aircraft, and ground-based observations of a large transient methane release, He et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2603595123

Drivers of northern peatland CO2 fluxes revisited: interacting water level-temperature dependency, Behrens et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-77456-6

Engineering carbon emissions induced by permafrost degradation and mitigation strategy: Insights from the Qinghai–Tibet Highway, LAN et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.09.005

Enhanced carbon loss in the Southern Ocean under mitigation scenarios, Lee et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.aee9228

Global ecosystem carbon losses from earthquakes, He et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-04012-x

Greenhouse Gas and Climate Effects of Global Wetland Restoration Under Future Warming, Wagner et al., Earth s Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026ef008632

Significant Decline in Carbon Storage at the Edges of Mangrove Forest, Zhao et al., Earth s Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026ef008723

Significant Reduction in Ethane Emissions in the Denver-Julesburg Basin From 2015 to 2021 From Oil and Natural Gas Operations, Ngulat et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres Open Access pdf 10.1029/2025jd044690

Temporal Amplification of Microbial Necromass Contribution to Soil Organic Carbon Under Nutrient Addition, Zhang et al., Global Biogeochemical Cycles 10.1029/2026gb009455


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Global riverine land-to-ocean carbon export constrained by observations and multi-model assessment, Nature Geoscience, 10.1038/s41561-024-01524-z 93 cites.

buffer/GHSS

CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering

Asymmetric Response of Land Precipitation Variability Under Carbon Dioxide Removal, Gan et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 10.1029/2026jd047086


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Enhancing electrochemical carbon dioxide capture with supercapacitors, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-52219-3 61 cites.

buffer/CENG

Decarbonization

Building a scalable climate coalition for heavy industry, Wolfram et al., Science 10.1126/science.aef7190

Copper supply chain decarbonization for the energy transition must maximize copper recovery, Cox et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03977-z

Toward efficient green methanol from biomass and renewable power, Zhao et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-77364-9

Towards a zero-waste city: carbon emissions and reduction potential from solid waste management in Wuhan, Tian et al., Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.33465965

Utilising urban energy structure as a carbon management strategy for carbon emissions mitigation and climate neutrality, Sun & Tang, Scientific Reports Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41598-026-68670-9


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Permeability partitioning through the brittle-to-ductile transition and its implications for supercritical geothermal reservoirs, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-52092-0 28 cites.

buffer/DCRB

Black carbon

Atmospheric deposition, aquatic transformation and marine carbon sequestration potential of black carbon: A critical review, Wu et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108384

Increase in global warming potential of atmospheric black carbon since 1750, Shen et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-026-02085-z

Aerosols

Direct Radiative Impacts of Stratospheric Aerosols on the Tropical Troposphere: Clouds, Precipitation, and Circulation in Convection-Resolving and Global Simulations, McGraw & Polvani, Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0688.1

Potential aerosol tradeoffs of vessel speed reduction for fresh ship plume composition and tracer coverage, Shi et al., npj Climate and Atmospheric Science Open Access 10.1038/s41612-026-01532-3


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Surface albedo regulates aerosol direct climate effect, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-52255-z 27 cites.

buffer/AESO

Climate change communications & cognition

Countering climate misinformation with large language models: Evidence from ChatGPT, Tsang & Wang, PLOS Climate Open Access pdf 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000930

Moralizing reproduction in a warming world: rethinking climate-reproductive concern beyond WEIRD contexts, Tu et al., Environmental Sociology 10.1080/23251042.2026.2729092

Unsupervised NLP for quantifying sentiment deviation and framing in global climate discourse, K et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access pdf 10.3389/fclim.2026.1827024


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Tackling the academic air travel dependency. An analysis of the (in)consistency between academics’ travel behaviour and their attitudes, Global Environmental Change, 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102908 27 cites.

buffer/CSCC

Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change

A biological carbon pump code of practice for high seas fisheries, Cavan et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-026-00825-8

Collaborative learning networks on climate change adaptation practices among smallholder farmers: A case study from Central Uganda, Kekirunga et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access pdf 10.1016/j.crm.2026.100879

Genetically engineered crop adoption support yields and cultivation under climate change, Dong et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-026-02737-3

Hail Risk and Cropland Exposure Changes in the United States, Bundy et al., Weather Climate and Society 10.1175/wcas-d-25-0160.1

Mapping the Global Habitat Redistribution of Critically Endangered Commercial Fish Species Under Climate Change, Gong et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.71077

No significant long-term enhancement of sedimentary carbon burial by intensive Porphyra farming: Evidence from Haizhou Bay, China, Chen et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108396

Spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of the agricultural carbon footprint in the yellow river basin, Zhou & Pan, Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1793645

The OsUVR8-OsNAC3-OsERF117 signaling module mediates metabolic acclimation and climate adaptation in rice, Liu et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.aef5945

Transitioning From Rice-Wheat to Diversified Rice-Based Rotations Enhances Rice Production and Mitigates Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across Asia, Wang et al., Earth s Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2026ef008580

‘We always make it work’: How Swedish dairy farmers manage and prepare for an unknown future of extreme weather, Simonsson et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access pdf 10.1016/j.crm.2026.100881


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Climate change exacerbates the environmental impacts of agriculture, Science, 10.1126/science.adn3747 515 cites.

buffer/AGCC

Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change

Contrasting roles of climate change and land-use change on runoff dynamics in a semi-humid monsoon watershed of China, Afzal et al., Scientific Reports Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41598-026-67812-3


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Evaluation of precipitation extremes in ERA5 reanalysis driven regional climate simulations over the CORDEX-Australasia domain, Weather and Climate Extremes, 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100676 17 cites.

buffer/HYCC

Climate change economics
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
The role of green financial sector initiatives in the low-carbon transition: A theory of change, Global Environmental Change, 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102915 29 cites.

