Optimism in the climate change fight

So much is happening so quickly. With the climate bill now law, here's what you need to know.

Unless you've been off the grid, you know that Congress passed – and Biden yesterday signed – the biggest package of climate change legislation the United States (and the world) has seen.


At Environmental Health Sciences, we put news and science into context. What we're seeing right now is optimism:

Those in the trenches working on climate mitigation, climate solutions, clean energy and climate justice say goals that felt impossible yesterday feel achievable today.

So much is happening, so quickly, you need a way to keep up – and filter the noise. Our team works around the clock across 11 time zones to find the most consequential news about our health and environment.

Here's a quick roundup of some reporting you may not have seen amid the torrent of coverage.

Inflation Reduction Act, explained

Start with the basics.

One of the better overviews comes from vlogger Hank Green, who in 23 minutes dissects the bill, its flaws, the history of climate obstruction and how the Inflation Reduction Act overcomes them. There's even, as a friend noted, "a bit of cathartic rage" at the end as a bonus.

Green captures the optimism of the moment: "Nothing gets done if you don't believe it can get done. And I, for the first time in decades of this, have started to believe it can be done."

It's long, but graphics, factoids and an interview with EPA administrator Michael Regan make it worth your time.

How the Inflation Reduction Act helps you

climate bill home efficiency credits

The Inflation Reduction Act contains a number of provisions for home efficiency credits

Credit: Bluewater Sweden/Unsplash

How does the bill help you?

"One of the most damaging legacies of the intersection between racism and fossil fuels is how highways were built to cut through Latino and Black communities…. The Inflation Reduction Act includes a federal infusion of cash for community projects aimed at addressing some of the harmful effects of these projects."

"This measure could especially help young Americans buy their first car and skip the gas pump forever."

Helping Nature … and the GOP

Wilderness hike

A hiker crosses an alpine meadow in Montana's Lee Metcalf Wilderness

Credit: Douglas Fischer/EHS

Major news outlets have flooded the zone with coverage, and Politico and the Washington Post are no exception. They have two fine sidebars worth attention:

The Post's Brady Dennis looks away from high-tech solutions to focus on how the bill helps … Mother Nature.

"The Inflation Reduction Act includes an acknowledgement that land is a profound ally in the fight against climate change," he writes.

And Politico's Catherine Morehouse has a delightful little poke of GOP governors opposing the Democrat-driven climate bill – and how their states stand to gain.

  • A key stat: "Republican-led states are some of the largest wind and solar producers in the U.S. and have benefited greatly from the past decade of green energy expansion not only through job growth, but through lower ratepayer prices."

The 'Battery Belt'

Inflation Reduction Act Battery Belt

North America's new 'battery belt' largely overlaps its old 'rust belt.'

Credit: Axios

Axios has a sharp piece looking at how investments in battery tech promise to revive America's heartland.

  • Why it matters: "The package is a major economic jolt for a big swath of the country — being called the new Battery Belt — where manufacturers are building lots of electric-vehicle-related factories."

The bigger picture from Congress

A tweet thread from Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, puts the Inflation Reduction Act in a larger perspective.

The scale of legislative productiveness out of Congress, Schatz notes, is hard to portray accurately "without sounding a bit left-leaning."

The climate bill is just the latest in a string of legislation that includes an infrastructure package, postal reform, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, veterans support.

"When you add all of this up, it’s not just a lot of bills. Each one of these was thorny, complicated, difficult, and ambitious," he tweeted.

The full tweet thread

The power of our aggregation

We work hard to get you the top news when you need it. Environmental Health Sciences publishes two websites:

For the top aggregated news on climate change, visit DailyClimate.org. The "politics" tab gets you a pile of political coverage.

EHN.org focuses more broadly on our environmental health. But it also keeps those climate stories in one place.

And EHS delivers top stories to your inbox daily, free of charge:

Disagree with our optimism? Or have a story to recommend?

Is our optimism overrated or clearly biased? Did we miss a story you found insightful?

We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts on the climate bill – or pass along a story URL or informative tweet thread: feedback@ehsciences.org

This story is developing. We'll update this page and share relevant suggestions.

republican climate change denial
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. (Credit: Gage Skidmore)

Opinion: House Speaker Mike Johnson’s climate change playbook — deny the science, take the funding

The two-faced charade of climate denial while diving into the pot of federal renewable incentives and tax breaks.

It took no time for Mike Johnson to establish a hefty carbon footprint as new Speaker of the House.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
circular economy energy transition
BigStock Photo ID: 147195269
Copyright: MIRO3D

Circular economy poised to go beyond outdated oil, gas and coal, experts say

As oil and gas production surge, shifting the global economy to a circular model is essential to charting a path away from fossil fuels, petroleum-based nitrogen fertilizers and petrochemicals such as plastics. Part 3 of a three-part miniseries.

Electric planes offer the promise of a better, cooler world

As both technology and the climate fight become grimmer, it’s good to remember that innovation can still drive hope and make the world a nicer place.

Why Teslas totaled in the US are mysteriously reincarnated in Ukraine

Ukraine’s fearless and expert EV mechanics bring electric vehicles declared unfixable in the US and Canada back to life on the other side of the world.

How I made my pets more environmentally friendly

Pets may be beloved members of the family – but research shows their upkeep can have a significant impact on the environment.

The only thing that blocks adoption of more sustainable plastics is our obsession with fossil fuels

Poor financial incentives and unsustainable supply chains slow the transition to biodegradable plastics.

Judge says Ottawa listing plastic items as toxic was 'unreasonable and unconstitutional'

The case was brought forward by a group of major industrial players in plastics, including Dow Chemical, Imperial Oil and Nova Chemicals. They argued that Ottawa failed to demonstrate it had enough scientific evidence to justify the regulations.

From our Newsroom
childrens health climate change

Delays in joining the RGGI regional climate program means excess ER visits and child illness in Pennsylvania

Up to 128 premature deaths from air pollution could have been prevented if the state had entered the program in 2022 as planned.

environmental justice

LISTEN: Carlos Gould on wildfire smoke and our health

“Information matters a lot — trying to explain not just that there’s a problem, but how to do something about it.”

fracking PFAS

“Forever chemicals” in Pennsylvania fracking wells could impact health of surrounding communities: Report

More than 5,000 wells in the state were injected with 160 million pounds of undisclosed, “trade-secret” chemicals, which potentially include PFAS.

800,000 tons of radioactive waste from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry has gone “missing”

800,000 tons of radioactive waste from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry has gone “missing”

Poor recordkeeping on hazardous waste disposal points to potential for bigger problems, according to a new study.

drought climate farming

Opinion: Climate change and soil loss — the new Dust Bowl?

How we can save our soil, stabilize the climate, and prevent a new Dust Bowl.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.