buffer/ECCC

Climate change mitigation public policy research

Benchmarking climate futures: the public authorization of climate pathways and its political afterlives, Park, Environmental Sociology 10.1080/23251042.2026.2729097

Crediting temporarily bound carbon reduces emissions and costs in integrated production of EU refineries, Bussmann et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03891-4

Stringent climate policies and energy poverty: Evidence of spatial spillovers and challenges for a just transition, Bai & Huaccha, Energy Policy Open Access pdf 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115590


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
The impact of electricity market reform on renewable energy production, Energy Policy, 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114306 35 cites.

buffer/GPCC

Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research

Applying design thinking for innovative climate adaptation solutions: Building capacity for locally led adaptation, Ziervogel et al., Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104481

Assessing Wildfire Hazard for Powerline Expansion Under the Changing Climates in Alberta, Canada, Zong et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl124354

Climate vulnerability and the subnational distribution of adaptation funding, Alberola, Environmental Science & Policy 10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104488

Geospatial assessment of tropical islands vulnerability and impact under extreme cyclonic conditions, mitigation and management for climate-resilient planning, Raja et al., Urban Climate 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.103134

Limits and barriers to climate adaptation among Indigenous women: Insights from Vedda communities in Sri Lanka, Garbutt et al., Environmental Science & Policy 10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104478

Lost in Projection: Uncertainty is Misrepresented in Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments, Curran et al., Risk Analysis Open Access pdf 10.1111/risa.70331

Ten critical questions for scaling up floating developments, MacAfee et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-77492-2


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
What is limiting how we imagine climate change adaptation?, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 10.1016/j.cosust.2024.101476 43 cites.

buffer/CCAD

Climate change impacts on human health

Health impacts of climate change on children and adolescents: an umbrella review, Yahaya et al., BMC Public Health Open Access 10.1186/s12889-026-29270-4

Metabolic response and microbial assembly in the invader Ageratina adenophora with contrasting growth under local plant leaf and soil inoculants, Zhao et al., Plant and Soil 10.1007/s11104-026-09027-z

Mortality risks of seasonal temperature anomalies and the unrecognized risk of winter warmth: a nationwide case-time series, Ham et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-026-71032-0


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Spatio-temporal characteristics of Heat stress over Nigeria using evaluated ERA5-HEAT reanalysis data, Weather and Climate Extremes, 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100704 24 cites.

buffer/CCHH

Climate change & geopolitics

Climate and digital transitions in a changing global order: resource dependencies, connectivity and uneven development, Meraj et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2026.2726446

Climate change impacts on human culture

Climate extremes are associated with crime dynamics in China, Lin et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03948-4

Community-based archaeology reinforces Indigenous cultural resilience to climate change in Alaska, Hillerdal, Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03970-6

Other

Investigation of the failure mechanism and reinforcement control effect of cut slopes under climate change, Meng, Frontiers in Earth Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/feart.2026.1896698


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season: An Above-Normal Season despite Strong El Niño Conditions, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 10.1175/bams-d-23-0305.1 15 cites.

buffer/OTHR

Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives

The Anthropocene debate, Chernilo, European Journal of Social Theory 10.1177/1368431016651874


Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Disaster effects of climate change in High Mountain Asia: State of art and scientific challenges, Advances in Climate Change Research, 10.1016/j.accre.2024.06.003 75 cites.

buffer/IOPN

 

Articles/Reports from Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations Addressing Aspects of Climate Change

2025 Electricity ATB Technologies and Data Overview, National Renewable Energy Lab

The 2025 Electricity Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) provides consistent, freely available, technology-specific cost and performance parameters across a range of research and development (R&D) advancement scenarios, resource characteristics, and sites for electricity-generating technologies, both at present and with projections through 2060. Two sets of financial assumptions are available: The With Tax Credits Case includes some effects of tax credits enacted as of July 2025, and the Without Tax Credits Case (shown by default in the figures) does not. The performance parameters in the Electricity ATB include Capital expenditures (CAPEX), Operations and maintenance (O&M) expenditures, and Capacity factors.

Heat Pump Rates in Rhode Island, Zuo et al., Conservation Law Foundation, Green Energy Consumers Alliance, Acadia Center, and Environmental Defense Fund

The authors analyze the electric bills of heat pump customers served by Rhode Island Energy (RIE). Under today’s rates, most gas-heated homes would pay more after switching to heat pumps. Only 21% of natural gas-heated households would save on their annual energy bills after installing a heat pump — not because heat pumps are inherently expensive to run, but because electricity bills are inflated by RIE's outdated delivery rates. The grid can handle the additional winter load. RIE should create a dedicated delivery rate class for heat pump customers that reflects what these customers actually cost the system — rather than letting default volumetric rates collect far more than the cost of serving them.

A Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities, Jain et al., International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The World Bank Group

South Asia must absorb roughly 280 million new working-age people by 2050, most of them in cities, at a time when its labor markets already struggle to keep pace. Extreme heat is widening that shortfall. It already subtracts the equivalent of 31 million full-time jobs a year across the region and erodes the earnings of those who keep working. The losses concentrate in the cities where the new workforce must find employment, and they fall hardest on the households least able to absorb them. Heat reduces productivity in existing work, discourages the investment that will create new jobs, and shifts labor demand towards cooling and heat-resilient industries. Managing it has become integral to the region’s growth and jobs agenda, and governments can begin now, through institutions and budgets already in place. The authors set out how: heat and South Asia’s jobs challenge; the costs of inaction are large and growing; what needs to happen: three pillars, 15 interventions; what each decision-maker can do now; and the decade ahead.

Heathrow Airport expansion risks for the Climate Change Act, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester

The authors examine whether a third runway at Heathrow Airport is compatible with the UK’s domestic and international legal climate change obligations, and shows how growing airport capacity before climate technologies succeed will break the UK’s carbon budget. Through an analysis of future UK aviation scenarios and reviewing the status and outlook for key technology options, the authors findings show that Heathrow expansion cannot reasonably be considered consistent with UK Government climate targets. The authors examine three questions including the level of demand implied by an expanded Heathrow Airport; whether sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can mitigate emissions arising from any net additional demand; and if greenhouse gas removal (GGR) expansion can address remaining additional residual emissions. This assessment is within the context of the UK’s Seventh Carbon Budget, which is a legally binding limit on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the period when the third runway is proposed to start operating.

The Colorado River Water Supply Crisis in a Few Graphs: Part 2, Agricultural Water Use in the Lower Basin, Schmidt et al., Getches-Wilkinson Center, University of Colorado Law School

Reductions in Lower Basin water use during the last four years, including forecast use in 2026, are similar to the initial targets for Lower Basin shortages described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Post-2026 Operational Guidelines and Strategies for Lake Powell and Lake Mead (FEIS) and the accompanying Record of Decision (ROD). Lower Basin consumptive use in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and forecast for 2026 has been the smallest for the entire 2010-2026 period. These four years of smallest use are between 1.4 and 1.7 million acre feet/year (maf/yr) less than the 7.50 maf/yr amount generally recognized as the Lower Basin’s mainstem allocation. Reductions in Lower Basin use have been achieved by large reductions implemented by Central Arizona Project (CAP) contractors and subcontractors, the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), and non-CAP water users in Arizona. The reductions in use in the IID have been in summer water use and have not affected consumptive use in winter when garden crops, such as lettuce, onions, carrots, and broccoli, are grown.

Employing Domain-Informed AI for Energy Planning and Decarbonization under Uncertainty, Obringer et al., Institute for Water, Environment and Health, United Nations University

Renewable energy is a critical part of climate change mitigation but is also more susceptible to adverse climate conditions than fossil fuel-based energy generation. The electricity grid is further stressed by growing demand and the expansion of power-intensive end-uses, e.g., data centers and EVs, whose growth trajectory already exceeds the anticipated capacity expansion needs. Current long-term planning of electric grid upgrades and expansion generally relies on historical weather and climate trends that are unlikely to remain stable in the coming decades. In the past, the complexity of large-scale climate downscaling has inhibited deeper integration of climate projections and energy planning models. Failing to integrate climate projections exposes public infrastructure to severe physical and fiscal risk. Domain-informed AI can be used as a complement to existing tools to provide forward-looking information on the effects of climate change on renewable energy integration, informing decarbonization policies. Unregulated AI data centers consume massive amounts of electricity, directly straining the grid. Policymakers should mandate that this computational infrastructure of AI operates primarily on verifiable renewable energy.

Opposition to Renewable Energy Facilities in the United States: September 2026 Edition, Romany Webb and Ivonne Norman, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University

The authors document legal obstacles and challenges to renewable energy siting at the state- and local-levels in the United States. In particular, the the authors focus on: (a) state laws and local ordinances that impede the siting of utility-scale solar, wind, battery storage, and related transmission projects, referred to as “state and local restrictions”; and (b) instances of organized opposition to individual projects, referred to as “contested projects”.

Peat-Emit. Supporting developing economies to estimate and report greenhouse gas emissions from organic soils, Freeman et al., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Accurate estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from organic soils are essential for effective climate reporting and mitigation, yet developing countries often lack region-specific data to support reliable estimates. The authors address that gap by reviewing and synthesizing the latest available evidence on emissions from organic soils to develop updated greenhouse gas emission factors (EFs) tailored to developing economies. The authors focus on terrestrial emissions of carbon dioxide (CO?), methane (CH?), and nitrous oxide (N?O), and also evaluate emissions from tropical peatland fires, including fuel consumption and combustion completeness. Developing regions included are East and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa, where existing emission factors have been limited or insufficiently representative. Although aquatic emission pathways were reviewed, they were not updated because new robust data is still lacking. These updated factors will improve the accuracy of national greenhouse gas inventories and support countries in meeting their reporting obligations and advancing climate mitigation efforts under international frameworks.

How Climate Resilient Are the World’s Largest Cities?, AlphaGeo

Geography is not destiny. Cities with near-identical physical risk scores diverge by as much as 33 resilience-adjusted risk (RAJ) points depending on the adaptation measures in place — demonstrating that risk is not fixed, and that resilience is a function of policy and investment, not geography alone. South Asian megacities face a compounding crisis. Ahmedabad (RAJ 41), Hyderabad Pakistan (41), Multan (38), Dhaka (36), Kolkata (35), and Lahore (35) combine extreme physical exposure with only moderate adaptation performance. European, African, and Latin American capitals outperform. Chicago, Addis Ababa, Melbourne, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Paris, and Nairobi all score below 14 on the RAJ scale, making them among the most resilient major cities globally. Chinese megacities are closing the gap. Beijing (50%), Tianjin (49%), Shenzhen (49%), and Shanghai (46%) lead globally on adaptation efficiency — consistently converting high physical exposure into substantially lower residual risk. Mispriced risk is concentrated in South Asia. South Asia accounts for the majority of cities where residual RAJ scores remain high and adaptation rates remain comparatively low relative to the scale of physical exposure.

WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulleting, World Meteorological Organization

The authors highlight the need for improved atmospheric observations of air pollutants such as fine particulate matter, and ground-level ozone, as well as aerosol like black carbon and microplastics, which are not sufficiently monitored even though they are widespread and are potentially harmful to ecosystems. They stress the importance of complementary and coordinated policies on air quality and climate because they cannot be dealt with in isolation.

Weathering Extremes: A Toolkit for Information Resilience Amid Disaster, Jennie King, Council on Strategic Risks

Extreme weather events are fueling dangerous mis- and disinformation in communities across the United States. These crises can happen anywhere, as hyper-local events are weaponized by domestic or transnational actors. The resulting chaos endangers lives and hinders local responses during a crisis, and has corrosive effects on policymaking and community resilience in the long term. It also threatens to undermine national security by disrupting critical infrastructure, empowering extremists and foreign adversaries, and paralyzing decision-making. The toolkit positions information resilience as a key element of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. It provides a model that combines upstream efforts to build readiness and trust architecture, with frameworks to triage and counter information threats when a crisis strikes. It is designed primarily for emergency managers, resilience officers, and public information officers. In tandem, it details how a more expansive set of actors is needed to realize and embed outcomes, working across government at the state, local, and tribal levels.

Assessing overcapacity risk in India’s solar PV manufacturing market, Sharma et al., The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis

India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity reached approximately 233 gigawatts (GW) by June 2026, placing it among the world’s largest module manufacturing bases. However, this capacity is heavily concentrated in modules, at nearly 7x cell capacity and 116x ingot-wafer capacity, signaling a structural gap in upstream manufacturing. India’s module manufacturing base is operating at 35–40% utilization, well below the 50–65% level required for sustainable operations. With manufacturing capacity already exceeding domestic demand, further capacity additions risk widening the supply-demand gap in modules. Data centers, green hydrogen, and export markets could be the largest sources of incremental module demand by 2030, offering 17–22GW of annual additional opportunity beyond conventional solar deployment. Their ability to scale up will depend on supportive policy, project execution, and evolving procurement dynamics. Vertically integrated manufacturers with scale and technology depth are positioned to define the industry’s next growth phase. Small-scale assemblers, legacy Passive Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC)-based lines, and manufacturers without an upstream integration roadmap will be at risk of consolidation, acquisitions, or exit.

Built for backup, contracted to run: China’s coal support system risks crowding out clean power, Qi Qin and Christine Shearer, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air

New coal power plants entering operation in China reached the highest first-half year level since 2016, with 10 GW entering operation for every 1 GW retired, despite a policy shift towards tighter control of new project approvals. China commissioned 30 GW of new coal power, up 43% from last year, while retiring only 2.7 GW. Another 25.4 GW started construction. Coal power generation rebounded 3.4% year-on-year in H1 2026, reversing the 2025 decline. The rapid expansion of coal power capacity led to worsening oversupply, reflected both in the increase of wasted wind and solar generation and in falling use of coal power plants. The rebound was not evidence of a broad return to coal following LNG shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. China’s combined domestic coal production and imports in fact fell by 1.4% year-on-year in H1 2026, rather than expanding in response to the external energy shock. Growth in clean energy supply and electrification helped offset the fall in oil supply and limit increases in fossil fuel consumption.

Challenges related to sea level rise and ways and approaches to address it : report of the Secretary-General, General Assembly of the United Nations

The authors provide an assessment of the current context of sea level rise, key challenges and ongoing efforts by Member States and the United Nations system to address such challenges. The author provide forward-looking recommendations recognizing the global multidimensional effects of sea level rise and their implications for human rights and sustainable development. The authors call for strengthened international cooperation to ensure equitable, just and sustainable solutions that uphold the rights of affected States and their populations, through international governance frameworks and action that safeguard dignity, stability and opportunities for those affected and future generations.

Hidden assets: The economic and health case for climate and clean air action, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, United Nations Environment Programme

The authors provide the most complete assessment to date of the benefits and costs of integrated climate and clean air action, complemented by an empirically grounded analysis of how these benefits can be delivered quickly enough to avoid premature deaths and disease and improve the lives of many of the world’s most vulnerable people.

EV Transition Check 2026: Measuring progress toward zero emissions for road transport in Europe, Marie Rajon Bernard and Alexander Plummer, International Council on Clean Transportation

The authors assess the progress of Europe’s road transport toward zero emissions. This second edition widens the scope to include trucks and buses in addition to passenger cars. The authors provide a broad range of data and analysis for a comprehensive snapshot of the current status of the transition to battery electric vehicles (BEV). In terms of the affordability and accessibility of BEVs, the number of passenger car BEV models on offer in Europe’s largest automotive market, Germany, has quadrupled between 2020 and 2025 to about 160, and affordable options, defined as BEVs priced below €30,000, have grown to about 35. BEVs in the three largest car segments (medium, upper-medium, and luxury) have already reached upfront cost parity with comparable internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). Although the median BEV sales price has increased in recent years, so has the electric range by approximately 30% on average in the past 5 years. Factoring in improvements in performance as well as inflation, BEV prices have decreased by about 18% over the past 5 years, spurred primarily by a decrease in global battery prices, which, adjusted for inflation, have fallen by about 35% in the past 5 years. The delta between battery cost reductions and BEV sale prices indicates further potential for BEV price reductions in the upcoming years. About New Research

Click here for the why and how of Skeptical Science New Research.

Suggestions

Please let us know if you're aware of an article you think may be of interest for Skeptical Science research news, or if we've missed something that may be important. Send your input to Skeptical Science via our contact form.

Previous edition

The previous edition of Skeptical Science New Research may be found here.

Categories: I. Climate Science

Behind the Bill: How Virginia Turned a Constituent Idea Into a Plug-In Solar Law

CCAN - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 09:49

Blog by Plugin Solar US, published as part of their Behind the Bill series exploring how U.S. states are shaping plug-in solar policy.

Del. Paul Krizek and Virginia climate advocate Jamie Bacon show how one constituent email about Utah’s balcony-solar law helped spark a coalition, companion bills, and a new pathway for renters and homeowners.

It started with an article about Utah

Virginia’s plug-in solar story did not begin with a utility filing, an industry lobbying campaign, or even a bill draft.

It began with a constituent reading an article.

On August 17, 2025, Alexandria resident Jamie Bacon saw a Boston Globe story in the Climate Action Now app about Utah’s new plug-in solar law. Utah had created a legal pathway for small solar systems designed to connect through an electrical outlet, reducing some of the interconnection and installation barriers associated with traditional rooftop solar.

Bacon immediately saw the appeal.

A retired biologist who had spent 33 years working in Bermuda, including years studying the effects of pollution on wildlife, Bacon had become increasingly involved in climate advocacy after moving to Virginia. She serves as a volunteer climate lobby captain in her Northern Virginia district, teaches about climate change, and lives in a large condominium community where traditional rooftop solar is not an easy individual option.

She also had a personal reference point: her daughter lives in Germany, where balcony solar had already become commonplace.

The next day, Bacon emailed her delegate, Paul Krizek. She sent information about the Utah legislation and plug-in solar products and asked him to help Virginia pass something similar.

That email would ultimately become the first step in Virginia’s plug-in solar law.

From one email to a statewide conversation

The idea did not become legislation overnight.

About a month later, Bacon saw Krizek at a community ice cream social and asked him about balcony solar again. He asked her to resend the information. She did.

Then Bacon widened the circle.

After reading an article by Virginia clean-energy advocate Ivy Main about solar policy, Bacon contacted Main and shared the same material. Main circulated the idea among Sierra Club advocates. Bacon brought representatives from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, or CCAN, into the conversation. Other clean-energy advocates began discussing the concept.

By early October, the idea had reached Virginia’s Commission on Electric Utility Regulation and several legislators. Main told the group that Del. Rip Sullivan was interested. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell was interested as well.

Bacon then emailed Krizek’s office to let him know that other lawmakers were considering legislation. The response surprised her: Krizek’s chief of staff told Bacon that his office had already submitted a bill-drafting request based on the idea she had sent them and would coordinate with the other legislators.

For Bacon, October 9 became the moment when a constituent suggestion suddenly looked like a real legislative campaign. CCAN agreed to help lead advocacy. Sierra Club representatives offered to work alongside them. The idea had moved from Bacon’s inbox into Virginia’s clean-energy coalition.

One fellow advocate texted Bacon afterward asking, in effect, whether she had just helped move the entire state forward on balcony solar.

“I think I did.” — Jamie Bacon

The more complete answer is that Virginia’s law emerged from a network: Bacon brought the idea forward; Krizek’s office acted on it; Surovell and other lawmakers became legislative champions; Sierra Club and CCAN advocates helped build support; and stakeholders worked through the technical and political details.

But Bacon had unquestionably gotten the ball rolling.

A rare first-year legislative win

That grassroots origin is especially notable because the proposal moved unusually quickly.

Virginia ultimately advanced two companion measures: H.B. 395, with Del. Paul Krizek as chief patron, and S.B. 250, with Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell as chief patron. Both addressed what Virginia law calls a “small portable solar generation device.”

The legislation moved through committees, underwent revisions and stakeholder negotiations, passed the General Assembly, received recommendations from the Governor, and was ultimately approved on April 22, 2026.

For Bacon, the speed was surprising. She later learned that many new proposals spend their first legislative session simply being “socialized”—introduced so lawmakers and stakeholders can understand the concept before another attempt in a later year.

Virginia’s plug-in solar proposal did not need that second attempt.

“The fact that it did pass in its first year was pretty amazing.” — Jamie Bacon

Part of the reason may be the intuitive nature of the idea. Plug-in solar is easier to visualize than many energy policies. Instead of asking a resident to understand utility rate structures, transmission planning, interconnection queues, or wholesale electricity markets, the proposition is straightforward: put a small solar panel somewhere sunny, connect a properly certified system to your home, and use some of the electricity yourself.

That simplicity helped turn a relatively unfamiliar technology into a policy lawmakers and residents could quickly understand.

Krizek: solar that belongs to the person, not the property

Krizek did not sit for a full interview for this article, but he provided a written explanation of why he believes Virginia’s law matters.

His framing gets to the heart of the policy.

“The plug-in solar isn’t tied to the house but to the people.” — Del. Paul Krizek

Traditional rooftop solar is fundamentally tied to real estate. A homeowner invests in a system attached to a particular roof. If the homeowner moves, the solar typically stays behind.

Plug-in solar changes that relationship.

“You move to a new unit and you bring your energy maker with you.” — Del. Paul Krizek

For him, that portability is particularly important for renters. People who do not own their homes typically cannot decide to put a conventional solar array on the roof. They may support clean energy and want lower electricity bills, but the property decision belongs to someone else.

A portable solar device starts to separate access to distributed energy from ownership of real estate. Krizek described that as part of a broader evolution in consumer technology—from desktop computers to smartphones, and now, potentially, from fixed power generation toward personal energy equipment.

“Isn’t the best kilowatt of energy the one you actually make?” — Del. Paul Krizek

That philosophy gives Virginia’s law a distinctive consumer-access framing. Plug-in solar is not supposed to replace utility-scale renewable energy or rooftop solar. It creates another option for people who previously had few options at all.

What Virginia’s law actually does

Virginia’s enacted framework defines a small portable solar generation device as a movable photovoltaic system with a maximum output of 1,200 watts per customer, or per residential building unit in multifamily housing.

The device must:

  • Connect to a building’s electrical system through an electrical outlet.
  • Be located on the customer’s side of the electric meter.
  • Primarily offset the customer’s own electricity consumption.
  • Meet applicable National Electrical Code requirements.
  • Be certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
  • Include a feature preventing the device from exporting power to the grid or affecting the building’s electrical system during a power outage.

Virginia also created an important distinction at 391 watts. A qualifying device with no more than 391 watts of maximum output to the receptacle is exempt from product-listing provisions that would otherwise require alterations to the building’s premises, wiring, or electrical panels.

In practical terms, Virginia has a broader pathway reaching up to 1,200 watts, while creating a simpler path for smaller systems that can operate without triggering certain building electrical alterations. The statutory framework becomes effective January 1, 2027.

Notification—but not utility permission

One of the most important parts of Virginia’s law is what utilities cannot require.

A qualifying customer does not have to go through traditional interconnection requirements or participate in net metering simply to operate a small portable solar device. Utilities may not require prior utility approval, an interconnection fee or other device-related charge, or additional controls or equipment beyond what is integrated into the qualifying device, subject to limited statutory circumstances.

Virginia did, however, preserve a notification process. Before installation, a customer must submit a simple form developed by the State Corporation Commission. The utility then has 15 days to review that form for accuracy and completeness. If the utility does not respond within that period, the customer is deemed to have satisfied the notification requirement and may proceed.

That distinction matters.

Notification is not permission.

A traditional rooftop solar project can involve an interconnection application, engineering review, utility approval, inspections, permitting, and significant soft costs. Virginia is trying to keep a small consumer device from automatically becoming that kind of project, while still giving utilities basic information needed for system awareness and safety.

Chapter 1052 directed the SCC to develop and publish a standardized online and printable notification form on or before September 1, 2026. Consumers should confirm the current form and utility process before installation.

Renters were not an afterthought

Virginia went further than simply changing utility rules. The legislation also amended landlord-tenant law.

For landlords above a specified ownership threshold, the law generally prevents them from simply prohibiting a tenant from installing a qualifying plug-in solar device on the exterior of the tenant’s premises. A landlord may still impose reasonable restrictions regarding the size, location, and manner of placement.

Tenants must also provide at least seven days’ notice and documentation showing that the proposed device meets the statutory requirements.

That renter language goes directly to the problem Bacon saw from the beginning. Renters may pay electricity bills every month, but they generally cannot order their building owner to install rooftop solar. Plug-in solar provides a potential piece of energy agency that moves with the resident.

“I think this is one way that renters…have some agency.” — Jamie Bacon

That word—agency—comes up repeatedly in Virginia’s story. It is not simply a question of how many kilowatt-hours one panel produces. It is about whether a consumer can make an individual energy decision at all.

The irony of the multifamily gap

Yet the law’s strongest access feature also contains one of its most important unresolved limitations.

Virginia excludes rental dwelling units operating under a ratio utility billing system, commonly known as RUBS. In those arrangements, the landlord or property may receive a master electricity bill and then allocate costs among tenants rather than each tenant having a direct utility account. Those tenants may not install a qualifying plug-in solar device under the new framework.

For Bacon, this issue is personal. She lives at River Towers, a large condominium community in Alexandria with pooled electricity. She is a condo owner rather than a renter, which creates a different legal question, but the building’s metering structure has left her seeking clarification about exactly how the law will apply to residents like her.

There is a certain irony in that. The person who helped introduce Virginia lawmakers to balcony solar may live in one of the housing configurations where implementation is most complicated.

Bacon said several residents in her community would like to install balcony solar even if the savings do not accrue directly to their individual bills.

“We don’t care that we’re not going to get the benefit. We want the whole building to benefit.” — Jamie Bacon

She is now pushing for greater clarity—and potentially future changes—to make sure multifamily residents are not unnecessarily excluded.

“Make sure you address multifamily units.” — Jamie Bacon

That may be one of Virginia’s most valuable lessons nationally. It is easy to say plug-in solar expands access for renters and apartment residents. It is harder to write legislation that accounts for every combination of renter, condo owner, landlord, HOA, common element, master meter, submeter, and ratio billing system.

Virginia made significant progress on renter access. Its implementation will now help reveal where the next round of policy refinement is needed.

Safety became part of the compromise

The bill was popular, but it was not frictionless.

Bacon said she learned from Krizek that utilities raised concerns during the legislative process and that fire-safety questions also entered the discussion. She was not directly involved in those negotiations and does not claim to know every detail of how they were resolved.

What the final law shows, however, is a substantial safety framework. Devices must comply with the applicable National Electrical Code and receive certification from a nationally recognized testing laboratory. They must include anti-islanding functionality so they do not energize the building or grid during an outage.

Virginia also created a formal stakeholder workgroup to examine the remaining safety questions. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade was directed to convene representatives from state agencies, utilities, electric cooperatives, clean-energy businesses, environmental advocates, the Department of Fire Programs, real-estate interests, and other stakeholders.

Among the issues the group must evaluate are national electrical standards, nationally recognized testing-laboratory certifications, the National Electrical Safety Code, and whether additional disconnect equipment provides safety benefits beyond existing standards.

The group’s recommendations are due November 15, 2026. That timing helps explain the implementation runway before the statutory framework takes effect January 1, 2027.

For deeper technical context, read our guides to anti-islanding and the UL 3700 testing framework.

The 391-watt pathway could matter most at first

Virginia’s 1,200-watt ceiling gets attention because it establishes the outer boundary of the new category. But the 391-watt provision may be equally important for early consumer adoption.

The distinction recognizes that a smaller device capable of operating without changes to the building’s premises, wiring, or electrical panel is fundamentally different from a larger system that may require additional electrical work.

Bacon sees that lower threshold as a potential way to get relatively simple systems into consumers’ hands. But she also emphasized that product availability remains a major unknown.

Consumers will need systems that clearly meet Virginia’s requirements. Retailers will need to know which products qualify. Manufacturers will need clarity on certification. Electricians, utilities, building managers, landlords, and consumers all need understandable guidance.

“The ones that are meeting the requirements for Virginia need to be available.” — Jamie Bacon

For plug-in solar to become an appliance-like category, consumers eventually need to be able to recognize a compliant product without becoming experts in electrical code. That market does not fully exist yet.

A small amount of electricity—and a larger sense of agency

Bacon is realistic about what balcony solar can accomplish. A few hundred watts on one apartment balcony will not solve Virginia’s electricity-supply challenges. It will not replace utility-scale solar, grid storage, transmission, energy efficiency, or conventional rooftop solar. And it will not, by itself, offset the growth in power demand associated with Virginia’s rapidly expanding data-center sector.

But Bacon argues that this misses part of the point.

“At least it may give people a sense of agency over their electrical bill.” — Jamie Bacon

That can matter politically as well as economically. Distributed solar is visible. A resident can see the panel, understand when the sun is producing power, and know that at least a portion of the electricity being consumed is being generated locally.

Bacon believes that visibility can be contagious. One rooftop solar installation can lead neighbors to consider solar. Balcony solar could have a similar effect in apartments and condominiums, particularly if future systems increasingly combine solar with small batteries.

“Is it going to solve everything? No. Can it help? Yes.” — Jamie Bacon

That may be the most realistic way to understand Virginia’s law. The kilowatt-hours matter. But so does participation.

A changing electricity landscape gives the idea urgency

Virginia’s plug-in solar law is arriving while the state faces a much larger debate about electricity demand. Data-center growth, new generation, transmission construction, utility costs, renewable-energy siting, and energy affordability have all become major political issues.

Bacon is deeply concerned about that trajectory. She does not present balcony solar as the solution to those structural problems. Instead, she sees it as one piece of a broader strategy that should include large-scale solar, storage, energy efficiency, agrivoltaics, and other clean-energy resources.

Plug-in solar does something those larger policies cannot do as directly: it lets an ordinary resident participate.

For a renter who cannot control a roof, that distinction is significant. For a condo resident who wants to contribute to clean-energy generation, it can be psychologically important even when the financial impact is modest. And for policymakers trying to build public support for a changing electricity system, millions of small consumer decisions may matter alongside gigawatts of utility-scale infrastructure.

What still needs to happen before January 1

Passing the law was one phase. Implementation is the next.

Several pieces still need to come together.

  1. Clear safety guidance. The stakeholder workgroup is evaluating relevant standards and must report by November 15, 2026.
  2. A simple notification process. The SCC was directed to publish a standardized form, and utilities need processes that preserve the law’s basic principle: notification, not discretionary approval.
  3. Compliant products. Consumers need an easy way to determine whether a system satisfies Virginia’s certification, anti-islanding, output, and code requirements.
  4. Consumer education. Residents need to understand placement, outlets and circuits, property rules, realistic savings, and when electrical work is required.
  5. Multifamily clarity. The RUBS exclusion is explicit for tenants, while condo and common-meter situations may require additional interpretation depending on who the utility customer is and what private condominium documents allow.

For Bacon, these are not arguments against the law. They are what comes after success.

Lessons for other states 1. A constituent can start the process

Bacon was not a solar manufacturer or professional lobbyist. She encountered an idea, thought it made sense for her state, contacted a legislator, followed up, contacted advocates, and kept connecting people.

Virginia’s law is a reminder that policy diffusion does not always happen institution to institution. Sometimes it happens person to person.

2. Use another state as a starting point, not necessarily an endpoint

Utah gave Virginia a model. But Virginia added substantial provisions around renters, notification, multifamily housing, utilities, safety, and implementation. The states are building on one another.

3. Solve the utility question without recreating rooftop-solar interconnection

Virginia preserved utility notification while explicitly removing utility approval, interconnection fees, and conventional interconnection requirements for qualifying systems. That is an important distinction if the product category is supposed to remain consumer-accessible.

4. Address renters explicitly

Virginia recognized that simply legalizing a device does not guarantee renters can use it. Its landlord provisions create meaningful protections. At the same time, the pooled-billing exclusion shows why multifamily policy requires even more careful attention.

5. Make safety rules understandable at the point of purchase

If ordinary consumers need to interpret competing electrical standards themselves, plug-in solar will struggle to become mainstream. The long-term goal should be straightforward: compliant products should be clearly identifiable, properly certified, and installed according to clear rules.

6. Do not measure the category only by megawatts

A small system will not transform a state grid by itself. But it can broaden clean-energy ownership, create consumer familiarity with distributed resources, and bring renters and multifamily residents into a market that has historically centered homeowners.

That participation has value of its own.

A message to Virginia residents

When asked what she would tell a Virginia resident who becomes interested in plug-in solar once the law takes effect, Bacon did not hesitate.

“Get it!” — Jamie Bacon

Her enthusiasm comes with an important qualifier: wait for Virginia’s implementation process to be completed and use products that actually meet the state’s safety and certification requirements.

But the underlying message is clear. Bacon believes residents should be able to produce some of their own clean electricity—even if they do not own a detached house, even if they cannot afford a rooftop installation, and even if the amount of electricity produced is relatively small.

Krizek reaches the same conclusion from a policymaker’s perspective. For him, the significance is that the energy resource can belong to the resident rather than the building.

A renter can move. The solar can move too.

That is a subtle but important shift in how Americans have traditionally thought about distributed energy.

Why Virginia matters nationally

Virginia became one of the first states in the country to enact an explicit plug-in solar framework. But its larger contribution may be the way it combined several ideas in one law:

  • A 1,200-watt portable-solar category.
  • A simpler pathway at 391 watts.
  • Exemption from traditional interconnection and net-metering requirements.
  • Notification instead of utility permission.
  • Explicit renter protections.
  • Limits on local prohibitions.
  • Nationally recognized product certification and anti-islanding protections.
  • A formal state process to continue resolving safety and implementation questions.

Just as importantly, Virginia shows how quickly plug-in solar has moved from a European curiosity into American statehouses.

In August 2025, Jamie Bacon read about what Utah had done. The next day, she emailed her delegate. Eight months later, Virginia had a law.

That timeline captures what is happening with plug-in solar nationally. States are watching one another. Constituents are asking questions. Advocates are sharing language. Legislators are adapting earlier bills. Manufacturers and standards organizations are responding.

And a category that barely existed in U.S. energy policy a few years ago is beginning to develop its own legal architecture.

Virginia’s story suggests that the most consequential part of that architecture may not be the wattage limit. It may be the idea behind it:

You should not necessarily have to own a roof to make some of your own electricity.

Blog by Plugin Solar US, published as part of their Behind the Bill series exploring how U.S. states are shaping plug-in solar policy.

The post Behind the Bill: How Virginia Turned a Constituent Idea Into a Plug-In Solar Law appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Google bankrolls PG&E virtual power plant

Utility Dive - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 09:43

The SHARE program is a proof of concept for privately-funded distributed energy capacity and could eventually expand to include commercial, industrial and utility-scale resources, Pacific Gas & Electric said.

More than 70% of new solar is being built in states that voted for Trump

Grist - Thu, 09/10/2026 - 09:26

States that voted for Trump are leading the country in solar adoption. In recent years, Republican opposition to solar has mounted, with the Trump administration making it more difficult to build solar on federal land and Congress scaling back federal tax credits for the industry. But a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association has found that states that voted for Donald Trump in the last presidential election counted for eight of the top 10 solar-building states in the country in the first half of the year. 

“At least at the macro level, Republican-led and governed states are not only open to but embracing solar energy as a technology,” said Tim Pawlenty, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association and a former Republican governor of Minnesota. 

Altogether, solar construction in Trump-supporting states has buoyed an ongoing explosion in national solar deployment. The country added more than 11 gigawatts of solar power in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 45 percent compared to the same period in 2025. States that supported Trump in the last election made up close to three-fourths of that growth.

Texas and Florida, the two largest Trump-supporting states by population, were ranked first and third, respectively. Those Sun Belt states have been consistent leaders in solar construction, as have Indiana, Ohio, and Arizona, which have also remained in the top 10 solar-building states since 2024. Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, and Utah also reached the top 10 in some, but not all, of those years.

Those red states are fostering solar development through their general pro-business attitude and booming electricity-hungry industries, even if they don’t support solar for climate-related reasons. Republican-leaning states tend to have more available land and easier permitting processes for energy projects, Pawlenty said. That attractive business environment has also drawn electricity-consuming industries, like manufacturing and data centers, to red states, producing demand for quickly constructed, cheap energy sources like solar.

“Red states, as a general proposition, have sort of a pro-build mentality. They want to build things,” Pawlenty said.

But the future for solar in red states is more complicated. After Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, energy companies investing in solar projects and homeowners buying solar for their rooftops received tax credits for their investments. But last year, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and brought an early end to the credits. Credits expired for most uninitiated solar farms on July 4, 2026. As a result, solar developers rushed to start construction before the deadline, helping create a bump in solar installations in the second quarter of 2026. The lack of tax credits could make solar growth less certain in the future, especially for rooftop solar projects, which have already begun declining in 2026, the solar industry report notes.

The nature of this uncertainty is not the same for all solar-investing, Trump-voting states. While Texas has remained a titan in solar development, earning the top spot in 2024, 2025, and the first half of 2026, other states are just beginning their solar booms. Michigan, a politically mixed state where a majority of voters chose Trump in 2024, reached the top 10 for the first time this year. The state has climbed steadily from 23rd place in 2024 to fourth in the first half of 2026. 

Whether Michigan, which lacks Texas’ year-round strong sunlight, can maintain that solar energy growth after the end of federal tax credits is another question, said Michael Craig, an associate professor in the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. Solar farms may remain economically feasible to build without the credits only in areas with the right weather. 

“The economics of solar largely depends on your solar resource,” said Craig. ”The better the resource, I’d say the less important the tax credits are.” 

Without federal tax credits, Michigan’s solar industry will likely fall back on state clean energy goals, which create demand for solar by mandating that utilities build renewable power sources. Though Michigan voted for Trump in 2024, the state has a Democratic governor and Democrat-led state Senate. The state established a law that utilities must generate 50 percent of their power from renewables by 2030. That requirement, in combination with data center electricity demand, is likely a large factor in the state’s rapid solar rise, Craig said. 

Nonetheless, some strategists have argued the solar industry needs tax credits less than it needs an easier federal permitting process and continued power demand to support growth. Even if Congress never reinstates the tax credits, those structural factors could push the industry forward, especially because solar requires relatively little time to build compared to other power sources. Regardless of cost, tax credits, or even geography, that speed still counts for something, said Rachel Skaar, communications director for Solar Energy Industries Association.

“Solar and storage can deploy so much faster than other technologies,” Skaar said. “So when we talk about the need for energy right now, solar and storage can provide it.”

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline More than 70% of new solar is being built in states that voted for Trump on Sep 10, 2026.

Categories: H. Green News

Pages

The Fine Print I:

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) unless otherwise indicated and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s, nor should it be assumed that any of these authors automatically support the IWW or endorse any of its positions.

Further: the inclusion of a link on our site (other than the link to the main IWW site) does not imply endorsement by or an alliance with the IWW. These sites have been chosen by our members due to their perceived relevance to the IWW EUC and are included here for informational purposes only. If you have any suggestions or comments on any of the links included (or not included) above, please contact us.

The Fine Print II:

Fair Use Notice: The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of scientific, environmental, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc.

It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The information on this site does not constitute legal or technical advice.